Helping Students Avoid Plagiarism

Author(s): Stephen Wilhoit

Source: College Teaching, Vol. 42, No. 4 (Fall, 1994), pp. 161-164
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 Students
Helping
Avoid
Plagiarism
Stephen Wilhoit

Although instructors frequently pear twice weekly in our campus news Copying a paper from a source text
warn students not to plagiarize paper. Few students or teachers would without proper acknowledgment. With
essays, issuing dire warnings disagree that turning in a purchased this form, the student simply opens an
about failing grades or even expulsion, paper constitutes plagiarism. encyclopedia, book, or journal article,
plagiarism continues to be a problem. Turning in another student's work directly copies information, puts his or
For many of us, plagiarism is a highly without that student's knowledge. her name on the essay, then turns it in.
emotional issue. When we discuss it With students using word processors, Although most teachers would certain
with our students, we often speak in this form of plagiarism is becoming ly identify such an act as plagiarism,
outraged terms of "cheating," more common. Last year, for example, some students would not. They fre
"theft," and "academic dishonesty." we had a case where a student copied quently maintain that this is the type of
For some reason, a suspected instance an essay from his roommate's com "research" process they were taught in
of plagiarism can a caring, transform puter disk and turned it in under his high school; they declare that they were
reflective teacher academic into an own name without his roommate's never told to acknowledge the source
cop, judge, jury, and executioner. knowledge. Again, most teachers and of material in their papers or to quote,
Even though there always will be dis students would agree that this is plagia paraphrase, and document informa
honest students, most cases of plagia rism. tion.
rism result from honest confusion over Turning in a paper a peer has written Copying material from a source text,
the standards of academic discourse for the student. A student and peer supplying proper documentation, but
and proper citation. We might more conspire, and the student claims credit leaving out quotation marks. Many of
successfully combat the problem by for a paper his or her friend has, in the first-year students I work with have
spending more time in class helping fact, written. Although such instances a difficult time understanding how a
students learn how to avoid it. of plagiarism may be difficult to sub passage can be both documented and
Plagiarism remains a constant prob stantiate, we have had some rather ob plagiarized. According to Frank Mc
lem, in part, because it encompasses vious cases of it. Last semester two Cormick (1989), many teachers have
such a wide variety of errors in aca roommates taking different sections of an equally hard time always spotting
demic writing. In fact, plagiarism can a course from the same teacher turned this type of plagiarism. By adding
be a difficult term to define for stu in the same paper, somehow believing documentation, students have ac
dents. Consider for a moment the fol the instructor would not realize that knowledged the source of the ideas
lowing acts that we include under the she was reading the identical essay contained in the passage, but, by leav
general heading of plagiarism: twice. When confronted, the two stu ing out quotation marks, they have
Buying a paper from a research serv dents admitted that one of them wrote failed to acknowledge the source of the
ice or term paper mill. Advertisements the essay knowing his friend would language they used to explain those
for companies selling term papers ap also turn it in. The two students saw ideas.

nothing wrong with their action. They Paraphrasing material from a source
explained to their teacher that they text without appropriate documenta
Stephen Wilhoit is an assistant professor
and director of teaching assistant in
were simply trying to save time and tion. Closely related to the previous
training
the English Department of the University of could not understand why she was so form, students have restated the ideas
Dayton in Ohio. upset. of the source text in their own words

Vol.42/No. 4 161

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but have failed to acknowledge their paraphrasing, and documenting mate for plagiarism increase. Upper-level
debt to that source for the ideas or in rial. courses across the curriculum frequent
formation. The need to document such Another reason that students cheat is ly ask students to collaborate on as
passages properly frequently mystifies incorrect instruction. According to signments, to gather information to
students. "But almost everything inmy Doris Dant's (1986) survey of 309 first gether, to discuss their ideas with each
paper will have to be documented," year students at Brigham Young Uni other, to read and criticize each other's
they often lament, to which teachers versity, 17 percent "reported being ac work, or to jointly write a paper or re
can only reply, "That's right." tively encouraged by [their high school] port. In such students often
classes,
Clearly, the term plagiarism covers a teachers to copy reports word for word find it difficult to determine the dif
multitude of errors, ranging from slop from other sources," and 50 percent ference between acceptable collabora
py documentation and proofreading to said that in writing their essays they tion and plagiarism.
outright, premeditated fraud. Few had copied much of the material word When confronting the issues of pla
other terms that we commonly use in for-word from source texts without giarism, we cannot lose sight of our
our classes have such widely differing penalty (82). To avoid plagiarism, 32 students in the context of their own
meanings. It is small wonder that sim percent felt that all they needed to do communities. While we are invoking
ply handing students a brief statement was to paraphrase information and one set of values?the academy's?to
on plagiarism does not help much. supply a bibliography (in-text docu try to dissuade students from plagiariz
mentation was not needed); 15 percent ing work, another set of values?their
Why Do Students Plagiarize Work? believed that they could directly copy peer community's?is exerting tremen
We should recognize the many rea material as long as it was documented dous pressure, as well. According to
sons that students turn in plagiarized (quotation marks were not needed); Gerry Brookes (1989:35):
essays. Part of teaching students how and 6 percent reported that they had
The values that govern acts of plagiarism
to avoid problems is understanding never heard of plagiarism.
are continuous with values and feelings
their reasoning and acknowledging the Although we have to remain skepti students in their such as,
display living,
differences between intentional and cal of reports from students about the value of friendship or of getting
unintentional misrepresentation. what they were taught in high school, ahead, loyalty to the interests of a group,
fear of shame at performing
Clearly, some students make the these survey results do raise questions inadequate
ly, distrust of faculty, obligations to
conscious decision to cheat. Whether about the quality of our teaching.
work and play.
they are lazy, feel some pressure to re Without adequate repetition and rein
ceive a higher grade, or realize that forcement, students frequently mis Students often face situations where
they do not have time to write a paper understand our instructions on plagia these value systems come into conflict.
themselves, these students buy, steal, rism and source-based writing. Many A student's girlfriend asks him to let
or copy someone else's work and turn studies have shown that student writing her turn in his paper for her English
it in as their own. Although many of is largely driven by rules. That is, their class; a student's friend is having fam
these students may still ultimately writing is rarely haphazard: they write ily problems, has to make several trips
choose to cheat, we can discourage according to their understanding of home, cannot concentrate on school

