Plagiarism, Cheating and the Internet Essay -- Plagiarism Online

Plagiarism, Cheating and the Internet Cyber cheating is defined as â€Å"the use of technology tools in inappropriate ways for academic work.†(Conradson & Hernandez- Ramos, 2004, p1) Although technology has dramatically advanced our society in many positive ways, one negative aspect of technology is its effects on student cheating. Many believe that the internet is the â€Å"number one sociable force which leads students to plagiarize.† (Mayfield, 2001, p1) There is an increasing number of online cheating websites which students use. Along with these sites come programs which help teachers and professors detect student plagiarism. Besides the internet students have found ways to use watches, cell phones, calculators, and PDA’s to help them cheat on tests or other assignments. Of the students who do cheat the majority of them believe that what they are doing is not wrong and they feel that copying answers is not even considered cheating. In many ways the internet is one of the easiest ways for children to cheat through school. With the click of a mouse students can access websites where they can easily purchase term papers and essays on hundreds of topics. â€Å"Search engines such as Google can find over a million resources for students trying to buy term papers, some of which sell for more than ten dollars a page.† (Toosi, 2004, p1) There are three main types of websites students use to cheat; lecture note sites, term paper and essay sites and editorial services sites. The first two types of websites offer some free services and others can charge anywhere from five to five hundred dollars. Websites such as Academictermpapers.com and Cheaters.com offer a variety of papers including book reports, file p... ... Plagiarism in the Internet Era: a wake up call. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited. Mayfield, K. (2001, Sep 4) Cheating’s Never Been Easier. Retrieved October 12, 2004 from http://www.jr.co.il/articles/cheating.txt McMuntry, K. (2001). E Teaching: Combating a 21st Century Challenge. T.H.E. Journal, 29, 36-38, 40-41. Newman, A.M. (n.d.) 21st Century Cheating. Retrieved October 12, 2004 from http://www.scholastic.com/schoolage/grade5/h0omework/cheating.htm Toosi, N. (2003, Jan 18) Internet gives rise to a bold new era in college-student cheating. Retrieved November 9, 2004 from http://www,jsonline.com/news/metro/jan04/201001.asp Sotaridona, L. & Van der Linden, Wim. A Statistical Test for Detecting Answer Copying on Multiple-Choice Tests. Research Report. Twente Univ., Enschede (Netherlands). Faculty of Educational Science and Technology, 1-27.