Plagiarism and Online Education
Ticara Cook
INF 103: Computer Literacy
Joan Rhodes
July 10, 2015
Plagiarism and Online Education Online education has been one of the largest growing concepts of learning new skills and gain knowledge throughout the digital world. Over ten years ago educational institutes were using textbooks, blackboards and paper to teach higher learning techniques. While online education is a part of the digital society it gives many people ways to balance life and accomplish an online degree for success. The convenience of online education you are able to complete assignments on mobile devices and build academic integrity to not plagiarize. Using online education has a high chance for students to plagiarize which is a disadvantage. Before going continuing the first step is to know what plagiarism is, plagiarism is when you or someone copy word for word what a source said without citing the resource that created the information. Having the ability to know intentional and unintentional plagiarism can help many students to develop good habits on not cheating the system. Intentional is using others words to claim as your own and unintentional plagiarism is borrowing words, ideas and citing wrong resources. While online education is a part of social society it gives us a way to balance out life and still be successful with discipline. Throughout my paper I will be addressing the impact, concept and/or different perspectives on plagiarism and online
Plagiarism is an increasing large issue on college campuses, a habit to most of the student. According to the article ‘’The Plagiarism Plague’’, the findings on the survey made to 50,000 students on more than 60 campuses was that 70 percent of the students admitted that they cheated. Half of the students surveyed admitted that one or more times made serious cheating on writing assignments, with 77 percent of the students surveyed said that cheating was not a serious issue.
Almost every student has been there: staring at his/her computer trying to get an assignment done when they have twenty other obligations swinging over his/her head. Students are trying to find the fastest and easiest way to get the assignment completed. Many students will plagiarize intentionally or unintentionally at some point of their educational career. Plagiarism is the act of taking someone else’s work or ideas then calling that work their own. There is no acknowledgement being given to the original author. In Trip Gabriel’s “Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age,” the internet has created new challenges for students being able to give credit to ideas and information. Often, Students do not understand that information on
Plagiarism is a form of cheating, and a serious violation of the honor code and academic honesty in educational institutions. According to dictionary.com, plagiarism is: a piece of writing or other work reflecting such unauthorized use or imitation [1]. In simplified terms, plagiarism is taking and using some else’s work without giving credit to the righteous owner, for using their information. This work includes but is not limited to text, graphs, pictures, statistics, or other types of information that is not considered “common knowledge.” It is also considered as stealing, thus it is not tolerated anywhere in the world, and penalties are strictly
New York Times journalist, Trip Gabriel, puts into perspective the use of digital technology in “Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age,” from professors and students such as, Sarah Brookover, that have issues with plagiarism being taken lightly by her peers, since students are not “walking into a library, and not physically holding the article.” The discussion of plagiarism allows one to not only see the negative side of the digital age but how it’s been able to impact the younger generation who grew up with computers, tablets, and cell-phones. It is true that the use of these devices cause a certain ‘disconnect” when having to socialize in public, and everyone is looking towards their phones, but, these devices are the form in
In the article, “Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age” written by author Trip Gabriel, there are multiple views on the aspects of plagiarism. Some people refuse to take plagiarism seriously, having a strong educational background as foundation as well as respect for other individuals work. Plagiarism is a serious offense and often considered a form of theft. Consequences for plagiarism can vary depending upon the campus, but can lead up to expulsion. Plagiarism commonly known as taking pieces of ideas or words and phrases from someone without giving credit.
In the digital age, which allows the use of the Internet in research, the lines of plagiarism are clearer and more identifiable for students than is the case with traditional research, which relies on works in hard-copy form.
In any educational or work setting integrity is paramount. Consequences of plagiarism can severely effect one’s academic or professional reputation. Proper citation of one’s sources can be easily detected with the evolution of plagiarism software. At the same time, this technology can also aid in creating an appropriately-cited document.
