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Reducing plagiarism through effective teaching and learning
strategiesA workshop developed for
Bilkent University by Gordon Suddaby
Supporting academic integrity
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
OverviewIn recent years, plagiarism has become an
increasingly prominent issue in higher education and the three contributing factors are probably;
• growth in student numbers (and the related rise in the student/staff ratio)
• pressure on students’ time and balancing study with work to support their study
• availability of copyable material on the web.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
So what is Plagiarism?“Plagiarism is a broad term that applies to many different
types of copying. This ranges from claiming authorship of an entire piece of work to misattribution or insufficient attribution of source papers. The latter is far more common: ‘content’ being made available to scholars and academics through the internet and the ease with which it can be cut and pasted without rewording has, at least in part, contributed to this specific problem. Coupled with this, the discipline of recording all web sources and correctly referencing them is not easily undertaken. Finally, the pressures on academics to publish research to secure funding for future work and career advancement, in other words the ‘publish or perish’ principle, has lead to a very small number of researchers taking short cuts in the past”.
Academic Plagiarism, by Rebecca Marsh, Head of Editorial, and Jenny Pickles, New Business Development Manager, at Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
The following material draws on the following reference:
Carroll, J. (2007), 2nd edition, A Handbook for Deterring Plagiarism in Higher Education. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development, Oxford Brookes University
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Why do students plagiarise?As a group identify the sort of reasons that
you believe motivate students to plagiarise
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Why do students plagiarise?They have ‘learnt’ to plagiarise in schoolThey don’t know that its not allowedThey don’t understand the ‘rules’They find the work too hardThey are frightened of failureThey deliberately cheat
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
What contributes to plagiarism? “Academics make plagiarism more likely by: over assessment / bunched assessments not making requirements clear not distinguishing between collaboration and collusion not stressing (and rewarding with marks and high
grades) what is valued not changing the task or requirements of assessments setting tasks beyond the capabilities of the students setting ‘show you know’ rather than show you know
why’ or show you know how’ assignments setting an assignments to a group that has one solution
– so making copying easier”Accessed from:http://www.leeds.ac.uk/sddu/teachtalk/j_carroll.htm on 23rd December, 2009.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
How can we deter plagiarism
Two options: Using technology - plagiarism detection
software such as TurnitinCourse redesign and assessment – through
a changed approach to teaching and assessment
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Eliminate plagiarism by designBy changing assessments: Good practice recommendation:
rewrite/modify the assessment task each time the course is taught
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Create individualised tasks
Good practice recommendation: Design in assessment tasks with multiple
solutions or set one that creates artefacts to capture individual effort.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Integrate assessment tasks
Good practice recommendation: Integrate tasks so each builds on the other;
design in checks that do not require teacher time but do require student effort. Be careful to only check, not assess the intermediate tasks. Set a variety of assessment tasks, choosing those less likely to already exist.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Inform students about;institutional policies and programme expectationsDefinitions of plagiarism, collusion and
misconductReinforcing understanding of definitions for
particular groupsDefining collusion and informing students
Good practice recommendations: Institutions should invest time and energy into
reaching consensus on defining breaches of academic regulations then disseminate them widely to academics and students.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Induction and/or apprenticeship;Good practice recommendation:
treat all instances of plagiarism formally with penalties and tariffs adjusted to fit student circumstances; inform students clearly of the policy, how they must comply and how they will be helped to do so (see section 10).
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Teaching academic conventionsGood practice recommendation:
design in compulsory teaching sessions on academic writing and citation skills where students can apply the skills to discipline-specific content as part of their core assessment tasks.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Active learning methods to teach studentsGood practice recommendation:
ensure that students are taught how to avoid plagiarism with active learning techniques, providing opportunities for discussion, practice and feedback; this instruction works best integrated into discipline-specific contexts.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Creating a climate of student involvement and interestExplanations and justifications for
cheatingAcademic conduct as a model of good
practiceGood practice recommendation:
Academic staff need to be seen to be adhering to the behaviours they ask of their students and taking steps to defend them from abuse.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Secure systems for recording and returning courseworkGood practice recommendations:
create administrative and institutional systems to collect, record and return coursework securely.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Using assessment to check authenticityTo check the student’s work is
authentic, you might organise: a random viva of a percentage of the cohort an open-book test an in-class or supervised taskUse electronic detection tools - Turnitin
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Other issuesStaff development and trainingThe effect of electronic detection on
academic decisions
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
POLICIES AND PROCEDURESUsing a separate procedure for disciplinary
issuesGood Practice Recommendation:-
clearly define the respective roles of the Examination Board and the Disciplinary Procedure in cases of plagiarism, and any interrelation between them; ensure that all parties are aware of and adhere to their respective limits.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Consistent and effective application of the procedures
Good Practice Recommendation:- give the responsibility for dealing with all cases
of plagiarism to a small number of staff in each subject area, who are properly trained and who will work as a team across the institution.
establish “fast-track” disciplinary procedures for dealing with minor and uncontested cases of plagiarism and clearly define the limits of their use.
a simple disciplinary record keeping system that will enable you to monitor which plagiarism problems are occurring where, and how effective different strategies and initiatives are in addressing these problems.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Implementing a co-ordinated strategy against plagiarisma clear commitment from the highest levels
of the University.a clear and appropriate regulatory
framework for defining and dealing with academic misconduct;
clearly defined roles and responsibilities access to support and specialist advicemeasures for embedding practice.targets and timetablesa procedure for reviewing progress
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Reconsider learning outcomesGood practice recommendation:
reconsider the learning outcomes for the course and decrease those that ask for knowledge and understanding, substituting instead those that require analysis, evaluation and synthesis; consider adding information gathering to learning outcomes
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
Avoiding PlagiarismTen Top Tips from the University of Leeds
website that you as academics can give to students:
Accessed from:http://www.ldu.leeds.ac.uk/plagiarism/
teaching.php#usinglitOn 23 December, 2009
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
SEARCHING vs. RESEARCHING: Within your essays you are being asked to
analyse and interpret. Use references to support your argument and don’t just report or copy what you have found.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
DEVELOP YOUR OWN STYLE & VOICE: This is an important part of what examiners
are looking for. You have to use your own words, not those of another author.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
PRESSURE TO GET THE GRADES: Attending University is not just about gaining
the end result of a grade, but about gaining research and writing skills in the process. If you have any problems developing these skills, contact tutors (personal, programme director or module co-ordinator) and make use of other support systems available (handbooks, the Skills Centre, the International Centre).
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
PARAPHRASE, DON’T PLAGIARISE: A footnote is not sufficient to indicate that
any direct text you have used is not your own. Either put the sentences in quotation marks, or write them in your own words and include a footnote to the source.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
NOTE-TAKING: When making notes from sources put direct
quotations in quotation marks and always keep track of sources. This will ensure you do not accidentally plagiarise and also make collating your references easier when you are writing your essays.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
FACTS:Common knowledge does not need to be
cited but when in doubt reference your source.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
CUT & PASTE:Either don’t get into the habit of cutting and
pasting from e-resources (the internet, electronic journals etc.) or put them directly into quotation marks and note the source.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
DEADLINES: If you are having personal problems that
mean you will have difficulty meeting essay deadlines, go and speak to the relevant person who can help (your personal tutor and the programme director).
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
WEB REOURCES: Make use of the examples, glossary, quiz and
regulations on the LDU web pages.
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]
HANDBOOKS: Look at the examples of paraphrasing, citing
cases etc. The information is there for you to access: USE IT!
Gordon Suddaby - [email protected]