Now What?

1. Now What? Dealing with Student Plagiarism

2. Welcome • In this information age, it is important that teachers understand the concept plagiarism. • This scenario-based simulation is intended to help teachers: • apply the principles learned on the plagiarism concept. • accurately diagnose and address a plagiarism case. MENU

3. Log In Page Return User: User ID Password click when done Keep me signed in for 24 hours unless out Forgot your password? Help New User: Not registered? Signing up is easy! Joseph ******* Sign Up

4. WelcomeJoseph! • You have completed: • Profile 1: What is plagiarism (score 19/20) • Profile 2: Distinguishing the different type of plagiarisms (16/20) • You can repeat profiles 1 and 2 to beat your scores or complete a new profile: • Profile 3: Adjudicating the Group Project • Profile 4: Identify strategies to prevent plagiarism MENU

5. Selection Menu • Click the scenario of your choice. We recommend that you progress from scenarios 1 through 4. • Profile 1: What is plagiarism • Profile 2: Distinguish the different type of plagiarisms • Profile 3: Adjudicating the Group Project • Profile 4: Identifying strategies to prevent plagiarism

6. Rules The following screens contains sections of a plagiarism case. You will progress through the case by: • weighing the evidence • reviewing plagiarism diagnostic information (where necessary) to make preliminary and final verdict • Selecting one appropriate answer of your choice We recommend that you keep track of your score at each decision point to judge how well you have grasped plagiarism concepts, policies, and actions. MENU

7. Plagiarism Profile #3 Adjudicating the Group Project ?? • Mrs. James just received electronic copies of her students’ final projects. The students also submitted their assignments to turnitin.com (a software that helps detect plagiarism). • Mrs. James reviews the originality reports via turnitin.com and she is concerned about the high similarity index for one of the groups. MENU

8. What should Mrs. James do first? Meet with the class and warn against plagiarism. Refer the group to the Dean to be censored E-mail the group for them to confirm they intended to actually submit that paper in question. Please click on the answer that correspond with your choice MENU

9. 10/50 points Referring the group to the Dean might be necessary later, but is not the ideal thing to do first. The teacher needs to first allow the group to confirm that the paper is the one they intended to submit for grading. The students are given the benefit of the doubt in case they had inadvertently submitted the wrong paper. MENU

10. 20/50 points Most, institutions provide adequate information to students about plagiarism. The other students’ papers were O.K., which does not suggest that they need a warning. The first step the teacher needs to take is to allow the group to confirm that the paper is the one they intended to submit for grading. The students are given the benefit of the doubt in case they had inadvertently submitted the wrong paper. MENU

11. 50/50 points! Great answer! In the institution in question, when a teacher suspects that a paper has been plagiarized the first step the teacher needs to take is to allow the group to confirm that the paper is the one they intended to submit for grading. The students are given the benefit of the doubt in case they had inadvertently submitted the wrong paper. MENU

12. Plagiarism Profile #3(Cont.)Adjudicating the Group Project • The group e-mails Mrs. James to confirm that the paper they submitted was theirs and she should grade it as is. End the immediate search and wait to see if the boy showed up. MENU

13. Plagiarism Profile #3(Cont’d)Adjudicating the Group Project ?? • Mrs. James decides to give the paper a closer review to confirm the suspected areas of plagiarism. • The originality report (next screen) shows the first section of the paper. The group seem to have used several sources • Review the words that are highlighted from the four sources (colored) and help Mrs. James decide if this section is plagiarized. MENU

14. Originality Report MENU

15. Is the section plagiarized? No doubt. But give the group a chance. The plagiarized sections are minimal. No. Those are common words that could be used in any paper without being copied. Certainly! Look, over 40 words were copied without any citation. Please click on the answer that correspond with your choice MENU

16. 10/50 points Some teachers ignore plagiarism issues (e.g., to avoid awarding penalties that might lead to expulsion or court cases). But would ignoring the issue be fair to the students in the long run? It is good that that the words highlighted are common words that students generally use when writing a research paper. Hence, we can safely conclude that this section was not plagiarized. MENU

