WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Purdue University, Notre Dame, Indiana State and several other Indiana colleges have hired an Internet service that uses antiplagiarism software to compare term papers against databases of online resources.
Called Turnitin.com, the service is provided by iParadigms of Oakland, Calif., and is costing Purdue $25,000. In addition to using Turnitin.com, the school will create a faculty position to help students search the Internet and credit sources properly.
The move is in response to increased plagiarism on campus. According to this year’s study by the Center for Academic Integrity, approximately 40 percent of students say they inappropriately cut and paste text from online sources. Six years ago the rate was 10 percent. Additionally, students can buy term papers.
Sixty-five Indiana high schools are also trying the same approach.
