Teaching to Avoid Plagiarism: How to Promote Good Source Use

Plagiarism is a serious problem in higher education, and one that the majority of university teachers have encountered. This book provides the skills and resources that university teachers and learning and development support staff need in order to tackle it.

As a complex issue that requires thoughtful and sensitive handling, plagiarism simply cannot be addressed by warnings; detection software and punishment alone. Teaching to Avoid Plagiarism focuses on prevention rather than punishment and promotes a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to dealing with the issue.

Topics covered in this book include:

• The causes of plagiarism
• How universities currently deal with plagiarism
• How teachers can support students in effective source use
• The role of technology
• Issues for second language writers and international students

Drawing on her teaching experience as well as her academic research, Diane Pecorari offers a unique insight into this pervasive problem as well as practical advice on how to promote good source use to students and help them to avoid plagiarism. With a series of activities to help readers solidify their grasp of the approaches advised in the book, Teaching to Avoid Plagiarism is an essential guide for anyone in a student-facing role who wants to handle plagiarism more effectively.

‘Diane Pecorari’s book provides practical examples and activities on handling plagiarism blended with research-based findings. It is useful for teachers wanting to improve their understanding and practices in managing plagiarism, but also student advisors and academic support skills staff who deal with issues of academic integrity. This book makes a unique contribution to the field of plagiarism management as its structure affords direct professional development opportunities. Assessment tasks, broad questions and activities are provided at the end of each chapter, encouraging readers to understand both policy and practice in their own institution to better manage plagiarism and source attribution.’
Dr Wendy Sutherland-Smith, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Australia

‘Teaching to Avoid Plagiarism successfully turns attention away from the detection and punishment of plagiarism and focuses instead on understanding and prevention through the promotion of good source use. Combining practical activities based on real-life examples with wide-ranging original research, this important book should be required reading, not only for staff development officers and lecturers, but more widely throughout the higher education community.’
Maggie Charles, Oxford University Language Centre

‘Diane Pecorari’s insightful research and scholarship on plagiarism is used to excellent effect in this book which advocates a proactive rather than reactive approach to the difficulties faced by