MSU considers new online plagiarism detection software

By Stephen Brooks | Originally Published: 02/02/12 9:55pm | No comments

When the Internet was invented, it opened up a gateway for students of all ages and education levels to cheat, share information and plagiarize — leaving instructors to develop countermeasures.

Taking the next step in combating plagiarism in both academic assignments and university applications, MSU is researching and considering acquiring online plagiarism detection software called Turnitin, said Carrie Heeter, Creative Director at MSU virtual university design and technology, or vuDAT.

“(Plagiarism is) not rampant,” she said. “It’s a concern, but it’s not necessarily something that happens a lot.”Turnitin currently is being used by more than 100 universities nationwide and has features such as a built-in rubric for online assignments and a comment tool for instructors to use on assignments, Heeter said.

Last year, vuDAT conducted a survey that asked instructors and students their opinions on different features of Turnitin, Heeter said. Responses from the 282 instructors and 3,015 students largely were favorable for the software and some of its features.

Plagiarism is on the minds of instructors, as 66 percent of those surveyed said they were “quite” or “very” concerned with it, according to the survey report. However, 25 percent of instructors reported never having a plagiarism occurrence.

Software such as Turnitin is worth MSU’s time to look into to provide more credibility to students, said construction management senior Justin Lipsky. The software could also benefit graduate students that publish various work, he said. In his own experience, Lipsky said his professors take plagiarism very seriously.

“(In) my IAH class … some kid plagiarized, and the teacher blew up and was just going ridiculous on it,” Lipsky said.

Many universities across the country are using Turnitin to detect falsified or replicated applications — especially for graduate schools, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The MSU Office of Admissions is not interested in using the plagiarism software on its applications, said Director of Admissions Jim Cotter.

“Our application is such that it would be very, very unlikely for someone to plagiarize someone else’s work,” he said.

The only writing sample MSU requires in its undergraduate admission application is a personal statement. The statement is an opportunity for applicants to tell their story, Cotter said, and since the university doesn’t require any letters of recommendation, there isn’t a need for someone to plagiarize.

MSU hasn’t had many issues with false information on applications in the past, but if they were to occur, it could be seen as an issue of academic dishonesty, Cotter said.

“That tends to be along the lines of criminal conduct,” he said.