Plagiarism and Cheating

What makes a person cheat?  This is a question I asked my students a couple of days ago.  Pressure to succeed, laziness, and ignorance are most of the reasons they gave, and I think this is supported in the conversation this week held by Palloff, and Pratt (n.d.).  I, like Dr. Palloff believe that students are not inherent cheaters.  Yes, I think the culture of education fosters cheating as opposed to authentic learning and collaboration; however, I do not feel we are born cheaters. 

Plagiarism, which is the use of another's writing as one's own (Jocoy, & DiBiase, 2006).  There is speculation that plagiarism is rampant in online education.  This is not really the case; studies show that this form of cheating is about as prevalent in online as it is in face-to-face education (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  The good news for instructors is there are tools available to help detect plagiarism in the online setting.  These tools include free options such as Google™ as well as commercial options such as Turnitin™, and Essay Verification Engine™ (Jocoy, & Dibiase, 2006).  These tools allow instructors to compare the work of their students to databases that can detect similarities (Jocoy, & Dibiase, 2006).

In regards to designing assessments and assignments that can mitigate the urge to commit academic dishonesty.  For example, Dr. Pratt (n.d.) suggests taking a closer look at the types of assignments and assessments.  He encourages instructors to create assignments and assessments that are more authentic in terms of reference material, and collaboration with others.  These authentic assessments require learners to apply what they know in a real-world situation.  It is much more difficult to practice academic dishonesty in a setting such as this (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.). 

As far as facilitation of an online class towards a climate of academic integrity, an instructor must make this a part of the planning process.  Addressing academic integrity and educating the learners on the definition of academic dishonesty is a way to help students understand the expectations in this regard. 
A final thought on academic integrity comes from the instructor establishing themselves as a trusted figure in the online learning process (Palloff, & Pratt, n.d.).  As I stated in the first paragraph, there are many reasons students cheat.  If the instructor is on good terms with each of their students, they can more comfortably address integrity issues that may arise.  It is important for an instructor to confront these problems.  Academic integrity is an important factor in the validity of any academic program.  A firm but professional stance in regards to academic dishonesty is essential in the protection of the academic process.

References

Jocoy, C., & DiBiase, D. (2006). Plagiarism by adult learners online: A case study in detection and remediation. International Review of Research in Open & Distance Learning, 7(1), 1-15. Retrieved from http://www.citationmachine.net/index2.php?recount=+&lastName[1]=&firstName[1]=&yearPublished=&titleArticle=&titlePeriodical=&volumeNumber=&issueNumber=&pageNumber=&doi=&url=&reqstyleid=2&mode=form&minimode=citation&help=&nameCnt=1&more=yes&reqsrcid=APAJournalArticle
Palloff, R. (Writer), & Pratt, K. (Writer) (n.d.). Plagiarism and cheating [Web]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_1375244_1%26url%3D