Insights on Plagiarism and English Language Programs in UK Universities
Delve into the complexities of plagiarism in academic environments, with a focus on English language programs in UK universities. Explore the challenges and importance of addressing plagiarism within diverse student backgrounds and educational contexts.
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Presentation Transcript
Reading into writing: a new integrated test and the avoidance of plagiarism BALEAP PIM 2019
We are important Overall English language courses in UK universities- worth 25 billion in 2016/17 and 4.9 billion off-campus expenditure (UKISA 2016) Total international student numbers in UK 442,375 (2016/17) Total at University of Birmingham 2016/17 8,210
Monetary value of presessional programmes Difficult to assess the exact monetary value Estimate 1500 presessional students for summer 2018 and 8200 in a calendar year A large proportion of any one cohort- probably the same nation wide Important to preserve the integrity of our programmes and obliterate plagiarism
Plagiarism Wide spectrum accidental self patch/mosaic direct copy purchase (from an essay mill BBC news 2018)
A sensitive approach to the problem A university wide perspective The educational background of students may make unintentional plagiarism more likely (because of) - past experience of other educational contexts
A sensitive approach previous assessment systems past shortages of materials/ resources hierarchical understanding of knowledge production different understanding of ownership of knowledge
A sensitive approach a poor standard of English leading to a lack of confidence in the free expression of ideas within the academic environment University of Birmingham Guidance on Plagiarism for students
Extreme plagiarism The deliberate appropriation of another s work either through direct copy or purchase Some reports suggest a 40% overall increase between 2014/5 and 2016/17 (The Guardian 2018) but for international students impossible to verify- trust the practitioners- US
Possible solutions Turnitin- standard practice + tried and tested - doesn t identify EP Other authorship software + offers writing development profile - requires intervention/mediation
Other authorship software Multidimensional tagger (MAT) + + gives detailed profile - needs interpretation and mediation Coh Metrix + gives detailed profile - needs interpretation and mediation
Our solution Reading into writing exam + includes the act of RIW as part of the overall assessment schedule + recognises the RIW act as an essential competence for PG study + projects the RIW act as a taught course component
Assessment schedule Writing ARP 25% Reading into writing 25% Oral presentation 25% Listening test 25%
Example ARP The effectiveness of public private partnerships in the UK (MA Economics) Task based teaching in Taiwan (MA TEFL) Communication breakdown in Pinter s The Caretaker (MA English Literature) Using Biomass in the UK (MSc Biosciences)
The read to write construct Widely used across the HE sector/exam organisations a reciprocal interaction between literacy skills a dynamic ability which interacts with the task demands (Asencion Delaney 2008)
The read to write construct The need to integrate high level reading skills into the written response (Chan et al 2016) The student s capacity to read and assimilate information and to report on it in the form of continuous academic prose
The exam (in two parts - 50 marks each- 2 hours) Question 1 Candidates read a question which asks for their views on an issue Candidates then read two subject neutral texts with broadly opposing or complementary positions Candidates then invited to express the extent of agreement with the positions
Example question 1 Some people think that students do not improve their writing over a short time period. Others believe that it is in fact possible. Which position do you agree with? Support your answers by reference to the texts as appropriate and by consideration of your own experience
Another example question 1 International students can choose to study in a variety of English speaking countries in addition the UK. One of these countries is the USA. What are the advantages and disadvantages of study in the UK in comparison to the USA? You should make reference to the texts and include examples from your own experience
Question 2 Candidates use an entire, self-selected academic article, which has been extensively referred to in the ARP.
Example question 2 Please evaluate your article Your answer should include * The contribution this article made to your ARP * The strengths and weaknesses of this source * Any unique features of your article (for example the methodology/findings/approach) and any contrasts with your other sources.
Implementation and marking Penultimate week of the programme Marking team were all language support - TEFL Q but not class teachers Series of marking standardisation sessions plus moderation The marking criteria do not require the marker to have read the ARP article
Marking criteria example Question 1 Reading into writing quality Full comprehension of source texts Full reference to source content Excellent paraphrase of main ideas
Marking criteria example Question 2 Reading into writing quality Excellent range of reasons for selection of source texts Excellent assessment of the source s contribution to the ARP Excellent assessment of the strengths and weakness of the source texts
Marking criteria example Question 1 and 2 language quality A very wide range of vocabulary is evident and skilfully used Complex sentences are very frequent and very accurately formed Simple sentences exhibit consistent and high level accuracy Spelling, punctuation and word class are all very accurate
Results 35 classes- max 15 per class Average Reading Into Writing mark 63.34 Average Writing ARP 60.45 A Pearson s correlation analysis found a significant relationship between ARP and RIW marks p value of 0.004
Statistical considerations Marks were paired (ARP and RIW) for each student and results compared on a class by class basis. RIW scripts were marked on a whole class basis(one marker per class) ARP scripts marked on a whole class basis (one marker per class) RIW and ARP markers were different
Discussion It was (cautiously)anticipated that RIW marks would correlate with ARP marks- they did Students appear to have learnt to read, assimilate and reproduce information in dissertation and examination contexts Test facilitates awareness of the importance of the issue
Closing comment Elimination/obliteration of EP may be an impossible goal but we have perhaps moved towards it
