Educate students on what constitutes plagiarism; if students don't fully understand what plagiarism is, it can be difficult to avoid, particularly as today's students have access to such diverse materials via the Internet. Explain fair-use laws, copyright and academic integrity, including the academic standards at your school. Clarify how and when to use citations and what constitutes plagiarism, so that student are made aware of the need to cite on-line sources and know how to do so. Give students a clear idea of the ethical issues involved in plagiarism.
Clearly explain the consequences of plagiarism. Include both the institutional consequences at your school as well as the consequences for your class. Include these rules in your syllabus, so that students have a written copy as well. Plagiarizing can result in academic suspension or expulsion from school; for your class, plagiarism may result in a failing grade on the individual assignment or for the course. Make these consequences clear at the beginning of the semester.
Design your course to discourage plagiarism. Stagger due dates for different parts of a paper, and specify that different sources be used; for example, Internet sources as well as journal articles or book citations. Change paper topics each time you offer the course to prevent students from using or buying peer papers. Explain to your students that you will check their sources randomly. Require students to hand in their notes or outlines for the paper.