Plagiarism in Graphic Design

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to identify students’ and academicians’ understanding and the contributing factors in visual plagiarism in order to provide appropriate solutions to be applied in the art and design program and thus to improve academic integrity among the university community. This research employed a qualitative research with the purpose to investigate the different opinions and the contributed factors related to visual plagiarism in the design assessment among students and academicians. The sample of this research consists of eight students and two academicians from graphic design program in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Melaka campus. The credibility and confirmability of qualitative validity have been made to approve the legitimacy of the results (Lincoln and Guba in Naturalistic inquiry, 1985). This study had discovered that students have different understanding about visual plagiarism. The confusion has led to the misuse of visual references from other resources and some of them are not aware that plagiarism is considered as an offence in the academic setting. The contribution factors of wrong decision-making in selection of topic, time mismanagement in the design progress, and disregard of consultation session with academician can cause students to commit visual plagiarism. Academicians’ unwillingness to convey information to students about visual plagiarism in detail for every course in graphic design program also contributes to the miscommunication among students in designing their artworks. Nevertheless, every academician agreed that visual plagiarism should be taken seriously to curb the situation from deteriorating. The trend of visual plagiarism in design assessment for art and design program is alarming. The academic community should consider any measures to address the issue not only in terms of restrictions and punishments but most importantly to educate students to value people’s ideas and works and to improve academic integrity.