how do universities check for plagiarism in essays

Seven ways universities check for plagiarism in academic papers.

Plagiarism is unethical and unprofessional. It might seem like a tempting option to some students, but beware- you can never get away with that sort of thing. Blatantly copying someone else’s work and passing it off as your own is not only morally wrong but also illegal. Yes, you read that right, plagiarism can cost you your academic career.

Teachers often have to check several assignments and research papers. As they will be handling more number of student’s work. The time constraints and pressure can lead to mistakes. Plagiarism checking tools save teachers a lot of time and trouble.

The most used tool by the universities is Turnitin . These tools are designed to help the university to meet with deadlines without any mistakes. All you have to do is run your paper through Turnitin and you get a list of all the possible sources that your content may be copied from.

Have you ever wondered how the plagiarism checking tool works though? Well, here is a brief of the technology behind plagiarism checking software that you might find insightful:

Fingerprinting:

In this process, first a collection of multiple substrings are chosen. These strings showcase fingerprints. The elements that show a match/ are the same is called minutiae. The fingerprints are calculated in the form of a document. The minutiae are mapped to the index of fingerprints. The source value is set to give results of the process. It is adopted to increase the speed of the process.

String Matching process.

This technique is used in the information science industry to create a second approach. Postfix trees used to approach. The lengthier documents are not advisable to be scanned. Bag of the word is another method applied to locate plagiarised content. This approach displays the adoption of vector space retrieval.

Citation based plagiarism detection

This examination depends on the citation. Text form content analysis is not measured in this. Computer science assignments can be the best example to describe this approach. The uniqueness in this source is searched in other citation distributions. The model of this process lives. Yet techniques are not yet fostered. The order is searched to see the relatability between two documents. Relative fractions are the framework giving good search.

Here are some way university check plagiarism in academic papers

1.    writing styles.

Experience with a student’s writing style helps to discover if the paper is plagiarized or not. There can be crude and complicated sentences; this indicates the content is plagiarized. Unusual phrases that seem inconsistent with past writing samples are also good indicators. If a doubt arises, the teacher may ask a conference to assess a student’s knowledge with his paper. Uneven order of sentences is wrong according to anti-plagiarism guidelines.

2.    Plagiarism Tools

Teachers and university professionals often have a fair idea when a student submits unoriginal or copied assignments. The writing style and structure of the paper is a dead giveaway. Other than that most colleges also prefer to run the papers through a plagiarism checking software.

Duplichecker , Plagiarism Detector , Small SEO tools etc. are some other popular tools used by the university to prevent plagiarism. Teachers often ask students to submit their work straight through the service site. It produces email if any plagiarism is detected. These services can scan students’ papers. Additionally, essays upon a database of earlier submitted papers. Meeting web links and phrases are then organized into a report for the college review.

Best thing students can do is write their own words. Always cite the sources and use good plagiarism tools to avoid errors.

3.    Screening Software

Universities were using software programs as a shield against plagiarism during 1990. Professors can detect if the material comes from an online essay or paper mills. This can be a cheating method. But many sites recycle similar content and sources. This can increase the student’s risk of detection.

Universities also run college application essays and research paper proposals through these screening platforms. Any detection of unoriginal content would result in your application getting rejected.

Ensure that you follow the proper structure and add citations in your application essay . Attaching a statement of purpose, recommendation letters and certificates to your application improves your chances of getting into your dream university. 

4.    Format review and references

 Suspicious papers may have differences that teachers are habitual to over their career. Unsuitable subheads, mixture tables, margins are often a red flag. If students do not follow the norms of writing style is also plagiarism. Mixed statement style can also show students have copy-pasted the paragraph. Using resources that are not at the university shows students have stolen the text.

5.    Other Applications

Anti-plagiarism platforms put applications above academia. According to “The Los Angeles Times”, more than 100 college use programs like turnitin.com. It helps to evaluate essays in admission packages for plagiarism. More of this analysis occurs at the graduation level.

Any form of plagiarism detection can cost you an entire year or worse at the university. Teachers also check for plagiarism when reading through college application essays. Be very careful about your application, a few common mistakes can lead to your application getting rejected.

