Navigating a Plagiarism Accusation: An Unexpected Technical Glitch

Experiencing an accusation of plagiarism is a daunting situation, especially when you know that all your work is original. Recently, I found myself in such a position, and I’d like to share my experience and the resolution that followed, hoping to provide insights for anyone who may encounter a similar dilemma.

During a recent exam utilizing the latest version of AutoCAD Electrical, I submitted my work, created solely during the exam period. To my surprise, my professor later alleged that the file’s metadata indicated it was created in 2013. This accusation took me completely off guard as I had diligently crafted my project just the day before, on December 11th, 2023.

Upon examining the file’s metadata on my end, I confirmed that it displayed a creation date of December 11th, but with an odd timestamp: created at 9 PM and last modified at 6 PM on the same day. Despite this, my professor’s reading of the file pointed to a far older date, raising many questions.

After seeking advice from acquaintances, I learned about potential file corruption issues, such as a “bit flip,” which could potentially alter how the file’s metadata was registered. I did some research and discovered that files from 2013 AutoCAD Electrical would not be compatible with the latest version we were using. This gave me some reassurance that the situation was likely a result of a glitch rather than an intentional act of dishonesty on my part.

Furthermore, working from a school computer, which automatically purged itself after shutdown, complicated matters regarding file retrieval and previous versions. My files were saved to OneDrive, which I hoped would provide some safety in case further investigations were needed.

Update: A Sigh of Relief!

Fortunately, after engaging with my professor about the issue, we reached a resolution. He was understanding and acknowledged the error, apologizing for the confusion. Upon reopening the file on a different computer, the metadata displayed correctly, showing that I was, in fact, the creator. Interestingly, it was revealed that several other students experienced similar issues, highlighting that this was not a solitary problem.

While I did not have to escalate the matter further, it was crucial to be prepared, as accountability in academic settings is paramount. Reflecting on this incident, it’s worthwhile to share a few potential causes for metadata discrepancies related to file creation dates: