University makes software move on plagiarism

Plagiarism detection software is about to be introduced at the University of Otago.

A working party set up last year to investigate options had decided to introduce a programme called SafeAssign, academic and international deputy vice-chancellor Prof Gareth Jones said.

The programme, one of two originality-checking software tools most widely used in Australia and New Zealand, had been selected because it was compatible with the Blackboard electronic course management system the university already used, and could be introduced without additional software licence fees, he told a university council meeting this week.

Otago was the only New Zealand university not making a plagiarism detection system software tool generally available to departments, the working party's report to the university council said.

The programme produces a report which either clears the work run through it as original, or raises indications of plagiarism.

Staff would need to be aware of the dangers of assuming plagiarism had definitely occurred, the working party report said.

The council adopted all the working party's recommendations, including the introduction of the software for staff from the beginning of next year, and for staff and students from 2011.

The software would be evaluated at the end of 2011.

Its use would not be mandatory, Prof Jones said.

The working party also recommended students be given more information about plagiarism, and that staff be trained in how to use SafeAssign and the procedures to follow should plagiarism be suspected.

Penalties for plagiarism range from forfeiture of marks, a zero grade, or, in extreme cases, exclusion from the university.