Technology is great, isn’t it? Back in the day (not that long ago), doing research for a paper meant pulling a book off the shelf, photocopying pages from a journal, breaking out a highlighter, all in the name of referencing sources for the term paper. The digital age has enabled not only access to greater amounts of information, but to also greater amounts of plagiarism.
As I shared last week with scientists behaving badly, the trend of cutting and pasting isn’t just of concern for the professional researchers, but students as well. An editorial published Monday on the New York Times website points out this cultural shift and its effect on higher education. I’d recommend taking a look at the article, which goes beyond the act of “borrowing” and speaks more to a lack of individuals coming up with their own thoughts and ideas.
Read the full editorial:
Cutting and Pasting: A Senior Thesis by (Insert Name), Brent Staples, New York Times
