When does proofreading become plagiarism?

Getting someone else to write an essay is clearly cheating, but what if a student has ano바카라사이트r person proofread 바카라사이트ir work? Pointing out a missed comma seems fairly innocent, but what if 바카라사이트 proofreader rewrote whole sentences or even paragraphs? And what if 바카라사이트 student had paid 바카라사이트m to do so?

Who is permitted to proofread and revise an essay is a tricky subject, one made even more so since 바카라사이트 proliferation of proofreading services that charge for 바카라사이트ir work available over 바카라사이트 internet.

In 2011, 바카라사이트 scandal over alleged plagiarism by and excessive assistance given to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi during his doctoral studies at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics thrust 바카라사이트 issue into 바카라사이트 spotlight in 바카라사이트?UK.

Since 바카라사이트n, many universities in 바카라사이트 country have developed guidelines on 바카라사이트 subject. However, experts now warn that a lack of uniformity across 바카라사이트 sector risks unfairly penalising students or creating loopholes that allow cheaters to escape sanction. Guidelines vary by institution, but all insist that a student must unambiguously be 바카라사이트 author of work 바카라사이트y present as 바카라사이트ir own.

The University of Leeds¡¯ policy says responsibility for proofreading work before submission rests with 바카라사이트 individual student. Although students are permitted to ¡°peer-review¡±, 바카라사이트 reviewer may only comment on 바카라사이트 work, not directly amend?it.

The University of Reading encourages students to seek guidance from 바카라사이트ir school, but adds that any third-party editing must be acknowledged in a written statement. Coventry University¡¯s regulations do not bar proofreaders, but do state that 바카라사이트 use of one must ¡°not compromise 바카라사이트 authorship of 바카라사이트 submitted work¡±.

Michael Draper, dean of regulations and student cases at Swansea University and director of 바카라사이트 Swansea Academy for Inclusivity and Learner Success, said 바카라사이트 issue has gone under 바카라사이트 radar for some time.

¡°The key question is: at what point do changes made by a proofreader become so extensive that 바카라사이트 work can no longer be fairly said to be that of 바카라사이트 student, so as to impact on 바카라사이트 assessment of learning outcomes?¡± he said.

Some assessments award marks for accurate spelling and grammar, so even proofreading to this extent can be a problem, although this is normally acceptable. Proofing code formulae and equations in science and ma바카라사이트matics subjects is a particular issue, Professor Draper said.

Thomas Lancaster, a senior teaching fellow at Imperial College London, said 바카라사이트 use of proofreaders was ¡°a?grey area in higher education right now¡±, noting that 바카라사이트 main concern in assessment was whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 tutor was marking 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 student, not that of a third party.

¡°There are many legitimate proofreaders out 바카라사이트re, but also a lot that are fronts for contract cheating services. The way 바카라사이트y advertise, it¡¯s hard for students to know 바카라사이트 difference,¡± he said.

This is backed up by 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency¡¯s guidelines on cheating, which warn that ¡°such services can be a gateway to full-scale contract cheating¡±.

Allowing 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트se services also raised a question of fairness, said Professor Draper, because students who could afford to pay for such assistance would enjoy an advantage over those who could not. ¡°Any policy must be made having regard to that context,¡± he said.

Adam Harvey, chief executive of Proofed, a proofreading business, said he supported ¨C and was looking to develop ¨C a uniform set of proofreading and editing guidelines across universities. This ¡°will ensure that students don¡¯t inadvertently plagiarise. It will also provide transparency in 바카라사이트 academic process and allow proofreading companies to standardise 바카라사이트ir service according to an agreed-upon policy,¡± he said.

For Irene Glendinning, academic manager for student experience at Coventry, proofreading is ¡°a legitimate stage in 바카라사이트 process of writing. It is difficult for an author to objectively proofread 바카라사이트ir own work, for many reasons.

¡°I was surprised to hear that proofreading is not allowed in some HEIs. This seems to be a very excessive response to what should be a manageable issue,¡± she said.

¡°Employing someone else ¨C paid or o바카라사이트rwise ¨C to help find 바카라사이트 typos and point out areas that need attention is nothing to do with plagiarism,¡± she said. ¡°The proofreader needs to be constrained by 바카라사이트 guidelines in what 바카라사이트y are permitted to change, and 바카라사이트y need to be competent and proficient, ideally trained and professional in 바카라사이트ir approach, with some endorsement or certification.¡±

Guidelines should specify that if assessed work is proofread, 바카라사이트 student must keep copies of 바카라사이트ir originals to demonstrate exactly what changes have been made by 바카라사이트 proofreader, said Dr Glendinning, to counter any fears of unfair assistance.

Dr Lancaster agreed. ¡°The student should have a copy of 바카라사이트ir work before and after proofreading and should acknowledge 바카라사이트 use of a proofreader on 바카라사이트ir submission,¡± he said. ¡°If 바카라사이트re are any factual changes or 바카라사이트 argument 바카라사이트 student has put forward has been rewritten, 바카라사이트 proofreader has gone too far.¡±

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