Preventing Plagiarism and Fostering Academic Integrity:  A Practical Approach

Nicole Brown; Rosalind Janssen

doi:10.14297/jpaap.v5i3.245

Authors

Nicole Brown UCL Institute of Education
Rosalind Janssen UCL Institute of Education

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14297/jpaap.v5i3.245

Keywords:

plagiarism prevention, academic integrity, plagiarism, ethics

Abstract

Although plagiarism, cheating and academic integrity receive increased attention, literature provides little practical advice or strategies on how to approach these topics with students. In this paper we describe a case study in relation to an intervention we have developed to help our students prevent plagiarism and to foster academic integrity amongst our studentship. In the two hour workshop students are supported in gaining a deeper understanding of what plagiarism is and provides them with practical examples of how plagiarism can be avoided. In the context of the workshop plagiarism is discussed in its many forms of the intentional and unintentional stealing or appropriating of ideas that are not credited accordingly (Helgesson & Eriksson, 2015). The intervention also encompasses discussions around academic integrity and what academic integrity means in theory and in practice. The six steps in our intervention are a sorting activity (what is plagiarism?), the presentation of real cases (what is the impact of plagiarism?), practising to synthesise ideas (how can I prevent plagiarism), the role of plagiarism-detection software such as Turnitin (how can I check for plagiarism?), the formulation of an integrity code and a summary of the content covered in the session (what do I know now?). The intervention draws upon research and practical experiences and is designed in such a way that with adaptations it can be delivered to all levels of students and courses. Following the presentation of the individual elements of the workshop the article concludes with a brief outline of a research project in relation to our workshop, which will be used to inform our further development of the intervention but also to provide a more formal evaluation of its effectiveness.

Author Biographies

Nicole Brown, UCL Institute of Education

Nicole Brown is a Lecturer in Education and Programme Leader for the Secondary Teacher Education Programme at University College London’s Institute of Education. Her research interests relate to advancing learning and teaching within higher education and to improving the generation of knowledge. Contact details: nicole.brown@ucl.ac.uk Website: www.nicole-brown.co.uk
Twitter: @ncjbrown
Rosalind Janssen, UCL Institute of Education

Rosalind Janssen is Nicole’s job-share and similarly a Lecturer in Education and Programme Leader for the Secondary Teacher Education Programme at University College London’s Institute of Education. As a professional Egyptologist, she also teaches in adult education. Contact details: r.janssen @ucl.ac.uk Twitter: @RosalindJanssen

References

Abasi, A. R., & Graves, B. (2008). Academic literacy and plagiarism: Conversations with international graduate students and disciplinary professors. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 7(4), 221-233.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2008.10.010

Amsberry, D. (2009). Deconstructing plagiarism: International students and textual borrowing practices. The Reference Librarian, 51(1), 31-44.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02763870903362183

Anderson, E. M., & Murdock, T. B. (2007). Psychology of Academic Cheating. London: Elsevier.

Ashworth, P., Bannister, P., Thorne, P., & Students on the Qualitative Research Methods Course Unit. (1997). Guilty in whose eyes? University students’ perceptions of cheating and plagiarism in academic work and assessment. Studies in Higher Education, 22(2), 187-203.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079712331381034

Bamford, J., & Sergiou, K. (2005). International students and plagiarism: An analysis of the reasons for plagiarism among international foundation students. Investigations in University Teaching and Learning, 2(2), 17-22.

Blum, S. D. (2010). My Word! Plagiarism and College Culture. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.

Carroll, J., & Oxford Centre for Staff Development (2002). A Handbook for Deterring Plagiarism in Higher Education. Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development.

Childers, D., & Bruton, S. (2016). “Should it be considered plagiarism?” Student perceptions of complex citation issues. Journal of Academic Ethics, 14(1), 1-17.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-015-9250-6

Coughlan, S. (2015, November 11). Harvard students take pledge not to cheat. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34769435.

Culwin, F., & Lancaster, T. (2001). Plagiarism issues for higher education. Vine, 31(2), 36-41.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/03055720010804005

Davis, S. F., Grover, C. A., Becker, A. H., & McGregor, L. N. (1992). Academic dishonesty: Prevalence, determinants, techniques, and punishments. Teaching of Psychology, 19(1), 16-20.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15328023top1901_3

Draper, M. J., Ibezim, V., & Newton P. M. (2017). Are Essay Mills committing fraud? An analysis of their behaviours vs the 2006 Fraud Act (UK). International Journal for Educational Integrity, 13(1), 3.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-017-0014-5

Duff, A. H., Rogers, D. P., & Harris, M. B. (2006). International engineering students – Avoiding plagiarism through understanding the Western academic context of scholarship. European Journal of Engineering Education, 31(6), 673-681.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/03043790600911753

Fish, R., & Hura, G. (2013). Students’ perceptions of plagiarism. Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 13(5), 33-45.

