Simple, Yet Complex: Pre-Service Teachers’ Conceptions of Plagiarism at a Norwegian University

Abstract

In recent decades, research on plagiarism has helped to raise awareness of the complex and multifaceted nature of plagiarism. Yet despite these strides, several influential academic contexts have yet to be examined. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine pre-service teachers’ conceptions of plagiarism at a university in Norway, a country largely excluded from these studies, in part because of its non-EU membership status. Results showed that while students understood several basic elements of plagiarism, their own definitions were narrow in scope, highlighting traditional viewpoints such as plagiarism as transgression. Results also revealed that students’ concerns regarding plagiarism aligned with establishing a moral identity as a writer rather than situating plagiarism within the greater context of proper academic writing. Pedagogical implications are discussed.