The i-map: a process-centered response to plagiarism

In recent years there has been a marked change in our cultural relationship with information which has implications for our teaching and learning practices. Current concerns about the identification of, and responses to, plagiarism are grounded in that process of change. In this paper we take the position that it is better to address and respond to the causes of plagiarism and so avoid it, rather than to place the emphasis on its detection and punishment. This paper provides an account of an approach to assessment developed in the Faculty of Art & Design, University of Hertfordshire which has become known as the ‘i‐Map’ (short for information handling map) and can be used in conjunction with the conventional essay to document the enquiry process. Its key features are illustrated in a diagram and described in detail together with the pedagogic approach taken to introduce this new form of assessment task to students. Examples of student i‐Maps are given with some commentary on how students used the i‐Map to document information gathering and handling for their written assignments. Survey findings from this pilot phase are presented and conclusions drawn. As a tool for assessment, the i‐Map revealed an urgent need for the development of information literacy skills and it proved to be valuable for both formative and summative assessment. Furthermore it has seemed to enable a fairer assessment of some students learning experience and capabilities and has had benefits in counteracting plagiarism