Detection, Policy, Faculty Response, Student Education

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 University-wide Detection Tool  SafeAssign ▪ Built into BlackBoard Current and Future versions  Other Detection Resources  WCopyfind is an open source windows-based program that explores a collection of documents, looking for matching language. If you have a collection of documents that you think might contain plagiarized content, you can check them quickly with this free software. wordpress/software/wcopyfind/ wordpress/software/wcopyfind/

 Doc Cop DOC Cop is a FREE plagiarism detection tool. Doc Cop  Duplichecker  Google it!  Open Google at.  Click on the "Advanced Search" option in Google Paste the unique phrase into the "with exact phrase" option  Click on Google Search

 Student Research Portfolio  If you require students to turn in a research portfolio—photocopies of sources, drafts of all essays, annotated bibliographies, a research log, and reflective essays on their writing and research process—you will make the chances of plagiarism "vanishingly thin.“

There are some tell-tale signs that a paper has been plagiarized. These include:  mixed citation styles  no references or quotations  missing references  bibliography entries that have not been cited  strange formatting  anachronisms  datedness  sharp shifts in style Run essays that display any of these features through one of the plagiarism detection services listed above. From

UTSA Student Code of Conduct  Section 203 B defines Section 203 B “Scholastic dishonesty” is any form of cheating or plagiarism that violates the Student Code of Conduct. Scholastic Dishonesty or academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsifying academic records, and any act designed to give unfair advantage to the student (such as, but not limited to, submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor, providing false or misleading information in an effort to receive a postponement or an extension on a test, quiz, or other assignment), or the attempt to commit such an act.

 Section 203 D defines “Plagiarism” is a form of academic dishonesty and intellectual theft that violates long-held and widely recognized principles of academic integrity including, but not limited to, the appropriation, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another’s work and the submission of said work as one’s own academic work offered for credit.

There are numerous specific Disciplinary and Academic consequences listed for student’s caught plagiarizing in the Student Code of Conduct. (Student Code of Conduct,Section 301)Student Code of Conduct,Section 301 UTSA Library provides a great video which explains the consequences of Plagiarism 

Strategies for Confronting Students  Confronting students whom you believe have plagiarized is probably the most uncomfortable part of the plagiarism issue. A charge of plagiarism is serious. If you're convinced that a student has plagiarized, confront the student directly. An or phone call where you tell the student that you want to discuss his/her paper will do the trick, then speak in person.  Typically, a discussion of the paper will get the student to confess. You might ask the student to explain a concept that appears in the essay. Usually, a student who has plagiarized will stumble around an explanation, and often will confess to having relied on a source for the information.  If the essay reveals mixed citation styles, no references, missing references, strange formatting, and shifts in style, you could ask the student why these occur in the essay. If the essay is stylistically above everything that the student has done previously, you might ask about the process of writing and revision, probing the student for information on how he/she improved his/her writing in such a short time.  Questioning the student will often prompt the student to confess. But what if it doesn't? Then you have a choice to make. If you still believe that the student plagiarized, you'll need to gather your evidence and be able to present it to the student in the meeting, as well as to the university. If you have found the source, this is simple. Once you've questioned the student (or even without questioning him/her), you can reveal that you have found the source.  What you decide to do at this point is up to you. Research has shown that faculty are reluctant to pursue plagiarism cases, believing that it is best handled between the student and the instructor. My personal opinion on this is that faculty need to stick to their plagiarism policies. If the policy says that the student will fail the course, then faculty need to follow this up with action. Students talk, and not adhering to a policy is a sure way to attract potential plagiarists to your sections.

 UTSA Library Site on Plagiarism  Plagiarism and Academic Honesty (Michigan State University, Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures). Links to sites and articles on many aspects of plagiarism and academic integrity useful for students, including recognizing and avoiding plagiarism, using sources appropriately, and MSU policies on academic honesty.  Academic Integrity at Princeton University. This website offers a wide range of information about academic integrity including examples of plagiarism, misrepresented original work, collaboration guidelines, and other material useful for teaching students to avoid plagiarism.  Understanding Plagiarism (Indiana University Bloomington, School of Education) A tutorial for students on understanding what plagiarism is and is not. Includes a short quiz, examples of various types of plagiarism, and ten items for practice with feedback.  Avoiding Plagiarism (Purdue University Online Writing Lab). Presents the contradictions of American Academic Writing and lists some actions that might be seen as plagiarism. Offers guidelines for giving credit, making sure you are safe, and deciding if something is “common knowledge.” Has practice exercises.

 An Educator’s Guide to Detecting and Preventing Plagiarism And-Preventing-Plagarism.php And-Preventing-Plagarism.php  Bob Jensen's (Trinity University) Threads on Plagiarism Detection and Exam Cheating  Online Instructional Resources Academic Integrity and Classroom Management: Academic Integrity/Plagiarism plagiarism.asp plagiarism.asp  Resources for Preventing and Detecting Plagiarism