LIBE 477B: Broadening Horizons Part B

Here are some useful resources I used to better understand my topic of copyright, understanding plagiarism, and citation techniques:

1. Why do foreign students plagiarize? A cultural perspective. (2018, February 05). Retrieved from https://elearnmagazine.com/why-do-students-plagiarize/

This article by Priscila Zigunovas on e-learn magazine is a summary breakdown of possible reasons for why international students may consider plagiarizing their work, either accidentally or on purpose.

To be quite frank, I think a lot of the reasons listed here appear to me like something of a poor excuse, whether it's observed behaviour or statements offered up by those who have plagiarized. Take these for example: the focus on collaboration, seeing it as a form of flattery, respect for authority, etc. - all of these things are preserved in a citation, you are only making sure to note where the information is coming from. Also, depending on the extent of the plagiarism, some of the reasons listed here come off as rather hollow (facetiously; "I copied this other work in it's entirety because I respect the author too much to properly criticize and convey my own opinion.") I am hopeful that students plagiarizing for these reasons could be easily convinced to just add a citation to the end to avoid (potentially unintentional) academic dishonesty.

The more sinister side of it - such as being focused on the exams and not seeing homework as important, or straight up intentionally plagiarizing because the consequences are lenient - these are the tough ones because these students basically know they are doing something they shouldn't. I like to think that much of the plagiarism that I'd be discussing with my students errs on the unintentional side because they haven't really been exposed to this kind of thinking just yet (Elementary/Intermediate level). When you're knowingly engaging in this behaviour, that's a whole other conversation (still an important one though!).

2. Vicinus, Martha & Eisner, Caroline. Originality, Imitation, and Plagiarism: Teaching Writing in the Digital Age. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2008. Project MUSE, p 195-207

Academic Plagiarism and the Limits of Theft

https://muse-jhu-edu.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/chapter/145068 (requires a UBC CWL)

This essay was a discussion about what exactly plagiarism means to all parties involved in an academic institution. "Was plagiarism to be viewed primarily as a theft, as a breach of community norms, as a betrayal of the ethical foundation of the teacher-student relationship, or perhaps as a disciplinary misunderstanding?" (2008)

This may be a little above the heads of a grade 7 student, but the contrast of the viewed "seriousness" of the offense versus the amount of work saved (or reward weighed against risk) is something that I could see easily tempting a younger student, despite not knowing exactly what kind of behaviour they might be engaging in.

3. Zhang, Y. (2016). Against plagiarism a guide for editors and authors. Cham: Springer. p 3-10

Chapter 1 What Is Plagiarism?

https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-3-319-24160-9.pdf

While I did not get a chance to read through the entire work, Zhang has a good breakdown of specific types of plagiarisms such as cut and paste and paraphrasing (the "put in your own words" truism which sometimes seems to persist in the minds of students without the accompanying "and cite your source") as well as some other useful defintions. 

LIBE 477B: Broadening Horizons.

picture by gob-scure: https://flic.kr/p/ZJHHyU

Here is a list of topics I am considering for broadening my understanding in these areas. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Information Literacy:

This is one topic that has come up in a few other classes as well, the idea of cultivating skills to navigate and effectively use the massive amount of information that is at our fingertips (both for ourselves and especially for students). There is always the temptation to grab the easiest and quickest search result to support our arguments or positions, but is this the best option? Many school districts have access to catalogues and web magazines from vetted sources, but having the perseverance to properly sift through, sort, and curate a citation list is often not an immediately obvious skillset. Some questions: How “deep” should information literacy skills go, and how early in on in a student’s learning journey should it occur? 

Citing; Crediting:

This is another topic that often goes unnoticed by younger students, even before they are expected to write longer form essays or have an acceptable level of research to back up their assignments. I think proper citation attitudes and skills are an important competency to start considering even in elementary school. Even an idea as simple as “Hey, I grabbed this picture from the internet for my writing assignment, I through the author’s credit below it” would go a long way; and for older students, knowing about creative commons licenses, knowing what they mean and how to search through them. In our internet age for nearly infinite sharing, remembering to give credit where it is due allows proper recognition (for the original creator) and accountability (for the student synthesizing their content) to remain intact. Some questions: What level of accreditation is acceptable for students just starting out (eg. A grade 3 students learning how to capture an image online for a polar bear webquest)?