Tracking Repeat Offenders

Students often tell professors that they simply did not realize that what they did was plagiarism and that now that they do know they will never do it again. In some cases this is true, and it is always tempting to believe it. We want to believe the best about our students, and we want confirmation that we have made a difference in their lives. Nevertheless, since most professors who encounter plagiarism do not file reports, it is very possible for students to plagiarize repeatedly and never face any consequences. If faculty do not file charges, we have no way of knowing whether it is really the first time.