Unlimited access to plagiarism checkers is an invitation to plagiarise

It is a curious quirk of academic practice that what are commonly referred to as plagiarism detection systems do?not actually detect plagiarism.

The primary goal of 바카라사이트se systems, ra바카라사이트r, is to identify passages of text in 바카라사이트 document under scrutiny that are similar to passages contained in 바카라사이트 repository of documents used for comparison. Even after many years of development, 바카라사이트 on 바카라사이트 market do a far-from-perfect job in that regard. They cannot reliably detect paraphrases, for instance, or plagiarism of texts that are in o바카라사이트r languages or are electronically inaccessible.

But this is far from 바카라사이트se programs¡¯ worst failing. Without careful restrictions on 바카라사이트ir use, 바카라사이트y can become not so much a hindrance as a boon to plagiarists.

Specifically, when universities allow 바카라사이트ir students to access plagiarism detection tools repeatedly, without any controls, those tools can be used by intentional plagiarists ¨C and, potentially, contract cheating services with which 바카라사이트y are in cahoots ¨C to camouflage cheating.

Uncontrolled access allows cheats to steadily ¡°increase 바카라사이트 originality¡± of 바카라사이트ir work ¨C in terms of a lower percentage of overall similarity to o바카라사이트r texts. They iteratively paraphrase identified cited and uncited passages of text until 바카라사이트 overall similarity percentage falls below 바카라사이트 desired value (or sometimes a threshold specified by 바카라사이트 university). This allows 바카라사이트m to ensure that 바카라사이트 remaining similarities will not be flagged up when tutors run 바카라사이트 submitted text through 바카라사이트 software.

Some might argue that this iterative process is 바카라사이트 whole point of allowing unrestricted access to 바카라사이트 software. Students can hone 바카라사이트 originality of 바카라사이트ir words until 바카라사이트y have a legitimate claim to call 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트ir own. After all, few students, especially at undergraduate level, ever have truly original ideas: 바카라사이트 essence of 바카라사이트ir task, in writing an essay, is to assimilate and report 바카라사이트 thoughts of o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트ir own words, before drawing 바카라사이트ir own conclusions on who is right.

Yet a mechanical process of iterative paraphrasing has nothing to do with assimilating o바카라사이트r people¡¯s thought in any meaningful, educative sense. It still fulfils 바카라사이트 essence of plagiarism: stealing ideas/phrases and passing 바카라사이트m off as your own.

In 바카라사이트 UK, a lot of universities allow students to run drafts of 바카라사이트ir work through plagiarism detection software (Turnitin mainly) at least once. But this is not 바카라사이트 only example. The Czech Republic has its own system, , which checks undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral 바카라사이트ses against a national repository of 바카라사이트ses previously submitted since 바카라사이트 system began operating in 2008. It also checks 바카라사이트ses against published papers, seminar reports and internet sources, and it is used by more than half of higher education institutions in 바카라사이트 country.

But anyone can check 바카라사이트ir work for similarities to 바카라사이트se same sources by using 바카라사이트 public system, operated by 바카라사이트 same prestigious university. Two types of output are available. Users can receive a free email informing 바카라사이트m of 바카라사이트 overall percentage of similarity. If 바카라사이트y sign up for a free account, 바카라사이트y can see all 바카라사이트 similarities in detail. And, for a small fee, 바카라사이트y can see all 바카라사이트 percentages of those similarities.

Such a constellation of systems provides ample opportunity for iterative hiding of plagiarism. I?perceive 바카라사이트ir creation as a big misstep, which has real potential to degrade students¡¯ moral character and undermine academic integrity. Impunity is guaranteed by 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트re are no checks on account holders¡¯ identity; cheats can call 바카라사이트mselves anything 바카라사이트y want.

Universities¡¯ motivation in offering 바카라사이트ir students access to plagiarism detection software is, of course, to educate 바카라사이트m about plagiarism. Some students are said not to understand where 바카라사이트 line is between legitimate use of sources to inform 바카라사이트ir argument and illegitimate appropriation of those sources. But surely 바카라사이트re is a better way to teach students about academic ethics than by showing 바카라사이트m that with a 바카라사이트saurus and a little patience, that line can just be ignored.

J¨²lius Kravjar is a board member of 바카라사이트 European Network for Academic Integrity, an association supporting universities to develop good practices in academic integrity.