6.    When the paper does not fit the topic

 It is better to give a prompt for assignments. This helps students to get a better view of the assignment. So that they avoid writing paper by another writer. If teachers can brief out the assignment, then you can get slightly crooked from what you asked for.

7.    Change inflow

 Sudden change in the sentence/flow gets lost then there is a chance of text getting plagiarised.

This can be the most found error. This can be more complex than other factors above.

Here are ways to avoid plagiarism:

• When applying an idea or words that’s not your own add a citation to your writing. Ensure you state the name of the source, date published and other things related to citation.
• If you are inserting source words into your content, use quotation marks around the text. This can be an easy way to avoid plagiarism. A direct quote must also cite the source that readers know who have written those content.
• Paraphrasing is applying a source’s idea in your own words, without altering its meaning. One should be careful paraphrasing can also turn into plagiarism if done the wrong way. Uniquely format your words and try evading using similar words from the source. The objective is to do without changing the meaning of the idea itself.
• Instead of repeating the source idea or word, try putting what you want to say about the topic in your way. Think how uniquely you can share an idea or words. If you are implying the source idea to your point, you must follow guidelines to avoid plagiarism.
• While writing your paper, some phrases you might have to include without citation. When in doubt use plagiarism checking tools. It helps you to detect issues before submitting.

Conclusion:

 The technology has forced universities to embrace trending strategies to tackle plagiarism. While checking the high volume of papers, teachers can use tools to examine words and phrases. When time grants traditional methods like reviewing/writing styles can be followed. In other cases, most universities may choose a service to secure academic honesty.

As an assignment expert , Jane Crighton delivers online sessions at Expert Assignment Help(UK), helping students with writing essays and assignments. She is also one of the co-founders and education consultants at Top My Grades. Beyond work, you can find her at community homework workshops as a volunteer helping students in need of private tutoring with their homework.

• Date November 13, 2020
• Author Jane Crighton
• Category Uncategorized
• Tag College Admissions
• Comments No Comments

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, how do colleges handle application essay plagiarism.

Got a question that’s bugging me. When we submit our college apps, do universities use plagiarism detectors like Turnitin to check our essays? It’s not that I’m planning to copy anything—just want to make sure everything is above board with my original writing.

Yes, many colleges and universities do use plagiarism detection software to scan application essays for originality. While each institution may have its own specific system or process, tools like Turnitin are quite common in the higher education sphere, not just for admissions essays but also for academic work submitted by students after enrollment. The goal of these checks is to ensure the integrity of the application process by confirming that all submitted material is the applicant’s own work. Admissions committees take originality very seriously, as the essay is both a way to evaluate a candidate’s potential fit and writing skills, and also as a reflection of their honesty and ethical standards. If an essay is flagged for plagiarism, it can severely impact an applicant’s chances of admission, and could even lead to outright rejection. To ensure everything is above board with your original writing, make sure to cite any quotes or ideas that are not your own, and perhaps consider running your essay through a plagiarism checker yourself before submission as a precautionary measure.

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How Do Colleges Check for Plagiarism in Essays?

The modern age of information has meant that colleges and universities must adopt new strategies to combat plagiarism, which is when a student passes off somebody else’s work as their own. Professors have access to specialized software programs that can check papers, reports and essays by evaluating suspect words and phrases. In some cases, other methods such as reviewing writing styles or references are used.

Writing Style Analysis

Becoming familiar with a student’s writing style can help to determine if a paper is plagiarized. For example, an uneven mix of both amateur and sophisticated sentences can be a red flag, according to the anti-plagiarism guidelines for MIT’s Writing and Humanities Program. Other good indicators tend to be unusual choices of phrases or diction, which seem inconsistent with previous writing samples from the student.

Plagiarism Search Services

Search services like Turnitin or Plagiarism.org is another popular option used by colleges and universities to check the integrity of work. Instructors will often have students submit their work directly through the services site, which will generate an email if any plagiarism is detected. These services scan student papers and essays against a database of previously submitted papers, books and web searches. Matching web links and phrases are then compiled into a report for the institution to review. If you’re a student, the best thing you can do is write in your own words, always cite your sources, and use high-quality plagiarism-free essays writing services like EssaysWriting.org.

