Identify plagiarism

  • Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s work, ideas, or intellectual property without giving proper credit.
  • It can occur in written assignments, presentations, art, and other creative works.

  • Direct Plagiarism: Copying someone’s work word-for-word without citation.
  • Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one’s own previous work without acknowledgment.
  • Mosaic Plagiarism: Mixing copied phrases with original text without proper citation.
  • Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Restating someone else’s ideas or text without credit.

  • Citing sources gives credit to the original authors and helps readers trace the information back to its source.
  • It enhances the credibility of the work and helps avoid plagiarism.

  • Look for inconsistencies in writing style or vocabulary that differ from the student’s usual work.
  • Check if sources are missing when using facts, quotes, or data.
  • Be cautious of overly sophisticated language that does not match the student’s typical writing level.

  • Introduce plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin, Grammarly) that can help identify copied content.
  • Teach students to use online search engines to check for similarities in text.

  • Discuss potential academic penalties, such as failing grades or disciplinary action.
  • Emphasize the ethical implications and the importance of honesty in academic work.

  • Encourage original thought and creativity.
  • Foster a classroom environment where asking for help and collaborating is valued.

  • Take notes carefully and summarize information in your own words.
  • Keep track of sources during research and create a bibliography.
  • Learn proper citation formats (e.g., MLA, APA) to give appropriate credit.

let’s practice!

Compare the student text with the source.

Source: James Harbeck, ‘How to Identify Asian, African, and Middle Eastern Alphabets at a Glance’. Published in The Week, 2016:

Lao is the language of Laos. Its letters have little loops, and some have bigger flatter loops on top too.

Student text:

Harbeck shares how the letters in Lao, the language spoken in Laos, have little loops, and some have bigger flatter loops on top too.

 

Results

#1. Is the student text plagiarised?

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