JISC Electronic Detection of Plagiarism Pilot

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Impact of Electronic Plagiarism Detection
Software The University of Aberdeen Experience
JISC Electronic Detection of Plagiarism Pilot
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Overview

• The University of Aberdeen Experience Patricia
  Spence, The Learning Technology Unit
• The Department of Engineerings Experience, Dr
  Robin Henderson

JISC Electronic Detection of Plagiarism Pilot
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Background

• Increasing opportunities to plagiarise
• Instances of electronic plagiarism
• Deterrent?
• 5 departments - Accountancy, Engineering,
  English, Philosophy and Zoology
• Range of topics and course levels
• Guidance already given to all students

JISC Electronic Detection of Plagiarism Pilot
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Using the Detection Software

• Student Agreement
• Staff training?
• Uploading work
• Instructions for students

JISC Electronic Detection of Plagiarism Pilot
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Results

• Very few instances detected
• Lack of understanding of referencing techniques
• Software works as deterrent
• Raised awareness of plagiarism

JISC Electronic Detection of Plagiarism Pilot
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Other Issues

• Some dummy assessments undetected
• Concern about inability to detect plagiarism from
  online journals
• Easy to use
• All departments would use software again

JISC Electronic Detection of Plagiarism Pilot
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Engineering Department Trial
JISC Electronic Detection of Plagiarism Pilot
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Objectives

• Ensure an even playing field for all students
• Increase awareness of plagiarism
• Increased use of hardcopy sources
• Increase awareness of the need for appropriate
  referencing
• Reduce time associated with checking on web

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Exercise details

• 1st year engineering students
• 120 participants
• 500-1000 word essay on a famous engineer
• 30 different engineers used as topics
• Wide range of students - background and ability

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Testing

• 3 bogus essays written with material cut and
  pasted from the web
• These were submitted to the software
• 2 essays detected
• Did not always direct to the original source

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Implementation

• 2 page handout prepared for the students
  describing how to submit
• Brief demonstration
• All students submitted their own work directly to
  the software
• Ad-Hoc help was available during existing
  computer classes

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Results

• 115 essays submitted
• Majority of cases were in the low percentage
  bands of internet content
• Most of those that showed some internet content
  usually indicated correct use of quotations
• 2 cases of plagiarism detected

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Time requirements

• Software was very easy to use
• Added time through use of software approximately
  0.5 day
• This should be offset with reduction in time
  required for checking for plagiarism
• Overall estimate is as a time saving tool

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Conclusions

• Overall the software helped us meet all of our
  objectives
• Other assessments identified where the software
  would be beneficial
• If available we would use it again

JISC Electronic Detection of Plagiarism Pilot