Credit Where Credit is Due - Considering Ethics, Ethos, and Process in Library Instruction on Attribution

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda

Numerous reasons have been offered for rising plagiarism in the academy, with much research attributing it primarily to the Internet. The text examines how changes in the teaching location of research and citation instruction, especially gaps in first-year writing courses, affect how students learn—or fail to learn—research processes. It argues that as librarians expand information literacy efforts, they must address how and why students use sources ethically and effectively.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Other Factors

Internet Influence on Cheating

Shifts in Composition Pedagogy

From Current-Traditional to Process Writing

Post-Process Pedagogy

Credit Where Credit is Due: Considering Ethics, Ethos, and Process in Library Instruction on Attribution By Benjamin R. Harris, Trinity University Abstract Numerous reasons have been offered for the increase in plagiarism in the academy over the last decade, and most of the research has assigned primary blame to the influence of the Internet. Few writers have considered how changes in the location of research and citation instruction have had an impact on these statistics. The lack of such instruction in first-year writing courses, spurred by changes in pedagogical theory on the teaching of composition, has been a powerful but subtle influence on how (or even if) research process is truly taught to undergraduates. Further, as librarians have adopted and deployed information literacy initiatives in their institutions, their responsibilities related to the ethical and effective use of sources have grown. Considering options for instructing students “how” and “why” they will want to use sources will help teaching librarians achieve their information literacy initiatives and prepare for the new and changing roles they will accept in their institution’s educational mission. Introduction Many library professionals educated pre-Web would agree that there was a time when plagiarism seemed uncommon. One remembers the unsophisticated efforts of a random student copying from an encyclopedia entry, or “borrowing” the paper of another writer and claiming it as his or her own. The rules and definitions for cheating were cut and dried, and the reasoning behind the activity seemed plain: the student couldn’t or wouldn’t do the work. As librarians, teaching faculty, and administrators are well aware, the ways and means that characterize plagiaristic action have become far more complex. Statistics consistently show that cases of reported plagiarism have increased over the last 10 years, and research conducted by the Center for Academic Integrity (2003) concluded that “while 10% of students admitted to engaging in such behavior in 1999, this rose to 41% in a 2001 survey with the majority of students (68%) suggesting this was not a serious issue.”1 Many educators make the connection between the rise in plagiarism and the influence of the web, and this is a reasonable causal link. Paper mills and websites presenting student work that might never have been seen beyond the eyes of one student and one instructor contribute to the problem. The transient and unregulated character of online publications and the vast electronic spaces where texts become lost or difficult to retrace are other factors. In the end, one may surmise that while students can do the work, the lure of an easy way out or through an assignment is inordinately tempting. Other Factors Clearly, the Internet has had an influence on the ease of cheating. Greater connectivity leads to greater opportunity and requires a greater sense of responsibility. This is true for all Internet users. Anyone surfing the Net has the potential to use or misuse and abuse the intellectual and copyrighted property of others, and students are no exception. Lax attitudes related to copyright and intellectual property may contribute to greater numbers of reported incidents of plagiarism.2 However, among college and university students there are other reasons for a rise in these statistics. Rarely considered are the changes in the Education Libraries Volume 28, No.1 Summer 2005 4 traditional locations for the teaching of research methods and citation, and the substantive revisions andreevaluations of the theory and practice taking place in these academic disciplines. In particular, shifts in the teaching of composition should be considered, since at one time this was the primary location for first or second year instruction in research methods, citation, and ethics. While the immediate connection may not be obvious, a shift away from instruction that focused on mechanical or skill-based t

FAQs

What does the article identify as a major contributor to increased plagiarism?

It notes that many studies blame the Internet’s influence, including easy access to copied material and the ease of misuse of others’ intellectual property.

How does the document connect plagiarism trends to changes in research and citation instruction?

It argues that reduced or missing research process and citation teaching in first-year writing courses—driven by shifts in composition pedagogy—has a subtle but significant impact on how students engage with research.

Why are librarians’ roles described as evolving in response to information literacy initiatives?

As institutions deploy information literacy programs, librarians’ responsibilities for ensuring the ethical and effective use of sources increase, requiring clearer instruction on how and why students should use sources.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda