Avoiding Plagiarism and Using Library Sources

1. A New York City College of Technology Collaboration: Writing Across the Curriculum Fellows Syelle Graves and Heather Zuber Instructional Design Librarian BronwenDensmore Instruction/Reference Librarian Anne Leonard March 11, 2014 Avoiding Plagiarism and Using Library Sources

2. Workshop Agenda • Understanding plagiarism • Strategies for preventing plagiarism • Educate students • Explain research assignments • Design plagiarism-resistant assignments • Be aware of library resources • Responding to plagiarism • Discussion and questions

3. I. Understanding Plagiarism

4. Plagiarism Defined by City Tech Policy Manual: “Plagiarism is the presenting of someone else’s ideas without proper credit or attribution. These ideas could come from: 1. Information obtained from books, journals or other printed sources. 2. The work of other students or of faculty. 3. Information from the Internet. 4. Software programs or other electronic material. 5. Designs produced by other students or faculty” (4) — NYCCT Policy Manual

5. Group Exercise: Gray Areas (Sample from Plagiarism Quiz on Handout) • (A) 3. “I got my friend to read my paper and write down other quotes that would help support my argument.” • (B) 6. “I read an article on the internet, used some parts of it word-for-word in my paper, and listed the article on my works cited page.” • (C) 11. “My tutor rewrote my thesis statement to change it from a summary to something that opens up an argument.” This quiz was originally generated by the Freshman English Office at the University of Connecticut; small adaptations were made by Rebecca Devers.

6. Gray Areas: Answers from Plagiarism Quiz on Handout • A. 3. Yes • B. 6. Yes • C. 11. Yes • Turn to page 6 of the handout for explanation This quiz was originally generated by the Freshman English Office at the University of Connecticut; small adaptations were made by Rebecca Devers.

7. Common Justifications and/or Actual Reasons for Plagiarism: • “I didn’t know this was plagiarism.” • “My writing isn’t good enough.” • “I can’t write this entire paper tonight!” • “I’m not an expert in this topic, so I can’t include my own ideas.” • “My English isn’t strong enough.” • “But, my professor asked for two citations and that’s what I did!”

8. II. Strategies for Preventing Plagiarism

9. Educate and Remind Students • “Fellow scholar,” not “law enforcement” • Handouts • Discussion, workshop, homework • Samples of well- and poorly-documented assignments • Model correct citation format

10. Explain Research Assignments • Discuss with students why they are being asked to do research • Make sure students understand why they must cite material • Provide examples of well-incorporated research • Discuss appropriate ways to incorporate information

11. Design Plagiarism-Resistant Assignments • Work up to high-stakes research assignments • When outside sources are required, make sure you are clear about your expectations (and give guidance as to how/where these sources may be found) • Prior to the final paper, require a short assignment in which students justify inclusion of resources cited

12. Scaffold Larger Assignments • Scaffolding = Breaking large assignments into pieces • Students develop skills necessary for assignment • Students generate original work • Assignment not overwhelming • Final product must match pieces

13. Sample Scaffolded Assignment Assignment: Find an idea in one of the assigned critical readings of Jane Eyre with which you disagree. Figure out why you think it is wrong, and write a 5-7 page persuasive essay arguing for your own, “better” reading… In-class summary of novel: 10% of grade – 10/25 Paper Proposal: 10% of grade – due 11/1 Outline: 10% of grade – due 11/8 First Draft: 10% of grade – due 11/21 Peer Review Participation: 10% of grade – 11/21 Second Draft: 50% of grade – due 11/26

14. Use Low-Stakes Assignments • Informal, ungraded writing assignments • Help students process course content, and experiment with ideas without pressure to be “right” • In-class writing: e.g. during the last five minutes of class, ask students to write a response to a prompt, such as, “Explain to me what . . . (key concept from class) means”; or, “Tell me why . . . (key concept from class) is important to (larger topic).” • Discussion board • Reading journal

15. Use Details in Assignments • Current events • Specific, original applications of concepts • e.g. “Define and explain classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning” (Revised): “Professor Catlove opens a can of cat food and his cats run into the kitchen purring, meowing, and rubbing his legs. What examples of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning are at work here?” -Bean, John C. Engaging Ideas. 2nd Ed. 2011. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

16. Library Resources Library Faculty: http://cityte.ch/specialist Library catalog: http://cityte.ch/cat Library databases: http://cityte.ch/db Tutorials and Subject Guides

17. Group Exercise Revise the following assignment to make it more plagiarism-resistant, using strategies such as scaffolding, using specific details, and incorporating low-stakes assignments, etc: “Write a 10-15 page paper on the issue of social inequality and how it relates to race.”

18. III. Responding to Plagiarism

19. Detecting Plagiarism Electronic resources for suspected plagiarism: • SafeAssign, (Turnitin.com)

20. What to do if a Student Plagiarizes • Options at City Tech for responding to plagiarism • City Tech administrative responses to plagiarism

21. City Tech’s Policy on Academic Integrity • Academic Integrity at City Tech • “Students and all others who work with information, ideas, texts, images, music, inventions, and other intellectual property owe their audience and sources accuracy and honesty in using, crediting, and citing sources. As a community of intellectual and professional workers, the College recognizes its responsibility for providing instruction in information literacy and academic integrity, offering models of good practice, and responding vigilantly and appropriately to infractions of academic integrity. Accordingly, academic dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and at New York City College of Technology and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion” (4) • — NYCCT Statement on Academic Integrity from Policy Manual

22. IV. Questions and Discussion

23. Any Questions?

24. Discussion What strategies have worked well for you in preventing or responding to plagiarism?

25. Contact • BronwenDensmore: bdensmore@citytech.cuny.edu • Syelle Graves: sygraves@citytech.cuny.edu • Anne Leonard: aleonard@citytech.cuny.edu • Heather Zuber: hzuber@citytech.cuny.edu