Credit Where It's Due - Why Are Half of UK Students Losing Marks for Plagiarism? * -- -- Photo by CollegeDegrees360 under a CC license We are in the grips of a 'plagiarism epidemic' according to The Times. An investigation conducted by the paper earlier this year revealed that 50,000 university students have been caught over the last three years, -- -- Further research published this month by RefME, a digital reference management tool for students, has found that 50% of students surveyed say they have lost marks due to plagiarism arising from inaccurate citations. -- -- citations. But plagiarism falls on a spectrum and shouldn't be confused with cheating. -- -- conventions and were unaware of resources available to help them. But regardless of whether plagiarism is deliberate (and often it is not), the stakes can be high. UK universities are leading the way in -- not), the stakes can be high. UK universities are leading the way in their adoption of plagiarism detection, with software such as Turnitin now used by the majority. Facing the risk of a damaged reputation, suspension, expulsion and potentially even legal action, over 70% of -- -- suspension, expulsion and potentially even legal action, over 70% of the students surveyed say that they worry about committing accidental plagiarism. While a minor infringement is more likely to result in lost marks than -- -- person's ideas begin and another's end. In the Twittersphere, for instance, ideas are endlessly retweeted and recycled. But digital tools also exist to prevent plagiarism. Using RefME, referencing can be as simple as scanning a barcode or -- -- student support, embedding academic writing skills more deeply into the curriculum and communicating expectations from the outset. But certainly, the majority of students do not intend to commit plagiarism. On the contrary, they're genuinely fearful of the consequences. -- On the contrary, they're genuinely fearful of the consequences. MORE:plagiarismuniversitiesstudentshigher education SUBSCRIBE AND FOLLOW