Reference and Format Reviews

Suspicious papers may contain inconsistencies that professors have become accustomed to over their career. For example, mismatched subheading styles, mixed tables, and margins that don’t follow requirements are often a red flag that plagiarism has occurred. Mixed paragraph styles can suggest that the writer has copied and pasted blocks of text from a webpage, while out-of-date references or the use of source material that’s unavailable at the institution may indicate that a student has had the essay written by somebody else.

Electronic Screening Software

Throughout the 1990s, more and more universities began to adopt various software programs to defend against plagiarism. These programs allow instructors to search billions of sources, including books, journals, and websites for similar passages surfacing in essays and research papers. They also provide instructors with the ability to determine whether a paper has come from a term paper or online essay mill; many of the low-quality options recycle similar content and references, significantly increasing the chance of getting caught out.

Other Applications

Anti-plagiarism steps have applications outside of academia alone. According to the Los Angeles Times, over one hundred colleges and universities in the US use programs like Turnitin to review admissions essay statements for plagiarism. Most of this scrutiny is aimed at graduate students, although some institutions conduct similar reviews for undergraduate applicants. If plagiarism is detected, it’s down to the college to decide if it’s serious enough to reject the applicant.

With so many ways for colleges to check for plagiarism, it’s simply not worth it!

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Boris Dzhingarov .

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Plagiarism and college : Students’ questions answered

About the author

Hi there. I am the prolific professor with 15 years of experience teaching online and in-person. I have a graduate degree. I have a passion for education. But I’ve also worked in the professional world (outside of education) too. Thanks for visiting.

FAQs : A college student’s guide for everything plagiarism

You find out that your professor is using a tool to check for plagiarism, and you start to panic.

Maybe you have plagiarized before.

Or you are worried that something will turn up as plagiarism, but you didn’t intend to plagiarize.

Now you’re paranoid.

And you’re looking for some answers.

I am going to explain how plagiarism checkers works, how professors use it, and what to expect.

I’ll give you some tips to help you avoid some of these common mistakes that students make that catch their professor’s attention and get them in trouble for plagiarism.

Then I will tell you how you can check your own paper for plagiarism.

As a professor, I have plenty of experience and knowledge about plagiarism.

What is plagiarism?

There are different types of plagiarism so it’s important to know how each type is defined.

Some students are surprised to learn that more than one type of plagiarism exists.

I see lots of students who plagiarize unknowingly so I am here to help explain plagiarism and how to avoid committing plagiarism.

Types of plagiarism

A student might use the entire contents of a paper and submit it as their own .

Pretend your friend took the same class last term, and the assignment didn’t change. You put your name on it and submit it as your own.

That’s plagiarism.

Or you take portions of writing from someone’s paper or online work without giving proper credit.

That is the type of plagiarism I see most often.

Other types of plagiarism could be you changing a few words here and there, trying to avoid detection.

But you can paraphrase and give proper credit to the author without committing plagiarism.

What happens if I plagiarize in college?

If you plagiarize, you could receive a failing grade, get a zero on the assignment, have a permanent mark on your transcript or get suspended or expelled from college. The penalties vary based on the institution, your professor’s policies and your previous infractions.

Universities will usually define plagiarism as a form of academic or scholastic dishonesty.

You should check your college’s student code of conduct or handbook to understand more about their definitions.

Most are elaborate to cover every type of plagiarism so that they can enforce their policies.

If you commit academic dishonesty, the college will likely have a process to find you responsible.

Now, if you are at a private university, then you may not have the same due process that students have at a public university.

Otherwise, when a professor suspects plagiarism, they turn it in to the appropriate office and wait on assigning a grade or giving a penalty to the student.

They give all the evidence to the investigating office.

The office reviews it, speaks with the student, and has a hearing, if applicable.

They make a decision and determine the appropriate penalty.

Usually, the professor will get to decide how the assignment is treated in their class, but the college may have additional penalties or requirements for the student beyond a grade.

Like an academic integrity seminar that the student must attend.

Usually you can appeal the decision , but not always.

