How to check, remove or reduce plagiarism fast

Mohamed Benhima
3 Jan 202307:45

TLDRThis tutorial addresses the persistent issue of plagiarism among students and researchers. It introduces Turnitin, a subscription-based plagiarism checking website often sponsored by universities, as a reliable tool. Free alternatives are mentioned but criticized for their inaccuracy. The video demonstrates how to use Turnitin to upload and check documents for plagiarism, highlighting the importance of paraphrasing to reduce similarity rates. It also touches on the limitations of plagiarism checkers, such as misidentifying generic terms or even correctly cited references as plagiarized. The tutorial suggests using AI tools like ChatGPT to paraphrase text and reduce plagiarism, but cautions that it's not always accurate, especially with text containing references.

Takeaways

  • 📝 Plagiarism remains a concern for students and researchers, and there are tools available to check, remove, or reduce it.
  • 🔍 Turnitin is a subscription-based website commonly used for plagiarism checks and is often sponsored by universities.
  • 🆓 Free alternatives to plagiarism checkers exist, but they may not be as accurate as paid services.
  • 📊 When using a free plagiarism checker, it may not detect copied text accurately, as shown by a Wikipedia example.
  • 💼 To use Turnitin, users upload a document and can include author details for a more thorough check.
  • 📈 The results from Turnitin show the similarity percentage and can highlight plagiarized sections.
  • 🎨 Paraphrasing can be done manually or with the help of AI tools like ChatGPT to reduce plagiarism.
  • 🔗 References and quotes can sometimes be incorrectly flagged as plagiarism by checkers, which is a limitation.
  • 📚 Universities often have a tolerance level for plagiarism, typically around 15%, due to the challenges of detecting common terms.
  • 🖥️ AI tools can assist with paraphrasing, but care must be taken to ensure that references are not removed in the process.
  • 🤔 It's important to keep references intact and paraphrase only the necessary text to avoid false positives on plagiarism checks.

Q & A

  • What is the main issue discussed in the tutorial?

    -The tutorial discusses the issue of plagiarism, including how to check, remove, or reduce it.

  • What is the name of the subscription website mentioned for checking plagiarism?

    -The subscription website mentioned for checking plagiarism is called 'Turnitin'.

  • Are there free alternatives to Turnitin mentioned in the transcript?

    -Yes, there are free alternatives mentioned, but they are not as accurate as Turnitin.

  • What is an example of a free plagiarism checker mentioned in the transcript?

    -An example of a free plagiarism checker mentioned is a website that shows up when searching for 'free plagiarism checker'.

  • How accurate is the free version of the plagiarism checker according to the transcript?

    -The free version of the plagiarism checker is not 100% accurate, as demonstrated by the Wikipedia text example which showed only 63% similarity despite being completely plagiarized.

  • What is the process of checking plagiarism on Turnitin as described in the transcript?

    -The process involves uploading a file, optionally including author details and document title, selecting the document, and then uploading it for plagiarism checking.

  • What does the similarity percentage on Turnitin indicate?

    -The similarity percentage on Turnitin indicates the extent of overlap with other sources, with a higher percentage suggesting more potential plagiarism.

  • What are the limitations of plagiarism checkers as discussed in the tutorial?

    -The limitations include inaccurate detection of general terms, issues with quoted text being flagged as plagiarized, and references sometimes being viewed as plagiarized.

  • How can one remove plagiarism from a document according to the tutorial?

    -One can remove plagiarism by paraphrasing the text manually or using an AI tool like ChatGPT to paraphrase the text.

  • What is the suggested approach when dealing with plagiarized references?

    -The suggested approach is to paraphrase the text while keeping the references at the end or beginning of the text to maintain proper citation.

  • What is the tolerance level for plagiarism set by universities mentioned in the transcript?

    -The transcript mentions that universities tolerate a certain percentage of plagiarism, specifically mentioning 15% as an example.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Tackling Plagiarism with Turnitin and Alternatives

The paragraph discusses the issue of plagiarism faced by students and researchers and introduces Turnitin, a subscription-based plagiarism checking website often sponsored by universities. It highlights the limitations of free alternatives which may not be as accurate, as demonstrated by a test with Wikipedia text showing only 63% similarity despite being entirely plagiarized. The tutorial then guides viewers on how to use Turnitin by uploading a document, optionally including author details, and initiating a plagiarism check. The results show a 90% similarity rate, indicating high plagiarism. The paragraph also mentions the potential inaccuracies of such checks, where common terms or even the purpose of a study might be flagged as plagiarized due to their generic nature. It concludes by suggesting manual paraphrasing or using AI tools like ChatGPT to reduce plagiarism.

