This article discussed plagiarism in a specific case study involving a student studying for his graduate degree. The student submitted a paper that seemed unoriginal. When it was checked by his teacher (using turnitin.com) it was found to be a verbatim compilation of many online sources, including a doctoral thesis. The professors that this student was dealing with didn’t handle this situation right away (their University has a plagiarism policy much like that of UWO, resulting in expulsion) because he was concerned that the student just didn’t realize that what he had done was wrong. Culturally, using others’ work is often viewed as a sign of respect, even if the information goes unattributed. However, as this continued to happen, it became clear that the student had some idea concerning what he was doing. He was finally expelled after plagiarizing in six essays.
The Internet has made plagiarism that much easier and it is that much more important for institutions of higher learning to develop a policy to handle plagiarism. Many sites like turnitin.com have arisen, allowing teachers to submit student papers which are then analyzed for originality. However before this happens, the article states that it is extremely important that teachers are able to discuss plagiarism with students and make them aware that it is a practice that will not be tolerated. Teachers need to be trained in ways to discuss this with students without making accusations in order to give the students a chance to understand that what they are doing (if they are plagiarizing) is wrong.
Original Article
Question: What can we do to better educate our students about avoiding copyright/plagiarism when using online resources?
I think that teachers who teach classes where papers are written and/or do work that can be plagiarized should take a class period to explain to students what plagiarism is. They should explain why plagiarism is wrong. They should also explain how easy it is to plagiarize but tell students the consequences of it. They should also teach students how to cite their sources so that if they do use other sources for their work, they give credit where credit is due.
ReplyDeleteI think that today plagiarism is effectively taught and explained in classes. I also believe that all professors put on their syllabuses the plagiarism rules.
ReplyDeleteRachel
I think the most important part about educating students on plagiarism is the time to discuss the seriousness of the issue. Many students, especially in middle school, brush it off as something their teachers will never care enough about to look into, at least at my school they did. So I think it would be a good idea to stress how important this is, and make sure there are real consequences for plagiarism, not just a slap on the wrist.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that the student plagiarized six papers. To me this seems like he knew very well what he was doing. In order to be completely sure that students don't plagiarize I believe the teacher should definitely take some time to talk about plagiarizing. Especially before a paper is assigned. I think it would be fair for the students to sign a contract saying they understand what plagiarism is and that they won't do it.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the teachers now a day do a great job informing students about plagiarism. It is just the kids that do not want to do the work that rely on this. If we can motivate our students to do the work, then we might not have as much plagiarized material.
ReplyDeleteI believe that sites like turnitin.com are helpful, but also just expressing the importance of citing work is also important. We also need remind students of the consequences of stealing work and calling it your own, such as being expelled, which is a lot less severe than if you publish a book and steal ideas.
ReplyDeleteTeachers should first define what plagiarism is to students along with examples of real situations students are facing today.
ReplyDeleteI also think a course that shows students how to directly quote a source from online would be ideal, because that is not something I learned until around high school. If we expect our students to use online sources than it is our responsibility to make sure they are using them correctly, or these sources should simply should not be allowed to be used.
First and foremost, teachers need to make a clear understanding of the consequences of plagiarism. It is also important to make sure that all students know the definition. If a student does plagiarize the consequences that were set forth need to be followed through. A class discussion on plagiarism or even class debate would be a great idea so that students can better understand it.
ReplyDeleteI think that the best way to learn about plagiarism is by example. If students are new to writing and using references, let them work on their own without expecting great results. Then discuss their work, talking about what was plagiarism and what was a good use of a source.
ReplyDeleteI believe that most students are already well educated about the rules and dangers to copyright and plagiarism however the importance and seriousness either isnt stressed enough or not taken seriously in this generation for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI think we should encourage students by having them expand on what information is already out there instaed of projects that are centered on producing things that are already out there. We should challenge are student to give us original thoughts and new otlooks.
ReplyDeleteThe teacher can use examples of plagiarism and see is students can spot the errors. Teaching students the right way to give credit to creators should be involved also. Excercises and projects that involve citation should be emphasized and practiced often.
ReplyDeleteI think that teachers should take time to teach students how to cite sources and discuss why plagiarism is such a serious offense. By asking students if someone has ever stolen something from them without asking and how that made them feel, teachers are making students aware of how it feels when someone plagiarizes your work.
ReplyDelete