PLAGIARISM: THE LEEDS APPROACH

1
PLAGIARISM THE LEEDS APPROACH

• George MacDonald Ross
• School of Philosophy
• University of Leeds
• Learning and Teaching Conference
• Friday 17 December 2004

2
Programme

• New Leeds definition of Plagiarism
• New Procedures
• Prevalence of Plagiarism
• Detection
• Avoidance
• Resources

3
Timescale

• Sub-Group of Group on Review, reporting to LT
  Board
• New definition and procedures effective from
  2004/05
• Already in Student Handbook (C6, pp.48ff)

4
The Definition

• Plagiarism is defined as presenting someone
  elses work as your own. Work means any
  intellectual output, and typically includes text,
  data, images, sound or performance.

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Key Features

• Nothing about intentions
• Work means any intellectual output broader
  than merely copying
• No reference to ideas
• It means borrowing from anyone nothing to do
  with infringement of intellectual property rights

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Flexibility

• Individual subjects may have special
  requirements, e.g.
• Allowing hommage in performing arts
• Disallowing help with grammar and clarity in
  modern languages
• Any variations must be approved by the Committee
  on Applications

7
New Procedures

• Uncontested minor first offences to be dealt with
  locally
• Local procedures to be defined and promulgated
• All decisions must be reported to the Office of
  Academic Appeals and Regulation

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Declaration of Integrity (1)

• Students sign a declaration on registration
• They must also sign a declaration on a cover
  sheet for all significant coursework
• What counts as significant to be determined
  locally

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Declaration of Integrity (2)

• The model declaration is in the Taught Students
  Handbook (p.54)
• The first two sentences are problematic

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Sentence 1

• I promise that in the attached submission I have
  not presented or attempted to present anyone
  elses work as my own except where I have
  explicitly so indicated.
• Attempted?
• Except where indicated?

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Sentence 2

• I understand that to do so would mean that I had
  committed plagiarism, the Universitys definition
  of which is published.
• To do what?
• Why declare that the definition has been
  published?

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Suggested Alternative

• I promise that in the attached submission I have
  not presented anyone elses work as my own. Where
  I have taken advantage of the work of others, I
  have given full acknowledgment. I have read and
  understood the University rules on plagiarism as
  published in the Taught Students Handbook, and
  also any more detailed rules specified at School
  or module level.

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Prevalence of Plagiarism

• Plagiarism more common than thought
• Perhaps 10 of submissions contain significant
  plagiarism
• Large variations between disciplines (more
  research needed)

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Strong Stance at Leeds

• The reputation of UK HE at stake
• Some institutions are lax (e.g. no action taken
  if less than 30 of a submission is plagiarised)
• Leeds has a zero tolerance policy there is no
  limit below which plagiarism is condoned.

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Detection

• Plenty of advice on detection (see resources at
  end)
• Leeds subscribes to the JISC Plagiarism Detection
  Service effective for detecting collusion, and
  plagiarism from electronic sources

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Avoidance

• Prevention better than cure
• Leeds policy is to have robust procedures in
  place for when plagiarism does occur, but to
  focus on prevention
• The Group on Plagiarism will issue advice in
  2004/05

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Advice

• Much sound advice is already available (see
  resources at end). In particular
• Foster a culture in which plagiarism is
  unthinkable
• Design methods of teaching and assessment which
  make it virtually impossible for plagiarised work
  to pass

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Making Plagiarism Unthinkable

• Foster a culture in which students want to learn
• Teach good academic practice, rather than relying
  on threats
• Encourage collaboration (while warning against
  collusion)

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Designing it outStructural Factors

• Students often plagiarise out of desperation. So
  dont
• Over-assess
• Bunch deadlines
• Set impossible tasks

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Designing it out Setting Assignments

• Focus on process rather than product
• Ask highly specific questions
• Relate questions to recent events or students
  own experience
• Dont ask the same question twice
• Use some oral assessment, or see drafts/logs

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Unseen Exams

• Dont try to circumvent plagiarism by reverting
  to sat exams
• They arent proof against cheating (students with
  good memories can even plagiarise)
• They encourage superficial learning and/or
  bluffing

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No Quick Fix

• Eliminating plagiarism requires
• Constant and repeated attention to inculcating
  academic good practice
• Shifting student culture away from certification
  and grades to learning
• Thorough re-examination of methods of teaching
  and assessment

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Resources

• National http//online.northumbria.ac.uk/facultie
  s/art/information_studies/Imri/JISCPAS/site/jiscpa
  s.asp
• Leeds http//www.ldu.leeds.ac.uk/lt/p
  lagiarism.htm
• Me http//prs.heacademy.ac.uk/plagiarism/
  

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The End

• Thank you for participating, and best wishes for
  your endeavours to eliminate plagiarism from the
  University of Leeds.
• George MacDonald Ross,
• School of Philosophy