December SGE Luncheon
Friday, December 14, 2007
"Plagiarism in the Economics Profession"
Gary Hoover, Associate Professor of Economics
University of Alabama
Summary
I report the results of a survey regarding the instances of plagiarism reported by journal editors in the economics profession. In addition, I report the results of a survey regarding academic plagiarism among professional economists. The former finds that nearly 24% of responding editors encounter one case of plagiarism in a typical year. In addition, the survey reveals that less than 19% of responding journals have a formal policy regarding plagiarism. In the latter, I find that respondents are not aware of the distinction between copyright infringement and plagiarism. I also find that risk of damage to ones reputation from plagiarizing is minimal since most cases go unreported. In both cases respondents were split over whether the economics profession would benefit from a professional code of ethics, although rank-and-file economists were more in favor. I also develop a simple model to show that it is rational for individuals in the economics profession who want to plagiarize to engage in this activity, given current incentives.
Bio
Gary Hoover is associate professor of economics at the University of Alabama. He also holds a quarter-time administrative post in the College of Business as the Assistant Dean for Faculty and Graduate Student Development. He has published several academic papers in journals such as The Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Review: Papers and Proceedings, Public Choice, and International Tax and Public Finance. He has also done book reviews, been a project reviewer for the National Science Foundation, written the study guide for a leading text book in public finance, written book chapters, and received sponsored funding for his work on poverty. From 2002 to 2004, he was recognized for his outstanding teaching and was appointed the James I. Harrison Family Endowed Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow. He is currently the William White McDonald Family Distinguished Faculty Fellow, which was appointed in 2006. He holds a PhD from Washington University in St. Louis and a BA from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.
Chinatown Garden Restaurant 618 H St., NW,
Washington Metro: Gallery Place (Red, Green, and Yellow Lines). Restaurant is 1/2 block east of the Metro station's northern (H Street) exit.
Reservations by 11:30 am December 13th, to Brian Sloboda: Brian.W.Sloboda@usps.gov
$15 for SGE and NEC members $20 for non-members