Leaving Cert history students denied grade for plagiarising online material

A handful of students tried to cheat in last year’s Leaving Certificate history exam by using material copied straight out of online articles for their research projects.

Concerns have been raised about plagiarism by examiners who mark the subject at higher level, in which 20% of all marks are awarded for a research study report (RSR). This is completed by students before the end of April and kept at the school until the written exam in June, when both sets of work are sent to the State Examinations Commission to be corrected together.

The chief examiner’s report on 2011 Leaving Certificate History, published yesterday, revealed that five students were not given any grade in the subject because of plagiarism in their research reports.