Lecturers cautioned against plagiarism
Professor Stephen Osei, former Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), at the weekend cautioned lecturers against plagiarism, in their research publications.
He pointed out that plagiarism was a serious offence in the Academia which could attract jail term, and therefore, advised lecturers to give due credit to the original sources of words and references they borrowed..
Prof Osei gave the warning at the maiden departmental seminar on “capacity building for effective research publication”, of the Department of liberal and General Studies of the Sunyani Polytechnic in Sunyani.
It was attended by more than 50 lecturers from the University of Energy and Natural Resources, the Catholic University College of Ghana, the Sunyani Polytechnic and other tertiary institutions.
Prof Osei explained that though researchers were entitled to borrow words and references from other authors, to make their publications consistent, they ought to make sure that credit was given to words and references borrowed to make their publication genuine.
He observed that high academic institutions were always recognized, based on their research work, and urged the lecturers to develop interest in research publications.
Mr Emmanuel Kofi Apraku, Head of Department of the Department of the Liberal and General Studies at the Sunyani Polytechnic, said the department had set up a research and seminar committee for the sustainability of the programme.
He said with the upgrading of Polytechnics to tertiary status, and the subsequent intention of further upgrading them to Technical University status by 2016, it had become necessary for polytechnic lecturers to have in-depth knowledge and skills in research work and publication.
This, Mr Apraku observed, would not only broaden their horizon, but would also help the polytechnics to meet the requisite criteria for promotion to help them obtain their terminal degrees.
“This will also give members of the department and the polytechnic community, the exposure, interest and learning opportunities”, he added.
The participants were taken through topics such as Research Proposal for Funding, Peer Review as a Tool for Quality Publications, Selection of Journals for Publication and Assessment of Research Work for Publication.
Source: GNA