PLAGIARISM by students in secondary schools and junior colleges
here is comparatively low, with fewer than 10 cases caught each
year at national examinations.
At the higher institution level, such cases account for less
than 0.3 per cent of the enrolment in the universities, said
Education Minister Ng Eng Hen.
Replying to a question from Aljunied GRC MP Cynthia Phua in a
written response, Dr Ng said students are also aware that software
such as Turnitin can be used by teachers and assessors to check for
plagiarism.
Appropriate disciplinary actions against plagiarism are set out
in schools and institutes of higher learning, he said. For example,
students caught plagiarising will not receive a grade for the
subject concerned. In extreme cases, they can face suspension or
expulsion.
Processes have also been put in place by schools and
universities to inculcate academic integrity and honesty and to
reiterate to students that plagiarism is wrong, added Dr Ng.
For instance at Junior Colleges, subjects that require course
work or independent study such as Project Work require students to
complete a formal declaration as part of their coursework
submission to declare that the projects and reports are their own
work.
These declarations are endorsed by the supervising teachers.
Should students need to make reference to other sources of work,
teachers have also emphasised to them the need to acknowledge fully
and in detail the words and ideas of others.
-- ST