Fishman, T. (2009). “We know it when we see it” is not good enough: toward a standard definition of plagiarism that transcends theft, fraud, and copyright. Online publication. http://ro.uow.edu.au/apcei/09/papers/37/

Glendinning, I. (2014). Responses to student plagiarism in higher education across Europe. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 10(1), 4-20.

Gu, Q., & Brooks, J. (2008). Beyond the accusation of plagiarism. System, 36(3), 337-352.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2008.01.004

Halupa, C., & Bolliger, D. U. (2015). Student perceptions of self-plagiarism: A multi-University exploratory study. Journal of Academic Ethics, 13(1), 91-105.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-015-9228-4

Hayes, N., & Introna, L. D. (2005). Cultural values, plagiarism, and fairness: When plagiarism gets in the way of learning. Ethics & Behavior, 15(3), 213-231.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327019eb1503_2

Heitman, E., & Litewka, S. (2011). International perspectives on plagiarism and considerations for teaching international trainees. Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations, 29(1), 104-108.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urolonc.2010.09.014

Helgesson, G., & Eriksson, S. (2015). Plagiarism in research. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, 18(1), 91-101.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-014-9583-8

Knowles, M. S., & Associates (1984). Andragogy in Action. Applying Modern Principles of Adult Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Lancaster, T., & Clarke, R. (2007). The phenomena of contract cheating. Student plagiarism in an Online World: Problems and Solutions, 144-158.

Landau, J. D., Druen, P. B., & Arcuri, J. A. (2002). Methods for helping students avoid plagiarism. Teaching of Psychology, 29(2), 112-115.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1207/S15328023TOP2902_06

Lang, M. L. (2013). Cheating Lessons: Learning from Academic Dishonesty. Harvard: Harvard University Press.

doi: https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674726239

Leask, B. (2006). Plagiarism, cultural diversity and metaphor – Implications for academic staff development. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(2), 183-199.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02602930500262486

Love, P. G., & Simmons, J. (1998). Factors influencing cheating and plagiarism among graduate students in a college of education. College Student Journal, 32, 539-551.

Martin, B. (1994). Plagiarism: A misplaced emphasis. Journal of Information Ethics, 3(2), 36-47.

McCabe, D. L., Trevino, L. K., & Butterfield, K. D. (1999). Academic integrity in honor code and non-honor code environments. A qualitative investigation, The Journal of Higher Education, 70(2), 211-234.

doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/2649128

O’Neill, H. M., & Pfeiffer, C. (2012). The impact of honour codes and perceptions of cheating on academic cheating behaviours, especially for MBA bound undergraduates, Accounting Education, 21(3), 231-245.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09639284.2011.590012

Park, C. (2003). In other (people’s) words: Plagiarism by university students – Literature and lessons. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 28(5), 471-488.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02602930301677

Park, C. (2004). Rebels without a clause: Towards an institutional framework for dealing with plagiarism by students. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 28(3), 291-306.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877042000241760

Roig, M. (1997). Can undergraduate students determine whether text has been plagiarized?. The Psychological Record, 47(1), 113.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395215

Scanlon, P. M. (2003). Student online plagiarism: How do we respond?. College Teaching, 51(4), 161-165.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/87567550309596432

Selwyn, N. (2008). ‘Not necessarily a bad thing…’: A study of online plagiarism amongst undergraduate students. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 33(5), 465-479.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02602930701563104

Stevens, G. E., & Stevens, F. W. (1987). Ethical inclinations of tomorrow's managers revisited: How and why students cheat. Journal of Education for Business, 63(1), 24-29.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/08832323.1987.10117269

Straw, D. (2002). The plagiarism of generation "why not?". Community College Week, 8July, 14 (24), 4-7.

Sutherland-Smith, W. (2005). Pandora’s box: Academic perceptions of student plagiarism in writing. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 4(1), 83-95.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2004.07.007

Wager, E. (2014). Defining and responding to plagiarism. Learned Publishing, 27(1), 33-42.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1087/20140105

Watkins, C., Carnell, E., Lodge, C., Wagner, P., & Whalley, C. (2002). Effective Learning, NSIN Research Matters, 17, 1-8.