My Big Piece of Advice for Students on Plagiarism in 2024

At about this time last year, I wrote an article entitled 7 Academic Integrity Tips for Students in 2023.

I originally planned to write a follow up on that article and update it for 2024. However, the advice still holds up, and I can’t think of much I would want to change. All seven items in that list are as relevant today as last year, if not more so.

So, instead of trying to update that list or tweak it somehow, I wanted to offer a very singular piece of advice for students: Don’t get yourself in a position where plagiarism or other academic integrity violations are tempting.

I recognize that it is a tall order. Almost no one wants to do every assignment they are given in school, and the temptation to take shortcuts will always be there. However, that temptation is not equal for all students.

Some students unwittingly put themselves in situations where plagiarism goes from being a temptation to a necessity. As such, many “good students” commit plagiarism out of fear or panic.

While some students will always plagiarize and/or cheat, the goal is to decrease the number of those who do it accidentally or out of fear.

Schools will not achieve this by using better software or creating more robust policies. They will do it by helping students learn and encouraging them to fulfill their part of the bargain.

The Overwhelming Temptation

For students, plagiarism has never been easier and more tempting. AI is a major point of contention and is grabbing the headlines. However, contract cheating and copying from the internet are still viable.

In short, new methods for plagiarism have been created, but the old ones haven’t gone away. For students, plagiarism is easier and seemingly less risky than ever.

Researchers have noted this trend. Recent surveys have found that cheating is on the rise, with 86% of students admitting they cheated at least once. However, the numbers don’t likely tell the full story.

When you examine why students plagiarize, apathy or laziness is a serious problem. This is especially true for younger students taking classes they have little interest in. However, when you look past that, you see that many students feel pressure to get good grades, have poor time management skills, and have limited understanding of citation standards.

Those are fixable issues. However, schools can not do it alone. Schools can and should provide resources targeting these areas, but students must be aware of and take advantage of them.

That is much easier said than done.

My Best Advice

If you’re a student concerned about committing plagiarism or other academic integrity violations, I would first say you’re ahead of many. Many students don’t care if they cheat; their only goal is not to get caught.

It is difficult to say how many of those students there are. But one thing is obvious: Many students who plagiarize do so not because they don’t care or are lazy but because they feel they have to.

If you are potentially one of those students, the best thing is to look at why students commit plagiarism and work on those skills.

Do you struggle with attribution? Get help from your instructors or your school’s writing assistance program. If you struggle with time management, consider using tools or techniques to give yourself a better routine. If you are worried about your grade, get tutoring or seek help from your instructors.

Understanding why other students plagiarize and cheat can let you see those patterns in your work.

With that, you can take action before you find yourself in a corner, feeling like plagiarism is the only option.

Bottom Line

When it comes to plagiarism and cheating, all students exist on a spectrum. Some will plagiarize no matter what, and others will never do so, regardless of the situation. However, most exist somewhere in between. It’s just a matter of how much temptation they can take before it’s too much.

To be clear, there are issues that neither students nor their schools can control, such as issues at home, financial problems, health challenges, etc.

However, the goal here isn’t to control every variable. The goal is to prevent cases of plagiarism that can be prevented. Schools can do their part by providing much-needed resources and supporting students who want to improve.

But for students, this means doing their part. This includes understanding the risk factors and working on avoiding them.

So, while all the suggestions I made last year hold up and are good advice, the best defense is to never be in a position where you feel plagiarism is necessary. That means understanding why others plagiarized and then spotting when you find yourself in those same traps.

A little bit of awareness and preparation can go a long way.