You're Never Gonna Believe This One

By DON TROOP

Plagiarism and cheating are the enfants terribles of the classroom, but far more prevalent (probably because it is seen as less pernicious) is the student excuse. Often it is delivered as a brazen lie. Equally as often it comes as a matter-of-fact description of some pathetic circumstance that you, the Professor, are expected to accept with grace and benevolence.

We asked our friends over at Rate Your Students (http://rateyourstudents.blogspot.com) to solicit their readers' favorite