Preventing Plagiarism

A Junior/Senior High Discussion

Make copies of the following article and have students read silently or aloud.

Many people use the Internet to help them research and study. Others use it to cheat. When students are given an assignment to write a paper, many simply find an article or essay somewhere on the Internet, copy it, replace the original name with their name, and turn it in.  Now there's a way to help teachers catch some of those cheaters with an online service called Plagiarism.org.

Students are asked to turn in their papers to the Web site, then the computer program checks the papers against more than 100,000 written works from universities across the Untied States.  If it seems as if the paper has been copied from another source, the computer program notifies the instructor.

More than 300 high schools and universities have contacted Plagiarism.org to catch cheaters.  One high school teacher, Gene Nelson, says even the smartest students cheat.  "Some of those top students are under a lot of pressure, whether it be from themselves or from home," he explains.  Nelson is concerned that students who get away with cheating in lower grades will continue to cheat as they get older.

Then ask your students:  Why do people cheat?  What do you think of cheating?  Is there ever a time it's okay to cheat?  Why or why not?

Have your students pair off.  Then assign each pair a different verse (adapt to number of students) from Psalm 15. 

1: O LORD, who shall sojourn in thy tent? Who shall dwell on thy holy hill?

2: He who walks blamelessly, and does what is right, and speaks truth from his heart;

3: who does not slander with his tongue, and does no evil to his friend, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;

4: in whose eyes a reprobate is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

5: who does not put out his money at interest, and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

Have the pairs read their verse and talk about what it means amongst themselves.  After a few minutes, have each pair report its thoughts, starting with verse 1.

Ask them: How does God feel about cheating?  If a medical student cheated through school and he became a doctor, would you want that doctor to take care of you?  Why or why not?  What other bad things could happen if someone cheats in school?

Ask: Is it fair to check on every student just because some students cheat?  Why or why not?  How would you feel if a teacher thought you cheated when you didn't?  Explain.   How would it make you feel to have to clear your paper through Plagiarism.org to prove that you didn’t cheat?  Explain.

Read Colossians 3:23-25.

23: Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men,

24: knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ.

25: For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

Then ask: According to these verses what kind of students should we be?  What does it mean that we serve Christ in our work?  What would it look like for a student to honor Christ in her work?

Tell the students you are going to read a story about a man who was a cheater.  And tell them to listen to how Jesus changed this man.  Then read Luke 19:1-10. 

 1: He entered Jericho and was passing through.

2: And there was a man named Zacchae'us; he was a chief tax collector, and rich.

3: And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature.

4: So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way.

5: And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchae'us, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today."

6: So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully.

7: And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."

8: And Zacchae'us stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold."

9: And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.

10: For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."

End with a prayer asking God to help the children serve Christ with all their hearts at school.