How to Avoid Plagiarism Online?

Today’s Hot Topic Question comes from George, who asks:

How to avoid plagiarism online?  

How to check for plagiarism when the students submit their work?

Research shows that around 75 percent of students are engaged in some form of plagiarism online. So what are the ways to prevent this situation? Here are some strategies that will show online teachers and trainers how to avoid plagiarism online.

Watch this 4 minute video to learn how:

Here is the summary of the video:

1. Provide definition of plagiarism to your students and give concrete examples- often they do not even know what plagiarism is
2. Set time limits for student activities including tests and other high-stakes assignments
3. Assign various types of work often in a semester to establish a track record and have various means of assessment
4. If you use an LMS, randomize your tests, so different students will have different orders of items on their quizzes
5. Ask students to provide you with a writing sample at the beginning of their semester so you have something to compare to
6. Make things that are hard to control, such as online quizzes, to be a small part of the final grade, using other forms of assessment that measure deeper knowledge more valuable.
7. If you have a synchronous class- have some quizzes done during class.
8. Some programs show you how to check for plagiarism online, such as Turn-It-In, which acts as a way to check.
9. Tell students about the consequences of cheating

10. Create written contracts

NOTE: Cheating is not only the responsibility of the student. Online instructors must maintain open communication w the students and provide timely feedback.

How to check for plagiarism?

There are several signs of cheating you can look for in the students’ work:

~ mixed formatting of the text. Use of different citation systems (MLA vs APA)

~ url  address or some other marks of the web-based text  left on the paper.

~ weird formatting that results from cutting and pasting from the web into  a Word doc

~ are all parts of the assignment covered?

~ does the written style of the paper change?

~ is there verb agreement (with nouns and tenses)

~ does the style match to the students’ written sample?

~ is the bibliography complete?

Hopefully with these techniques you can avoid plagiarism in your online classroom.

What are your strategies for plagiarism prevention? Share your thought in the comments below!

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