Saturday, November 14, 2009
naming a new disease
We talk about people who can't keep from stealing as kleptomaniacs. We need to name a disease for writers who can't keep from plagiarizing. I really think there is a developing syndrome. It's happening more and more among published writers who definitely know better. And a recent student of mine, whom I thought I had put the fear of the Lord into on this matter, starting copying my posts in her comments to others students!
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7 comments:
Your observation is consistent with rational behavior by a self-serving individual (the only sort economists accept as plausible):
(1) If technological innovations create falling publication costs, it leads to greater volumes both of source material and of camouflage, reducing the direct cost of plagiarism and reducing the likelihood of being penalized.
(2) If the cost to invigilators to detect cheats remains the same, then a cheater's expected cost from plagiarism is falling.
(3) All else equal, a lower cost to cheating increases demand, so you see higher incidence of plagiarism.
If you buy the argument, then it also suggests antidotes:
(a) reduce detection costs
(b) increase penalties
The second option seems especially relevant. I think our social mores have not adapted to cyber-technology as fast as the computer skills of student writers. We need to re-calibrate (raise) our sense of social harm from plagiarism.
Kirk V
How does your view account for the issue that if penalties are increased, the professors are less likely to enforce them? As it is, the penalties are pretty severe, which leads many teachers to keep giving students another chance rather than fail them for the class, which is the required procedure in some of these cases.
That you find current penalties "pretty severe" suggests you see current penalties as out of proportion to the offense against society. Yet you see an increase in blatant plagiarism. That means the writers subject to punishment must view the probability of being punished as on the decline.
A rational student writer should asses not the proposed penalty, but the penalty weighted by the likelihood of enforcement. If instructors are reluctant to police, report and penalize students, then regardless of the punishment, plagiarism might be perceived as a low-cost option for higher marks.
(b) Increase the likelihood of detection, public accusation and punishment and you can reduce the severity of the penalty without an increase in the frequency of plagiarism.
(c) The penalty system is made more effective if subjective input by instructors is minimized.
This is like the approach followed to detect child abuse. Any person in a professional position of public trust (in Ontario, at least) can be charge with a crime if they fail to report suspicion of child abuse.
Perhaps all student work needs to be screened by automated programs under the supervision of a central office, with any suspect pieces examined by a university staff member. Take away the subjective judgment of instructors but make it strictly mandatory that all faculty report any suspicious work.
I think these measures would reduce the tension between instructors and student writers because the instructor is less likely to be in the unfortunate position of accusing the student.
Kirk, you have some interesting ideas. Public accusation is out, because there are all kinds of privacy laws. We'd get our butts sued.
We do run everything through an automated detection system. That's why we are finding so much! But I love your idea of it going through some more or less anonymous staff person and having it not be something that gets between student and prof. Hmmmmm. You are awesome!
I just noticed the word "invigilators": did you pick that up in Canada?
Doc,
Sorry, I cannot reveal my sources.
Words are like food and women. I like them all, but I can't remember precisely when or where I last enjoyed any particular one.
Ok, that was a little over the top. I can remember each of the women I know and pretty clearly where and when I have enjoyed their company.
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