That’s roughly how the process goes for most college students.

It’s best to avoid this so that you don’t have any permanent marks on your academic records.

Do professors always check for plagiarism?

No, not all professors will physically check a college student’s work for plagiarism, but it is very likely that a professor can tell if a student has plagiarized by their experience and using the student’s previous work for comparison.

A professor may be able to immediately detect plagiarism if they are very familiar with the work a student plagiarized from.

Or the professor may use a technological tool to search a paper for plagiarism.

Most colleges will pay for a license to use a website or tool that can detect plagiarism.

And most learning management programs (Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard, etc) may have these external tools available within the online classroom.

So even though you don’t have to submit your assignments directly to the plagiarism checker, just know it could be submitted through your online classroom when you upload it.

How does my professor check for plagiarism?

Most experienced professors can detect plagiarism when they read a student’s paper.

I have detected plagiarism without using any programs to do so.

I just have so much experience grading students’ papers, that I know what typical writing looks like for college students.

Plagiarized work stands out.

An example that might alert a professor that it’s plagiarized work is if a student has specific spellings of words that are not from the country the university is in like “color” v “colour” and the student hasn’t used the same spelling throughout the entire paper.

It might not always mean plagiarism though because the student might be from that country and use that spelling, however, if the paper contains various spellings of that same word, it might signal to the professor that’s it’s plagiarized.

So most of the time, it’s totally obvious.

Now how the professor proves it, that’s more tricky.

They need to have evidence to support their claim.

So, if I am reviewing work, and I just have an idea it is plagiarized, I could take a sentence or two and Google that phrase .

If results are populated, I review the article and I usually find more matches within that article.

But my work isn’t always that easy.

So instead of making things more complicated, most professors will use programs to help them detect plagiarism .

Like Turnitin.com or something similar.

Students typically upload their own assignments into a learning management system through their college, and it can run the paper through this external tool immediately.

The tool gives professors a similarity score (percentage) and then includes an originality report .

It shows all the matches.

PRO TIP : If you see your own similarity score, understand that it could be matching your bibliography and direct quotes too. Just understand that a professor can see individual percentages for matching sources and adjust the similarity score accordingly. So don’t fret about that.

Will plagiarism checkers know if I use my friend’s old essay?

Yes, if the paper was previously submitted to a plagiarism checker for review before and uploaded into a student repository, it will show a match. Or it might match for other outside sources because the original author heavily plagiarized themselves or got content from online.

I would NOT use a paper from another student, despite how tempting it can be.

I have had students use friend’s old assignments, and I get a perfect match.

As a professor, I can request more information from the professor who originally had their work submitted to Turnitin.com.

It usually doesn’t work out in the student’s favor.

How do professors know you plagiarized?

Professors often know students plagiarized just by reading their paper, but they need to provide some objective evidence to support their suspicions. The professor will likely use some type of artificial intelligence to find matches to other sources. They then cross reference the matched sources to your content to find plagiarism.

However, it isn’t all that straightforward. Sometimes students can change around just enough words, find synonyms, or use obscure sources to avoid detection.

But I usually caution students with this approach.

Because it will likely catch up to you.

I have had students who did this, and I thought this student’s paper was stellar. But when the same student did in-class written work, it just didn’t match his written content he submitted for assignments.

I started to scratch my head and wonder how this student can turn in such professional work but write this terribly in class.

And this prompted me to go through his written work with a fine-tooth comb.

And viola. I found it! Plagiarized work. The entire paper!

So even if this works for you for awhile, it probably won’t last forever.

Can I use the same paper from another course for a different class?

Yes and No. Some professors will allow students to use a previous research paper and submit it for their class, if it’s over the exact same topic. Or professors will allow a large percentage of the paper to be submitted for their research paper from a previous class, but not always. It may or may not be scholastic dishonesty at your college.

Before you use a paper from a previous class, or a large percentage of that work and copy it for another paper, make sure you ask that professor.

It may be considered scholastic dishonesty based on your school’s definitions.

If you get permission, I recommend written permission , keep it handy in case they forget and accuse you of plagiarizing.

