Schoolchildren told to avoid Wikipedia

7-1-2010

Schoolchildren told to avoid Wikipedia

Children should use Google and Yahoo to improve their essays, according to the official exams watchdog.

Children should use Google and Yahoo to improve their essays, according to the official exams watchdog.

Ofqual said putting keywords into internet search engines was a “good starting point” when researching pieces of coursework and dissertations.

But guidance sent out to schoolchildren in England warns pupils to be extremely wary when using other websites such as Wikipedia.

The on-line encyclopaedia – created using contributions from readers – was not “authoritative or accurate” and in some cases “may be completely untrue”, said Ofqual.

Children can also be easily tripped up by copying passages from websites containing American phrases and spellings – a clear sign of plagiarism.

The comments were made in a series of documents sent to pupils, parents and teachers warning against cheating at school.

Ministers have already outlined plans to scrap GCSE coursework in most subjects – replacing it with controlled projects in the classroom under teacher supervision. It followed the publication of a report that warned coursework had become "less valid" as children were increasingly tempted by websites offering to help them script essays.

On Wednesday, Ofqual said children could have essays annulled and be banned from examinations for a number of years after being caught copying directly from the internet or fellow pupils.

One leaflet for teachers tells them to carefully vet pupils’ work for signs of “cutting and pasting” from websites.

Among the most obvious giveaways was when an essay suddenly changed “in font, styles, sizes and indentation and line spacing”, Ofqual said, indicating that passages had been carelessly copied.

Teachers were also told to look out for the use of phases and spellings in American English, suggesting pupils had downloaded work from foreign websites. This includes phrases such as “go get” for “go and get”, “have gotten” instead of “have got” and “period” for “full-stop”.

Parents are also warned against giving sons and daughters too much help. They should discuss coursework with their children but “not give direct advice on what should or should not be included”, said Ofqual.

But Ofqual insisted that the guidance should not stop pupils using the internet.

All passages taken from websites should be referenced, it said, and pupils should rely on authoritative on-line sources such as the Met Office and Hansard when researching work.

It added that Google and Yahoo could be “a good starting point for your research” and pupils should use search engine “advanced options” to maximise results. (Education News)