Design Assignments To Minimise Plagiarism
Zobel and Hamilton (2002) argue that too often students are being asked to do a task that a lot of other students have already done. Maximising variation in assignments limits the scope for copying. Some suggestions are to:
– vary assignments each year
– have multiple assessment tasks
– relate assessment to individual life circumstances and experiences
– ask for explanatory information where there is only small scope for variation
– view draft material
– set assessment tasks that use material that can not be easily copied.
Jude Carroll has produced a guide to good practice which is available online at
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/uploaded_documents/brookes.pdf
Reference
Zobel, J., & Hamilton, M. (2002). Managing Student Plagiarism in Large Academic Departments. Australian University Review, 45(2), 23-30.