The dynamics of plagiarism in ESL writing among malaysian undergraduates
Dinamik plagiarisme dalam penulisan ESL dalam kalangan mahasiswa malaysia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53840/attarbawiy.v9i1.277Keywords:
Plagiarism, ESL (English as a Second Language), academic writingAbstract
Abstract
Plagiarism in academic writing within the context of English as a Second Language (ESL) is a widespread concern, particularly among Malaysian university students. This study examines patterns of plagiarism in ESL writing produced by Malaysian undergraduates. It seeks to shed light on the prevalence, types, and underlying causes of plagiarism within this group. Utilising Swales’ (1990) move analysis framework, the research scrutinises ESL written assignments from undergraduates that demonstrate elements of plagiarism. The focus is on identifying the types of plagiarism, the structural organisation of plagiarised texts, and the functional aspects of plagiarism occurrences. The results shed important information on the types of plagiarism that Malaysian undergraduates engage in, identifying verbatim copying, patchwriting, and inappropriate paraphrase without sufficient reference. Additionally, the study reveals that linguistic challenges such as limited paraphrasing skills, poor critical reading abilities, and insufficient knowledge of citation and referencing practices significantly contribute to plagiarism behaviours. The implications of this research encompass teaching strategies, curriculum design, and institutional policies aimed at promoting academic integrity and preventing plagiarism. In assisting Malaysian undergraduates to develop a greater awareness of academic integrity and plagiarism, the research promotes focused educational programs to enhance students' academic reading, paraphrasing, and citation abilities.
Abstrak
Plagiat dalam penulisan akademik Bahasa Inggeris sebagai Bahasa Kedua (ESL) merupakan isu yang meluas, terutamanya dalam kalangan pelajar universiti di Malaysia. Kajian ini meneliti corak plagiat dalam penulisan ESL yang dihasilkan oleh pelajar prasiswazah di Malaysia. Ia bertujuan untuk memberikan pemahaman tentang kekerapan, jenis, dan faktor asas yang menyumbang kepada berlakunya plagiat dalam kalangan kumpulan ini. Dengan menggunakan kerangka analisis pergerakan Swales (1990), kajian ini menganalisis tugasan penulisan ESL daripada pelajar prasiswazah yang menunjukkan unsur plagiat. Fokus kajian adalah untuk mengenal pasti jenis plagiat, struktur teks yang diplagiat, serta aspek fungsi plagiat yang berlaku. Penemuan kajian ini memberikan pandangan berharga tentang sifat plagiat dalam kalangan pelajar prasiswazah Malaysia, termasuk pelbagai bentuk seperti penyalinan verbatim, penulisan tambal (patchwriting), dan parafrasa tanpa sitasi yang betul. Selain itu, kajian ini mendedahkan bahawa cabaran linguistik seperti kekurangan kemahiran parafrasa, kekurangan kemahiran membaca kritikal, dan pengetahuan yang tidak mencukupi mengenai amalan sitasi dan rujukan menyumbang kepada tingkah laku plagiat. Implikasi kajian ini meliputi strategi pengajaran, reka bentuk kurikulum, dan dasar institusi yang bertujuan mempromosikan integriti akademik dan mencegah plagiat. Kajian ini mencadangkan pelaksanaan inisiatif pendidikan yang disasarkan untuk meningkatkan kemahiran membaca akademik, parafrasa, dan sitasi dalam kalangan pelajar, sekali gus memupuk pemahaman yang lebih mendalam tentang prinsip integriti akademik dan kesedaran tentang plagiat dalam kalangan pelajar prasiswazah Malaysia.
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