Plagiarism – What is all the fuss about? Dr Fiona Duggan Head of Advice and Guidance

Plagiarism What is it? Is it a new problem? How do we address the problem?

What is it?

Is it a new problem?

How do we address the problem?

What is plagiarism? Theft? Disease? War? Other?

Theft?

Disease?

War?

Other?

Problem One in six students admit to copying from friends and one in ten confesses to looking for essays online (Shepherd,J. (2006) 1 in 6 admits to cheating. THES 16/03/06 p.1) Lecturer plagiarised student’s work (Baty, P. (2004) Lecturer plagiarised student’s work. THES. 17/09/04 p6) Leading academics argued that more researchers were resorting to scientific fraud because of intense competition to publish research results (McCall, B (2006) Push to publish leads to fraudTHES 24/03/06 p11)

One in six students admit to copying from friends and one in ten confesses to looking for essays online (Shepherd,J. (2006) 1 in 6 admits to cheating. THES 16/03/06 p.1)

Lecturer plagiarised student’s work (Baty, P. (2004) Lecturer plagiarised student’s work. THES. 17/09/04 p6)

Leading academics argued that more researchers were resorting to scientific fraud because of intense competition to publish research results (McCall, B (2006) Push to publish leads to fraudTHES 24/03/06 p11)

Defining plagiarism Need a common understanding Need consistency in application Need to practice what we preach!

Need a common understanding

Need consistency in application

Need to practice what we preach!

A new problem? Shakespeare Martin Luther King Princess Michael of Kent

Shakespeare

Martin Luther King

Princess Michael of Kent

Reasons Concept of ownership not yet developed Oral tradition of sharing resources Cryptomnesia

Concept of ownership not yet developed

Oral tradition of sharing resources

Cryptomnesia

Current issues Increasing consumerism in attitudes towards education Students adopting a more strategic approach to their studies Diverse nature of student population

Increasing consumerism in attitudes towards education

Students adopting a more strategic approach to their studies

Diverse nature of student population

And Increased access to electronic resources Widespread confusion about referencing and citation Changing attitudes in popular culture e.g. sampling in music, file-sharing

Increased access to electronic resources

Widespread confusion about referencing and citation

Changing attitudes in popular culture e.g. sampling in music, file-sharing

And ‘Bespoke’ essay writing services Sale of student work on e-commerce sites ‘Contract cheating’ sites (Clarke, R & Lancaster, T (2007) Eliminating the successor to plagiarism? Identifying the usage of contract cheating sites in Duggan, F (Ed.) 2 nd International Plagiarism Conference Proceedings, Northumbria Learning Press)

‘Bespoke’ essay writing services

Sale of student work on e-commerce sites

‘Contract cheating’ sites (Clarke, R & Lancaster, T (2007) Eliminating the successor to plagiarism? Identifying the usage of contract cheating sites in Duggan, F (Ed.) 2 nd International Plagiarism Conference Proceedings, Northumbria Learning Press)

HE in FE issues Lack of up-to-date knowledge when citing electronic resources Lack of confidence when teaching academic writing Inadequate knowledge of cultural issues relating to plagiarism Duggan, F. & Mazey, R (n.d.) Perceptions of plagiarism: An HE in FE case study Available at: http://www.jiscpas.ac.uk [Accessed 26/03/07]

Lack of up-to-date knowledge when citing electronic resources

Lack of confidence when teaching academic writing

Inadequate knowledge of cultural issues relating to plagiarism

Duggan, F. & Mazey, R (n.d.) Perceptions of plagiarism: An HE in FE case study Available at: http://www.jiscpas.ac.uk [Accessed 26/03/07]

Responses Use of detection software Revision of institutional policies and procedures Review of assessments Increased guidance for students

Use of detection software

Revision of institutional policies and procedures

Review of assessments

Increased guidance for students

Referencing and attribution An out-dated practice? Isn’t everything freely available? Negative associations

An out-dated practice?

Isn’t everything freely available?

Negative associations

However Probably more relevant than ever in the current knowledge-based society One of the building blocks of good academic practice A positive action rather than a negative one

Probably more relevant than ever in the current knowledge-based society

One of the building blocks of good academic practice

A positive action rather than a negative one

So Need to provide students with opportunities to practice Need to provide an example in our own practice Stress the positive aspects of attribution

Need to provide students with opportunities to practice

Need to provide an example in our own practice

Stress the positive aspects of attribution

“ Quite simply, those who can write well have the potential to achieve, both in their coursework and their exams. They are at an enormous advantage.” Ahmad, R & McMahon, K (2006) The benefits of good writing: or why does it matter that students write well? In Davies, S. Swinburne, D & Williams, G (Eds.) Writing Matters. Royal Literary Fund

“ Quite simply, those who can write well have the potential to achieve, both in their coursework and their exams. They are at an enormous advantage.”

Ahmad, R & McMahon, K (2006) The benefits of good writing: or why does it matter that students write well? In Davies, S. Swinburne, D & Williams, G (Eds.) Writing Matters. Royal Literary Fund