Detection and Deterrence of Plagiarism in Online Learning Environments

Background

Plagiarism is the reproduction or inclusion of another person’s creative work into one’s own work without properly attributing the included work to the original author. Most students understand that submitting another author’s entire work as their own is clearly plagiarism, but are often confused about how to summarize and cite the works of others. Furthermore, students may not understand that submitting their own previously submitted original work, in whole or in part, is considered self-plagiarism as it misrepresents their efforts in a current class.

Educational institutions usually define plagiarism within the context of academic integrity, such as this definition from Lawrence Technological University (Lawrence Technological University, 2007):

The term “PLAGIARISM” includes but is not limited to (a) the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work or creative and/or intellectual property in print, product, or digital media of another person without full and clear acknowledgment; (b) the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers, reports, or other academic materials; or (c) the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any other means another person’s work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one’s own work. Plagiarism is unethical, since it deprives the true author of his/her rightful credit and then gives that credit to someone to whom it is not due.

Aside from the ethical violation of failing to acknowledge the accomplishments of others, plagiarism is “materially misleading if it could cause a reasonable reader to be mistaken as to source of the words, ideas, or data in a way that could benefit the author submitting the work” (Brigham Young University Law School, 2007). We will return to the concept of material benefit later in this article.

Numerous researchers have documented the extent of plagiarism and student cheating over the past 60 years (Hart & Friesner, 2004). Plagiarism is acknowledged as a widespread phenomenon, with a majority of students in most disciplines admitting to some form of academic dishonesty during their academic careers. A Web search can identify thousands of Web sites where students may download essays. Coastal Carolina University maintains a Web site listing over 250 “paper mills” and plagiarism sites (Bates & Fain, 2006). The existence of these sites confirms the findings of high levels of student plagiarism and cheating.