DeVoss and Rosati Summary

          DeVoss and Rosati present the complex conflict of plagiarism in this academic journal, not only in physical text, yet focusing on web-based research. They attempt to analyze the issues inherent in a new form of research, and evaluating why such research presents ease to the student, to carry out the act of plagiarism. Additionally, the authors aim to idealize a plan in which the student will come to understand why plagiarism is wrong and how to avoid committing such crime.

            The text focuses on creating a new perspective to evaluate plagiarism. DeVoss and Rosati view the comments and writings of other scholars, in the topic of plagiarism. Instead of viewing such concept as negative Rebecca Moore Howard, sees plagiarism as “patchwriting” and “kidnapping”. Meaning that to her, the act is merely a manner in which the students borrow ideas and use them to complete their own ideas. They are not stealing the ideas as they just adapt other’s writing style to develop one of their own, meaning plagiarism should not be seen as wrong. Plagiarism can be birthed from the way in which teachers instruct the student to complete an essay. For example if they ask students for “correct” and “original” work, they may feel pressured and recur to copying an already “correct” work to meet the demand. Throughout the article the authors emphasize on the accessibility of Internet sources in comparison to library based research. Additionally, the authors note that the Internet has tools that make plagiarizing others’ work easier. Such tools include the widely used copy and paste feature, which creates an inevitability of copying other’s ideas.

To solve the issue, DeVoss and Rosati recommend a series of classroom activities. These activities educate the student to adequately paraphrase an article, complete adequate forms of research, and how to avoid and recognize plagiarism. Among these activities, include the suggestion to view at plagiarism from the intellectual property lens. This perspective will allow the student to understand that not only is plagiarism wrong, but real world examples and repercussions showing why it is wrong, such as the case on Napster and Vanilla Ice. The author concludes teachers should adopt their curricula to the new research style and educate the students how to use it properly and avoid plagiarism. As a student utilizing plenty Internet resources for research, I agree with the author’s conclusion. It is necessary for professors to instruct us a way to properly create a new idea that is provable through research, given the fact that it is a somewhat paradoxical task. If the aforementioned instruction is completed it will resolve the issue of plagiarism, to a great extent.