Because if your paper was previously uploaded to Turnitin.com, and submitted to the student repository, it will come back as a match.

And it will look like you plagiarized.

And even if it can be proven that it was your original work, your professor or college may agree that it was a form of scholastic dishonesty, and you could get in trouble.

So check with your professor and check your college’s definition of scholastic dishonesty to make sure it’s not included.

Will my professor be able to detect plagiarism in hard copy or written work?

Yes. Sometimes professors can detect plagiarism because of their experience reviewing college students’ work and knowing the literature from their discipline. Professors can also upload the work into databases to review for plagiarism by using Optical Character Recognition software.

For this type of work, it is possible that a professor could re-type the entire paper and scan for matches themselves.

Or they could use an optical character recognition (OCR) tool to scan the image and convert it to machine-readable text.

So while unlikely, it is possible.

How can a student check for plagiarism ?

Well, this depends on your college.

Some colleges will allow students, through their institution, to login to Turnitin.com and check their similarity score and originality report themselves.

While others may not.

Check with your professor to learn about your options to see if something is provided or recommended.

Otherwise, there are some online tools that can check a student’s paper for plagiarism, but they may be limited.

For example, it won’t be able to scan a student repository for plagiarism like Turnitin.com can.

Here are my suggestions though.

And remember, if you are checking your own paper for plagiarism, you should be cautious about the tool you select.

You don’t want it to keep your paper in their repository for future matching because it would match yours later.

What Turnitin.com similarity score is bad?

I almost always tell my students that any similarity score over 30% starts to make me concerned. And I always review that originality report further to look for plagiarism more carefully. But all similarity scores aren’t the same.

It doesn’t mean that plagiarism occurred in a paper with a 30% or higher similarity score, and it doesn’t mean plagiarism didn’t occur in a paper with less than 30% either, it’s just always been a good measurement for me to review further

How to avoid plagiarism

You want to make sure that you thoroughly paraphrase the information yourself and give them credit too.

I typically recommend that students read the article or book, put it aside, and then try to summarize it, in their own words, so plagiarism is less likely to occur.

When you are writing and have an open book next to your computer, it makes it harder to write that information in your own words.

It’s too tempting and easy to overlook plagiarism so ditch the books and sources after you read them, and start typing only when they’re out of sight .

Also, if you submit your own work to different professors, it might be defined as plagiarism, depending on your institution.

I would always suggest that you write an entirely new paper for each class, regardless of how similar it was to a previous paper.

Oftentimes I find students plagiarizing because they simply forgot to cite sources or use quotation marks appropriately.

It is important to remember that there are rules for citations, and you should check with your professor on which type of style they want you to follow. See the most commons citation styles below.

Chicago style

And follow all those citation requirements.

Most of that information is online now and you can find out how to cite in-text and bibliography sources.

PRO TIP : Even if you paraphrase, you must cite your source in-text. There’s something called in-text citations that are important to learn for college.

Final Thoughts

Plagiarism can be a scary topic for students.

You have some students who are so concerned with plagiarizing, and are worried they’ll accidentally do this, that they fret the entire time they are writing their paper.

Other times, you have students who want to try and beat the system and find ways to avoid detection.

But after reading my article, you’ll realize that with advancing technology, it’s getting harder and harder to avoid detection.

And to be honest, you are really harming your education by creating a short-cut.

Instead, avoid plagiarism, learn the information, and do the work.

You’d be surprised how much more you’ll learn, and how many skills you’ll acquire by putting in the effort.

What happens if I get caught plagiarizing twice?

This completely depends on your college, but the first attempt is usually dealt with informally, but the second attempt has more consequences. You might have a permanent mark on your transcript, fail a class, or get kicked out of the college. But the college has a lot of discretion and none of that may happen.

I got caught plagiarizing, what should I do?

If you get caught plagiarizing, I would recommend that you be honest and talk to your professor immediately. It is possible that you could handle it informally without an official report to your college. And learn exactly how to avoid doing it in the future.

What happens if I get caught plagiarizing?

This depends on your professor’s policy. They should outline what the consequences could be for a student who is caught plagiarizing. And if they report it to your college, you will have additional consequences. Most colleges will have more lenient consequences for the first offense like completing a seminar about plagiarizing. But your professor could give you a zero for the assignment, or even fail you.

