www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Evaluation of interventions to help students avoid unintentional plagiarism by improving

understanding of authorship

James Elander and Gail Pittam

j.elander@derby.ac.ukgail_pittam@yahoo.com

www.writenow.ac.uk

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

The problem: (Unintended) plagiarism

The solution: Greater student understanding of authorship

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

The intervention

• The concept of authorship• Authorial decisions• High profile cases of unintentional plagiarism• Tips and checks on genuine authorship

(materials available at www.writenow.ac.uk)

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Fay Weldon on authorship

“You write because you think you know something that others don’t and you read because you are hoping to find out something. Writers have to provide that – they have to add something.”

(THES 22-9-06, p. 7)

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

‘Authorial decisions’

• What the message is• What secondary material to use• How much importance or emphasis to put on

different parts• How to interpret the material• What words to use to express the ideas• What conclusions to reach

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Author of novel accused of plagiarism

HISTORIANS APPEAL DA VINCI PLAGIARISM VERDICT DAN BROWN's bestseller THE DA VINCI CODE is to face the courts again as two historians appeal against the not guilty verdict in the novel's plagiarism case earlier this year (APR06). A judge previously ruled the central themes which the historians said Brown had copied from their 1982 book THE HOLY BLOOD AND THE HOLY GRAIL were "too general" to be protected by copyright law even if they had been reproduced.

http://contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/historians%20appeal%20da%20vinci%20plagiarism%20verdict_1002177

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Tony Blair’s ‘dodgy dossier’ on Iraqi WMD

Government dossier: (page 13), published Jan 2003

"Saddam appointed, Sabir 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Duri as head during the 1991 Gulf War. After the Gulf War he was replaced by Wafiq Jasim al-Samarrai.

After Samarrai, Muhammad Nimah al-Tikriti headed Al-Istikhbarat al-Askariyya in early 1992 then in late 1992 Fanar Zibin Hassan al-Tikriti was appointed to this post.

These shifting appointments are part of Saddam's policy of balancing security positions. By constantly shifting the directors of these agencies, no one can establish a base in a security organisation for a substantial period of time. No one becomes powerful enough to challenge the President."

http://www.channel4.com/news/2003/02/week_1/06_dossier.html

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

The original document

al-Marashi document: Section: "MILITARY INTELLIGENCE“, published Sept 2002 - relevant parts have been underlined

Saddam appointed, Sabir ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Duri(80) as head of Military Intelligence during the 1991 Gulf War.(81) After the Gulf War he was replaced by Wafiq Jasim al-Samarrai.(82)

After Samarrai, Muhammad Nimah al-Tikriti(83) headed Military Intelligence in early 1992(84) then in late 1992 Fanar Zibin Hassan al-Tikriti was appointed to this post.(85) While Fanar is from Tikrit, both Sabir al-Duri and Samarrai are non-Tikriti Sunni Muslims, as their last names suggest.

Another source indicates that Samarrai was replaced by Khalid Salih al-Juburi,(86) demonstrating how another non-Tikriti, but from the tribal alliance that traditionally support the regime holds top security positions in Iraq.(87)

These shifting appointments are part of Saddam’s policy of balancing security positions between Tikritis and non-Tikritis, in the belief that the two factions would not unite to overthrow him. Not only that, but by constantly shifting the directors of these agencies, no one can establish a base in a security organization for a substantial period of time, that would challenge the President.(88)

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Psychologist accused of plagiarism!

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Plagiarism expert accused of plagiarismin report about plagiarism!

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Intervention delivered to 363 students

219 (60%) London Metropolitan University89 (25%) Thames Valley University55 (15%) Middlesex University

156 (43%) 1st year86 (24%) 2nd year93 (26%) 3rd year27 (8%) MSc

Delivered in:•Lectures & small groups

Focusing on:•Essays•Reviews•Research project reports

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Authorship questionnaire 17 items, 5-point scale strongly agree – strongly disagreeConfidence

“I enjoy writing in my own words”“I am confident when I write... it will look impressive””

Technical knowledge“I know how to provide references …”“I know how to show which parts were not written by

me…”Understanding authorship

“I know what it means to be the author…”“I know the responsibilities of the author…”

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

More sample itemsPragmatic (lower = better)

“I don’t have time to put everything in my own words…”

“I get better marks when I use more material from books…”

Top down

“I begin by thinking about what I want to say…”

“Writing an assignment is all about making an argument…”

Bottom up (lower = better)

“Writing an assignment is all about finding material…”

“I begin by looking for material I can include…”

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

Before After

Confidence (F=28.1, p<.001)

Technical knowledge (F=27.7,p<.001)

Understanding authorship(F=178.0, p<.001)

Pragmatic (F=103.1, p<.001)

Top down (F=68.7, p<.001)

Bottom up (F=38.3, p<.001)

Before and after scores

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Technical knowledge: Before/after X year of study (interaction F=3.77, P<.05)

3

3.5

4

4.5

Before After

1st year

2nd year

3rd year

MSc

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Understanding authorship: Before/after X year of study (interaction F=4.64, P<.01)

3

3.5

4

4.5

Before After

1st year

2nd year

3rd year

MSc

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Pragmatism: Before/after X year of study (interaction F=3.16, P<.05)

2

2.5

3

Before After

1st year

2nd year

3rd year

MSc

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

“The session on authorship helped me to…”

“… understand how to avoid plagiarism”

86.2% agree/strongly agree

“… write better psychology assignments”

66.4% agree/strongly agree

“… not need advice or support about writing…”

52%% agree/strongly agree

“… enjoy writing psychology assignments”

39.8% agree/strongly agree

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Students’ written comments

• “Simple but effective” (first year student)• “I thought I knew a lot about authorship but

realised there is much more to it” (second year student)

• “Some useful tips on how to enjoy your writing and take responsibility for it” (third year student)

• “It could be the difference between a good mark and accidentally plagiarising” (third year student)

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

From student focus groups

“I like the way that you were encouraged to think about what you were going to say, which for some reason hadn’t really dawned on me, and then really find what you do want to say, what you want to include, so you’re really in the driving seat, and then really take from sources to support in a sense your own perspective really.”

“Basically as I understand it they want us to show that we know what we’re talking about, at the same time they just wanted us to show that we’ve read so many books or a particular article or question. So you’re going to mention the authors and you’re going to quote something, but still they asked us not to do that as much as we can so it’s still [confusing]”

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Conclusions/recommendations

• An alternative to punitive/prohibitive responses to plagiarism

• Plagiarism prevention linked to positive support for student writing

• Significant improvements in authorship scores after the sessions

• Greatest impact among first year students• Could be adopted/adapted for other disciplines?

(materials available from www.writenow.ac.uk)

www.derby.ac.uk

ED

UC

AT

ION

, HE

ALT

H A

ND

SC

IEN

CE

S

Acknowledgements

• Jo Lusher: delivered intervention at London Metropolitan University

• Pauline Fox: delivered intervention at Thames Valley University

• Nicky Payne: delivered intervention at Middlesex University• Katherine Harrington: coordinated liaison with London

Metropolitan University and Write Now CETL• Frank Su: organised web pages at www.writenow.ac.uk• HEA Psychology Network: funded the project