PURSUING PLAGIARISM
(Above and Beyond!)
Peg Ehlen
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
The High-Tech or the Low-Tech Road?
Detection or Prevention?
Extent of the Problem
According to a Rutgers University article, Internet
plagiarism is widespread on the twenty-three
university campuses where research was
conducted (“New Study Confirms . . .” 1-2).
 “Thirty-eight percent admitted to cut-and-paste
Internet plagiarism” (1).
 “Forty-four percent . . . considered such behavior
trivial or not cheating at all” (1).
 The highest levels of cheating were found in
business, education, and communication at ~60%;
the lowest in science at 30% (2).
Reasons for Plagiarizing
 Lack of understanding and interest
 Plagiarized vs. paraphrased text
 In-text Citations (particularly for online sources)
 Cultural barriers (Asian students)
 “Ownership” of language?
 Copying as form of flattery
 Western concept of ownership and identity
( “Why Students Plagiarize” 1).
 Focus on grades, not ethics or learning
 Faculty reluctance to report plagiarism?
Detection: Nailed by a Google Search
Student’s Opener:
THE SOURCE!
"I do." These two simple
http://www.123helpme.com/previe
words have the power to
change lives in an instant.
For most people, the phrase
conjures up images of a
man and a woman being
joined in marriage. But for
gays and lesbians, having
the chance to legally say "I
do" is a far-off dream, not a
reality.
w.asp?id=15435 To view the
complete essay NOW:
You may view and copy this
essay now for only $13.41.
This is the total price of the
essay - not the price per page.
“’I do.’ These two simple words
have the power change lives in an
instant. . .”
Detection: Nailed by a Google Search
Student’s Paper:
Smallpox is spread most
efficiently in droplets or
aerosols from the
oropharynx of infected
individuals. Smallpox also
can be spread by direct
contact with infected
lesions or with clothing or
bed linens contaminated
with the virus.
THE SOURCE!
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/c
gi/content/full/pediatrics;110/4/841
?fulltext=terrorism&searchid=QID_
NOT_SET
“Smallpox is spread most
efficiently in droplets or
aerosols. .
.”
Fighting the Paper Mills
http://www.nocheaters.com
Fighting the Paper Mills
While http://duenow.com/ in no way condones
plagiarism, the good news is that the papers that you will
find on DueNow.com are under legal copyright, not
available for . . . anti-plagiarism databases.
http://www.myfreeessays.com/ leads to
http://www.digitaltermpapers.com/c2051.htm and a
PREVIEW of the paper, which students may purchase for
$14.95 with a one-month subscription!
Fighting the Paper Mills
http://www.superiortermpapers.com/
Open 24 Hours A Day 365 Days A Year!
Term Paper Blues?
Order your custom term papers for only 18.95 a page!
CSI Approach
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006JCGO/ref=pm_dp_ln_m_2/002-40549496616015?v=glance&s=music&vi=samples
”Who Are You ?“ by The Who
Create conditions that prevent
plagiarism.
Show examples of plagiarism
and define terminology.
Investigate with detection
devices as a last resort!
CREATE CONDITIONS THAT
PREVENT PLAGIARISM.
Require research portfolios, annotated
online/database sources, and multiple
drafts.
Make in-text citations easy to create.
Create assignments that deter plagiarism.
Annotation
Create the Works Cited or References first!
Works Cited
Darnovsky, Marcy. "Embryo
Cloning and Beyond." Tikkun
July-Aug. 2002: 1-25.
EBSCOhost. ITSC* Library,
Evansville, IN. 1 Nov. 2002.
“Three Strikes.” 60 Minutes II
30 Oct. 2002: 1-4. 6 Nov. 2002
<http://cbsnews.cbs.com/storie
s/2002/10/28/60II/main527248.
shtml>.
How simple!
(Darnovsky 5).
(“Three Strikes” 3).
In-Text Citation “Game”
 Student’s Paper
The need for organ substitutes stems from organ
transplantation being a victim of its own
success as waiting lists have increased
(Mani et al.1).
 SHOW ME THE ORIGINAL!
 Unfortunately, these advancements have
resulted in transplantation becoming a victim of
its own success as waiting lists have
increased along with the waiting time for donor
organs.
Use “ ” or reword!
Research Exercises
 Create Research Exercises in which you
supply topics and sources: Effects of Cell
Phones, Effects of Television on Children
 Then students can focus on reading
sources carefully, learning the format,
avoiding plagiarism, and organizing the
paper.
