Plagiarism in science : Write-off made easy

Since 2011 plagiarism cases celebrity shake enter politicians ' trust in the Promotion. The Federal Minister for family Affairs, Franziska Giffey (SPD) is said to have written in her doctoral thesis on "Europe's way to the citizens – the policy of The European Commission for the participation of civil society". Giffey has his doctorate in 2010 at the Free University of Berlin (FU). The voluntary plagiarism experts of the VroniPlag Wiki have been documented in 49 of 205 pages of plagiarism. What now, an Overview will be discussed.

politicians and plagiarism

VroniPlag Wiki is always accused of, particularly against politicians. On the other hand have resisted the plagiarism experts repeatedly. It is a matter of clean science and not a politically motivated hunt for plagiarism. "It is the media, the policy cases to highlight," says Debora Weber-Wulff, participants at the VroniPlag Wiki, and computer science Professor at the HTW Berlin. In the plagiarism investigation of the platform is Active to be in the political minority. There are only 16 Work of politicians, but 50 had been documented since 2011 by active scientists.

Maybe politicians are particularly susceptible to plagiarism? Often, they write their doctoral theses in addition to their professional activity. That politicians plagiarize because of the multi-load more often, but, says Gerhard Dannemann, Professor of law at the Humboldt-University and vroniplag wiki-activist. But a the since published in 2011 plagiarism cases in recent times, says Weber-Wulff: politicians would not result in your title so offensive as in the past, were less likely than woman, or doctor to appeal.

Giffeys way to Promotion

As Franziska Giffey between 2005 and 2009 her Dissertation worked, she stood fully in the professional life. As is clear from your CV on the Homepage of your Ministry. From 2002 to 2010, Giffey, therefore, was representative of Europe in the management of the district mayor of Berlin-Neukölln. Previously, she graduated from 1998 to 2001, studying for a diploma in Management studies at the Berlin University of applied Sciences for administration and legal Affairs (FHVR; since 2009 part of the HWR Berlin), and 2003 to 2005 – i.e., during your activity as neukölln Europe, a master's degree in European administrative management to the FHVR with training stations at the EU in Brussels and by the Council officers – the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

to be able to after doctorate, had to Giffey switch to a Uni – universities of applied Sciences do not have the right to award doctoral degrees. Giffey went to the Otto-Suhr-Institute (OSI) for political science at the FU. Your doctor, mother, Tanja Börzel, OSI was a Professor and Director of the center for European Integration.

Lack of prevention

That Wikipedia cannot be a source for a scientific work, learn, students. But the Internet lexicon is drawn from students and doctoral candidates like to, and consultation of, or without indication of source in the working copy. Too often, teachers would not complain about this once, criticized plagiarism expert, Weber-Wulff. For one, there is a lack of mandatory seminars on the scientific Work for all of the students from the first Semester. On the other you received from your teacher the necessary Feedback. Dozens of students per lecture, ten doctoral students per Professor: lacking simply Because the care.

Many teachers were also not a good example, if you spend around the work of students or academic staff in essays as your own. Weber-Wulff plagiarism as a "systemic Problem", as long as the number of promotions and publications per Professor as a career and ranking criteria. Sense occupied consulting with experts on the topic of plagiarism at any University or at least in every state, the form of teaching end and student coach, says Weber-Wulff. This could also make professional plagiarism checks.

How do Unis check

From a comprehensive plagiarism ceiling test at universities in Germany, apparently, can be no speech, because professors do not want to take the time for thorough reading. Also software such as "Turnitin", "documentary" or "Copyscape" Plagiarism is used at higher education institutions in Berlin "rather restrained". The request of the AfD group showed in July 2018. Against the use of plagiarism detection software privacy to speak concerns against the electronic Downloading of the Work. In addition, the programs are only automated to Match with other texts, and correctly placed footnotes along the way. In this respect, Turnitin" and co. can give "only a first indication of the presence of plagiarism, if you identify about a page of direct quotations. "The Rest is hand work," says Weber-Wulff, the checks for a Long time the operation of plagiarism detection software.

The Berlin universities called also to the fact that evaluators at the end of the Write-off, as a rule, the Work to discover, by style - breaks, changing the spelling or the use of different formulas. The number of the discovered cheater is not high on the FU, for example, it were to work at student house in 2013, five cases of, 2014 twelve and 2017 ten.

plagiarism experts also criticise the low clear-up rate in the case of plagiarism. VroniPlag Wiki reports all with the name of the documented plagiarism cases to the universities. But too often we didn't even get a receipt confirmation, cases would be hastily "disposed of" by promotion, you commissions without examination as not relevant, although, complained, then a man and a Weber-Wulff in the year 2015. Or counterfeiters could submit your work "the same, but with the correct way to cite" again. These Findings have changed nothing, says Weber-Wulff. "It continues to be revealed little and denied, it will often be granted in spite of massive plagiarism, only complaints."

However, Michael Seadle, Professor for library science at Humboldt-University and contact person for scientific misconduct, says that universities are too quick title belts. He doubted that the former Federal Minister of education Annette Schavan was "fairly" treated, he explained in the "Lausitzer Rundschau". Also, the standards of VroniPlag Wiki are too high, public allegations could "destroy a career". A "plagiarism undermines the science. This is an ethical and copyright issue,“ said Seadle. The actual Problem of data falsification, and image manipulation.

dealing with plagiierten doctoral theses

While plagiarism hunters and universities with a lot of effort, plagiarism detect, is by no means certain that the users of the fonts to know of the contamination. Because not all libraries identify the affected Work. And if this doesn't happen consistently and not in a uniform style. "The withdrawal of the doctoral degree", noted as such in the Online catalogue Primo FU to Schavans Dissertation. The Berlin state library chooses, in such cases, there is little explicit formulation: "no longer Applies as a high-school writing" – a stamp in the book. And the Online catalogue of the German national library noted that Schavan was stripped of her title. However, in the work of Silvana Koch-Mehrin, such a note, possibly because the University has not reported the title of withdrawal is missing.

"cabbage and turnips", says Armin Talke, specialist for political science in the Berlin state library. "But how are we to know that a title has been withdrawn?" Unis can be kept. Because a reporting requirement to the University library and the networked associations, such as Talke criticized.

Talke is a member of the law Commission, the thinking of the German library Association recommendations. Last but not least privacy issues, which can be affected by the identification of plagiarism in the Internet catalogue. Be in breach of personality rights? Rolf black man, a Professor of law at the University of Cologne, has created on behalf of the Board "Ombudsman for research" in the last autumn, a report. He comes to the conclusion that a withdrawal notice is only permissible if the reason for the withdrawal of the academic degree – so about plagiarism or faulty scientific data is specified. Because only then, the note was not within the assignment of tasks of a University library: preserving the credibility of the science.

the Commission of the German library Association Should submit to the members a recommendation, according to Talke, two options are conceivable: The more complicated would be to invite the countries, in their library, and to create higher education laws secure legal foundations. The other would be that libraries indicate that it is a plagiarism, but simply the notice to remove, that it is a University font. To enable the readers then, the Text as not scientifically classified and, accordingly, to deal with it.

How the FU in the case of Giffey

going on The FU wants to initiate a formal investigation procedure in the case of Giffey "soon," said a spokesman for the FU on request. Giffeys doctor mother Tanja Börzel will not comment on the ongoing proceedings. Which body will investigate Giffeys work for plagiarism, and this was not, explained the spokesman. The usual is that the same promotion Commission, which has examined the rejected Dissertation, originally, to re-examine the work. When the University decides on a possible withdrawal of the doctoral degree, is not in sight, according to FU.