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Resources for Faculty

Garnett Library works with faculty to support teaching and research.

Academic Integrity

Why Do Students Plagiarize?

  • Access to a variety of plagiarized resources via the internet including customized papers
  • Cutting and pasting
  • Cultural shifts in perceptions of honesty and integrity
  • Student error and attitudes
  • Limited high school preparation for college level writing
  • Lack of instruction
  • Focus on grades/fear of failure, especially for those who are performing weakly
  • Outside pressures—illness, jobs, time constraints, financial factors, parental pressure, etc.
  • Procrastination/time management—fear of failure/excitement or stress/work better under pressure
  • Uncertainty over documentation rules—especially for beginning freshmen
    • No author,common knowledge, etc.
    • Blurred lines between individual and collaborative learning
  • Changing perceptions of intellectual property-- file sharing, music downloads, Wikipedia, etc., free material doesn’t need to be cited
    • More relaxed view of “cheating” in younger culture/the ends justify the means
  • Philosophy/everyone does it
    • Don’t see copying from someone else as plagiarism
    • Victimless crime
  • Desire to “beat the system” or lack of “integration” with university culture/class
  • Faculty issues           
  • Assignments that are too general/only require a final draft
  • Long-term deadlines that lead to procrastination
  • Inconsistent campus policies and responses
  • Demands of larger classes and extensive resources
  • Avoidance of confrontation