What to say when you get caught plagiarizing?

It could benefit you to be honest about your plagiarism and explain why it happened. Did you do it because you procrastinated and had to rush to complete the assignment? Or did you do it because you were lazy and didn’t want to do the work? Whatever the reason, own up to it. And then I would complete some type of outside seminar or tutorial on understanding plagiarism so that you could prove that you are changing your ways.

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The Perils of Plagiarizing Your College Application Essay

Kate Sliunkova

AdmitYogi, Stanford MBA & MA in Education

Applying to college can be a daunting task, with many moving parts to keep in mind. Amongst the most critical is an application essay, often viewed as the most personal part of the admissions process. This essay is supposed to give admissions officers an insight into who you are as a person, your passions, and your goals. However, many students make the grave mistake of plagiarizing their application essays, which can have severe consequences. In this article, we'll discuss the perils of plagiarism in college application essays and what you can do to avoid it.

Understanding Plagiarism in College Applications

Before we get started, it's essential to understand what plagiarism is and why it is such a significant issue in college application essays. At its core, plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else's ideas or words as your own, without giving them proper credit. In other words, it's cheating and is taken very seriously in academic settings.

Plagiarism is not only unethical but can also have severe consequences for students. It can lead to a loss of credibility, academic sanctions, and even expulsion from school. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it in your college application essays.

What Constitutes Plagiarism

Plagiarism can take many forms but is most commonly found in the following examples:

• Copying and pasting content from another website or source without proper citation.
• Paraphrasing someone else's words too closely and not giving them credit.
• Using someone else's ideas or arguments without acknowledging them.
• Having someone else write your essay for you and passing it off as your own work.

It is essential to understand that plagiarism is not limited to written content. It can also occur in images, graphs, and other forms of media. Therefore, it is crucial to give proper credit to the original source in all aspects of your college application.

Common Types of Plagiarism in Application Essays

The pressure to create a perfect application can lead to plagiarism in several ways. Some common types of plagiarism found in college application essays include:

• Using essays from other applications or online sources and changing a few words to make it "yours."
• Copying and pasting from your previous work without proper citation.
• Copying from other people's essays or buying essays online and submitting them as your own.

It is crucial to remember that college application essays are an opportunity for you to showcase your unique perspective and personality. Admissions officers want to hear your voice and your story, not someone else's. Therefore, it is essential to avoid plagiarism and write original content that reflects who you are as a person.

Additionally, many colleges now use plagiarism detection software to ensure the authenticity of application essays. Therefore, even if you think you can get away with plagiarism, the risk of getting caught is high, and the consequences can be severe.

In conclusion, plagiarism is a serious issue in college application essays that can have severe consequences for students. It is essential to understand what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it in your writing. Remember, your college application essay is an opportunity to showcase your unique perspective and personality, so be authentic and write from the heart.

The consequences of plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious offense that can have severe consequences, both academically and personally. It is a breach of academic integrity and can lead to numerous negative outcomes.

Rejection from Colleges and Universities

One of the most significant consequences of plagiarism is the rejection of college and university applications. Admissions officers are experienced in identifying copied content, and if they catch you plagiarizing, your application is unlikely to make it past the initial screening process. This can severely impact your academic and career prospects, as you may miss out on the opportunity to attend your desired institution.

Moreover, colleges and universities have strict plagiarism policies, and if caught, you may face disciplinary action, including failing classes or even being expelled from school.

Damage to Academic Reputation

Being caught plagiarizing can damage your academic reputation, and it may also affect your future applications to graduate school or jobs. In academic and professional settings, integrity is highly valued, and being caught plagiarizing can lead to a loss of trust and respect from peers and colleagues. This can have long-term negative impacts on your career prospects and personal life.

Legal and Financial Ramifications

Plagiarism is not only an ethical violation but also an illegal act. It can result in legal action taken against you, including copyright infringement charges. This can lead to financial issues due to loss of scholarships and grants, legal fees, and a tarnished reputation that can impact future employability.

