As instructors, we often don’t think about plagiarism until after it happens. This workshop will provide tools to help instructors discuss academic integrity in their classes, design plagiarism-resistant assignments, and utilize campus resources to address the roots of plagiarism.
link to presentation (approximately 23 minutes)
Requirements for Completing this Workshop Online:
- Watch the presentation above.
- Discussion (respond in a comment of 150 words or more below): What types of plagiarism do you encounter or anticipate encountering in your courses? How can you craft your policies, syllabus, and / or assignments so that your course is more plagiarism-resistant?
- Portfolio Assignment: Revise one of your assignment prompts to make it plagiarism resistant and plan out the scaffolded components you might use leading up to its final form.
I’ve always required scaffolding components for research projects. The lesson, however, provided me with additional insights into how scaffolding builds confidence and reduces plagiarism.
I don’t know why the previous comment posted three times. Perhaps the WAC Open Lab administrator can remove two?
To continue my discussion:
My scaffolding assignments include a topic proposal, an annotated bibliography, and a draft of their fieldwork and interview transcripts. All three fit into the semester long project called “Other Culture Interaction.”
Without realizing it, I have been assigning “plagiarism-resistant” work. Some assignments contains both oral and written work.
1. Locating Intercultural Communication: Students will locate a current intercultural situation in the news or social media to share with the class (Oral briefing with 1 page synopsis and bib).
2. Film Response Essay—good paraphrasing activity. I do not accept a film synopsis. Students have to provide specific examples from the film that relate to course material and real life experiences. I try to encourage note taking during the film—a little free writing. This is the one they have the most difficulty with because they are tempted to google the synopsis and use it to write their response.
3. Identity Notebook: an expressive notebook filled with images that reflect students’ multiple identities, and a written (4-5 pg) personal narrative addressing specific concepts discussed in class, an introduction letter, and a bibliography. After grading, I designate one class period to sharing notebooks (quietly). I lay them out for students to pick up. They take a notebook to their desk, read/reflect, and return for another. Some students choose to keep their identity anonymous, while others include personal photos. I follow up with a facilitated discussion, but I this semester I will try using the “cue card” method (suggested in the previous video). This will provide students with an additional opportunity to practice low stakes/free writing.
Hi Denise,
The three scaffolding assignments are excellent. They certainly are “plagiarism-resistant”. The assignments allow students to practice writing and paraphrasing and the identity notebook is a form of peer review. This assignment allows students to develop their own ideas while the process of reviewing another students’ work provides insight into the types of components needed to communicate effectively.
The film response assignment is great because it requires specific examples that relate to course materials, this forces students to avoid relaying on film reviews.
Free writing is crucial, it allows students to articulate their thoughts in an uncensored manner and gain new insights. I believe students would benefit greatly from practicing low stakes writing.
Scaffolding assignments is a great way to avoid plagiarism as usually I can improvement in students’ work. However, sometimes I see very little improvement over the scaffolded assignment and then a miraculous final paper which is concerning at time. Most of the time this does avoid plagiarism along with working with WAC and the Tutoring Center. Having a discussion in class with the students about how this paper relates to them and allowing students to free write an outline empowers students that their ideas are good. It allows them to begin with their ideas and then continually work on the paper by scaffolding.
To avoid plagiarism I include a statement on my syllabus, and refer to it during class discussion. I have revised my assignment to be more “problem focused” rather than “topic focused.” I do tell students that after I have read their writing, I have a sense of their “voice.” If suddenly this “voice” changes, I see this as a red flag, as potential plagiarism. I have also started to use “turnitin.com” via Blackboard, and this scans the material to check for plagiarism.
I created my assignment which utilized the guidelines in this workshop. I found the information highly valuable.
I have received the exact same paper from a student, so I am giving an assignment that starts out the same and then they must differentiate themselves with a different source. I have carefully crafted my assignment to force the students to be unique. I also remind them about our policies regarding academic honesty.