Using video vignettes to enhance discussion

of RCR Jeffrey A. EnglerJeffrey A. Engler

Associate Dean for Academic AffairsAssociate Dean for Academic Affairs

Graduate SchoolGraduate School

University of Alabama at BirminghamUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham

Drs. Harold Kincaid and Sara VollmerDrs. Harold Kincaid and Sara Vollmer

Dr. Julia Austin, Jennifer Greer, Kellie CarterDr. Julia Austin, Jennifer Greer, Kellie Carter

UAB has made a long-term commitment to UAB has made a long-term commitment to RCR education for biomedical graduate RCR education for biomedical graduate

studentsstudents

““Principles of Scientific Integrity” GRD 717Principles of Scientific Integrity” GRD 717• Started in 1991Started in 1991

• Required of all graduate students in biomedical sciences and Required of all graduate students in biomedical sciences and all postdoctoral fellows on training grants.all postdoctoral fellows on training grants.

• Covers all the areas of responsible conduct: Covers all the areas of responsible conduct: o Mentorship - trainee relationshipsMentorship - trainee relationships ○ ○ MisconductMisconduct

o Clinical Research - Human subjectsClinical Research - Human subjects ○○ Peer Review Peer Review

o Collaborations - Conflicts of interestCollaborations - Conflicts of interest

o Intellectual Property - ownershipIntellectual Property - ownership

o Animal Research – protection of animals used in researchAnimal Research – protection of animals used in research

o Authorship and Publishing - plagiarismAuthorship and Publishing - plagiarism

o Record Keeping - Data managementRecord Keeping - Data management

Expanding RCR activities to Natural Expanding RCR activities to Natural Sciences, Math and EngineeringSciences, Math and Engineering

• Engage faculty and students in the discussion of Engage faculty and students in the discussion of

RCR issues on a continuing basis. RCR issues on a continuing basis.

• Develop short video segments to dramatize case Develop short video segments to dramatize case

studies in current use or to be developed by our studies in current use or to be developed by our

facultyfaculty

o as resource materials both for an introductory course as resource materials both for an introductory course

in the “Principles of Scientific Integrity” (GRD 717) in the “Principles of Scientific Integrity” (GRD 717)

o for subsequent continuing education of graduate for subsequent continuing education of graduate

students in the Schools of Engineering and of Natural students in the Schools of Engineering and of Natural

Science and Mathematics (NSM)Science and Mathematics (NSM)

• Establish faculty and student focus groups Establish faculty and student focus groups

to develop RCR materialsto develop RCR materialso 9 members in each group9 members in each group

Promote faculty and student buy-inPromote faculty and student buy-in

o All are volunteers from the Schools of Engineering and of All are volunteers from the Schools of Engineering and of

Natural Science and MathematicsNatural Science and Mathematics

o Reviewed published articles about plagiarism and Reviewed published articles about plagiarism and

whistleblowingwhistleblowing

o Contributed ideas based on incidents of which they were Contributed ideas based on incidents of which they were

aware (cultural miscommunication; data manipulation)aware (cultural miscommunication; data manipulation)

CGS/NSF project: 2006-2008

“Query-Videoclip-Query” (QVQ) Approach (Sara Vollmer)

• Engage undergrad and graduate studentsEngage undergrad and graduate students

• Broad based pre- and post-questions to stimulate Broad based pre- and post-questions to stimulate thoughtthoughto Dr. Nancy Matchett at the University of Northern ColoradoDr. Nancy Matchett at the University of Northern Colorado

• VideoVideo

• Facilitated discussionFacilitated discussion

• Summary of questions and student responses at the end Summary of questions and student responses at the end of the presentationof the presentation

• Advantages:o Video draws student interest

o Students are actively engaged in discussion

o Learning modality superior to online tutorial

o Students realize they may have more to learn

RCR Vignette Web Site:www.uab.edu/graduate/rcr

Pre-question to engage student

Video Vignette for Question 1

Post-question 1

Response to Post-question 1

Pre-Question 2 for “Amanda’s Dilemma”

Summary page to case studySummary page to case study

“Decision-tree” Approachto Online Videos

Decision tree adapted by Dr. Sara Vollmer from the earlier work of Dr. Betsy Holmes and Chad Sain

Challenge: How to engage students to discuss

scholarly integrity on a continuing basis?

