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How Students Work – an exploration of how Business School students in the IT age work together in individual assessed coursework assignments

 

 

Description

 

 

The project investigates a possible cause of accusations of copying/plagiarism by exploring how students work, i.e. how and to what extent they exchange information (e.g. using blogs or e-mail) and construct assignments (anecdotal evidence suggests this practice is widespread); assessed coursework is now a significant element of most degree programmes.

 

Understanding how IT use and previous experience has changed student practice is particularly relevant due to increasing use of detection software which highlights any text matching that in another student's assignment as well as any derived from wider sources. Previous work has found unequivocally that students are unsure about what is acceptable when working together in preparation for individual assignments; a finding which was universal across different levels, institutions and faculties.

After obtaining qualitative data through student focus groups, a questionnaire will be developed and distributed to undergraduate students in the University of Leeds Business School and the University of Sheffield School of Management to explore how they approach assessed coursework. The primary data generated will be statistically analysed using SPSS software. Information derived from this analysis will give those setting and marking assessed coursework clearer understanding of the processes by which students construct assignments; (in particular, how they work together and exchange information). This understanding will allow the extent to which current student practice aligns with marker's expectations (which may be outdated) to be explored and facilitate providing informed advice on what is and what is not acceptable for students.

The project will deliver:
¢ A questionnaire which can be widely applied to generate comparative data;
¢ Clearer understanding of the processes by which students construct notes and assignments from sources and how they exchange information;
The latter should help students avoid inadvertently being accused of plagiarism through misunderstanding and highlight genuine cases of cheating or attempts to mislead.

 

 

Organisations / Institutions

 

University of Leeds

 

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