05:02

🔍 Paraphrasing Texts with AI Assistance

This paragraph continues the discussion on plagiarism by focusing on the use of AI for paraphrasing to reduce plagiarism. It provides a practical example of using ChatGPT to paraphrase a paragraph that was flagged as plagiarized despite being properly referenced. The process involves copying the text to ChatGPT, requesting a paraphrase, and then comparing the new version with the old. The paragraph points out that while AI can be helpful, it's not always accurate, especially when it removes necessary references. It advises that clear texts without references are easier to paraphrase and suggests keeping references separate to avoid false positives. The speaker invites questions and remarks and mentions other platforms like Quillbot for text paraphrasing, concluding the tutorial.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers to the act of using another person's work or ideas without giving proper credit to the original source. It is considered unethical and is often a serious offense in academic and professional settings. In the video, the issue of plagiarism is central as the presenter discusses methods to check for it, remove it, or reduce its occurrence. The script mentions that even copying text from Wikipedia and pasting it into a free plagiarism checker can result in a false positive, indicating the checker's inaccuracy.

💡Plagiarism Checker

A plagiarism checker is a tool or software that scans written work to identify similarities to existing content on the internet or in a database. The video script describes using a subscription-based plagiarism checker called 'Turnitin', which is often sponsored by universities. The presenter also mentions the limitations of free alternatives, which may not be as accurate, as they might not detect plagiarized content with precision.

💡Turnitin

Turnitin is a widely recognized plagiarism detection service used by educational institutions to check the originality of students' submissions. The script explains how to use Turnitin by uploading a document and awaiting the similarity report. The service is highlighted for its academic use and is considered more reliable than free alternatives.

💡Similarity

Similarity, in the context of the video, refers to the percentage of content in a document that matches existing sources. The video script mentions that a document with a 90% similarity rate is flagged for potential plagiarism. This metric is crucial for identifying the extent of plagiarism in a document.

💡Paraphrase

Paraphrase involves rewording a text to convey the same meaning using different words and structure. The video emphasizes paraphrasing as a method to reduce plagiarism by altering the original text's phrasing while retaining the original intent. The presenter suggests using AI tools like 'Chat GPT' to assist in paraphrasing.

💡Chat GPT

Chat GPT is an AI-powered platform that can assist with tasks such as paraphrasing to reduce plagiarism. The script describes how to use Chat GPT by copying and pasting text and requesting a paraphrased version. However, it also points out potential issues with accuracy, especially when references are involved.

💡References

References are citations within a document that give credit to the sources of information used. The video script discusses how even text with proper references can be flagged as plagiarized by some checkers, indicating a limitation in the technology. The presenter advises paraphrasing such text carefully to avoid losing the original meaning or the reference itself.

💡Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the adherence to honest and ethical practices in academic work, which includes proper citation and avoidance of plagiarism. The video's theme revolves around maintaining academic integrity by using tools and methods to check and reduce plagiarism.

💡Subscription Website

A subscription website requires users to pay a fee to access its services or content. The video mentions that Turnitin is a subscription-based website, typically sponsored by universities, suggesting that it offers more reliable services compared to free alternatives.

💡Free Alternatives

Free alternatives refer to services or tools that are available at no cost. The script contrasts free plagiarism checkers with subscription services like Turnitin, noting that while free options are accessible, they may not offer the same level of accuracy or reliability.

💡AI

AI stands for Artificial Intelligence, which involves the use of machines to simulate human intelligence processes. The video mentions AI tools like Chat GPT for paraphrasing to combat plagiarism. AI is portrayed as a helpful yet imperfect tool that can assist but not replace human judgment in addressing plagiarism.

Highlights

Introduction to the problem of plagiarism in 2023.

Tutorial on checking, removing, or reducing plagiarism.

Introduction to the website 'Turnitin' for plagiarism checks.

Turnitin is a subscription service often sponsored by universities.

Free alternatives to Turnitin are mentioned but are not as accurate.

Demonstration of using Turnitin to upload and check a document for plagiarism.

Highlighting the issue of false positives in plagiarism detection.

Explanation of the color-coding system used by Turnitin to indicate sources.

Discussion on the tolerance level of plagiarism by universities.

The limitations of plagiarism checkers in identifying generic terms.

How to manually paraphrase to remove plagiarism.

Introduction to using AI tools like ChatGPT for paraphrasing.

Demonstration of using ChatGPT to paraphrase a plagiarized text.

The importance of maintaining references when paraphrasing.

The challenge of paraphrasing text with references.

Recommendation of other platforms for text paraphrasing.

Invitation for questions or remarks from the audience.

Closing remarks and sign-off for the tutorial.