Plagiarism Detection Systems : An Evaluation Of Several Systems

• Main Author: Ahmad Hashem
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: LC5201 Education extension. Adult education. Continuing education
• Online Access: http://library.oum.edu.my/repository/139/1/plagiarism_detaction_system.pdf; http://library.oum.edu.my/repository/139/
• Institution: Open University Malaysia

In the Open University environment where students are not centrally located and are not under any direct supervision the potential for plagiarism definitely exists. The very technology that facilitates open learning also allows easy exchange of papers among peers. Students can also easily access “paper-mills” where essays can be quickly customized to suit requirements, for a fee. There is also the vast information residing on the Internet ready for creative reuse. In the light of all these temptations the Open University of Malaysia (OUM) is exploring the use of technology to educate students and deter plagiarism. One approach that appears promising is to use a good commercial plagiarism detection system. The system, by being able to detect cases of plagiarism would serve as a deterrent and hopefully contribute towards inculcating the culture of honesty. This paper presents the findings from a small study using two detection systems, a commercial Plagiarism Detection System, MyDropBox and a simple and free automatic file comparison system, Pl@giarism. The results show that while the automatic system is very useful, the simple and free system can be adequate for most purposes. Recommendations on a suitable system for the OUM context are then made based on these findings. (Author's abstract)