What strategies can we employ to minimize the risk of plagiarism?

Minimizing the risk of plagiarism is crucial for maintaining academic integrity. Educators can employ various strategies to address and prevent plagiarism:

The bolded additions represent how I added to what AI suggested. This was good practice to utilize AI alongside the principles of maintaining academic integrity.

AI can be utilized if we address it head on and incorporate it in healthy ways.

  1. Education and Awareness:
  • Ensure students understand what plagiarism is and why it is unacceptable.
  • Teach proper citation methods and provide examples of correct referencing.
  • AI can be a starting block for education, teaching students to use it and work with it can be a useful tool.
  • Incorporate assignments to teach how to use it properly.
  1. Clear Expectations:
  • Clearly outline your expectations regarding original work, proper citation, and collaboration in your course syllabus and assignments.
  • Clearly define the consequences of plagiarism in your class.
  1. Use of Technology:
  • Utilize plagiarism detection tools such as Turnitin or Grammarly to identify potential instances of plagiarism.
  • Teach students how to use these tools to self-check their work before submitting it.
  • Scaffold how to properly utilize online resources and how to research on the Internet ethically and with integrity.
  1. Break Down Assignments:
  • Break larger assignments into smaller, manageable parts, with specific deadlines for each part. This approach makes it harder for students to procrastinate and encourages original work.
  • Deviating from the traditional essay or written work style to incorporate more assignment components that can’t be generated through AI, such as collages, scrapbooks, art instalments, etc.
  1. Personalized Topics:
  • Assign topics that require personal reflection or application of individual experiences, making it more difficult for students to use pre-existing content.
  • Students are more inclined to spend time on a topic they are interested in.
  1. Regular Feedback:
  • Provide feedback on drafts or early stages of assignments, allowing students to correct any potential issues before the final submission.
  • Following along with the step-by-step process can scaffold the necessary skills students need to time manage for an assignment.
  1. Encourage Critical Thinking:
  • Design assignments that require critical thinking and analysis rather than simple regurgitation of facts.
  • Incorporate class discussions and activities that promote original thought.
  • Critical thought and creativity can help students add their own fingerprint to assignments and perhaps deter their reliance on AI.
  1. Use Varied Assessment Methods:
  • Employ a variety of assessment methods, such as presentations, group projects, and exams, to reduce the temptation to plagiarize.
  • Again here is where creativity can fit in.
  1. Promote Academic Integrity:
  • Reinforce the importance of academic integrity and ethical behavior in the classroom.
  • Encourage a culture of honesty and open communication.
  1. Peer Review:
    • Integrate peer review into the assignment process, allowing students to provide constructive feedback to their peers, promoting a collaborative learning environment.

  1. Check Previous Work:
    • Familiarize yourself with your students’ previous work to identify any inconsistencies in writing styles or sudden improvements.
    • My grandmother, a teacher, always told me you can tell a student’s work if it matches how they speak. You know your students by the time they submit assignments. She worked in the 60s and 70s before AI type plagiarism was an issue and the principle still stands.

  1. Open Communication:
    • Create an open environment where students feel comfortable discussing challenges and seeking help, reducing the likelihood of resorting to plagiarism.

  1. Library Resources:
    • Emphasize the use of library resources and academic databases, making it easier for students to find reputable sources and cite them correctly.
    • We visited a museum last week and learned about the extensive resources they have that are accessible for students.

  1. Adapt Assignments Regularly:
    • Regularly update assignment prompts and topics to prevent recycling of older materials.

By combining these strategies, educators can create an environment that discourages plagiarism and promotes academic integrity.