Strategies to help minimise plagiarism possibilities: how might we design innovative assessment tasks for psychology students? Dr Erica Morris Senior Adviser Academic Integrity Service Psychology Learning and Teaching Conference 2010

Consider assessment strategies to help minimise possibilities for student plagiarism – Collusion, data fabrication, ‘ghost writing’ Look at innovative approaches to assessment that enable students to develop good academic practice Share good practice in devising and designing assessment Workshop objectives 2

Setting the scene: student plagiarism Activity 1: assessment challenges Assessment strategies Activity 2: re-designing assessment Plenary Resources and further information Structure of workshop 3

Widely recognised as a complex problem Large and diverse body of students Increasing use of ICT and social networking Students’ developing skills – Information literacy, academic writing, time management Changes in assessment practices – Group work and collusion Setting the scene: plagiarism 4 MacDonald and Carroll (2006); Gibbs (2006); HEFCE (2009)

Improving policies, practice and resources Teaching, learning and assessment strategies Staff development Induction and learning support – Embedded in the subject or programme Use of text-matching tools (e.g. Turnitin) Institutional approaches 5

Student perceptions of plagiarism 6

In considering student plagiarism, what are the challenges you face with regard to assessment? – For example: established practice, constraints, teaching large groups, new approaches, re- designing assessment tasks Activity 1: assessment challenges 7

Authentic innovative assessment Assessing the product and the learning process Established strategies – Embedding skills development at the subject level – Original scenarios or recent events in the media – Assignments: stages or milestones – Students documenting their work – Feedback at key points Assessment strategies 8 Bloxham and Boyd (2007); Butcher, Davies and Highton (2006); Carroll (2007)

Annotated bibliography  Briefing paper  Case study  ePortfolio  Information leaflet or packs  Journal paper review  Learning log  Magazine or newspaper article  Poster  Presentation  Student-led seminar  Placement report  Project work  Web page or wiki Assessment methods 9 Bloxham and Boyd (2007, p205); Butcher et al (2006, p117)

Consider the possible level of re-design – Module or course, assessment task, question Identify possible assessment product(s) – Authentic, skills development Example forms of evidence – Plans, critical incidents, online comments Activity 2: Re-designing assessment 10

Academic Integrity Service 11

Questions and follow up Contact: Erica Morris Academic Integrity Service

Bloxham, S. and Boyd, P. (2007) Developing Effective Assessment in Higher Education: A Practical Guide. Berkshire, England: Open University Press. Carroll. J. (2007) A Handbook for Deterring Plagiarism in Higher Education. Second edition. Oxford: Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development. Gibbs, G. (2006) Why assessment is changing. In C. Bryan and K. Clegg (Eds.), Innovative Assessment in Higher Education. London and New York: Routledge. HEFCE (October 2009) Report of the sub-committee for Teaching, Quality and the Student Experience. Available at: (accessed 7 October 2009). James, R., McInnis, C. and Delvin, M (2002) Assessing Learning in Australia Universities: Ideas, strategies and resources for quality in student assessment. Available at: (accessed 7 January 2010). Macdonald, R. and Carroll, J. (2006) Plagiarism – a complex issue requiring a holistic institutional approach. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(2), MacAndrew, S. B. G. and Edwards, K. (2002) Essays are not the only way: A case report on the benefits of authentic assessment. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 2(2), McGann, D. King, S. and Sillence, E. (2008) Information leaflets: an evaluation of an innovative form of assessment. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 6(1), Sutherland-Smith, W. (2008) Plagiarism, the Internet and Student Learning: Improving Academic Integrity. New York and London: Routledge. The Higher Education Academy Psychology Network (November 2009) Psychology Teaching: Managing Academic Dishonesty. Available at: (accessed 28 June 2010). References 13