But everyone else does

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But everyone else does!

• Implementation of an anti-plagiarism service

Jeff Getchell, Assistant Director Center for
Distance Learning and Teaching Excellence The
University of Texas-Pan American
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Session objectives

• Understand the implementation process
• Understand the reactions from faculty and
  students
• Understand the preparation necessary for proper
  implementation.

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Laying the Groundwork

• Summer 2003
• Demo at UT System, Austin
• April 2004
• Listserv post announcing an ABC Primetime segment
  on student cheating featuring Turnitin
• Announcement to faculty that funds are being
  requested for an anti-plagiarism service

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Implementing the Plan

• September 2004
• Budget approval received for service
• Submitted campus paperwork for service
• Agreement (contract) signed (pending)
• Purchase Order approved
• Notified Dean of Students
• Notified Student Government Association
• Sent out email to all faculty

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A new tool will soon be available to faculty for
use in the battle against student plagiarism. 
The Center for Distance Learning is purchasing a
campus-wide license to Turnitin, the online
anti-plagiarism service.  Turnitin is a service
that compares student papers to literally
billions of pages of written material from the
internet and proprietary databases.  Turnitin
creates a summary report indicating if
similarities exist between the submitted paper
and material existing in these databases.  The
instructor then reviews highlighted areas to
determine if plagiarism exists. Initial rollout
and testing of the Turnitin service is scheduled
for late October with campus-wide availability by
Spring 2005.  Additional information on Turnitin
can be found at http//www.turnitin.com Interest
ed in being an early adopter?  The CDL is looking
for several faculty that would be interested in
including this service in their Fall 2004
course(s).  The initial rollout will include
training sessions on using Turnitin and a review
of how to properly introduce the service into
your courses.  If you are interested in being a
part of this initial rollout please contact Jeff
Getchell by phone or email.  We only have a
limited number of slots available so first come
first served.  Please keep in mind that those
involved in the initial rollout will be expected
to provide the CDL with feedback on both the
Turnitin service and on how to improve on the
training and support received.  Thanks.
Initial E-mail to Faculty sent September 3, 2004
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Gather early adopters

• Those wanting to use the service immediately
• Requirements
• Attendance at orientation workshop
• Feedback on training, implementation, and support
• thirty faculty expressed interest
• Business, Communications, Psychology, Rehab
  Services, Biology, CIS, History, Poli. Sci.

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The Plan

• Make initial announcement to faculty
• Begin faculty training
• Test service using volunteer faculty
• Obtain feedback
• Implement campuswide

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The Plan

• Develop syllabus statements
• UAH is committed to the fundamental values of
  preserving academic honesty as defined in the
  Student Handbook (7.III.A). The instructor
  reserves the right to utilize electronic means to
  help prevent plagiarism. Students agree that by
  taking this course all assignments are subject to
  submission for textual similarity review to
  Turnitin.com. Assignments submitted to
  Turnitin.com will be included as source documents
  in Turnitin.com's restricted access database
  solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism in
  such documents. The terms that apply to the
  University's use of the Turnitin.com service, as
  well as additional information about the company,
  are described at www.uah.edu/library/turnitin.
• The University of Alabama at Huntsville
• http//www.uah.edu/library/turnitin/example1.h
  tm

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The Plan

• Develop faculty guidelines
• Make all students aware
• Syllabus statement
• Announcement in class
• If used, submit all paper and not just some
• Use is optional for both faculty and students

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The Plan

• Training
• Training for faculty includes
• Overview of plagiarism
• Overview of Turnitin
• Requirements
• Canned statement in all syllabi that service may
  be used in any written assignment
• Same announcement made in class
• Submit all papers, not just certain ones
• Use is optional in classes
• Students may elect not to use service without
  penalty
• Course creation process for instructor
• Account creation process for student

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The Plan

• Training for students includes
• Account creation process for students
• Uploading papers
• Training for support staff (CDL Helpdesk)
• All of the above plus administrator options

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The Plan

• Use with early adopters Fall 2004
• Campuswide implementation by Spring 2005
• Evaluate effectiveness
• Email faculty surveys
• Informal talks with faculty
• Comments received by Helpdesk

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Faculty ReactionsQuestions asked to early
adopters

• Why will you use Turnitin?,  To combat expected
  plagiarism?  As a learning tool to teach proper
  citation techniques?  Anything else?
• Do you expect your students to object to it's
  use?  Why or why not?
• Do you plan on using it in all your courses? 
  Lower level only?  What will be your criteria?
• Have any of your colleagues expressed opinions,
  and if so, were they for or against it's use?
• Any other thoughts on the use of such tools in
  the classroom.

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Faculty Reactions

• I want to use it to combat plagiarism.  I
  already teach how to cite properly, so if they
  don't do it, oh well. 
• I guess I feel when it comes to academics we are
  "policemen" or the authority and upholder of
  standards.
• I will  use it for any out of class essay
  assignment at any level.  I don't think the
  students will object, even if they are guilty. 
  My syllabus makes clear that I check their papers
  and the consequences for plagiarism.

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Faculty Reactions

• The clear purpose is as a check against
  plagiarized work, not as a substitute for grading
  or evaluating the substance of their
  submissions.
• Within reason, I assume I have the right to use
  all available tools to ensure the integrity of
  grades that are being awarded for work submitted
  in the class.

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Faculty Reactions

• The need and the use of such tools is a
  consequence of the wide availability of material
  on the web and some students feeling no
  harm/guilt in using others work as their own.
• This kind of tool is being use to PROTECT those
  that do their own work and to make sure that
  those that plagiarize get caught or at least have
  a chance of catching them.

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Faculty Reactions

• My other thought is that I am terribly sorry
  that we teachers at the university level have to
  resort to this measure. 
• It gives me no pride to know my university had
  to invest tax payer money to maintain a minimum
  level of scholastic integrity.

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Faculty Reactions

• It would be nice to think that those who choose
  to plagiarize will ultimately somehow "pay for
  their sins", but it's quite likely that many
  students can get by without being caught and it's
  an easier road to the diploma.
• I am less concerned with that than the
  associated fact that motivated students may work
  really hard to produce a good paper based
  entirely on their own efforts and still end up
  with a poorer grade than someone who simply
  plagiarizes.
• Students should be rewarded for their efforts
  and abilities, not made to feel that they may be
  following their convictions at the possible
  expense of their college grades.

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Next Steps

• Develop website containing
• Description of Turnitin service
• Tutorials on using service (course creation,
  adding students, submitting papers, summary
  report)
• Example syllabus statement
• Campus policy on academic dishonesty
• FAQ

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Alternatives

• My Dropbox (www.mydropbox.com)
• EVE2 (www.canexus.com/eve/index.shtml)
• Integriguard (appears to have gone to the dark
  side)
• CopyCatch (www.copycatchgold.com/)
• WordCheck (www.wordcheck.com)
• Glatt Plagiarism Screening Program
  (www.plagiarism.com/)

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• Questions