An exploration of the role of Canadian academic libraries in promoting academic integrity

Abstract

The incidence of student plagiarism at Canadian universities and colleges is cause for concern. As a result, Canadian universities are increasingly using text-matching software such as Turnitin to address the problem of cut-and-paste plagiarism. An exploratory survey was conducted at Canadian research-intensive universities subscribing to Turnitin to examine the role of librarians in educating students and faculty about academic integrity. Results indicate that librarians at these institutions are actively involved in promoting academic integrity and deterring plagiarism. At most institutions surveyed, discussions of academic integrity and the ethical use of information are included in library workshops and library instructional materials. These results, while preliminary, are an important first step to encourage libraries to consider their role within universities for promoting academic integrity. This is a revised version of a paper presented at LILAC 2005: Librarians Information Literacy Annual Conference, Imperial College, London, April 4-6, 2005.