One of the most important things to avoid in college: Internet Plagiarism. One wrong or missing citation and the student could end up failing the assignment. An already-used research paper could mislead the professor teaching abilities. Brook J. Sadler provides ten arguments as to why Internet plagiarism is wrong. Some of her arguments are interchangeable, such as the topic of students who plagiarize do not benefit from the hard work and the topic of how plagiarism prevents opportunities for the student to take pride in creative self-expression. Although some of the arguments ring true, like how it is unfair to other students and not beneficial for the student themselves, I believe she spread out the arguments too thin. Some of the arguments could have be put together while others are not strong enough to stand on their own. In the reading by Russell Hunt, he provides arguments how Internet plagiarism is an opportunity for educators to reexamine current teaching methods and to develop a new model that is more "active, cooperative, context-bound, and problem-and-project-based". He challenges the current method and explains why they are not working and actually turn students to plagiarism. What I liked best about one of his arguments was that he wanted the educators to emphasize to students the strength of their own work. What I would have liked to see in both of these articles is the discussion of how the growth of Internet had also played a huge rise in Internet plagiarism over the years.
I can kind of compare Internet Plagiarism to rape. We can blame the students or the educators, and we could blame the woman or the rapist. People can debate that it was the woman's fault for what she was wearing or how she was acting, while others can debate that she was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. It seems we live in a society where we teach women how to avoid rapist, but we don't teach men not to rape. So with that said, I think Russell Hunts argument is the strongest because I agree we should try to stop the issue instead of preventing it.
Internet plagiarism is a very big topic amongst college students and educators. After you said that educators should try news ways of educating students, I found myself agreeing that education has not kept up with times. Taking notes on laptop or tablet is much more convenient because I can upload it onto a site, keep records, sync them to my phone, etc. Though, if students from years ago could sit there and take down notes with a paper and pencil, why is it so difficult for our generation to do the same? The previous generations have created some amazing things and they started with a pencil and paper. If education system catches up with the technology of today who knows what the future can hold.
ReplyDeleteYou made a point that I was going to make in my post but didn’t have the words for. I agree that some of Sadler’s arguments should have been combined. It seemed like the arguments were as bare as they could possibly be in order to break them up into more points. When writing a paper where information is needed from a book or the internet, I agree that students are more scared of being accused of plagiarism then they are of the actual quality of the work. I am meticulous when it comes to citing information when the teacher threatens a failing grade. It then tends to preoccupy my mind and take over the quality of my work. I hope, for future generations, that students are no longer being assigned things that tempt plagiarism.
ReplyDeleteWe can’t point the finger at students for having such an easy time plagiarizing their papers. Technology today is who we should point the finger at. Without these modern day advances students would not be able to go online and copy and paste information onto their papers and call them their own. Many students don’t feel like it is wrong to plagiarize. They ask themselves “How could it be wrong if the information is right in front of us?” Instead of pointing fingers we need to find a way to change standards and help students figure out a way to use their own creative instincts. This needs to be taught to them through education.
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