Dealing with plagiarism in a complex information society

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the modern information society on attitudes and approaches to the prevention of plagiarism and to examine a less punitive, more educative model.Design/methodology/approachThe approach taken is a literature review of plagiarism in contemporary society followed by a case study of the education department of a tertiary‐level college in the United Arab Emirates.FindingsThe authors advocate a move towards a less punitive, more educative approach which takes into account all the relevant contextual factors. A call is made for a truly institutional response to a shared concern, with comprehensive and appropriate policies and guidelines which focus on prevention, the development of student skills, and the proactive involvement of all relevant stakeholders.Practical implicationsThis approach could inform the policies and practices of institutions who wish to systematically deal with plagiarism in other contemporary contexts.Originality/valueThis paper could be of value to policy makers and administrators in tertiary institutions, particularly in English as a second language contexts, who recognise the limitations of traditional approaches to plagiarism and wish to establish more effective practices.