17. 20/50 points Good try. At first glance it seems like the texts of the paper were generated from several sources. But a closer look reveals that the words highlighted are common words that students generally use when writing chapter one of a research paper. Hence, we can safely conclude that this section was not plagiarized. MENU

18. 50/50 points! Smart choice! Although there were no citations, a closer look reveals that the words highlighted are common words that students generally use when writing chapter one of a research paper. Hence, we can safely conclude that this section was not plagiarized. MENU

19. Plagiarism Profile #3(Cont’d)Adjudicating the Group Project ?? • Mrs. James reviews another section of the group’s paper to confirm the suspected areas of plagiarism. • The originality report (next screen) indicates that the group noted the sources that were cited. • Review the words that are highlighted from the four sources (colored) and help Mrs. James decide if this section is plagiarized. MENU

20. Originality Report MENU

21. Is the section plagiarized? Oh no! All sources were cited. Looks like a good research paper to me. Yes. This paper lacks original work. Where is the group’s contribution? Certainly! This paper needs more citations. MENU

22. 10/50 points This was a bit tricky, but teachers need to be keen to look beyond the surface. Although the sources are cited, and the paper looks like a good research, the paper contains no original work. MENU

23. 20/50 points Not in this case. What we need is not more citations. Give a keener look at the paper. Do you see any specific contribution from the group? Although the sources are cited, and the paper looks like a good research, the paper contains no original work. MENU

24. 50/50 points! Excellent! You were keen enough to look beyond the surface. Although the sources are cited, and the paper looks like a good research, the paper contains no original work. MENU

25. Plagiarism Profile #3(Cont.)Adjudicating the Group Project ?? • Mrs. James reviews and finds other sections of the paper that were plagiarized. She compiles the evidences to make her decision. • This is the group’s first case of plagiarism. Mary is a likeable hardworking student; Thomas is a bit disoriented and at times disorganized; while Peter is a student who is known to challenge his grades. • A confirmed case of plagiarism (if passed by the academic misconduct committee) might range from an F to expulsion. MENU

26. What should Mrs. James do? Give the group the plagiarism evidence and an order which includes requirements to be complied to and possible penalties if the requirements are not met. Give the group full grade with a reprimand. Refer the group’s paper to the Chair of the academic misconduct committee. MENU

27. 10/50 points It may be unfair to both the group and the other students to give the group full marks when some portions of their paper contain no original work. Since this is their first case, Mrs. James feels that if the group adheres to her stipulations they might be spared from greater unfavorable penalties. MENU

28. 20/50 points Referring the group’s paper to the academic board of misconduct could come later (depending on the group’s response). However, since this is their first case, Mrs. James feels that if the group adheres to her stipulation they might be spared from greater unfavorable penalties. MENU

29. 50/50 points! Good decision. It may be unfair to both the group and the other students to give the group full marks when some portions of their paper contains no original work. However, this is their first case and Mrs. James feels that if the groups adhere to her stipulations they might be spared from greater unfavorable penalties. MENU

30. Plagiarism Profile #3(Cont.)Adjudicating the Group Project • On receipt of Mrs. James stipulations the group meets to decide how to proceed. • Hard working Mary is shocked. Disoriented Thomas is upset. Peter is concerned about his GPA and is up for a challenge. End the immediate search and wait to see if the boy showed up. MENU

31. What should the group do? I know we cited our sources correctly. Plagiarism has a lot of grey areas. Lets challenge. Moreover, my dad’s a lawyer. How petty? This is a research paper, how more original can we get? I am going to maintain that the work is all ours! Let’s work with her stipulations. We might be still able to get a good passing grade. What if we are wrong? I hate the possible penalties. MENU

32. Later the group meet to discuss their fate I wish you guys had discouraged me from trying to prove our innocence. Mrs. James has referred our paper to the academic misconduct committee. I can’t imagine what they will do next! I’m not worried. My sections in the paper are fine. I told you not to. You insisted. Now we might all suffer because of your doing! 10/50 points

