This raises some interesting issues that could apply 
equally to the work of learner support units, effective 
learning services & all study skills colleagues. 

Does seeking helping from these learner-support colleagues 
also give students an unfair advantage, particularly if 
that colleague or external proof-reader is faced with an 
assignment written in fractured English? To what extent 
should the worker concern help the student to 'mend' the 
assignment without the control over language moving across 
to the counsellor or proof-reader?

My own view of proof-readers is that the services of these 
are sought mainly by international students or able home 
students with particular difficulties with written 
communication; they may, for example, be dyslexic. 

In this context, the use of proof-readers could be regarded
as offering opportunities to equalise a relationship in 
higher education that is weighted toward the home student 
(or those educated in English as a first teaching language)
with reasonable to good command of written English. Despite
what we might say to the contrary, poor written 
communication, in an assignment submitted by an 
international student, can lead to a poor mark from 
exasperated markers at exam & other very busy marking 
periods.

As regards plagiarism, I feel that if a proof-reader spots 
this, then others will too, and that the reader should 
point this out to the student.  The student may be, despite
all the warnings, still be unsure of what constitutes 
plagiarism, particularly in the area of copy & re-write 
from the Internet.  Prevention is better than prosecution.

Should the student acknowledge the proof-reader in an 
assignment?  Yes, definitely. This is courtesy, although I 
believe many students would be unwilling to do this unless 
required to: the acknowledgement would take away the false 
warm glow of pride if a good mark was subsequently gained.

Here in the School of Management at Bradford University, 
our Effective Learning pages do carry a list of 
proof-readers, with a warning to students to check out the 
qualifications of the reader.  There is a Society of 
Proof-readers with a code of conduct about engagement with 
student assignments (about not taking ownership away from 
the student) and our site displays details of this Society 
on the first page of the proof-reading leaflet, as follows:

"The Society for Editors and Proofreaders has an on-line, 
searchable directory, and The directory contains 
information on skills (editing/proofreading/indexing etc) 
and subject areas. The link is:
http://www.sfep.org.uk/pages/directory.asp"


I am often asked by students to 'check their assignment', 
which means in code, 'check my spelling & grammar and 
anything-else-wrong-with-it-that-you-can-find'. But I have 
had to work out careful rules of engagement with them, 
where they tell me specifically what I should be looking at 
in the areas of referencing and essay structure only.  Even
then, should I resist pointing out that 'excluded' is not 
the right word to use - when 'exclusive' is clearly meant?

I usually weaken!

regards

Colin Neville
Effective Learning Service
University of Bradford
School of Management


On Wed, 8 Feb 2006 11:03:37 +0000 Tracey Beck 
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Part of our Universities work on plagiarism has identified problems with 
> using proof-readers (should they be expected to tell students if they spot 
> plagiarism?  Does using proofreaders give some students an unfair 
> advantage? Could proofreading be considered to be collusion? Should 
> students acknowledge the use of a proofreader when they submit work?).
> 
> So - it would be really helpful to find out what policies other 
> Universities have on proofreading.
> 
> Thanks for any help on this
> 
> Tracey
> 
> Ps - sorry about multiple emails last week (I was having problems with 
> email) and about poor grammar (I have no excuse!)
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Tracey Beck
> Assistant Registrar
> Academic Office, Room 302
> Sussex House
> University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton.  BN1 9RH
> 
> Tel: 01273 873294
> 
> 'It's Sloppy to Copy'
> Plagiarism Awareness Week
> Mon 13th - Fri 17th February 2006
> http://www.sussex.ac.uk/academicoffice/1-4-1-8.html
> 
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---------------------------------
C Neville
[log in to unmask]

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