Students using Copy and paste in their school work

[Halcyon]

I work in a school (aged 11 to 16) and the amount of times I see students copying random information off the Internet and pasting it into their powerpoint or word document is unbelievable.
When you re-read it back it doesnt even make sense.
It's as if they just see something, think it is good and then mix a few sentences together with the good old CTRL+V paste command.

What is even more alarming is the amount of teachers that are ok with this and seem to ignore it.

What this says to me is that students no longer think, no longer digest information and write it in their own words which would show they have taken it in and are learning something.

I know in universities they are more careful and have software to check these things but I find it alrming that students seem to rely on information being given to them instantly rather than conducting proper research of their own.

Secondly, I know many artists and writers who have their works ripped off so plaigerism to me is 100% wrong.
If you invest time writing something, so should others.

I wish I could install an anti copy and paste tool on my network to stop this.

Rant over.

Your opinions?

[colin25]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HaWxhbhH4c
Like this?

It isn't the copying that is the issue, is that they don't acknowledge or add value to it. It is literally a copy and don't think.

Add some reasoned arguments, recognise that it is hard to have original thought, and argue in your own words, that is ok.

---------- Post added at 20:04 ---------- Previous post was at 20:02 ----------

And on another point, lots of films are remakes of old films.

Classic Casablanca, was third remake of the film, but they got the formula right. Equally music is similar.

[Welshchris]

When i was in College we were told it was fine to use copy and paste as long as we identify and mention the source to.

[devilincarnate]

I can remember my uncle on this and he said that if they tried it in his day he would have known. As there would have been one sheet of paper on another Only joking

[Maggy J]

To quote and acknowledge a source is perfectly fine using cut and paste.I wish PCs and the software we use had been available when I was at school,college and university.

Plagiarism whether via the PC and cut and paste or in longhand is not fine.