Strategies to help minimise plagiarism possibilities: how might we design

innovative assessment tasks for psychology students?

Dr Erica MorrisSenior AdviserAcademic Integrity Service

Psychology Learning and Teaching Conference 2010

• Consider assessment strategies to help minimise possibilities for student plagiarism– Collusion, data fabrication, ‘ghost writing’

• Look at innovative approaches to assessment that enable students to develop good academic practice

• Share good practice in devising and designing assessment

Workshop objectives

2

• Setting the scene: student plagiarism• Activity 1: assessment challenges• Assessment strategies• Activity 2: re-designing assessment• Plenary• Resources and further information

Structure of workshop

3

• Widely recognised as a complex problem• Large and diverse body of students• Increasing use of ICT and social networking• Students’ developing skills

– Information literacy, academic writing, time management

• Changes in assessment practices– Group work and collusion

Setting the scene: plagiarism

4MacDonald and Carroll (2006); Gibbs (2006); HEFCE (2009)

• Improving policies, practice and resources• Teaching, learning and assessment strategies• Staff development• Induction and learning support – Embedded in the subject or programme

• Use of text-matching tools (e.g. Turnitin)

Institutional approaches

5

Student perceptions of plagiarism

6http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/audioandvideo/assessment

• In considering student plagiarism, what are the challenges you face with regard to assessment?– For example: established practice, constraints,

teaching large groups, new approaches, re-designing assessment tasks

Activity 1: assessment challenges

7

• Authentic innovative assessment• Assessing the product and the learning process• Established strategies

– Embedding skills development at the subject level– Original scenarios or recent events in the media– Assignments: stages or milestones– Students documenting their work– Feedback at key points

Assessment strategies

8

Bloxham and Boyd (2007); Butcher, Davies and Highton (2006); Carroll (2007)

Annotated bibliography Briefing paper Case study ePortfolio Information leaflet

or packs Journal paper review Learning log Magazine or newspaper article Poster Presentation Student-led

seminar Placement report Project work Web page or wiki

Assessment methods

9Bloxham and Boyd (2007, p205); Butcher et al (2006, p117)

• Consider the possible level of re-design– Module or course, assessment task, question

• Identify possible assessment product(s)– Authentic, skills development

• Example forms of evidence – Plans, critical incidents, online comments

Activity 2: Re-designing assessment

10

Academic Integrity Service

11

http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/academic-integrity

Questions and follow up

Contact: Erica Morriserica.morris@heacademy.ac.uk

Academic Integrity Servicehttp://www.heacademy.ac.uk/academic-integrity

Bloxham, S. and Boyd, P. (2007) Developing Effective Assessment in Higher Education: A Practical Guide. Berkshire, England: Open University Press.

Carroll. J. (2007) A Handbook for Deterring Plagiarism in Higher Education. Second edition. Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development.

Gibbs, G. (2006) Why assessment is changing. In C. Bryan and K. Clegg (Eds.), Innovative Assessment in Higher Education. London and New York: Routledge.

HEFCE (October 2009) Report of the sub-committee for Teaching, Quality and the Student Experience. Available at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2009/09_40/ (accessed 7 October 2009).

James, R., McInnis, C. and Delvin, M (2002) Assessing Learning in Australia Universities: Ideas, strategies and resources for quality in student assessment. Available at: http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/assessinglearning/ (accessed 7 January 2010).

Macdonald, R. and Carroll, J. (2006) Plagiarism – a complex issue requiring a holistic institutional approach. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(2), 233-245.

MacAndrew, S. B. G. and Edwards, K. (2002) Essays are not the only way: A case report on the benefits of authentic assessment. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 2(2), 134-139.

McGann, D. King, S. and Sillence, E. (2008) Information leaflets: an evaluation of an innovative form of assessment. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 6(1), 19-22.

Sutherland-Smith, W. (2008) Plagiarism, the Internet and Student Learning: Improving Academic Integrity. New York and London: Routledge.

The Higher Education Academy Psychology Network (November 2009) Psychology Teaching: Managing Academic Dishonesty. Available at: http://www.psychology.heacademy.ac.uk/s.php?p=70&menu=publications (accessed 28 June 2010).

References

13