How can a teacher identify children receiving canned answers in Yahoo Questions?

Question

I see many questions that are clearly from some persons homework assignment. I would object to my students obtaining answers this way rather than doing the research (usually as simple as google / wikipedia) or the work involved. Any solutions or observations?

Thanks.

Ah. To further the question, what internet resources do teachers today use to identify plagiarism? Just Google, or are there solutions directed towards this need?

Answer 1

I doubt there is any way to fully identify whether each assignment individually is plagiarized, nor do I feel it to be a constructive use of a teacher's time.

In-class assessments of individual understanding (and with stringent monitoring of all forms of communication) provide the only fully reliable feedback of student understanding that I can think of. With almost any other assignment, students can easily receive assistance, and this is often a good thing. In order to build successful in-class individual assessments, one must take the following into consideration:

1) There are students who will try to cheat. Providing several different versions of the assessments can help minimize this, though good classroom monitoring is essential. I recently caught one student completing another student's final!

2) Consider carefully what you want the students to know and create assessments that will accurately reflect this. For example, If you want them to be able to write a 5-paragraph essay, test them by giving them a writing prompt that they will know -- like their family. Don't give them a prompt like "Compare and contrast the evolution of primates and the development of quantum physics" and then assume that they didn't understand how to structure an essay!

3) Make sure that individual in-class assessments are weighted highly enough that a student cannot pass on the efforts of others.

4) Understand that everyone has bad (or good) days. Assessments should be frequent enough that these peaks and troughs will be averaged out.

Although tests and quizzes are the most common types of assessments, various alternatives should be considered in order to compensate for test anxiety.

Answer 2

I see no problem in getting answers from here as long as they put it in their own words and they understand it. Kids ask their parents for answers all the time and this is kind of like the same thing.

P.S You answered my question earlier and you shouldn't just assume things. My homework isn't due until a later date. Don't just assume that I didn't do my homework. If you didn't want to answer it, you shouldn't have posted. Just giving you some advice. Also, I wasn't begging. I was just doing that to catch people's attention so that they can actually answer it instead of just skipping it.

Answer 3

depends on subject-best thing i believe to do is to verbally ask them when you go over homework in class-you should be able to tell if they really understand the subject not just cut and pasted some answers off of yahoo with a couple of questions-dont think it matters where they got their information as much as if they actually learned and understood-keep the peace lots of love old hippie

Answer 4

I assume you check major work for plagiarism. If you don't think an answer is original then check it on here, or on an online encyclopedia. I guess teachers have to become cyber-wise now too! Good luck...

Answer 5

I will tell you how I was told. Most kids are going to ask for help anyway. Either through parents or internet.

Answer 6

When they "D" students give "A" answers teachers know something is up.

Answer 7

Hey, it's their education to screw up. Anything obviously above their abilities would be a good start.

Answer 8

Screw you teacher! If it helps them, let them use this as a resource, you cant do jack about it, so go ease off.

"HEY TEACHER! LEAVE THEM KIDS ALONE!!"