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Plagiarism and cheating in school are always going to be a problem, whether the classroom is traditional or online. Some students get overwhelmed and succumb to temptation, and some students just want the easy way out. However, there are effective ways to prevent cheating and plagiarism in the online classroom.
Source: About the Author
Elizabeth Armentor has worked with the Technical Communication program at Texas State University as well as taking coursework online.
Preventing Cheating and Plagiarism
By Elizabeth ArmentorPlagiarism and cheating in school are always going to be a problem, whether the classroom is traditional or online. Some students get overwhelmed and succumb to temptation, and some students just want the easy way out. However, there are effective ways to prevent cheating and plagiarism in the online classroom.
Create Unique Assignments
It will take a little more work from you, but the best way to prevent cheating in school is to create different assignments every semester. In addition to deterring plagiarism, it also allows you to use "teachable moments" more effectively. If you create your assignment from something discussed during class, the students feel like you are engaged with them--something harder to achieve in a virtual classroom. Unique assignments not only keep them from using former students' papers but also render useless those online plagiarism sites that offer essays for sale useless.Give Timed Tests
When giving a multiple-choice or short-answer test, set a narrow time frame during which the student can complete the test. This will keep them from cheating by email or online chat.Be a Proactive Teacher
Identify those students who might be overwhelmed by their workload and possibly tempted to cheat. Reach out to students with spotty attendance and marginal grades. Offer extra help or refer them to a qualified tutor.Launch a Preemptive Strike
Give your students a thorough education about cheating and plagiarism and the consequences of getting caught. If you expect them to use outside sources, spend a class period (or more) on proper citation methods and post articles on your classroom site with examples of citations and paraphrasing.Prevention Is the Best Medicine
The online classroom may seem like the perfect breeding ground for plagiarism and cheating, but prevention is possible if you get to know your students and keep your eyes open.Source: About the Author
Elizabeth Armentor has worked with the Technical Communication program at Texas State University as well as taking coursework online.