 You can focus on their writing, rather than
on detective work!
Research Exercise: Example
 Use four of these database articles to create a three-tofour page APA research paper. Analyze three or more
effects of cell phones. (You may also use two articles
in your textbook about cell phones.)
Cell Phones (Mostly) Get Clean Bill of Health, pp. 1-3
NTSB Says Novice Drivers Should Be Prohibited From Using Cell Phones While
at the Wheel, pp. 4-5
NYC Votes to Curb Annoying Use of Cell Phones, pp. 6-7
Neuropsychology; Study Explains Why Hands-free Phones Are Just as Bad as
Hand-held When Driving, pp. 8-11
Long-term Cell Phone Use Said to Increase Risk of Benign Tumors, pp. 12-13
Eatery Dishes up No-cell Zone, p. 14
Related Strategies
Require copies of students’ sources.
(Databases, not books)
Require papers that include primary
sources, such as interviews of faculty and
staff.
Require recent sources from the last six
months. Don’t give an inch once you make
the requirements!
SHOW EXAMPLES OF
PLAGIARISM.
Examples should show that plagiarism (or
the lacks thereof) occurs on a continuum:
Completely reworded or quoted and cited
Plagiarism of words or structure
Complete plagiarism with
intent to deceive
Defining Plagiarism
Not properly acknowledging
“borrowed” ideas and language
(Hacker 331).
Committing an act of fraud that can
result in poor grades or dismissal
Kidnapping someone’s intellectual
property
Plagiarism is like . . .
 Seeing an unattended
Harley with the keys in
the ignition, jumping on,
later dressing it up with a
new paint job and vanity
plates, then calling it your
own.
 Buying a beautiful
handmade wedding dress
and pretending to
everyone (including the
groom) that you made the
dress.
Plagiarism?
Original (In Newsweek)
OxyContin was
developed to do
good: relieve
debilitating pain. But
since the powerful
drug debuted in 1996,
it has become
increasingly known
for a dangerous side
effect—the potential
for serious addiction.
Student’s Paper
According to Claudia
Kalb, OxyContin was
developed to do good:
relieve debilitating
pain. But since the
powerful drug debuted
in 1996, it has become
increasingly known for
a dangerous side
effect—the potential
for serious addiction
(38).
 Plagiarism! Use quotation
marks or paraphrase!
Plagiarism?
Original (In Newsweek)
Student’s Paper
OxyContin was
developed to do good:
relieve debilitating pain.
But since the powerful
drug debuted in 1996, it
has become
increasingly known for a
dangerous side effect—
the potential for serious
addiction.
When the drug OxyContin
appeared in 1996, its
purpose was to relieve
unnecessary suffering.
Today, however, experts
know it can pose the
threat of addiction (Kalb
38 ).
No plagiarism!
Original (In Newsweek)
Last week the
spotlight on
OxyContin
intensified as the
Drug Enforcement
Administration
announced a
national strategy to
combat the
painkiller’s
illegitimate use,
including plans to
step up law
enforcement. . . .
Student’s Paper
The Drug Enforcement
Administration last week
spotlighted OxyContin
more intensely and made
an announcement of a
national strategy, which
combats the painkiller’s
illegitimate use and steps
up law enforcement . . .
(Kalb 38).
 Plagiarism of words!
Original (In Newsweek)
While the DEA says
OxyContin is a valuable
drug, it is concerned that
many doctors who are
prescribing the
medications don’t know
enough about it and are
not conveying the
dangers to patients.
Student’s Paper
While the DEA says
OxyContin is a useful
drug, it is worried that
many doctors who are
prescribing the
medications don’t
understand enough
about it and are not
explaining the dangers
to patients (Kalb 38).
 Plagiarism of structure!
Defining Quotations
 Some students think that only words in quotation
marks in their sources need “ ” in their papers.
 Though it’s true that the first lesions may form in
the throat or mouth, where they’re not visible, by
that time, the infected person is very sick, Schaffner
says. He says, “You’re not in the mood, nor do you
have the capacity to dance through a mall or take
long trips on the subway,” (qtd. in Manning 4).
(Actually, all of these words were “borrowed.”)
Where Are Quotation Marks Needed?
ORIGINAL FROM USA TODAY
Many experts
believe
spreading the
virus from an
airplane or bomb
would be
technically
difficult, but not
impossible.
