Introduction
As a teacher, it is essential to talk to students on issues related to plagiarism and how to avoid it. Therefore, prior to a writing assignment, I would first let my students know the exact meaning plagiarism. This is because studies show that some students lack a clear comprehension of plagiarism. , assert that teachers should let students understand the difference between cheating and collaborating. Secondly, I would set rules that have to be adhered to in order to avoid plagiarism. Anyone who breaks any rule would have to face dire consequences such as suspension or even expulsion. By so doing, I believe that students would fear cheating and plagiarising one`s work due to the consequences of breaking the rules set. Thirdly, before a writing assignment, as a teacher, I would showcase other student`s original assignments to my class. This will act as a motivating factor since other students would learn to be creative and develop their own ideas. Fourthly, before a writing assignment, I would teach my students proper ways of referencing. It is essential to include in-text citations whenever one paraphrase`s or refers to another person`s work. Fifthly, I would gauge the students` interest prior to a writing assignment. I believe this will act as a measure to prevent plagiarism since some students copy and paste other people`s work as a result of lack of interest in an assignment.
There are various bell, whistles, and warning signs that show the presence of plagiarism in an assignment. Teachers and instructors should always look for these signs in order to verify how original a student`s work is. The first warning sign is lack of simple grammatical errors in an assignment. Students are prone to making simple grammatical errors such as subject verb and gender agreement errors. Therefore, lack of such errors implies a high probability of plagiarized work. Secondly, perfect work that is way above a student`s ability indicates presence of plagiarism. While grading, therefore, teachers should not just be impressed by a student`s perfect work. It is essential to appreciate the fact that most students cheat in order to score high marks.
There are various ways through which the internet can be used to deal with plagiarism. Teachers and instructors are advised to make use of software packages which are able to detect plagiarism within one`s work. These software packages are known as anti-plagiarism detectors. They include turn it in, and Google.
Conclusion
References
Follette, M. C. (2004). Stealing Into Print: Fraud, Plagarism, and Misconduct in Scientific Publishing (Illustrated ed.). California: University of California Press.
Jane, M. H., Guofang, W., & Yong, L. E. (2008). Theory Into Practice. Ohio: Routledge.
Lathrop, A., & Foss, K. (2005). Guiding Students from Cheating And Plagiarism to Honesty And Integrity: Strategies for Change (Illustrated ed.). Santa Barbara: Libraries Unlimited,.
