Though students often have trouble spelling plagiarism, they find it easier than ever before to commit the act. A student no longer has to plan ahead, order a term paper with a credit card, then wait for the U.S. mail to bring the desired item.
Plagiarism poses threats to academic integrity on the undergraduate level.
Careful assignment design considers what information students should explore and how they should use it as well as defining what critical thinking skills should be exhibited. Librarians and teaching faculty working together can show students the variety of information sources available to help them with assignments. Assignments which are creative and changed or modified regularly will not have exact copies existing anywhere to plagiarize. Assignments which have actual references submitted in a folder along with the bibliography make it easier for faculty to evaluate the selection of materials for the project and consider how the student has used the materials in his or her writing. Assignments which require students to work collaboratively with others and incorporate the information they discover into classroom discussions as well as into the final product aid students with integrating materials rather than just copying information.