If you are a teacher, you may have encountered plagiarism several times. This can be frustrating for you, even if the student does it on purpose. When assessing student work, use online tools to check papers that appear to have been “cheated” from a source without citing them. You can also use special software to check all posts and monitor plagiarism while reading. It's also a good idea to be proactive and educate students so that cases of plagiarism can be avoided in the future.
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Method 1 of 3: Using Online Tools
Step 1. Do a Google search to check out a small section of the paper
If you come across a sentence or paragraph that seems plagiarized, just check it easily via Google. All you have to do is copy and paste the part of the text you want to check into the Google search bar. Put quotation marks at the beginning and end of the text so that the search results display the exact sentence you are looking for.
- Here's a simple and free way to check for plagiarism.
- If you encounter plagiarism, be sure to save the link to the site where you found the original source.
Step 2. Use free online applications to check electronic documents
There are many free sites to check for plagiarism, and they usually check text more thoroughly than a Google search. You can find this free plagiarism checker online. Once you've decided on a site to use, you can copy and paste the text you want to check on that site. Many sites also allow you to upload entire documents for review. Some of the popular sites include:
- Dupli Checker
- PaperRater
- Plagiarism
Step 3. Try commercial services for a more effective inspection
If you need to check a large number of documents on a regular basis, it's a good idea to buy a checking service that will really help you. If you are a teacher or lecturer, chances are your school or college already has this facility. If not, you can buy it yourself. The following sites can help you check for plagiarism of all checked documents.
Turnitin.com and EVE (Essay Verification Engine) are the most popular plagiarism checking sites
Step 4. Encourage your school or college to use a similar process
If your school or college doesn't have a policy on how to check for plagiarism, you can suggest it to everyone. For example, if everyone uses Turnitin.com, students will know that their work will be checked the same way in each subject. If students know their work is being monitored, they will be less likely to cheat.
Method 2 of 3: Read Critically to Find Plagiarism
Step 1. Monitor for odd format changes
Sometimes, students copy and paste directly from outside sources into their papers. If you notice a change in font type or size, this could indicate plagiarism. Also watch for italic or bold text that seems to appear randomly.
Try to determine the type and size of the font used. This will make it easier for you to find formatting changes that students have made
Step 2. Check the references to find out if the information in the paper is out of date or in an incorrect format
Old sources may indicate that students copied information from old papers or articles. Of course, if you teach history, students won't be using a lot of up-to-date resources. However, for most topics, the more recent the information included, the better. Check the source of the paper to see if students use it for plagiarism.
For example, if you specify an assignment to be done in APA format and the student uses Chicago format, this is a sign that he or she copied the source from another paper or site
Step 3. Assess whether the content of the paper is off topic
Students usually look for essays on the internet to be submitted as if they were their own work. Most of these online essays are fairly general. If you're asking students to answer a particular essay question, and you notice as you read that the subject seems to have suddenly changed, try checking the document with a plagiarism checker.
For example, say you gave a special assignment regarding President SBY's economic policies. If the essay begins with an introduction on the topic but ends by discussing an issue completely unrelated to economics, students are likely copying a general essay on President SBY
Step 4. Watch for sudden changes in the style or sound of the document
Usually you can recognize if the document seems to be written by more than 1 author. If you are teaching 2nd graders of junior high school and the language in the document is too sophisticated, use a plagiarism checker.
For example, this sentence seems clearly in two different styles: “I really enjoyed watching this movie. Director Ava Duvernay is able to stir emotions and facts in his description of the issues that occur. The acting of all the actors is great!” The middle sentence does not have the same tone or style as the other sentences
Step 5. Ask students to meet and discuss the concept of the paper
Unless you have solid evidence, try not to accuse students of plagiarism. Instead, ask him to meet you and talk one-on-one. Review the related paper to assess whether he understands the information in his work.
You might say, “You write a deep argument when you compare Shakespeare to modern plays. What makes you think so?” If a student can't give a good answer to their paper, you need to be suspicious
Method 3 of 3: Preventing Plagiarism and Dealing with Offenders
Step 1. Discuss and explain plagiarism when assigning assignments
Plagiarism is usually unintentional. Many students do not understand what needs to be quoted. When explaining assignments, take the time to educate students on what constitutes plagiarism.
- You might say, “Anything that is not common knowledge or comes from one's own ideas should be cited. Direct quotes and statistics must have quotes."
- If your school has a plagiarism policy, include it in your syllabus. If necessary, you can write it yourself.
Step 2. Describe the citation guide you want students to use
If students understand how to write quotes correctly, they will tend to use them. Tell students which citation system you want to use, and take the time to explain it to the class. For example, if you want students to use the APA system, show them how to cite books and websites.
You can include a link regarding citation procedures in the paperwork guide
Step 3. Give unique assignments so students don't easily find similar documents on the internet
Do not give tasks with a broad scope such as "Write about President Soekarno." Instead, ask more complex questions so that students are less likely to find similar papers on the internet. If you want students to write about President Soekarno, try asking questions such as, “What is the personality of Ir. Soekarno had an impact on Indonesian independence? Give a specific example of how Soekarno's personality led him to become Indonesia's first president."
If you teach the same class every day, be sure to change the topic of the paper every semester. This helps you discourage students from using documents that students have worked on before
Step 4. Adhere to the school or college code of conduct in handling the situation
If you find evidence of plagiarism, be sure to follow the protocol. For example, you may be required to report to a BP teacher. Some schools have a zero-tolerance policy, which means students automatically don't get grades or even pass classes.
- If you don't fully understand the policy, ask a coworker or supervisor for information.
- Meet with the student first to make sure that he or she doesn't accidentally. Many students do plagiarism without realizing it. Consider talking to the student first to see if he knows what he's doing is wrong.
Tips
- Trust your instincts. If something seems to be wrong, it probably is.
- If you're worried about accidentally plagiarizing, check your work using the same tool your teacher did.
