Dear Colleagues,
One solution to many instances of plagiarism is demonstrating to
students that the same work used in plagiarism can equally well be
used to do outstanding work.
At the Norwegian School of Management, proper referencing and
citation involves a series of skills we require of students from the
first year. In some courses, faculty members acknowledge the
standards without promoting them. In my courses, we work actively to
teach these skills. We explain why these are important, and show
students how they can use these skills to construct good arguments,
supporting them by evidence from multiple sources and concepts from
other thinkers.
We also show students that better argued positions will give them
greater influence in many settings, including the world of work after
graduation.
We ask our students to read widely and to use multiple sources in
developing their ideas and arguments. We reward research and reasoned
argument from evidence with better grades. A student who uses ideas
and evidence without citing them properly does worse than a student
who uses good information in an ethical way, even when that student
is not caught. Plagiarism is punished if caught. Well used and
properly cited material is rewarded when seen. No rational student
will risk sanctions for secretly using material that yields rewards
when used openly.
It is my view that much of the problem of plagiarism can be solved by
teaching basic research skills, and proper reference and citation
skills starting in the first year of college. This takes work,
practice, and coaching. The general increase in quality makes it
worth doing.
This approach cures many problems, but not all. For example, this
approach does not solve the problem of plagiarizing or copying an
entire paper, references included. Carefully constructed assignments
can help there.
This approach does not address the problem of plagiarism in cultures
where attitudes toward building on traditional knowledge by
incorporating earlier texts into new writing is at odds with our
views of plagiarism. I have no first-hand knowledge of teaching and
learning in these cultures, but I suspect that cultural issues are
irrelevant to most of the business schools where subscribers to this
list teach.
Best regards,
--
Ken Friedman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Leadership and Strategic Design
Department of Technology and Knowledge Management
Norwegian School of Management
School
On sabbatical through July 2001
Home office
+46 (46) 53.245 Telephone
+46 (46) 53.345 Telefax
email:
ken.friedman@bi.no