Using Text matching tools effectively

2. Using Text matching tools effectively Jane Thomas Superintendent of Assessment Swansea University

3. Changing ethos From punishing Unfair Practice to Promoting Academic Integrity: Text matching tools are useful but the way in which they are used is key to promoting sound academic practice. Both interpretation and policy in their use leaves us open to challenge…

4. Turnitin Turnitin is ... a plagiarism prevention and originality checking tool. (It) checks student papers for originality by comparing them against over 135 million previously submitted student papers PLUS over 13.5 billion pages of web content and articles from more than 90,000 subscription-based journals and periodicals... (As of September 2010) http://www.submit.ac.uk/resources/documentation/turnitin/sales/Turnitin_Quick_Facts.pdf

5. Advantages Ease Speed Range Deterrent

6. Disadvantages Interpretation Sources may not be the actual source ‘Overlap’ effect

7. Cases Real Colour coded Please review all and note your view Reconvene for feedback

8. Case 1 Case details Turnitin reports for 3 modules at Level 1 Student denied plagiarism. The student presented hand written A level notes which he/ she claimed had been his/her main sources. These referred to small notes and not the verbatim text matched to the web sources. Outcome Mod 2 not substantiated – small percentage Module 1 and 3 substantiated – as first offence student given 0% in each module.

9. Case 2 Case details Turnitin report for 1 module at Level 3 Student denied plagiarism. Student claimed to have referenced the work. Outcome Not substantiated – the Committee found that the student had made some attempt at referencing and therefore felt that it was a case of poor referencing rather than Unfair Practice

10. Case 3 Case details Turnitin report for 1 module at Level M Student denied plagiarism but admitted to having read the article in question and applied his/her own knowledge. The student denied amending any figures. Outcome Substantiated – the Committee found that the work had come from an unacknowledged source and that the student had made minor amendments to the figures in order to try and pass the work off as his/her own. As this was the student’s second offence the penalty was the cancellation of the candidate’s mark in all of the modules for the particular level of study and the disqualification of the candidate from any future University examination.

11. Case 4 Case details Turnitin report for 1 module at Level 1 Student copied from essay writing site. Outcome Substantiated – the Committee found that the source identified as www.termpapers.com contained ready-made essays for students. There was no question that huge chunks of the assignment came from this source. This was a serious case and the Committee believed that the work had been done with the intention to mislead the reader, as to the origins of the text. The penalty imposed was the cancellation of the candidate’s marks in all of the modules for the particular level of study.

12. Case 5 Case details Turnitin report for 1 module at Level 3 Student accepted allegation of plagiarism and had been rushed when writing work. Outcome Substantiated – cancellation of the mark for the module.

13. Case 6 Case details Turnitin report for 2 modules at Level 2. Student accepted allegation of plagiarism and was suffering from mental health issues at the time of writing. Outcome Substantiated . Student raised major mental health and personal issues. Cancellation of all marks for the level of study. In light of the circumstances it was also recommended that the student suspend studies and return to re-do the level (marks un-capped) when fit.