by Lindsey Jackson
Plagiarism is something that language learners often struggle with, especially when they come from countries where taking others’ words or ideas is actually considered a compliment (see McCool, 2009, for a more thorough explanation of culture’s influence on writing). Language learners often voice concern about plagiarism. They may be able to verbally explain what it is. However, they are still not quite sure how to avoid it, and some of them live in fear of accidentally doing something wrong.
The best way to combat plagiarism is to teach students how to accurately utilize and integrate academic sources into their writing. If students are confident in their ability to find, use, and cite sources, the chances of encountering plagiarized material decrease significantly. Personally, I like making learning as fun as possible, so the following are fun games that can be used to supplement instruction on plagiarism, works cited and/or reference pages, and in-text citations.
- Goblin Threat: With its silly premise (plagiarism goblins are attacking the university!), Goblin Threat mimics the feel of old-school video games by requiring players to pass a certain number of tests before being able to move on to the next level. Each time players correctly answer whether a given scenario does or does not qualify as plagiarism, they successfully eradicate a goblin and increase their chances of saving the university. Students receive as many chances as they need to make the right choice, and wrong answers are met with an explanation of why they are wrong. After making it through seven rooms of the university, students receive a certificate that can be printed off as proof to their instructors that they completed the game.
- Citation Tic-Tac-Toe: An academic twist on the old classic, this game only allows students to place an X on the board if they correctly identify what type of citation they are seeing. Example citations range from book chapters to government publications. Both right and wrong answers result in explanations, offering helpful hints as to what makes each type of citation distinct. Wrong answers result in an O on the board, but if students can get three X’s, they win!
- APA Rules! and MLA Jeopardy: For the teacher who wants the whole class involved in the activity, both of these PowerPoints are versions of Citation Jeopardy. Although many versions of Citation Jeopardy exist (a quick Google search for “Citation Jeopardy Games” will give you quite a few options), these two each have a category specifically devoted to in-text citations.
Making citing fun instead of scary or seemingly impossible should hopefully encourage students to strengthen their skills, cite more confidently, and feel more comfortable asking questions when they are confused. When in doubt, turn learning into a game!
Reference
McCool, M. (2009). Writing around the world: A guide to writing across cultures. London: Continuum International.
Lindsey Jackson will be graduating with a Master’s in English-TESOL from Missouri State University in May. She has an undergraduate degree in English Education from Evangel University and currently teaches English composition for non-native English speakers at Missouri State.