As one begins to grasp the concept of Schroth’s (2012) article The Plagiarism Plague, it is easy to identify the author’s dissatisfaction for plagiarism and the negative connotations he has for someone who is involved in this heinous offense. He initiates and summarizes his commentary with personal stories of how plagiarism has affected him. Schroth offers several solutions for the copyright issue that is upon us; he states, “the sanction for plagiarism must be at least an F on the paper, accompanied by a letter in the student's file to be consulted if it happens again, with the understanding that a second offense would mean expulsion.” Schroth was also sure to mention the collective approach necessary from all educators for his solution to be implemented. He believes the “policy will be effective only with leadership from the president and full cooperation from the faculty.” The writer goes on to explain how plagiarism has become an epidemic in this society and the effects of its prevalence thereof. Although plagiarism has become rampant in this society, it is still immoral and unethical. College students continue to plagiarize however, because they refuse to regard their education as a top priority and it has become culturally acceptable for people to falsify information without any serious penalties for their dishonesty.
Plagiarism is “the presentation of work for credit that is not [a writer’s] own” (Johanson, 2010, p. 267). Any information obtained by a writer from another source requires a citation in the text; therefore, a writer must provide a reference when paraphrasing or quoting another author’s material (APA, 2010). The use electronic resources or software to prevent unintentional plagiarism, educating students on how to cite and reference material in academic writing appropriately, and providing information to students about the consequences of plagiarizing.
Not making a good use of the internet and deciding to plagiarize can result in a failing grade. Students have been cheating all the way from High School without getting caught, and consequently they haven’t been lectured on plagiarism. Usually, teachers do not take the time to talk to their students about plagiarism. “many students claim not to have been confronted with the issue by parents or previous teachers except when personally caught plagiarizing” ( Petress). This lack of knowledge about plagiarism incites students to keep cheating. The only difference is that in college teachers have more advanced ways to grade papers. Technology has advanced. “...the same technology that makes it so easy for students to cheat is now aiding teachers in catching them” ( Hastings). College teachers are more strict regarding plagiarism than high school teachers; they can turn a plagiarized work into a zero. Students need to understand how useless it is to cheat. Everything is better than a zero, so students will get more benefit if they turn in a paper that
In the article, Rethinking Plagiarism in the Digital Age, written by Lea Calvert Evering and Gary Moorman they discuss the idea of plagiarism, why do students plagiarize and what is the best method besides punishment to teach students not to plagiarize. In the beginning of the article Lea Calvert Evering and Gary Moorman claims that the concept of plagiarism to be “based on a capitalist view of property and ownership” (Evering & Moorman 35). The authors believe that we should reconsider and modify what we consider plagiarism because this idea is being challenged by this generation involving technology. According to this article, plagiarism is practiced among students in American secondary school and higher education. It states, “In a survey of 2,294 high school juniors...McCabe...found that 34% submitted their own work that was copied word
Plagiarism is using someone else’s work, words, production, researches and ideas without the approval or the acknowledgment of the writer or producer, and claiming the credit for himself. Many reasons and factors are attributed for the use of plagiarism and could be cultural, historical, linguistic, environmental and educational background. Plagiarism is a form of an academic dishonesty, academic misconduct, and a digital cheating. It is declared to be an unacceptable legal act and institutional regulations. And universities, schools, and instructors do not only need to decrease plagiarism, but they must also affect positively on students writings, increase the understanding of how to use digital technology to facilitate their academic writing.
Plagiarism, what is it and how to avoid it has been a major question on every students’ mind. Sure it is easy just to copy and paste and take all the credit for the work that another individual put in, but is it worth it? According to WPA, Writing Program Administrators, the definition of plagiarism as states, “plagiarism occurs when a writer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source.” Plagiarism has always concerned teachers and administrators, who want students’ work to repre¬sent their own efforts and to reflect the outcomes of their learning. However, with the advent of the Internet and easy access to almost limitless written material on
“Copying’ or “borrowing” someone else’s words or ideas may perhaps be the more inoffensive way of explaining plagiarism. However, these two terms may deliver a connotation that plagiarism is not much of a serious offense. Whether the act of plagiarising is intentional or unintentional, it is considered as a fraud. In an academic setting plagiarism may even
Academic learning in today’s changing world brings demands to future professionals. Whether in a traditional classroom, or through distance learning, one thing is similar and which cannot bring forth a successful educational future. One thing that can damage anyone’s academic future is plagiarism. Whether being the future of a straight “A” student, or a student who is just getting by. The fact remains that anyone can fall victim to plagiarism. Plagiarism is the use of other writer’s words without acknowledging the source and taking those words and passing them off as one’s own ideas (Jones, 2001). Some people may think plagiarism is just copying someone else’s work but in reality plagiarism is much serious and hold very serious