A note on academic integrity from the Principal
Mark Thompson
Moore College is a Christian academic fellowship. Our academic work occurs in the context of Christian discipleship. For that reason, honesty and integrity sit alongside humility, courage, empathy, fair-mindedness, evidence-based argument, simplicity and conviction as intellectual virtues. This work also takes place within a ‘fellowship of research and study’, in which we learn from the prior work of others and in turn respect and acknowledge their intellectual labour. Most importantly, our research, writing and speaking are all done in the presence of God who sees and knows all things, including the intentions of the heart.
The academic rules and regulations against plagiarism are designed to protect intellectual property, i.e. to keep one person from passing off another person’s work as their own (either for academic credit or financial advantage). These rules have been in place in most institutions of higher education for centuries. When you use another person’s work, make use of their ideas, arguments or conclusions, and especially when you use their express words, you must acknowledge this (usually with a footnote and, in the case of a direct quotation, quotation marks as well). It does not ultimately matter whether the unattributed use of another’s work is intentional or unintentional. If another person’s work is used it ought to be acknowledged. If it isn’t, that is plagiarism.
There have always been ‘grey areas’, for instance when the material concerned is a fact generally known, or when an idea, turn of phrase, or line of argument has become commonplace and is used so regularly that attribution is pointless. Do you need to mention Martin Noth every time you use the word ‘Deuteronomist’? Do you need to cite Melanchthon whenever you mention sola gratia and sola fide? Do you need to footnote the first person to establish the date for the destruction of Herod’s Temple? The picture is complicated by those turns of phrase and lines of argument which you learnt from your teachers, perhaps long ago, and which have now become part and parcel of your own perspective and intellectual equipment without you ever realising this has happened. Must we become neurotic about whether every thought, idea, argument or mode of expression is original? No, but we must be careful. When in doubt, provide the citation.
When it comes to making decisions about grey areas and unintentional plagiarism, generally commonsense fair dealing interpretations of the rules and regulations are applied by those administering them. However, at least three factors have combined to contribute to a significantly increased sensitivity to the issue in recent years.
The globalisation of education: In some cultures, education largely consists in memorising what has been said to you by your teachers. Students rote learn and assessment involves regurgitation of material. In fact, you honour your teachers by repeating their words rather than finding your own. Such an educational environment is very different to that which has been dominant in most Western higher educational institutions for centuries. This has sometimes meant that those who travel from one context to another have difficulty in understanding the concept of plagiarism and believe they are doing the right thing when they cite without attribution. Such travel has been made much easier over the past fifty years and so explicit warnings about plagiarism and a description of what is meant by that term now routinely feature on the websites of universities and colleges all around the world.
The computerisation of education: The impact of computers in this area is twofold. First, the cut and paste functions of computers have facilitated the easy incorporation of sections of one text into another. It is easy when cutting and pasting to forget or to postpone footnoting the source and this can lead to trouble. The second impact has been the advent of plagiarism software such as Turnitin™. This software can be used to identify where there is significant commonality between two or more pieces of work. Many higher education institutions are now making use of this or similar software in an effort to combat plagiarism. The results may still need to be interpreted, but it is much easier to spot a prima facie case of plagiarism.
The new litigious character of education: In keeping with a growing concern to protect intellectual property rights more generally (e.g. a spate of recent lawsuits in the popular music industry), higher education institutions and publishing houses are very wary of the risk of litigation, whether from authors who believe their material has been used by others without attribution or from those who have relied upon work which they now believe to have been plagiarised.
Moore College is not immune to these developments. Our concern must be to act with the utmost integrity in all our academic endeavours and to take seriously our responsibility to the sources which we use in the work we do. The use of plagiarism detection software is almost inevitable sometime in the near future and our highly regulated education sector and the growing litigious nature of Australian society combine to ensure that this matter is under constant review.
What then can we do? How can we ensure that we always operate with the highest standards in this area? Here are a number of suggestions:
Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to research and to write. It is much easier to make mistakes when you are in haste.
Make sure you are as clear as possible what plagiarism is. The Harvard College Writing Program website has a helpful page on what constitutes plagiarism and provides annotated examples of each type (verbatim plagiarism, mosaic plagiarism, inadequate paraphrase, uncited paraphrase, uncited quotation, using material from another student’s work): ‘What Constitutes Plagiarism?’, Harvard Guide to Using Sources (2016). http://usingsources.fas.harvard.edu/what-constitutes-plagiarism
Be scrupulous in your note taking. Always note the source of words, ideas and arguments. Don’t leave it until later. Always be clear and precise (include page numbers).
When writing, always cite your source, whether it be the source of content or of content and expression.
When exact words are quoted, use quotation marks (and cite the source).
Try to avoid being too dependent on the work of others. Give yourself time to think through the subject for yourself as well as to read and write. Think about the topic or question before you read, as you read, and after you have read before you begin to write.
When you come up with an idea on your own, and you then discover that others have had that idea before you, consider when and why you should make mention of this. (1) It may be an obvious idea that most people have when they write on the topic, because it follows logically from the evidence. In this case it is often enough to show how the evidence supports the idea, and leave it at that. However, sometimes it will be relevant to your argument to track down the first person to draw this conclusion. (2) It may be an unusual or distinctive idea that would not naturally occur to everyone, but you were not the first to have the idea. In this case, it is best to point out that the same idea was held by scholar X, so that you cannot be suspected of stealing it, and also for moral support, so to speak. (3) It may be an obvious but contested idea. In this case you should locate your own train of thought in the wider conversation, pointing to others who have thought as you do so that you can add your own distinctive voice to theirs.
After you have written your first draft, review your work, asking whether you have been heavily dependent upon the work of others and whether the citations are proportionate to the extent of your dependence.
Here are two significant definitions of plagiarism:
(1) The University of Oxford:
Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own, with or without their acknowledgement. All published and unpublished material, whether in manuscript, printed or electronic form, is covered under this definition. Plagiarism may be intentional or reckless, or unintentional. Under the regulations for examinations, intentional or reckless plagiarism is a disciplinary offence. ‘Academic Matters: Study Guidance: Study Skills and Training: Plagiarism’, University of Oxford website https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills/plagiarism?wssl=1
(2) The University of Cambridge:
Plagiarism is defined as submitting one’s own work, irrespective of intent to deceive, that which derives in part or in its entirety from the work of others without due acknowledgement. It is both poor scholarship and a breach of academic integrity. ‘University-wide statement on plagiarism’, University of Cambridge website http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/plagiarism/students/statement.html
Finally, the Harvard College Writing Program includes this wise advice:
If you’re tempted to borrow someone else’s ideas or plagiarize in any way because you’re pressed for time, nervous about how you’re doing in class, or confused about the assignment, don’t do it. The problems you think you’re solving by plagiarizing are really minor compared to the problems you will create for yourself by plagiarizing. In every case, the consequences of plagiarism are much more serious than the consequences of turning in a paper late or turning in a paper you’re not satisfied to have written.
‘How To Avoid Plagiarism’, Harvard Guide to Using Sources http://usingsources.fas.harvard.edu/how-avoid-plagiarism