Current Status
We tell students not to plagiarize and that they should cite sources.
We usually tell them at the beginning of the school year
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We have no rapport or relationship with the students
The message becomes:
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Cite because I said so
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Cite your sources so you don't fail the assignment or course
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Don't plagiarize so you don't get kicked out or school
Many institutions spend more money on plagiarism detection than diversity initiatives.
Plagiarism is a problem and we need to address it.
Why Students Plagiarize
According to Mbutho and Hutchings (2021), the following are possible reasons why students plagiarize:
- Discrepancies in the way plagiarism is taught
- Poor underlying or supporting skills
- Lack of institutional guidelines
- Lack of institutional support
- Lack of student effort/commitment