Got Plagiarism? I Have a Cure!Got Plagiarism? I Have a Cure!

Ida M. Jones, J.D.Verna Mae & Wayne D. Brooks Professor of Business Law

Special Assistant to the Senior Academic Technology Officer

California State University, Fresnoidaj@csufresno.edu

559 278-5711

Ida M. Jones, J.D.Verna Mae & Wayne D. Brooks Professor of Business Law

Special Assistant to the Senior Academic Technology Officer

California State University, Fresnoidaj@csufresno.edu

559 278-5711

Symptoms

• Writing varies from assignment to assignment

• Paper or other assignment:– Demonstrates sophisticated mastery

of terminology – Includes information not specifically

covered in the course– Has very sophisticated writing style

PLAGIARISM ISSUES AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FRESNO

One Test to Determine Cause: Survey Data

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General Population Participants from Feb-April Spring, 2010

 

Pre-Workshop Post-Workshop0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

5.9%

71.6%

94.1%

26.8%

0.0% 1.6%

Proportion of Participants Who Admitted to Plagiarism

PlagiarizedNever PlagiarizedFailed to Respond

CURES-MULTI-PRONGED TREATMENTS

TREATMENTS & CURE

• Workshops• Assignment Redesign• Institutional Implementation of

Policies & Enforcement

TREATMENT ONE: WORKSHOPS

Addressing Students’ Lack of Clear Definitions

Workshops

• Face to Face Workshops

• Academic Integrity Workshops

• Every semester 12-14 workshops offered

• Many faculty require attendance

• Online Plagiarism Module

• Blackboard• Delivered in

Face-to-Face or Online courses

Responses to Face to Face Workshops

80% of faculty members who attended the plagiarism workshop responded that they had learned details about plagiarism which they were previously unaware

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

I learned a great deal during the workshop

Strongly agree Agree Neither agree or disagree Disagree Strongly disagree Not applicable

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The vast majority of students, 88% or 2958 of 3357, felt they learned a great deal from the workshops, even though most students thought they knew the definition of plagiarism.

(Academic Integrity survey, 2006-2008; Academic Integrity faculty survey, 2007).

TREATMENT TWO: ASSIGNMENT REDESIGN

Reducing students’ Ability to Find Assignments Elsewhere

Treat Students-Ability to Find Assignments Elsewhere-p. 1Re-design assignments to make them more plagiarism-resistant

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Treat Students-Ability to Find Assignments Elsewhere-p. 2

• Re-consider how you assess whether students have used sources– Use plagiarism detection software such

as Safe Assign– Require that students attach copies of

their sources to their assignments– Others suggestions?

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Treat Students-Ability to Find Assignments Elsewhere-p. 3

• Ask students to prove what they have learned– Brief oral presentations– Office meetings to ask for

summaries– Other suggestions?

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Treat Students-Ability to Find Assignments Elsewhere-p. 4

• Create assignment(s) that tie to personal or classroom experiences– Require that assignments make specific

reference to textbook, classroom discussions

– Require that assignments make specific reference to personal experiences

– Other suggestions?

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Treat Students-Ability to Find Assignments Elsewhere-p. 5

• Re-evaluate course structure and assignments– Change the assignments

every semester– Require submissions in steps– Other suggestions?

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TREATMENT THREE: INSTITUTION-WIDE REMEDIES

Treat Lack of Institutional Implementation & Enforcement

Institution-Wide Remedies

• Create institutional definition of plagiarism

• Institute an Honor Code• Encourage consistent

enforcement of policies• Implement University-wide

sanctions

Conclusion-Questions?

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