them from plagiarizing if we help them what the teacher wants and expects work, and wants her to write his sociol
understand the consequences of their (Bartholomae 1980; Flower 1981; Rose ogy paper for him; a student realizes he
actions and teach them better time 1980). Some students turn in plagia can be accepted into a fraternity if he
management and writing strategies. rized work because they have not yet makes his work available to his broth
Even students making a good faith fully learned how to avoid it or, unfor ers. Although these situations certainly
effort to avoid plagiarism can run into tunately, have actually been taught to do not justify plagiarism, we need to
problems. As Frank McCormick write incorrectly. recognize that such conflicts in values
(1989:134) observes: Even if a student has learned the and loyalties frequently occur.
rules, careless note taking, revising,
It is easy enough to explain the flagrant
can result in a plagia What Can We Do to Help Students?
violations. We and our students and proofreading
readily
agree on the perfidy of submitting bor rized essay. For example, if in taking Because plagiarism is a complex
rowed or stolen papers or of paying notes from a book or article students we need to approach it with
problem,
another person to write them for us.
fail to note that a passage is a direct patience, understanding, and a variety
Once our explanations move beyond the
cases of plagiarism, we quotation, when they incorporate of pedagogical options. Fortunately,
flagrant however,
are left with the more difficult task . . . those notes into their essay, they will be we can take a number of steps.
of equipping our students with a body of plagiarizing. Overlooking missing quo Define and discuss plagiarism thor
rules and competencies which many of tation marks or footnotes when Instructors in every field who
proof oughly.
them find . . . difficult to master. . . .
reading can occur also. assign essays ought to distribute to
Few students enter college fully under As more programs encourage stu their students a printed statement de
standing the relationship between pla dents to work together on class proj fining plagiarism from that discipline's
giarism and the rules about quoting, ects or research reports, the chances perspective, offering examples and

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outlining the penalties that will result essays, we can help them avoid many their own, they will still have to gather
from intentional plagiarism. Plagia problems by teaching them how to take all the necessary photocopies, some
rized work in a biology class may look notes and to indicate direct questions times from source texts our library
and sound very different from that in a in their text. does not hold. I do not give the stu
music composition course. Students in Review the conventions of quoting dent's paper a grade until he or she
every class need to know clearly which and documenting material. We may turns in the necessary photocopies.
acts that discipline considers to be pla forget that the conventions on docu Provide proper proofreading guide
giaristic. Also, instructors need to dis menting material often baffle our stu lines. Once students finish writing their
cuss the issue more than just once a dents, and these conventions change essays, we need to remind them to
term. Teachers should certainly explain from discipline to discipline. When we proofread for the types of errors that
their plagiarism policy at the beginning assign essays, we need to clearly ex frequently result in unintentional pla
of the course, but they also should re plain the rules of our discipline. We giarism: missing quotation marks,
turn to it later when assigning essays. cannot assume that our students have missing or inaccurate documentation,
Such instruction will be more meaning these skills or that this information will etc. Simply providing students with a
ful for students while they are actually be covered in composition classes. Un checklist to follow when proofreading
working on a writing project. less we teach them the rules in our dis their essays may help them avoid prob
Discuss hypothetical cases. Gerry ciplines and consistently remind them lems. Students can also be encouraged
Brookes (1989) suggests that to help of these standards, our students will to exchange drafts of their work in
students better appreciate the various likely learn them through trial and er class and proofread each other's
forms that plagiarism can assume, we ror, which almost always results in essays.
can discuss hypothetical scenarios of some unintentional plagiarism. Offer proper collaboration guide
writers encountering problems as they Require multi-drafts of essays. Ask lines. If we use collaborative learning
compose essays. The students have to ing students to turn in with their final techniques, we need to offer students
decide if the writer in each case is guilty drafts any rough drafts and revisions clear guidelines about evaluation.
of plagiarism; then they discuss what of their essay serves several purposes. What do we expect each student to
the writer should have done different First, it reinforces the idea that writing contribute to the project? What acts
ly. For example, suppose a student is a multi-step process and that revision constitute appropriate and inappropri
asks his roommate to review the rough can result in better final drafts. Sec ate collaboration? Again, these guide
draft of his paper. His friend suggests ond, requiring multi-drafts of an essay lines will vary with disciplines. Using
several changes in wording that the helps dissuade students from buying or hypothetical cases to discuss such ques
writer uses in the final draft of his borrowing papers. Certainly, some stu tions could be especially effective.
paper without acknowledgment. Is that dents may fake a rough draft of an Offer response appropriate to the
plagiarism? Or suppose a student, essay they purchased, but for many type of error. Given the various forms
when working on a research paper, writers such a necessity may prove to that plagiarism can assume in our stu

