Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cdninkorea]

I've been teaching academic writing (among other subjects) at my university for the past 2 years. In that time, I've caught three students cheating on their writing assignments:
- the first time, it was an essay copied straight from a Chinese site.
- the second time, it was from asknate.com
- the third time, today, it was from a Korean tourist agency website

What surprised me about all three incidents is not that they were cheating, because that happens everywhere, but the attitude toward it:
- the first time it happened, I told my boss about it and asked what the policy is; she replied "yeah, it's happened before and it'll happen again. Tell them not to do it."
- the second time I took the student out in the hall, and he was genuinely confused when I told him I knew he didn't write it and that I want to see his writing; his facial expression was that of puzzlement and he said "so... I should do it again?"
- the third time, which again was today, the student laughed and said, in a mirthful way "ah, you found that. Okay, I'll do it again" and skipped off before I could say anything else. I can't tell if it he was mocking me or what.

So to other university instructors in Korea: what are your experiences with student plagiarism? And what was the outcome, both from the students and your administration?

[frankly speaking]

My experiences are quite similar to yours both in Korea and Thailand.

First of all, I don't think that students are taught the proper way to paraphrase. Even western educated kids often border the plagiarism trail. It is a fine line.

It is obvious in Korea though especially when the sentences don't match in style.

I would and do teach several lessons on quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. Once students understand what I am looking for, I don't accept anything that looks copied. I don't fail them, I just don't accept papers until it looks 100% their own work.

If you are giving research style essays and writing assignments, you really need to start with basics of research. I also go over some of the finer points with either MLA or APA, and sometimes Chicago depending on what major the students are. Not just how to cite sources but a lot of other information on style and etiquette in writing.

Don't expect support from management, and never try to fail a student for cheating. It is really hard to prove in the long run and will make life much more difficult. It is better to insist that the student admit it, and retake the test or rewrite the paper.

I often tell my students that I would much prefer to read their own ideas poorly written than anything copied. I try and give them as much encouragement so that they don't feel the need to cheat or take a shortcut.

[Scott in Incheon]

If you are teaching a writing course and not a content course where students write essays to display knowledge, then I suggest you use a portfolio system.

Students really can't copy because of the drafting system, if they do, you can catch them early on and just warn them. It is also a great way to teach peer and self editing.

If it is a course to make your students better writers, then the portfolio system is the best way to go.

[denverdeath]

Caveat: I work at a school which is not a top-tier one.

A typical homework assignment that I'll receive from two students sitting beside each other will often look like these. It won't matter what the major of the students is. It could be from medical students, mechanics, or English majors.

[cdninkorea]

*bump*

Seriously? Only three stories? With cheating as rampant in this country as it is, I expected more rants and raves...

[Draz]

[Moldy Rutabaga]

[cdninkorea]

The most recent incident of cheating was a paragraph assignment about students' favourite places in Seoul. The student in question copied a paragraph from a tourism website about Myeong-dong. I guess I have to make the topics more personal so they can't copy things from the Internet?

[languistic]

You seem like a bit of a pushover.

On the syllabus: First time, zero for the assignment, second time, zero for the class.

No exceptions.

[carleverson]

Uni students have plagiarized their whole lives, but their previous Korean high school / middle school teachers didn't do anything about it because they themselves plagiarize.

These students KNOW it's wrong and they couldn't care less. Nothing we do is going to change them.

[miljeong]

Begging your pardon OP, but the very concept of learning a foreign language involves little more than copying. You want to see a fluent rewording of what they have copied? Teach it to them.

[cdninkorea]

[miljeong]

[ticktocktocktick]

Came accross this whilst checking out the Korean language course:

http://www.shef.ac.uk/southkorea/sunsookprofile.html

[OiGirl]

I give a 0 for any assignment that is plagiarized. That's a zero on all the drafts and homework assignments.

My department supports me. I have the option of giving a student an F for the semester, but that's never been necessary. After they plagiarize two or three papers and realize what it does to their average, they stop coming to class and I can give them an F for attendance.

In my non-credit TOEFL writing class, I simply refuse to correct any essay that is plagiarized.

I have started making the first assignment of any class be an essay about plagiarism.