STUDENT’S VERSION
 Many specialists
contend that
spreading the virus
from an airplane or
bomb would be
technically difficult,
but not impossible
(Manning 4).
 Quotation marks needed
from “spreading . . to
impossible”
INVESTIGATE—A
LAST RESORT!
As mentioned, use a google.com
search as your first tool. Type in
a distinctive phrase:
It’s a Volkswagen of a movie with Mercedes actors,
some good laughs and one Shelby Mustang GT 500
chase scene that leaves tread marks all over the silver
screen.
Then investigate other options.
Plagiarism Detection Services
http://www.mydropbox.com (no longer free)
 Checks for “blocks of text” against databases of content
including the Internet, other databases that they claim
are frequently updated, and archives of millions of
student essays for later comparison
 Tries to avoid “violating a student’s own intellectual
property”
 Takes 12-20 hours to check an entire document
 Costs an individual $89.90 per year for unlimited
“Originality Reports”
Plagiarism Detection Services
http://www.turnitin.com/research_site/e_home.html
 Checks the Internet and databases of content, such as
ProQuest, electronic books, Periodical Abstract, etc.
 Has archived millions of student essays for later
comparison (a legal problem?)
 Takes 24 hours and costs an individual $150 a year for
up to 150 “Originality Reports”
Plagiarism Detection Services
http://www.canexus.com/eve/index.shtml
 Recommended by the University of Michigan and
Bedford/St. Martin
 Costs only $19.99 for unlimited use for one instructor’s
classes only
 Random-sampling method of Internet sources
 Student essays not archived
Plagiarism Detection Services
www.plagiarism.com Glatt
Plagiarism Service
 Also recommended by Bedford/St. Martin as inexpensive software
that does not “violate a student’s own intellectual property”
 Uses a cloze method of detection (Every fifth word is deleted, and
the student must fill in the missing word.)
 Claims that is has never made a “false accusation”
 Relies on a “student writer's textual fingerprint”
 Costs $300 for an institution
Dangers of “Investigation”
Relying too much on the plagiarism
detection device
Abandoning your instincts
Not allowing the requirements of the
assignment to decide which essays are
permissible (required annotated sources,
required drafts, etc.)
Works Cited
Carbone, Nick. “The Bedford Workshop on Plagiarism.”
Bedford St. Martins 2003: 1-10. 21 Dec. 2004.
<http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/plagiarism/ >.
Dorhauer, Jennifer and Crystal Lee.: “A Practical Approach
to Plagiarism.” Innovation Abstracts 26.6 (27 Feb.
2004): 1-2.
Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference. 5th ed. Boston:
Bedford St. Martin’s Press, 1999.
Works Cited
Kalb, Claudia. “Painkiller Crackdown.” Newsweek 14 May
2001: 38-39.
“Latest Facts.” Turnitin. 2004: 1-2. 22 Dec. 2004
<http://turnitin.com/static/products_services/
latest_facts.htm >.
Lytvyn, Max. “RE: Databases.” E-mail to MyDropBox.
3 Jan. 2005.
Manning, Anita. “How Prepared Are We Against
Smallpox?” USA Today 6 March 2003: 1-6. 17 Feb.
2005 < http://vaccinationnews.com/DailyNews/2003/
March/06/HowPrepared6.htm >.
Works Cited
“New Study Confirms Internet Plagiarism Is
Prevalent.” Rutgers Media Relations. 26 Aug. 2003:
1-3. 22 Dec. 2004
<http://ur.rutgers.edu/medrel/viewArticle.html?
ArticleID=3408>.
Plagiarism-Detection Software.” BFC Educational Policies
Committee(Indiana University) 13. Nov. 2003: 1-7. 2
Dec. 2003
<http:www.indiana.edu/~bfc/docs/AY04/circulars/
B24_bckg.htm> .
Works Cited
“Technology Overview.”
My Drop Box. 15 Nov. 2004: 1-3.
23 Dec. 2004
<http://www.mydropbox.com/technology.htm>.
“Why Students Plagiarize.” University of Alberta Faculty
Guide to Cyber-Plagiarism 29 Jan. 2005. 2004
<http://www.library.ualberta.ca/guides/plagiarism/why/> .
Contact Information
Peg Ehlen
Professor of Skills Advancement/
Disability Support Services
Ivy Tech State College (Community College of Indiana)
3501 First Ave.
Evansville, IN 47710
pehlen@ivytech.edu
812 429 1386