Abstract
This project assesses the ability of a game tutorial, “Goblin Threat” to increase university students’ ability to recognize plagiarized passages. The game tutorial covers information about how to cite properly, types and consequences of plagiarism, and the differences between paraphrasing and plagiarism. The game involves finding and clicking on “goblins” who ask questions about various aspects of plagiarism. Sound effects and entertaining visuals work to keep students’ attention. One group of 177 students enrolled in an online Psychology of Adolescence course answered four multiple choice plagiarism recognition questions in the months after completing the online game tutorial while another group of over 400 students in the same online psychology course did not have access to the game tutorial, but answered the same multiple choice plagiarism recognition questions over the same period of time. The group who played the game tutorial showed an 11% improvement in recognizing plagiarized passages over the comparison group, a statistically significant difference. Results suggest the ability to keep students focused may be an important ingredient for plagiarism interventions.
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Acknowledgements
Thanks go to Mary Broussard for creating “Goblin Threat” and allowing me to use it for my courses and research. I would also like to thank Lara Apps and Adrienne Munro for their research assistance. This project was partially supported by two research grants from the Academic Research Committee of my university. I would also like to thank Andrew Chiarella and Cheuk Ng for reviewing earlier versions of this manuscript.
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Appendix
Appendix
Quiz Questions
Quiz 1 | |
|---|---|
Option | Read the following passage from page 13 of your textbook: “For now, however, it should be emphasized that even though there is evidence to support a modified storm and stress view, this does not mean that storm and stress is typical of all adolescents in all places and times.” Which of the following is NOT plagiarised from the above passage? |
a | It should be emphasized that even though there is evidence to support a modified storm and stress view, this does not mean that storm and stress is typical of all adolescents in all places and times. |
b | Many, but not all, adolescents experience some aspects of storm and stress at some point in their development. |
c | For now, however, it should be emphasized that even though there is evidence to support a modified storm and stress view, this does not mean that storm and stress is typical of all adolescents in all places and times. |
d | Although there is evidence to support a modified storm and stress view, this does not mean that storm and stress is typical of all adolescents in all places and times |
Quiz 2 | |
Option | Read the following passage from page 177 of your textbook. “Had Luther grown up in a different time and place, he would have developed a much different identity.” Which of the following does NOT constitute plagiarism of the passage? |
a | According to Arnett (2007), had Luther grown up in a different time and place, he would have developed a much different identity. |
b | According to Arnett (2007, p.177), “Had Luther grown up in a different time and place, he would have developed a much different identity.” |
c | Had Luther grown up in a different time and place, he would have developed a much different identity. |
d | All of the above are plagiarised. |
Quiz 3 | |
Option | Read the following passage from page 197 of your textbook. “Fathers usually reported being in a good mood during the rare times they and their adolescents were doing something together”. Which of the following does NOT constitute plagiarism of the passage? |
a | During the rare times fathers and their adolescents were doing something together, fathers usually reported being in a good mood. |
b | Although fathers and adolescent daughters did not spend much time together, fathers tended to enjoy the time they did share (Arnett 2007). |
c | Fathers usually reported being in a good mood during the rare times they and their adolescents were doing something together (Arnett 2007). |
d | None of the above constitutes plagiarism. |
Quiz 4 | |
Option | Read the following passage that was taken from page 325 of your textbook: “Certainly it is true that with longer school days, a longer school year, cram schools, and private tutors, Japanese adolescents have far less time for after-school leisure and informal socializing with friends than American adolescents do (Rohlen 1983; Stevenson and Zusho 2002).” Which of the following does NOT plagiarise the above passage? |
a | It is true that because of longer school days, a longer school year, cram schools and private tutors, Japanese adolescents have far less time for after-school leisure and informal socializing than American adolescents do (Rohlen 1983; Stevenson and Zusho 2002). |
b | Japanese adolescents have far less time for after-school leisure and informal socializing with friends than American adolescents do because of longer school days, a longer school year, cram schools, and private tutors (Rohlen 1983; Stevenson and Zusho 2002; as cited in Arnett 2007). |
c | In Japan, adolescents do not have much time for extracurricular activities because they spend so much more time with schooling than American students do (Rohlen 1983; Stevenson and Zusho 2002; as cited in Arnett 2007). |
d | All of the above are plagiarised. |
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Kier, C.A. Plagiarism Intervention Using a Game-Based Tutorial in an Online Distance Education Course. J Acad Ethics 17, 429–439 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-019-09340-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-019-09340-6