Journal 4

“Avoid the Plague: Tips and Tricks for Preventing and Detecting Plagiarism”
By J.V. Bolkan

Some studies have shown that more than half of all undergraduate college students have engaged in plagiarism. Some educators, according to J.V. Bolkan, blame the Internet for this staggering number. It is more precise to say, not that the Internet is to blame, but that the Internet has created new opportunities for plagiarism to flourish. The root causes of plagiarism are multifaceted. In this article, Bolkan concerns himself with solutions.
Bolkan argues a three part strategy of prevention, detection and punishment. The teacher’s policy toward plagiarism and its ethical consequences should be discussed early on. Other successful strategies include developing assignment which will leave as much of the students ‘fingerprint’ as possible. Have the students submit their research in stages. Require at least one recent source. And design a rubric that will prove that the student understands the content of their paper.
Teacher’s can also let the students know that they will Google items to check for plagiarism. It may not be fool proof, but will catch some and deter many more. Teacher’s can also become familiar with a students writing style. If they did not write the paper it will be obvious. As a last resort teacher’s can use commercial anti-plagiarism tools such as Turnitin.
Finally, to have an effective punitive policy is only possible with strong deterrence and detection. The opposite is also true. Punishment must be certain and consistent.

Question: What is a suitable punishment for plagiarism?

As a teacher my policy has been no credit for the assignment and parental communication.

Question: What is the most effective way to detect plagiarism?

By knowing your student. Most teachers know the capabilities and writing style of their students. When in doubt have the student tell you about their paper and how it was created.