Plagiarism:

What is it?

How can I detect it?

How can I prevent it?

What is it?

Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s ideas/thoughts/words in one’s own work without appropriately citing sources, using quotation marks, or properly paraphrasing. It is important to understand that only changing a few words/phrases or changing the sequence of sentences is still considered plagiarism.

How can I detect it?

There are a few indicators of plagiarism. They are:

Ø Failure to document or quote any sources

Ø The formatting of the page varies from paragraph to paragraph

Ø The style of writing varies from one paragraph to another

Ø The word choice is different on certain paragraphs/parts of the writing

Ø The paper fails to stay on topic/not closely related to chosen topic

Ø If you conduct a conference with the student about his/her paper, and questions cannot be answered

How can I prevent it?

The first prevention strategy is to be knowledgeable about plagiarism, as well as make students aware plagiarism and teach them how to properly use sources in their assignments. Be sure to teach students how to use quotes, how to write ideas in their own words, and how to include citations in their work. Also communicate to students that plagiarism takes away from the learning experience. Being able to correctly site and document information is a sign or respectfulness and a high-ability to conduct responsible research. In addition, as the teacher, make students aware of the consequences of plagiarizing.

It is also important to know why students may plagiarize. Many students feel pressure to complete an assignment quickly. Students may not be motivated to complete the assignment, or feel like they are not capable of completing it well. Some students simply wait to the last minute and feel the crunch to finish. Finally, some students may plagiarize simply for the thrill of not following the rules. To cope with these situations, break down papers into smaller components and assign each component a different due date. Have a list of topics to choose from so that students can pick one of interest to them. Offer help to students. Be sure to model how to properly cite and document resources. Display assignments that include proper citations as well as assignments that would be considered plagiarized.

Finally, here are some additional strategies teachers can use in order to avoid the problem of plagiarism altogether:

Ø Communicate clear expectations of the assignment. One way to do this is to provide rubrics.

Ø Identify the criteria of success: what students exactly need to include and do to be successful at the assignment.

Ø Have students orally present their assignments for the entire class, or meet with students individually for conferences. Ask questions about the assignment/topic.

Ø Have students include an annotated bibliography with their assignment.

Ø At the conclusion of an assignment, provide time for students to reflect on the process and what they learned.

Where can I obtain additional information regarding plagiarism?

Here are a few websites that you can visit to gather more information and solutions:

Plagiarism and Anti-Plagiarism – This site discusses the problem of plagiarism and offers some solutions for teachers. In addition, it offers links to additional websites.

http://newark.rutgers.edu/~ehrlich/plagiarism598.html

Guide to Plagiarism and Cyber-Plagiarism – This site offers resources for both students and teachers. It provides handouts for teachers to give to students regarding proper paraphrasing, writing tips, quotations, and internet sources.

http://www.library.ualberta.ca/guides/plagiarism/

Plagiarism Theme Page – This site provides links to other sites on plagiarism. Also, it provides lesson plans for teachers to use with students in order to teach them about plagiarism.

http://www.cln.org/themes/plagiarism.html

Turnitin Research Resources – This site provides information for both students and teachers. It includes information on proper citations and ways to avoid plagiarism through assigning better tasks.

http://www.turnitin.com/research_site/e_home.html