33. Plagiarism Profile #3(Cont.)Adjudicating the Group Project • Mrs. James met with the academic misconduct committee regarding the group’s claimed innocence despite the evidences of the plagiarized paper. • She later receives an e-mail confirming the final decision of the committee. • Mrs. James e-mails the response to the group. MENU

34. The group meets again for the final verdict The committee has decided to give us a failing grade for this course! Are they for real! I feel like I’m dreaming. Its too late to appeal now. We’ve lost our chance. Dad confirmed that they also had the option of expelling us from the program. I worked too hard for this. But the university stipulates that we are all responsible for the group work. MENU

35. Later the group meets to discuss their fate Mrs. James didn’t seem moved when I told her about my lawyer. Dad reviewed the university rules and he said it would be a dead case. Now Mrs. James has referred our paper to the academic misconduct committee. I wonder if I can drop this course? I might be in the biggest trouble. What? If only you guys had listened to me. Now we might all have to suffer for this! 20/50 points

36. Plagiarism Profile #3(Cont’d)Adjudicating the Group Project • Mrs. James met with the academic misconduct committee regarding the group’s claimed innocence despite the evidences of the plagiarized paper. • She later receives an e-mail confirming the final decision of the committee. • Mrs. James e-mails the response to the group MENU

37. The group meets again for the final verdict Wow, the academic committee is hard. They gave us a failing grade for this assignment! I feel terrible for you guys. Peter made this decision, but I feel most responsible for our fate. We have to work double time to get even a passing grade in this course. This area was shady but the committee is correct. In fact they could have failed us for the entire course. I worked too hard for this. But the university stipulates that the entire group is responsible for whatever is submitted MENU

38. Later the group meet to discuss their fate I didn’t even feel like doing the paper in the first place. Now we have to redo it? Mrs. James is hard to please so I’m not getting my hopes up. But I’m grateful. Dad said that it could be worse. She could have failed us for the entire assignment. See? It is always good to own up to our mistakes. Mrs. James is kind enough to give us a chance to resubmit the plagiarized sections for a passing grade. 50/50 points MENU

39. Plagiarism Profile #3(Cont’d)Adjudicating the Group Project • Mrs. James receives the group’s second submission. • She keenly reviews the areas of the paper in question. • Mrs. James e-mails her response to the group. MENU

40. The group meets again for the final verdict Thank goodness. We are not going to fail! I am more concerned about my GPA. And after all that work. I’m glad she is pleased with our resubmission. I’m glad we follow your decision Mary. I have certainly learned a lesson. But things are not so dismal. We can still get a reasonable grade - considering what could have been done. MENU

41. Conclusions • Diagnosing Plagiarism issues can be challenging and the issues and consequences are not always clear cut. • Ignorance of the rules is not a plausible excuse. • Teachers should adjudicate plagiarism concerns according to the rules stipulated by the institution in question. MENU

42. Summary Feedback • More than 200:Indicates sound understanding of the principles and policies related to plagiarism in addition to department policies. • 100-200 points:Indicates adequate understanding of the principles and policies related to plagiarism. We recommend that you review the websites and materialsprovided. Complete at least one more profile-in-plagiarism scenario. • Less than 100:Indicates limited understanding of the principles of plagiarism and department policies.We recommend a thorough review of the provided websites and materials before completing more profile-in-plagiarism scenarios. MENU

43. Websites and Materials Please review the links below for an in-dept overview of the plagiarism concept. • Plagiarism Tutorial which includes: • Answers to frequently asked questions via Plagiarism.org • Plagiarism Tips and Guidelines via Turnitin.com • Quizzes and relevant feedback • Review a lesson on plagiarism via http://emodule.nus.edu.sg/ac/ which includes: • Scenario: Witness an enactment where students discuss their group project in relation to plagiarism • Ethical,Practical,Consequential Issues and Penalties MENU

44. Options • Are you sure you want to exit the simulation completely? • MenuSelections • Websites and Materials • Rules

45. Thank you for taking the time to complete the scenario based simulation on the concept plagiarism