Dear Eveline,
Thank you for your comment that the growth of plagiarism is not in your
opinion " the end of education as we know it, but [you] do think it
needs addressing, and that would be worth discussing." This suggests to
me, within the theoretical framework of my research that you do not see
plagiarism as a security threat - in other words you see it like any
other phenomenon in education, as potentially problematic but solvable
by discussion and reasonable educational means.
Those who I'm interested in in my research, in contrast, see plagiarism
as a dangerous, life-threatening phenomenon for universities that
requires urgent resort to harsh sanctions to root it out ruthlessly and
make the evil perpetrators pay. The quotation below provides an example
of the second group:
“I have learned just how skilled young students are in the ways of
mosaic plagiarism. I have learned the importance of attacking mosaic
plagiarism full force. I believe in the rule of law and the science of
intellectual property law; one's words are one's own and are not to be
stolen by others wittingly.”
Attack Plagiarism but Defend Student Creativity. Neil Seeman,
Huffington Post Canada, 2 January 2014
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/neil-seeman/canada-plagiarism-_b_4704541.html
I think most of us on the EATAW list, like you, would put ourselves in
the first category.
Best,
John
>>> Eveline Powell <[log in to unmask]> 19/3/14 15:49 >>>
Dear Colleagues
Maybe I am alone in this, but I do think plagiarism is a significant
and
growing problem. To ask for discussion within a context of paranoia
and
hysteria is not to invite discussion at all, but to pat ourselves on
the
back for being above the narrow minded, and to laugh at their folly.
A
problem can never be addressed if even identifying that problem is seen
as
a bigger problem in itself and a character flaw.
To me, the figure of 70% seems a fairly accurate one, relating not to
the
amount of work plagiarised, but to the number of students who have
tried
it. I don't think it means the end of education as we know it, but I
do
think it needs addressing, and that would be worth discussing.
Yours
Eveline Powell
> Dear EATAW Colleagues,
>
> I'm working on an article on the "securitisation" of plagiarism.
> Securitisation is a concept from security studies where certain
actors or
> groups talk us into believing that a particular phenomenon is such a
> threat to our existence that extraordinary, normally unacceptable,
> measures have to be taken to combat it.
>
> I'm looking for a widely cited article (non-academic, I think) which
put
> the number of students who have plagiarised during their studies at
about
> 70%. If anyone has heard of this article and can give me a link, I'd
> really appreciate it. Of course any other links to articles in the
press
> suggesting plagiarism is a grave threat to the existence of the
education
> system, the more paranoid the better, are also gratefully received.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> John
> ===
> John Harbord
> Center for Academic Writing
> Central European University
> Budapest, Hungary
>
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