• GRD 717: “I know all I need to know, because I GRD 717: “I know all I need to know, because I passed the course.”passed the course.”

• Some faculty are resistant to added courses that Some faculty are resistant to added courses that “distract” students from their immediate research.“distract” students from their immediate research.

• Our solutionOur solution: traveling workshop on “Avoiding : traveling workshop on “Avoiding Plagiarism” – Julia Austin, Jennifer Greer, Kellie Plagiarism” – Julia Austin, Jennifer Greer, Kellie Carter, Jeff EnglerCarter, Jeff Englero Given to small groups of graduate students and Given to small groups of graduate students and

honors undergraduates and faculty (>350 so far)honors undergraduates and faculty (>350 so far)o Identify student concerns (“free write”), show Identify student concerns (“free write”), show

video, address scenarios, small group discussions, video, address scenarios, small group discussions, writing exercises, summarize (brochure)writing exercises, summarize (brochure)

o Labor-intensive!Labor-intensive!

Questions to discern student perceptions:

1. Is plagiarism against the law?

2. Do you worry about “accidentally” committing plagiarism?

3. Can your professors easily detect plagiarism?

4. Do you believe that you need more training in order to avoid committing plagiarism?

5. What should you do if you discover that someone else has plagiarized?

Consider “Amanda’s Dilemma”

“Avoiding Plagiarism” Workshop

Students are given five brief written scenariosThey are asked to decide which of these do, or

do not, represent plagiarismCorrect responses are then provided for

discussionStudents recognize potential deficiencies in their

understanding of plagiarism

Our scenarios were developed by staff at Empire State College of the State University of New York and have been used with permission.

Plagiarism Self-Evaluation

Sample self-evaluation questionSample self-evaluation questionYou find an article that is perfect for your research

paper. You know you should not copy entire sentences word-for-for word. Instead, you rearrange the sentences and replace the descriptive words with your own. You also add a complete footnote citing the page and the source. Is this an act of plagiarism?

Answer: YES. Even if you footnoted the source correctly, your paraphrased text is unacceptable. To paraphrase correctly, you must restate the original passage in your own words and in your own style. Reordering sentences or replacing adjectives is not enough.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

No

Yes

Where Do Students Learn about Avoiding Plagiarism?

Discussed Plagiaris

m

at the start

of a

major assignment

Plagiarism is

academic

dishonesty

Explained how to

avoid Plagiaris

m

Discussed Plagiaris

m

thro

ughout the cours

e

Gave me a defin

ition

of Plagiaris

m that

was clear

Nu

mb

er

of

Re

spo

nd

en

ts (

28

6)

Perceived Confidence Level after Perceived Confidence Level after WorkshopWorkshop

My ability to read and understand academic texts 4.06

My ability to paraphrase effectively3.53

My ability to use citations appropriately 3.71

My ability to use Internet sources without plagiarizing 3.70

My ability to assess my own writing for plagiarism 3.53

1 to 5 scale, with 1 being “not confident” and 5 being “very confident

How Serious Do You Think the How Serious Do You Think the Problem of Plagiarism Is?Problem of Plagiarism Is?

Number of respondents: 286 (213 graduate students and 73 undergraduate engineering students

“Ethics of Paraphrase”

o Brochure designed to reinforce good habits to avoid plagiarism

o Given to each student who completes the “Avoiding Plagiarism” workshop

o Summarizes the content of the workshop

o Available at: http://www.uab.edu/graduate/publications/plagiarism.pdf

Goals:• Develop a panel of workshops• Engage faculty, grad students, and postdocs as

facilitators• Expand the approach to other disciplines• Embed RCR education into curricula, not just

one course; • Assess the efficacy of educational approaches

Challenges:• Video development is labor intensive and

expensive.• Obtaining faculty buy-in and participation• Providing faculty training as needed• Developing tools for continuing education• Adding content into already crowded curricula