Readers who have been following the discussion on Kairosnews with Turnitin's Michael Bruton might also be interested in the draft of the CCCC Intellectual Property Caucus's position statement on plagiarism detection services. The statement, written by Lisa Maruca, Sally Chandler, Wendy Austin, and Rebecca Moore Howard, was approved by the caucus last spring at CCCC subject to a final review from caucus members who were unable to attend the physical meeting.
From the introduction:
Concerns about plagiarism in educational settings have given rise to the increased availability of plagiarism detection services (PDSs). Such services generally use software to search digital databases for correlations or matches between student writing and already written materials. In addition to web sources, databases often include compositions previously submitted by student authors. While it is true that effective teaching requires instructors to know when students turn in work which is not their own, a range of concerns has been raised regarding the ethics and pedagogical effects of PDSs. The purpose of this resolution is twofold:
- To identify compromises to academic integrity—and effective teaching—that arise when PDSs are used as a component of postsecondary instruction as a whole, and writing classes in particular; and
- To recommend an advocacy role for compositionists with respect to the use of such services.
Be sure to read the rest.
I hope that this is considered a "rough" draft...!
Wow, I just scanned the document, and, as the subjectline of my post indicates, I hope this isn't where the CCCC-IP ends up. Many of the positions suggested by this document seem overtly hostile. Furthermore, I don't think the authors really understand "PDSs," or, to be more specific (since we know who they really mean), turinitin.com. What I think is happening here is that some folks are trying to ride a wave of hysteria about turnitin.com and getting so excited about the chance to "belt one" to a successful company that they're becoming downright myopic about the real issues here. I don't think that attacking turnitin.com is really in the best interests of copyright law reform anyway.
But first, a few obvious problems. The idea that using a service like turnitin.com creates a "culture of mistrust" and compromises the teacher/student relationship--well, both these assertions seem groundless to me. Indeed, if anything, NOT having a service like turnitin.com available creates a "culture of mistrust," since teachers only have inferior means on hand to detect cheating. The only time I can see a "culture of mistrust" arising is when students protest against a service like turnitin.com. If they aren't cheating, then what are they so worried about? It'd be like a bunch of Wal-Mart customers boycotting the stores because they have surveillance cameras and those little beeping stalls. Yeah, sure you're concerned about your "privacy." We all know that people who get riled up about stuff like that are shoplifters. The store has a right to protect itself against thieves, and if you don't like, don't shop there (which is always good advice when you're talking about Wal-Mart).
It's also ludicrous to claim that turintin.com treats students as "guilty until proven innocent." Again, it's obvious that some people engaged in this discussion know very little about how turnitin.com actually works. Although it's true that you CAN use turnitin.com as a "gotcha" device after the fact, a far better and sounder use is to use it as a prevention device. The best way this works is that students submit their papers themselves. The tool will give them a report that indicates whether the essay contains copied material or not--it's up to them to decide whether they want to submit it anyway. Obviously, most student who assembled an essay by copying and pasting material from the net will decide to write their own essay when they see this report. Thus, "plagiarism" is prevented because they know their teacher will know they cheated if they submit the essay anyway.
And finally, there's the argument that services like this use student's "IP" (a word that reveals ignorance whenever it is used--see this essay) in a way contrary to their interests. Besides the fact already pointed out that many prominent law schools use turntin.com extensively (and, I mean, if this isn't bothering law professors and future LAWYERS, then why the hell is it bothering comp instructors?)...Well, again I return to the simple observation that I'm teaching writing, not law school. If a student turns in one of those copy and paste jobs, what bothers me isn't that the student may have violated copyright law, but rather that he violated ME by cheating. Furthermore, the student essays stored in turnitin.com are stored algorithymically, so that no one can go back in later and pull out the essay. The only people who ever see the essay in its entirety are the student, teacher, and whatever "groups" the teacher has setup. No one at turnitin.com or elsewhere can access those essays. Thus, as far as I'm concerned, there's no good reason for anyone to get upset about this part of turnitin.com.
