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6.3 Policy on the use of Turnitin "plagiarism detection" software

• 6.3.1 Introduction
• 6.3.2 Adoption of Turnitin
• 6.3.3 Educational use of Turnitin
• 6.3.4 Limitations of Turnitin
• 6.3.5 Key issues for Schools
• 6.3.6 Key issues for students
• 6.3.7 Guidance and support

6.3.1 Introduction

Both within and outwith the University there is still concern about the prevalence of plagiarism. For those who are reluctant to revert to an “examination only” policy for assessment, it is imperative to continue to find effective ways to address this issue. Whilst it is widely accepted that key amongst these ways are (a) effective and timely advice to students about proper forms of academic writing and (b) careful design of assignments to minimise the possibilities for plagiarism, there is nonetheless also wide acceptance of a need to have in place improved means of detection of academic misconduct whenever it does occur. It is in the interests of the students themselves that the standards of the institution are safeguarded and that no students are allowed to profit unfairly from academic misconduct.

6.3.2 Adoption of Turnitin

In 2006, the University subscribed, to the on-line scheme of ‘plagiarism detection’ that is promoted by JISC and used throughout the sector internationally. This is known as ‘Turnitin’. It enables a quick and wide-ranging search to check all (submitted) student work for verbal correspondences with texts found elsewhere. The check is not only against what can be found on the web; it also permits checks against other student work in Turnitin’s own accumulating database, even against an earlier year or a different institution that uses the service.

The availability of this tool requires that the University be clear about how it is to be used, in the interests of both staff and students. This paper outlines the policy for its use and is written with the Turnitin system in mind, but in many respects applies more generically.

6.3.3 Educational use of Turnitin

It is important to remember that Turnitin is used in the University not just to detect plagiarism but also as an educational tool for teaching students good academic skills.

Use of Turnitin for educational purposes should however be confined to supported contexts, in which students can be instructed about academic writing and advised about appropriate follow-up actions in cases where the writing is deficient. This may include tutorials or workshops devoted to best practice in academic writing that are offered as part of modules. This may also include skills workshops or individual advisory sessions offered by CAPOD or the University Library. In some cases (such as ELT) it may be integrated into class instruction.   Students should receive instructions in academic writing from an early stage in their University education. Turnitin should never be seen as a replacement for this instruction. It does not teach students how to write. Consequently, the University only allows academic and other relevant staff free access to Turnitin.  Turnitin is not accessible to students, as the University believes that the results from Turnitin would not provide students with informed feedback but would only teach them how to amend their work until it became “acceptable”.

6.3.4 Limitations of Turnitin

It is important that staff and students realise that:-

• A negative result (i.e. low % match) from a Turnitin check does not guarantee that academic misconduct has not occurred, because the database cannot be exhaustive and because some forms of academic misconduct may not be detectable by this means.
• A positive result (i.e. high % match) from a Turnitin check does not automatically indicate plagiarism, because the check may highlight a corresponding text that has been properly quoted and referenced.

The interpretation of the results produced by Turnitin must therefore be undertaken by an academic member of staff.  It is the responsibility of the academic marking the piece of work to ensure that they have seen and correctly interpreted the Turnitin report where this is available.

6.3.5 Key issues for Schools

The following options are available to academic staff for using Turnitin, all of which are recognised and permitted by the University.

• Staff may require electronic submission of all student work (with or without an accompanying hard copy) and may upload all such electronically-submitted work themselves for checking by Turnitin.
• Staff may require electronic submission of all student work through MMS or Moodle, which allows an automatic checking of all student work by Turnitin without any separate uploading by staff. This may be with or without an accompanying hard copy.
• Staff may decide to test individual pieces of student work on a suspicion or sample basis, if a procedure for obtaining an electronic copy of the work is in place.
• Staff may decide to test individual pieces of work using search engines other than Turnitin on a suspicion or sample basis.

Students must be clearly informed that work submitted for assessment may be tested on either a comprehensive or sample basis.

Staff are advised of the advantages of making use of the facility automatically to check all student work through the various forms of electronic submission.   All relevant Officers in Schools have been trained in this use, as well as in direct on-line submission.  The latter however can be very labour-intensive when all assessed work is submitted.

6.3.6 Key issues for students

It is important that students be aware of the potential use of Turnitin for checking their work for plagiarism but also the benefits of Turnitin as a tool for them to receive formative feedback from academic staff.

• All students should be made aware that the University has the general right to test for plagiarism as part of its assessment of student work. This should be emphasised at matriculation.
• Students should be made aware at an early stage of what constitutes good practice in academic writing and what constitutes plagiarism or academic misconduct. This is offered through pre-sessional workshops, University and School publications and/or in module instruction.
• Students should also be made aware that the use of detection systems is in the interests of seeking to treat all students fairly.
• If a student objects to his/her name being attached to work that is submitted to (and subsequently held by) Turnitin, then the alternative procedure will be to disguise the name from public recognition by use of a matriculation number.
• Schools should also circulate this information to students in a systematic way, reflecting a concern to promote good practice in academic writing and a desire to clarify, where necessary, what constitutes academic misconduct.

6.3.7 Guidance and support

For technical advice about the use of Turnitin and for information about workshops for staff on how to interpret Turnitin reports, please contact CAPOD.

The Proctor's Office can be contacted for any advice about this policy.