Plagiarism

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Plagiarism

• Dr Pennie Roberts
• May 2008

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Points covered in this session

• MMUs definition of plagiarism
• Types of plagiarism (HoD perspective)
• Why do students plagiarise?
• What to do if suspect plagiarism
• Plagiarism hearing and penalties
• How to prevent plagiarism

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MMUs definition of plagiarism

• the representation of another person's work,
  without acknowledgement of the source, as one's
  own or
• the unacknowledged incorporation in a student's
  work of material derived from the work (published
  or otherwise) of another, examples of which are
• the unacknowledged inclusion of another person's
  work
• the unacknowledged summarising of another
  person's work
• the unacknowledged and/or unauthorised use of the
  ideas of another
• copying the work of another person with or
  without that person's knowledge or agreement and
  presenting it as one's own.

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Types of Plagiarism

• Little or no referencing as dont understand
  concept. May list few books at end. May cite
  sources not read.
• Incorrect use of quotes- missing quotation marks,
  no page nos. (Excessive use of quotes)
• Direct copying of sentences or paragraphs cant
  see point of changing words when original author
  has said it anyway. May or may not reference.

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Types of plagiarism (2)

• Collusion between students may be deliberate
  copying or may be confusion between collusion and
  collaboration.
• Wholesale copying of someone elses assignment or
  thesis or an article. This may be from the same
  or an earlier cohort or from a publication.
• Assignment that has been purchased to order.

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Why do student plagiarise?

• Unintentionally - dont understand referencing
  dont understand concept of original work or
  reason for referencing.
• Knowingly/intentionally
• Struggling student poor attender, not taken up
  opportunities for study skills.
• Mitigating circumstances illness or family
  pressures that they havent spoken to anyone
  about.
• Poor time management up against a deadline and
  feel they have no other option.
• Lazy/poorly motivated to learn and cant be
  bothered to do the work.
• Motivated to beat the system.

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What to do if suspect plagiarism

• Must refer all cases to Head of Department
• Myth that if lt20 can be deal with by marker
• ltorgt 20 refers to penalties.
• Put through Turnitin but only if cohort have been
  told beforehand that this will happen.
• Understand Turnitins strengths and limitations.
  It doesnt detect plagiarism.
• If doing manually then highlight plagiarised
  section and provide copy of source material.

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Plagiarism hearing and penalties

• Head of Department and Faculty Principal Officer
• Student encouraged to contact Students Union and
  bring someone with them
• Tariff of penalties fairly blunt instrument but
  HoD can use some discretion
• http//www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/asu/Regulations

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How to prevent plagiarism

• Incorporate study skills and sessions on
  plagiarism early in level 1
• Use formative piece of work at early stage
• Use Turnitin as learning tool for students
• Use quiz for students to check their
  understanding of plagiarism www.indiana.edu/istd/
  
• Incorporate assessment of process as well as
  product ask for bullet point plan with refs to
  be handed in with, or prior to, assignment

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How to prevent plagiarism 2

• Use different forms of assessment especially
  those which involve the students presence or own
  experience
• Vivas, practicals, presentations
• Open book examinations
• Assignment that requires own experience to be
  linked to theory etc.
• Change assignment titles regularly makes it
  more difficult for assignment to be sold on.
• Set up Google alerts Google will e-mail you if
  it finds your title.
• Use Turnitin
• Warn students that it will be used and ensure
  they know penalties
• Require students to submit work to Turnitin
  themselves.
• compiled from MMU resources available on
  www.celt.mmu.ac.uk The Guardian
  06.05.08(Shepherd 2008) - and personal experience.