Contact: Leah Barbour
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Imitation is sometimes considered the sincerest form of flattery, but in design, the boundary where homage ends and plagiarism begins can be unclear.
Mississippi State University experts from the College of Architecture, Art and Design, and the Department of Landscape Architecture will discuss this issue Nov. 1 during the Plagiarism in Design Symposium.
Set for 3:30 p.m. in the Robert and Freda Harrison Auditorium in Giles Hall, the discussion will center around "how to clarify what constitutes plagiary in disciplines where copying ideas is often considered a way to show respect," said David C. Lewis, director of MSU's Design Research and Informatics Lab and interim director of building and construction science.
The symposium is one of several events to be held during MSU's annual Academic Integrity Week, Oct. 28-Nov. 1. Its purpose is to encourage ethical behavior through educational programs promoting honesty and integrity both inside and outside of classrooms. Learn more at http://www.honorcode.msstate.edu/.
Lewis, who will moderate the symposium, said understanding and identifying plagiarism in design is important because of the lack of research and publications on the topic. Also, clearly defining when design students go too far in imitating work will support the MSU Honors Code Council's mission to promote academic integrity and reduce academic dishonesty.
The event also will educate people about how design and fine arts disciplines are taught on campus, he said.