|
Categories
|
Strategies
|
Rationales
|
| Designing
the Assignments |
Assign
papers shorter than six pages. |
This
is the minimum length available from most paper mills. |
| Assign
the assignment on a specific question such as unique, unusual topics,
very current events, or topics specific to your institution or region
and to the goals of the class. |
Using
an open-ended, general topic may promote students' plagiarism. Most of
the sources used in the papers from paper mills are very old, so current
references should be required and looked for. |
| Require
a personally conducted interview, survey, or experiment. |
It
would preclude the use of a "catalog" paper. |
| Make
the assignment something other than a paper, such as a process (e.g.,
requiring a description of the research process). |
It
would reflect on the research and writing process at the end of the paper
including what worked, what didn't and any surprises. |
| Require
specific formatting. |
It
will prevent plagiarizing the entire paper from the Internet. |
| Require
multiple drafts of papers. |
It
may prevent plagiarism because it is most often the result of panic when
faced with a last-minute paper to write. Getting the students started
on the process early avoids that reason. |
| Ask
for oral presentations of papers that require students to answer questions
and defend their arguments. |
It
would force students to learn their material better, plus give them valuable
experience speaking in front of others, as well as dramatically reducing
the grade-point return of using someone else's work. |
| Requiring
References |
Ask
for photocopies of all references with the relevant sections highlighted
to be turned in with the paper. |
It
will allow you to quickly check for plagiarism in these sources to see
if the student actually wrote the paper. |
| Ask
for an annotated bibliography, with synopses of all references. |
It
will allow you to check the final bibliography if you are suspicious of
a student's paper. |
| Require
primary sources. |
Primary
sources may be something as simple as statistics, or an individual's research
results, or an interview. |
| Grading
the Assignments |
Break
down the points assigned to the paper, such as a certain number of points
for the first draft, for the bibliography, for the notes, etc. |
The
final paper itself is only a portion of the final grade for the process. |
|
Categories
|
Strategies
|
Rationales
|
| I
am Internet savvy |
Let
students know that you know about the paper mill sites and also that you
know of web sites designed to help you catch plagiarism. |
Very
early and clearly describing yourself as an Internet savvy instructor
might help to prevent students' plagiarizing efforts. |
| Inform
students that most of the sources used in the papers from paper mills
are very old, so current references should be required and looked for.
|
Talk
about quality control and lack of guarantees (the fact that a paper got
an A from one professor is no guarantee that it will from another). |
| Using
Syllabus |
Clearly
state your policy on plagiarism and discuss it with students, both what
it is and your policies about it. |
Make
sure students know what plagiarism is. One student said that it wasn't
plagiarism because it was on the Internet; another said it wasn't plagiarism
because there was no copyright symbol. One professor tells the students
that it's not plagiarism if you take it out of an encyclopedia because
"that's common knowledge." Make sure they understand how to
paraphrase and summarize. |
| Show
students a bad paper from a paper mill site: analyze it in class, use
it to teach them how to write a good paper. |
Download
a few papers, discuss their strengths and weaknesses. Let students know
that you know what is out there - and that most of these papers are not
very good, critiquing it in class will bring that home. Encourage them
by letting them know you think they could do better. |
| Point
out the penalties. |
Talk
about past cases; let them know that you have caught other students and
tell them what happened such as failed the course, etc. |
| Make
sure you cite sources on syllabus and handouts. |
By
doing this, it is going to be a model for your students. |
| I
care you |
Monitor
students' progress in doing research and writing papers. |
It
will show them that the instructor cares about students' progress and
their academic achievement. |
| Acquiring
a writing sample |
Obtain
writing samples that reflect personally on the topic or the processes
of research and writing, either in the paper or as an additional writing
assignment. |
It
can be used to check the student's writing style when you are suspicious
about the unusually well written paper. |
