How does software that checks for plagiarism work?

A plagiarism check is an essential step for protecting academic integrity and guarding authorship rights. The idea of ensuring that sounds pretty easy. Comparing the text to the sources that can be used for copying, one can conclude whether the content is original or duplicated. However, manually analyzing that giant amount of information demands too many resources. So, that’s when plagiarism-detecting tools come to the rescue.

How do plagiarism checkers work

Plagiarism checkers take on the challenge of comparing the text to available resources and detecting any matching parts. The tool also shows the percentage of similarities. It offers a verdict on whether the writing can be considered plagiarised or original, but it is always up to the human to make the final decision.

  1. Each plagiarism detector requires a database. Its vastness depends on the product and the customers’ needs. For example, software for teachers may include a repository of academic papers, while a product aimed at editors will contain published journal archives. The more comprehensive the database, the more accurate results the checker provides, as it looks through a larger number of sources. Some tools offer custom repositories, allowing users to upload their own sources for comparison.
  2. Plagiarism detectors rely on complex algorithms, looking through all the resources online plus through all the content in their repository. They compare the keywords and text extracts and analyze the phrase structure. The advanced detectors also catch replacement words with synonyms and improper paraphrasing attempts.
  3. The checker calculates the score and generates a report based on the similarities found through the text analysis. Depending on the tool, the output can contain only the percentage of the plagiarism detected in writing or a detailed picture with the highlighted matches and the links to original sources.

How to use a plagiarism detector

Let’s break down into steps how similarity detection works, using the example of PlagiarismCheck.org.

  1. Any detector offers to paste the text for scanning on the website. Some tools offer more options. With PlagiarismCheck.org, one can submit a file on the website, scan any web page with a browser extension, or try plagiarism detection on Google Docs with an add-on. Teachers and students can also detect plagiarism with one click in their Learning Management System.
  2. The tool gives a result after processing the text. With PlagiarismCheck.org, one can run several checks simultaneously, getting a comprehensive report for each piece. The checking process normally takes a few moments.
  3. The report highlights the parts of the text where the matches have been detected. With PlagiarismCheck.org, one can compare the writing to the original source and make conclusions about whether the piece was plagiarized and how severe the case is. The report is downloadable and printable and can also be shared with others, accelerating feedback and work analysis.

PlagiarismCheck.org provides a comprehensive solution for educators, students, and content makers. A similarity detector and AI checker ensure text authenticity, and various integrations and responsive customer support make your user experience smooth and seamless. Join us now!