Plagiarism Perspective

Abstract

A growing academic literature presents plagiarism as a pedagogic issue linked to students’ learning. However, the voices of those bounded by the usual scholarly structures of peer review and evidence-based assertions are being swamped by those who speak from other positions. Discussions and decisions about plagiarism are often led by those who draw on personal beliefs and a general ‘reading’ of popular opinion. The latter usually portray plagiarism in general and student plagiarism in particular as a moral issue. They stress the dangers of new opportunities for students to find or commission others to do their work. They rail against the consequences of cut-and-paste ‘authorship’ (sic) and assume their students are breaking some kind of unspoken covenant. Ellander (2007) in his really useful guides to authorship, even says ‘Some people in universities hate students who plagiarise!’. .