Professor Teddy Charles Adias, Vice Chancellor of Federal University Otuoke, emphasized the crucial role of integrity in achieving academic excellence as he addressed final year undergraduate students at a workshop on plagiarism check orientation and research ethics. The event, held on June 11, 2024, at the Postgraduate School Auditorium, West Campus, aimed to reinforce the University’s cornerstone value of integrity.
Professor Adias stressed that academic excellence hinges on integrity, particularly in the latter stages of undergraduate studies, where research quality and originality are paramount. He warned that plagiarism, a serious academic offense, can be committed unintentionally if students are unaware of boundaries and limitations. The workshop sought to educate final year students on the importance of original research and proper citation practices to avoid plagiarism and uphold academic integrity.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Chris C. Onyema, in his presentation titled “Implementing FUO Research Ethics and Plagiarism Check Threshold: A Prolegomena,” defined plagiarism as the act of passing off someone else’s words, ideas, or work as one’s own without properly crediting the original author or source. He explained that there are ten types of plagiarism, which include: Verbatim, Mosaic, Paraphrased, Idea, Self, Accidental, Intentional, Patchwork, Ghost-writing, and Collaboration plagiarism. These types represent different ways in which plagiarism can occur, ranging from unintentional errors to deliberate acts of academic dishonesty.
Professor Onyema outlined the steps for Plagiarism Check and Archiving of undergraduate research projects in FUO as follows: Before defending their project/thesis/dissertation, it is mandatory for students to submit their manuscripts for plagiarism checking in the Department, pay the approved amount into the University account for plagiarism checking, proceed to the University Library with evidence of payment and provide proof of transferring the project to the designated plagiarism library email address which is: [email protected] (for undergraduates) or [email protected] (for postgraduates). Projects with a plagiarism threshold of 25% or below (undergraduates) or 20% or below (postgraduates) are issued certificates. Successful students receive a Plagiarism Check certificate from the University Library and then proceed to defend their projects/theses/dissertations in the Department/Faculty/External Defence. After a successful defense, students submit four copies of the manuscript, Plagiarism certificate, clearance from Head of Department/Dean, and evidence of payment for binding to the University Library. Unsuccessful students, however, return to their supervisors to rework their projects/theses/dissertations.
Common Plagiarism Check websites identified by Professor Chris Onyema include plagiarism.net, quetext.com, plagius.com, grammarly.com, prepostseo.com, small stools.com, scribbr.com, etc.
The one-day workshop featured additional presentations, including: “FUO Research Ethics” by Professor Emmanuel Akpan, Director of Research and Quality Assurance; “Orientation on Eagle Scan Plagiarism Checker” by Mr. Odio Obiobele, Eagle Scan Staff and Director of ICT; and “Final Year Projects and FUO Library Repository Policy” by Dr. Kayode Gboyega Oyeniran the Acting University Librarian.
These presentations provided valuable insights and information on research ethics, plagiarism detection, and library repository policies, enriching the workshop’s overall content.
From the Publications Unit