In addition, plagiarism can also have personal consequences, such as guilt, shame, and a loss of self-esteem. It is essential to understand the severity of plagiarism and its potential consequences to avoid making such a mistake.

Therefore, it is crucial to always give credit where credit is due and to use proper citation methods to avoid plagiarism. It is better to put in the extra effort to create original content than to risk the severe consequences of plagiarism.

How Colleges Detect Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious offense in academic writing and can lead to severe consequences, including expulsion from college. As a result, colleges and universities have developed various tools and techniques to detect plagiarism in students' essays and other academic works.

Plagiarism Detection Software

One of the most common tools used by college admission officers to detect plagiarism is plagiarism detection software. These programs, such as Turnitin and SafeAssign, are designed to scan essays and other academic works for any copied content from other sources. The software compares the submitted work against a vast database of existing works to identify any similarities and flag them as potential instances of plagiarism.

While plagiarism detection software is not foolproof and can sometimes produce false positives, it is still an effective tool that has helped colleges and universities to catch many instances of plagiarism.

Expert Admissions Officers

Experienced admissions officers are another valuable resource in detecting plagiarism. These professionals have read countless essays and application materials and can often spot plagiarized content simply by reviewing your application essay alongside other application materials. They have a keen eye for identifying inconsistencies in writing style, language, and tone that may suggest plagiarism.

Additionally, admissions officers may ask follow-up questions during the interview process to clarify any inconsistencies or discrepancies they may have noticed in your application materials. These questions can help them to spot potential instances of plagiarism and ensure that the application materials are entirely original.

Cross-Checking with Other Application Materials

Admissions officers have access to a wealth of information about applicants, including academic transcripts and essays from past coursework. They can use this information to cross-check your current application materials for any similarities in writing style or language that may suggest plagiarism.

For example, if you submit an essay that uses the same sentence structure and vocabulary as an essay you wrote for a previous class, it may raise red flags for the admissions officers. They may investigate further to determine if the content is original or plagiarized.

Overall, colleges and universities take plagiarism very seriously and have developed various tools and techniques to detect it. By using a combination of plagiarism detection software, expert admissions officers, and cross-checking with other application materials, they can ensure that the application materials are entirely original and free from plagiarism.

Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism in Your Essay

Avoiding plagiarism is vital. Here are some tips to help you develop an original and authentic essay:

Start Early and Plan Your Essay

The earlier you start, the better your chances of avoiding plagiarism. Starting early allows you to have enough time to research and gather information from different sources. You can also create an outline, brainstorm, and create a rough draft, which will help you to see what tasks must be done ahead of schedule. This will also give you enough time to review your work and make necessary changes.

Use Your Own Voice and Experiences

Admissions officers are interested in getting to know you as a person. Share experiences and thoughts that have shaped who you are and make it your own. Remember that this essay is your story, and no one can tell it better than you! Use your own words and avoid copying content from other sources. You can also add personal anecdotes and examples to make your essay more engaging.

Properly Cite Sources and Quotations

If you need to include information from other sources, make sure to cite them in your essay properly. Failure to do so is considered plagiarism, even in the case of unintentional plagiarism. Make use of the correct citation format for the source. This not only helps you avoid plagiarism but also shows that you have done thorough research and can back up your arguments with credible sources.

Seek Feedback from Trusted Sources

Before submitting your application essay, ask trusted sources to review your essay for content or plagiarism. Family members, friends, and teachers can provide you with constructive criticism and spot mistakes that you may have missed. You can also seek help from professional editors who can help you polish your essay and ensure that it is free from plagiarism.

Remember that plagiarism is a serious offense that can have severe consequences. It can damage your academic and professional reputation and even lead to legal issues. By following these tips, you can avoid plagiarism and create an original and authentic essay that showcases your skills and personality.

In conclusion, plagiarism is never worth the risk. The consequences can be severe and may damage your academic record for many years. You can avoid plagiarism in your college application essay by starting early, creating a plan, sharing personal experiences, properly citing sources and quotations, and getting feedback from trusted sources. Remember, it's your story, and no one can tell it better than you!

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Northwestern (+ 7 colleges)

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