If students are taught how not to plagiarize before they are given an assignment, will it help? Yes, according to the findings of a new study posted on the Swarthmore College website.
Rational Ignorance In Education: A Field Experiment In Student Plagiarism, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, is by Thomas S. Dee, associate professor of economics at Swarthmore College, and Brian A. Jacob, the Walter H. Annenberg Professor of Education Policy at the University of Michigan. They state:
"Despite the concern that student plagiarism has become increasingly common, there is relatively little
objective data on the prevalence or determinants of this illicit behavior. This study presents the results
of a natural field experiment designed to address these questions. Over 1,200 papers were collected
from the students in undergraduate courses at a selective post-secondary institution. Students in half
of the participating courses were randomly assigned to a requirement that they complete an anti-plagiarism
tutorial before submitting their papers. We found that assignment to the treatment group substantially
reduced the likelihood of plagiarism, particularly among student with lower SAT scores who had the
highest rates of plagiarism. A follow-up survey of participating students suggests that the intervention
reduced plagiarism by increasing student knowledge rather than by increasing the perceived probabilities
of detection and punishment. These results are consistent with a model of student behavior in which
the decision to plagiarize reflects both a poor understanding of academic integrity and the perception
that the probabilities of detection and severe punishment are low."
To read the study in full:
http://www.swarthmore.edu/Documents/academics/economics/Dee/w15672.pdf