goes to her father for help. He provides make plagiarism more trouble than it is dents' work, our responses to their er
her with specific information that she worth. rors should be appropriate to their de
includes in her essay without attribut Require students to submit photo gree of seriousness. We should certain
ing the source. Is she guilty of plagia copies of documented material. I have ly respond differently to a student who
rism? Discussing cases that pose prob found this requirement effective in failed to put quotation marks around
lems involving plagiarism specific to helping students avoid plagiarism. one sentence in an essay than we would
the discipline under study can help stu Whenever they document a passage in to a student who turned in his room
dents better understand the issue and their paper from some printed source, I mate's paper. Most institutions have
avoid errors. ask them to turn in with their final clearly defined disciplinary proceed
Revise plagiarized passages. Instruc draft a photocopy of the page in the ings for students who flagrantly plagia
tors give students a source text to read, source text that contains that informa rize work; however, our response to
then ask them to study passages from tion. Knowing that I will have direct less-serious and unintentional instances
several papers based on that material. access to the source texts they are using of plagiarism can help students avoid
With each passage, the students need encourages students to be extremely the problem. Identifying the error and
to determine whether the writer plagia cautious in quoting and documenting requiring the writer to correct it prob
rized the source text and, if so, how the material. As I read the students' ably teaches the student more about
passage can be fixed. When appropri papers, I can spot check passages avoiding the problem than simply fail
ate, the students must supply needed against the source text. If a check of ing the essay.
documentation, or punctuation, or re one or two passages turns up any prob Have patience. Finally, we need to

write the entire passage to eliminate the lems, I can check the entire paper. remember that for most students the
problem. Finally, requiring the photocopies also conventions of academic acknowledg
Teach proper note-taking skills. As discourages students from turning in ment and documentation prove diffi
students begin to write their own someone else's essay. If the essay is not cult to understand and master. Al

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though some students try to pass their though, we do not adequately teach English News 17(2): 31-5.
classes by plagiarizing work, most of our students how to identify and avoid Dant, D. 1986. Plagiarism in high school.

our students approach their courses plagiarism; we offer admonitions rath English Journal 75(2): 81-4.
er than instruction, threats rather than Flower, L., and J. R. Hayes. 1981. A cogni
with sincerity and integrity. Helping
tive process theory of writing. College
them learn the scholarly conventions is help. Changing our attitudes toward
Composition and Communication 32:
a job we all share and one that requires plagiarism and the instruction we offer 365-87.
the same patience and understanding is an important first step in helping F. 1989. The and the
McCormick, Plagarlo
that we use when teaching any other students avoid the problem. professor in our peculiar institution.

academic skill. Journal of Teaching Writing 8(2):

Works Cited 133-46.
With time, and an informed strat
Bartholomae, D. 1980. The study of Rose, M. 1980. Rigid rules, inflexible plans,
egy, we can decrease the plagiarism in
error. College Composition and Com and the stifling of language: A cogni
our classes. Most students are well in
munication 31:253-69. tivist analysis of writer's block. Col
tentioned; they want to learn how to Brookes, G. 1989. Exploring plagiarism in lege Composition and Communica

compose essays properly. Too often, the composition classroom. Freshman tion 31:389-400.

pi Isl

il Robert L. Spaeth |
f f
E We were deeply saddened to learn of the sudden death of executive editor Robert L. e
Spaeth on November 28, 1994. A beloved professor of both mathematics and philos-
| |
ophy at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, Bob Spaeth also had been a
|j!| |j
E guiding light of College Teaching since Heldref Publications acquired it in 1978. From E
E the first issue, his breadth of knowledge and vision inspired us, as he urged us to high e
standards of scholarship and clear writing. With his disdain for inflated prose and
| |
re- E
IE I hypocrisy, he was an invaluable editor and the writer of many articles and book
E views?the last in summer 1994?filled with his love of learning and teaching. His leg- e
acy will continue to enrich us.
[y ?g
pl_Ig

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