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A Benchmark Tariff for the Application of Penalties for Student Plagiarism in Higher Education

A Benchmark Tariff for the Application of Penalties for Student Plagiarism in Higher Education. Peter Tennant and Gill Rowell. Background. 2004-2006, Baroness Ruth Deech → inconsistency in application of penalties for plagiarism in HE JISC & HEA:

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A Benchmark Tariff for the Application of Penalties for Student Plagiarism in Higher Education

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  1. A Benchmark Tariff for the Application of Penalties for Student Plagiarism in Higher Education Peter Tennant and Gill Rowell

  2. Background • 2004-2006, Baroness Ruth Deech → inconsistency in application of penalties for plagiarism in HE • JISC & HEA: • Academic Misconduct Benchmarking Research (AMBeR) Project 1-2 1: Tennant P, Rowell G, Duggan F, (2007) ‘Academic Misconduct Benchmarking Research Project Part I: The Range and Spread of Penalties Available for Student Plagiarism Among UK Higher Education Institutions’ JISC Plagiarism Advisory Service Newcastle (UK). Available at: www.plagiarismadvice.org/documents/amber/FinalReport.pdf 2: Tennant P, Duggan F, (2008) ‘Academic Misconduct Benchmarking Research Project Part II: The Recorded Incidence of Student Plagiarism and the Penalties Applied’, Academy/JISC Academic Integrity Service, Newcastle (UK). Available at: www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/AMBeR_PartII_Full_Report.pdf

  3. Background • Phases I & II confirmed variation between: • Penalties AVAILABLE • Procedures involved in recommendation • Actual penalties APPLIED

  4. Background • Transparent penalty tariffs: • Improve student behaviour • Protect against legal complications • Institutions regularly update penalty tariffs • However, there remains a lack of guidance 3 4 3: Macdonald R, Carroll J, (2006) ‘Plagiarism – a complex issue requiring a holistic institutional approach’, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 31(2) pp. 233-245 Available at: www.liu.se/content/1/c6/01/80/56/Jude%20Caroll.pdf 4: Baty P, (2006) ‘Inconsistent penalties raise risk of legal action, Deech says’, Times Higher Education Supplement, 23 June, pp. 4. Available at: www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=203884

  5. Background • 2008, OIA: • “plagiarism guidance and the basis for awarding penalties needs to be made clear and to operate fairly” 5 5: The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, (2008) ‘Annual Report 2008: Resolving Student Complaints’, Available at: www.oiahe.org.uk/docs/OIAHE Annual Report 2008.pdf

  6. Aim • To develop a reference tariff for the application of penalties for student plagiarism in HE

  7. Methods • April 2009 → Contacted 104 individuals working with HE from across UK • Either participants in AMBeR II, or had expressed interest

  8. Methods • Invited to complete online questionnaire • Section 1: Participants identified which factors they felt were important, and how these ranked • Section 2: Participants identified which penalties they felt were appropriate for three theoretical incidents of student plagiarism • Free text box

  9. Methods • Questionnaire designed from AMBeR • Potentially important factors were most commonly cited in regulations • Potential penalties were most commonly available and most commonly applied • However, unlike AMBeR I-II, answers personal, not institutional

  10. Methods • Followed-up to ask: • What they felt should classify as extenuating circumstances • How they would define ‘intention to deceive’ • How they would measure ‘amount of material plagiarised’

  11. Methods • Points-based penalty tariff designed • Points assigned to each factor based on responses to section 1 • Scores matched to penalties according to section 2 of questionnaire • Fed back for comment, and refined

  12. Results • 67/104 (64% of sample) completed questionnaire • 15 provided additional details on extenuating circumstances, ‘intent’, and ‘amount’ • 23 commented on draft tariff • Range of institutions with participant in the study representative of HE sector

  13. Results • Which factors were considered important?

  14. Results • What was the relative importance of these factors?

  15. Results • Points assigned accordingly:

  16. Results • Points assigned accordingly:

  17. Results • Points assigned accordingly:

  18. Results • The right penalty – Case 1 (minor)

  19. Results • The right penalty – Case 2 (severe)

  20. Results • The right penalty – Case 3 (moderate)

  21. Results • The right penalty – Case 3 (moderate)

  22. Results • The points match the penalty

  23. Results • The points match the penalty

  24. Results • The points match the penalty

  25. Results • The points match the penalty • Boundaries determined by cut-offs for key variables • Biggest penalty group → most commonly applied List A List B List C List D List E List F

  26. Results • Qualitative findings • No agreement on measuring ‘amount’ → tariff includes several definitions • Level 1 should be a ‘training environment’ → tariff more lenient on level 1 students than 2/3/PG • Formative work shouldn’t be punished at all → separate penalty tariff for formative assessments

  27. Results • Extenuating circumstances • Life changing event illness → student not fully in control of actions • Inadequate preparation or training in good academic practice → precondition to detection/penalty policy?

  28. Results • Extenuating circumstances • Tariff does not explicitly consider • Cases can be addressed within inherent flexibility of tariff • Else more appropriately handled by alternative authority

  29. Results • Intent • Area of most disagreement • 1/3 said intent was most important factor • Many felt draft points for intent too low • Conversely → Difficult (impossible?) to prove

  30. Results • Intent • Purchased from essay mill / ghost writing service • Clear attempt to avoid detection by substituting words and/or references

  31. Results • Intent • Tariff considers intent implicitly, through other characteristics of the case (e.g. Previous history of student) • Additional punitive measures for extreme, clear-cut incidents

  32. Scope • An example of a research-led penalty tariff • Can be used as: • A reference for HEIs that already have a policy → usable as a benchmark and/or audit tool • A reference to aid the evolution of existing policies • A reference to aid the design of future tariffs • A usable tariff in its own right

  33. Scope • Does not help determinate whether plagiarism has occurred → Not replacement for judgement • Assumes that students have learnt the skills of referencing / know the rules with regards to plagiarism • Should be considered part of a wider holistic approach to plagiarism

  34. Summary • There is an historical lack of guidance to help HEIs design penalty regulations for plagiarism • This study combined national data on policy and practice with a novel consultation → reference tariff • Hoped → Will improve consistency and transparency across the sector

  35. Tariff available from:

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