Committees
Committee on Culture of Teaching and Learning
Plagiarism & Turnitin™ Working Group Charge
Many UNLV faculty, frustrated by evidence of plagiarism in student work, are looking to the plagiarism detection software, Turnitin™, for a solution. Turnitin™ can be an effective tool for the detection of some instances of plagiarism, in particular, students copying materials from peers for submission as their own work. It may not, however, be the best option for addressing the important and complicated issues of academic integrity and related learning outcomes, or may be best used as only one piece of a broader approach. Students engage in plagiarism for many reasons. They may be underprepared to accomplish the academic tasks set out for them by faculty, they may not have a clear understanding of the nature of academic integrity, they may find themselves making bad choices and taking shortcuts due to poor time management skills, cultural factors may influence their understanding of how to complete an assignment. Ideally, their UNLV education will equip students with an understanding of issues of academic integrity and the skills to be engaged and ethical researchers.
The CCTL charges a working group to coordinate the promotion and implementation of the Turnitin™ plagiarism detection software, making recommendations on policies, procedures, education and support of plagiarism detection software at UNLV.
The working group is charged to:
- develop policies and procedures for faculty to implement Turnitin™ use that are in support of the campus’ commitment to growing a culture of academic integrity;
- recommend to CCTL a plan to educate faculty on the uses, strengths and limitations of Turnitin™;
- propose related faculty development events and/or materials to support the teaching and learning objectives of faculty who wish to deter and detect plagiarism;
- develop communication and educational materials for multiple audiences (publications, website or other formats).
As part of its work, the Working Group will:
- determine what some of the faculty teaching and learning objectives for academic integrity are;
- survey what is being done to deter and detect plagiarism and by whom;
- consult with faculty using Turnitin™ already;
- identify issues and strategize for the integration of Turnitin™ with WebCampus;
- investigate intellectual property issues associated with Turnitin™ and the submission of student work;
- incorporate existing campus policies and procedures for academic misconduct;
- develop and submit a budget request for projects.
The Working Group will conduct its investigations and planning throughout the spring and summer semester, consulting with CCTL as needed with the intent of launching products, events, and materials in the fall semester.
Group Members
- Judith Osterman,Chair
(Distance Education) - Phil Burns
(Office of Student Conduct) - Lateka Grays
(Libraries) - Sally Sawyer
(Teaching and Learning Center)