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The Effectiveness of Text-Matching Software: Using

Turnitintm with Graduate Research Students

Colin RundleColin RundleFormerly Formerly Foundation for Advanced Studies on Foundation for Advanced Studies on

International Development (FASID)International Development (FASID)colinrundle@yahoo.comcolinrundle@yahoo.com

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Overview

Text-matching using Turnitin Turnitin’s Originality Check The Study Results:

Dramatic reduction in plagiarism Student views on using Turnitin

Conclusion

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TurnitinAn online system to which student papers are uploaded in order to:

Directly compare student writing and matching texts 14 billion current and archived web pages 150 million student papers Millions of books Millions of articles from libraries and

publications Educate students about plagiarism and

thereby reduce it.

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Originality Check and Similarity Index

Originality Check: Color-codes POTENTIAL plagiarism

Clicking coded text brings up published text for direct comparison accurate plagiarism determination precise revision, e.g. paraphrasing, citation, direct

quotes Similarity Index: Amount of coded text as

percentage of total text. 30+% suggests problems with plagiarism

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Originality Check Interface

https://www.turnitin.com/static/videos/demo_or.html

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The Study The Context

Japanese, Asian, African Development economics MAs 15-25 page MA dissertations 5 x one-year MA cohorts, 2006-2011 Written October-August each year 161 students

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The Study (cont.)

Compare average similarity indexes 136 dissertations: ALL support only (2006-

2010) 25 proposals: ALL support/TII workshop

only (2011) 25 dissertations: ALL support and Turnitin

self-access (2011) Survey of Turnitin Use

14/25 students

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The Study (cont.)

Half students in all cohorts took intensive EAP program, including plagiarism avoidance.

Turnitin cohort took 90 minute workshop on plagiarism and using Turnitin while drafting dissertation proposals

Embedded ALL support by consultation Originality reports evaluated by instructor and

students Referred to in consultations when necessary

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Results: Similarity Index

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Results: Similarity Index (Cont.)

30%

Percentage distribution

2006-10 2011

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Results: Usage Survey

improved your understanding of plagiarism 4.21helped you to reduce potential plagiarism in your dissertation

4.07

helped you to avoid plagiarism in or improve other papers

4.00

has made you a better academic writer 3.64was easy 3.85

Using Turnitin

(5 = Strongly agree, 1 = Strongly Disagree)

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Results: Usage Survey (cont.)

Explain how it helped you: 6/10 identified paraphrasing, e.g.

After Colin showed us how the Turnitin found the part which is similar to other papers, I become more careful when I paraphrase. I am sure that it improved my referencing to some extent.

I tried to do paraphrasing as much as possible.

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Results: Usage Survey (cont.)

What did you like about it? There were colorful lines in a paper and

it gave me a vivid image of plaigarism. It provides exact place where we have

wrongly cited or paraphrased Facility of cross-checking with original

sources.

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Results: Usage Survey (cont.)

What didn’t you like about it? 4/7 identified difficulty of use, e.g.

For the first time, it seems a bit difficult and complicat to use.

Need to induct student fully on the application of the software

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Results: Usage Survey (cont.)

Recommendations for its further use 5/10 recommend increasing its use, e.g.

Allow it to be used in all other areas of writing such as term papers not only in [dissertation writing].

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Conclusion Turnitin

reduces potential and actual plagiarism. Demonstrates clearly what plagiarism is Particularly where (how?) to paraphrase

Students should be trained to use it to effectively improve paraphrasing/ referencing during redrafting process