Group items tagged

create a list for your topic. This list will be used to manage all your bookmarks and highlights.

install the Diigo bookmarklet, or diigolet, in your favorite web browser

If you’re working on a group research project, Diigo can be used for the same purpose. Simply create a group for which everyone can bookmark sources to.

Do not assume that students know what plagiarism is, even if they nod their heads when you ask them. Provide an explicit definition for them.

In addition to a definition, though, you should discuss with your students the difference between appropriate, referenced use of ideas or quotations and inappropriate use. You might show them an example of a permissible paraphrase (with its citation) and an impermissible paraphrase (containing some paraphrasing and some copying), and discuss the difference.

A degree will help students get a first job, but performance--using the skills developed by doing just such assignments as research papers--will be required for promotion.

Many students do not seem to realize that whenever they cite a source, they are strengthening their writing. Citing a source, whether paraphrased or quoted, reveals that they have performed research work and synthesized the findings into their own argument. Using sources shows that the student in engaged in "the great conversation," the world of ideas, and that the student is aware of other thinkers' positions on the topic. By quoting (and citing) writers who support the student's position, the student adds strength to the position. By responding reasonably to those who oppose the position, the student shows that there are valid counter arguments. In a nutshell, citing helps make the essay stronger and sounder and will probably result in a better grade.

Strategies of Prevention

Some program directors at colleges and universities stress that writing shouldn't be taught in isolation. At Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, all communication classes incorporate writing, speaking, listening, and teamwork, showing business majors that all facets are connected and necessary for successful interactions. Frequently, high schools and other B-schools teach writing as an independent form of communication, says Sue Vargo, director of business communication. "Here students aren't just writing for the sake of writing or speaking for the sake of speaking," she says.

Placing students from the get-go into courses that rely heavily on writing is another tactic B-schools use. All Penn State freshmen take a seminar, with specific modules for Smeal College of Business students, on topics including diversity, leadership, and service. Among six writing assignments is a personal-reflection piece, designed to enhance creativity among students who may not be used to using their imaginations in this way. In contrast, the senior capstone, also writing-intensive, focuses more on analyzing business and financial statements.

"Students will walk into class and say, 'I don't enjoy reading.' I say it's like the first time they had a beer. It tastes awful. But if you drink it enough, you'll like it," says Hoyle. "Reading, museums, and the theater are acquired tastes." In the process, students may acquire a fondness -- and talent -- for writing as well.