Developing Students' Awareness of Plagiarism: Crisis and Opportunities

Abstract

Plagiarism is an important issue for higher education. Research shows that college students do not always understand the the process of research and writing. This misapprehension of the research and writing process can lead students to plagiarize without intending to do so. The library can be a leader in raising students' awareness, and can partner with teaching departments in developing ways to educate students about plagiarism. This study examines students' understanding of plagiarism as it relates to their ability to write research papers. Freshmen were given a pre-test, followed by instruction on plagiarism and how to avoid it, and then given a post-test. The results demonstrated that students benefited significantly from their instruction. The article also offers practical teaching strategies for plagiarism awareness.