Plagiarism: A Trio of New Books

by Vicki Urquhart Plagiarism: Is it symptomatic of greater moral decline? How prevalent is it? How harmful? Do academic honor codes really work? If you're in the classroom, you've asked these questions. Collegiate level plagiarism is an unavoidable issue, yet it is frequently one of the least effectively dealt with. A look at any of the three books reviewed below will cause you to rethink or change the way you currently deal with it. THE THIRD EDITION of Stolen Words, first published in 1989, illuminates the practice of plagiarism and ignites the reader's indignation. As if through an historian's eyes, author Thomas Mallon provides examples from as early as the seventeenth century to support his belief that no creative process is free from the threat of plagiarism. Five cases of note, including revelations regarding Martin Luther King's work in the 20th century, reveal significant societal impact. Particularly interesting to the academic, will be the story of Texas Tech history professor Jayme Sokolow. Mallon revisits the case explaining that by the 1981-82 academic year, Sokolow's career had skyrocketed in spite of persistent suspicions about the originality and quality of his work. It took years to act upon early allegations, however, and Mallon blames "The inability of the literary and academic worlds adequately to define, much less reasonably punish, instances of plagiarism" (xii). Ultimately, not only did Sokolow's career remain intact, but he ironically secured a job where he regularly reviewed the research of others. The academic affair reveals, Mallon believes, an ineffectual professional association that is unable to act swiftly and justly, and an institution of higher learning naively unsuspecting. Mallon calls for a return to active respect for originality. The problem, he writes, has been and remains the same--academics passively refuse to police their own and spend too much time philosophizing rather than acting. He disdains high-faluting theory and argues that "Language--which words in what order--is what plagiarism generally comes down to (p. 241). In a new Afterword, Mallon broadens his attacks to include the Internet. "The Web makes it impossible for students to value originality, or writing itself, in quite the same way. If all writing is instantly available, none of it can be worth all that much" (p. 245). The situation is grim, he concludes, but there is hope for the future--supporters of originality must rally to restore respect for authorship to its rightful position. Student Cheating and Plagiarism in the Internet Era by Ann Lathrop and Kathleen Foss. Englewood: Colorado, Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 2000. $30. This book is needed, say librarians Ann Lathrop and Kathleen Foss, because "Plagiarism is alive and well on campuses and in cyberspace." As if agreeing with Thomas Mallon (see Stolen Words), they write, "Teachers who confront the problem will make it more difficult for students to cheat or plagiarize. Lathrop and Foss don't just tell teachers to be informed--they make it possible for nearly every page to be shared with a fellow instructor or presented in a workshop. Their book, Student Cheating and Plagiarism in the Internet Era is a practical guide to dealing with plagiarism. Primarily intended for a K-12 audience, the book contains many examples of plagiarism as practiced by college students, and solutions are as valid for college instructors as for K-12 educators. "Downloadable Term Papers: What's a Prof to do?" is a chapter on electronic plagiarism that will hit home with the adjunct instructor as it reviews the three kinds of term paper sources on the Web: (1) traditional paper mills, (2) papers "published" by students and instructors, and (3) papers free for the downloading. A more sophisticated "translation scheme" also is described: A student with computer expertise and good vocabulary skills can locate free translation software on-line, download a paper in that language on the topic needed, run the paper through the translation program, edit the paper for obvious errors in translation, and turn it in . . . and the plagiarism will probably not be identified (p. 20). "Possibly the best defense against high-tech cheating is information," respond Lathrop and Foss. They describe new electronic tools for identifying plagiarism, provide URLs, and share techniques used by "real" teachers. They also include alternatives to traditional writing assignments, and lists of on-line sites for reports and research papers. Foremost, this book is designed to be used: "Copy me" pages contain reprint permission, chapters are summarized, and overviews lead the reader directly to the most helpful sections. For anyone who reads this no-nonsense book, there are no more excuses. "We cannot let students make cheating and plagiarizing into a game where whoever cheats the most is the winner. This is a game with serious negative consequences for the students, for education, and for society," write the authors. The Plagiarism Handbook: Strategies for Preventing, Detecting, and Dealing With Plagiarism by Robert A. Harris. Pyrczak Publishing: Los Angeles, 2001. $19.95. Robert Harris has taught English at Vanguard University of Southern California since 1975 and aimed The Plagiarism Handbook at teachers, like himself, who need "practical tools and ideas to combat plagiarism (p. v)." Harris honestly admits: "It is very difficult to fight the plagiarism battle alone" (p. 21). Yet, he admonishes readers: "The young people you are teaching are looking to you for guidance" (p. 22). The book is not a shocking exposé of scandal-ridden campuses. Harris tries to tread a middle path--sometimes suggesting that universities ferret out plagiarism and publicly expose it; other times, sounding sympathetic and forgiving towards youthful offenders. He educates readers about the causes of plagiarism and student cheating, provides strategies for detecting and dealing with it, and directly addresses administrative and institutional issues. Helpful appendices contain classroom activities and teaching ideas, sample honor codes and policies, and Internet search tools and useful Web links. Lacking Mallon's philosophical-historical insights, and less strident than Foss and Lathrop, Harris advocates creating lessons and devoting class time to the issue of plagiarism, "so they [students] will know enough to avoid committing it willingly" (p. 23). Indeed, Harris suggests students are innocent until proven guilty in the section devoted to the ethical and educational reasons why students resort to plagiarism. In a "share-the-blame" approach, he directs instructors to go the extra mile to make assignments clear, divide total credit for an assignment among its parts, and even require photocopies or printouts of sources. The book's broader premise is that "Plagiarism is not merely an attempt to deceive a professor; it is an attempt to steal a degree from the institution." Not surprisingly, Harris says cheating and plagiarism are everyone's problems, and everyone has a role to play. His handbook is meant to be a comprehensive guidebook for preventing, detecting, and acting on plagiarism at all levels. Which of these three books, if any, should you buy? For my money, Student Cheating and Plagiarism in the Internet Era is the best of the trio. With its plentiful tips, guides and Internet resources, the book will, for the moment, help you stay one step ahead of the most popular forms of cheating and the latest methods of plagiarism.