I will admit that many folks interested in a tool like turnintin.com may have very naive attitudes about "plagiarism" and the like. Hell, they're probably using terms like "intellectual property" and even phrases like "stealing ideas." However, it's even more naive to think that after the rise of the net, we don't all need some measures in place to help us prevent cheating in our classrooms. You shouldn't blame the victim by accusing a professor or teacher of using a bad assignments that lends itself to copying. You also shouldn't blame a useful tool, which, when used in a pedagogically sound manner (which I described above), actually offers compositionists an effective means of preventing cheating and encouraging a more open, positive learning environment.
In short, turnitin.com is awesome, and I want my turnitin.com limited edition coffee mug in the mail tomorrow.
Check out Barton's gaming blog at Armchair Arcade.
not a rough draft
Nope. Not a rough draft. See the first sentence of the original post with this document over on CCCC-IP:
However, remember that this is a statement from people who see plagiarism as an IP issue, something you've already disagreed with.
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Charlie | cyberdash
True Enough
True enough. I know most of these folks and respect them, but really...They are critics who are "playing by the rules" set by the very folks they supposedly villify. I've been thinking a lot about Noam Chomsky's "Manufacturing Consent" too much lately, maybe. ;-) I mean, as long as we're willing to base our discussion of these issues on their terms, thereby playing by their rules, then I don't really see much point. As soon as you start using the language, you're being complicit in the ideology, and that's far more dangerous than any actual policy.
Besides, there's something unsettling about young compositionists in suits ranting in legalese about the finer points of copyright law. Then again, there's something unsettling about compositionists in suits. Then again, there's something unsettling about compositionists. Then again...heck, where's my Pepto. ;-)
Check out Barton's gaming blog at Armchair Arcade.
there's no IP law
I don't believe that there is anything in the CCCC-IP statement about copyright law, is there? Discussions about IP don't have to be just about the legal end of it. Your critique of IP is very much of an example.
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Charlie | cyberdash
My Critique of who?
Well, you know I've always looked to you and others here at Knews to put me on the right path to understanding these issues. I guess most people are content to stop with Lessig, but a few (like me) still yearn for a more radical approach. Guess that's what drew me to Richard Stallman. Of course, even I still haven't managed to totally match my theories with my practice. If I could just wean myself from Word and Powerpoint...!
Seriously, though, I would like to use turnitin.com (it's not currently offerd at my U), and I did find it very useful at USF. Sure, it has a darkside and can be and is frequently abused. I guess it's a lot like Spam. Yes, you can eat it and enjoy it--it's highly nutritious and a delicious brain food. However, you can also launch a can of Spam at an innocent student's head, and that's a terrible thing. However, we can't blame the Spam--it didn't suddenly decide mid-flight to become a weapon. If we have to blame someone in this situation, I would definitely want to blame George W. I'm not sure how, exactly, but I'm sure it's his fault, and I didn't vote for him. Maybe that student with the Spam-shaped depression in his head did, though. So it all works out...
Did I mention I'm having four wisdom teeth and a second molar removed this Saturday? :-)
Check out Barton's gaming blog at Armchair Arcade.
Sure, it has a darkside . . .
Anakin, you need to beware of the darkside. . . .
As for the critique, I was talking about your critique of the focus on IP in discussing plagiarism and detection services, the idea that it's a term that is in service of those that would control and proprietize all IP. This type of thinking is one example of the work I imagine that the IP caucus does--looking at the cultural and pedagogical implications of knowledge production and ownership--rather than so much the legal end. IANAL, after all.
No, but please don't share your pain with us ;-)
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Charlie | cyberdash
Share the Pain
I can't help it, Charlie. My damaged teeth are sending out signals that are being picked up by other knewsers' fillings (I have evidence of this in my inbox). It's strange. Somewhere in between the antibiotics, codeine, and tooth pain, I have these strange knews blogging sessions that are probably about as close to sleepwalking as you can get online. I guess instead of somnambulation we might call it...somblogulation. Perhaps I'm projecting my tooth pain onto the term "intellectual property." Ah, that would explain much...
Will chewing on tin foil protect me from Al Queda brainwaves?
Check out Barton's gaming blog at Armchair Arcade.
thank goodness . . .
I'm not married to you and living with you at the moment. LOL
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Charlie | cyberdash