Abstract
Plagiarism is a prevalent form of academic dishonesty in the undergraduate instructional context. Although students engage in plagiarism with some frequency, instructors often do little to help students understand the significance of plagiarism or to create assignments that reduce its likelihood. This study reports survey, coding, and TurnItIn software results from an evaluation of an instructional activity designed to help students improve their understanding of plagiarism, the consequences of plagiarizing, strategies to help them engage in ethical writing, and key citation elements. Results indicate students had a greater understanding of plagiarism, increased efficacy, and fewer instances of plagiarism as determined by TurnItIn plagiarism software after exposure to an instructional activity on plagiarism. Not surprisingly, when instructors prioritize academic honesty in their classrooms, train students on how to integrate others’ works, cite sources appropriately, and use plagiarism detection software, students are less likely to plagiarize. The discussion includes suggestions for instructors to help them create a plagiarism-free environment.
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Appendices
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Group Literature Review Assignment (75 points)
As a group, you will write a literature review that brings together all of the literature you have found about your topic. The literature review will orient the reader to the current state of research and other readings associated with your topic. Your research for this literature review will help you to develop ideas for your training program.
The literature review should provide an argument for why this topic is an important one that needs to be addressed. Generally, your literature review might define the problem, offer background related to the problem, include relevant theory and constructs related to the problem, identify why the problem exists, how the issue has been handled in the past, and offer an overall argument that leads up to the need for YOUR training program. Literature reviews are NOT a series of studies in separate paragraphs. As a group, you will have the resources to create a strong literature review about your topic/problem. Students should incorporate information from the individual article analyses and other sources. More specifically:
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Your literature review should cite at least 10 reputable sources, of which at least 5 must be empirical sources. This is a minimum requirement, which is considered “average” work.
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It should be between 6 to 8 pages in content, including a clear introduction, thesis, transitions, evidence, and a conclusion that indicates that training on the topic/problem is necessary.
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The literature review must adhere to APA style, 6th Edition, and should include a bibliography of all references. An APA style sheet that provides examples will be made available on ANGEL. Also, a helpful primer for APA style can be found at: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/.
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Your introduction should introduce the problem at hand and include a thesis and transition of what will be addressed in your literature review.
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The body of your literature review should include information from research articles, appropriate theories, and other relevant sources. You might use subheadings (see APA manual for correct formatting) throughout your paper to organize it. And you might then: define the problem and explicate it; provide a rationale for the importance of the issue; explain how the issue influences or may potentially influence – positively or negatively – specific parts of an organization (e.g., communication processes, morale, productivity, profitability, etc.); cite appropriate theory that helps us understand the problem and how to address it; and include other information that helps us understand why training might be necessary and/or helpful.
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The body of your literature review should also include a section that discusses potential solutions to your problem/issue that could be implemented in a training program. This section will be particularly important, as it will help inform what you actually do in your training to address the problem/issue.
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Finally, a clear conclusion should be provided that leads us into the need for training on the problem/issue.
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Kashian, N., Cruz, S.M., Jang, Jw. et al. Evaluation of an Instructional Activity to Reduce Plagiarism in the Communication Classroom. J Acad Ethics 13, 239–258 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-015-9238-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-015-9238-2