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Young World
Not so easy anymore
Anew computer program, sensitive enough to detect even small
fragments of copied work, is scanning school coursework, to see
whether candidates have been lifting essays from the Internet. Exam
board Edexcel is using the Turnitin program on coursework submitted for
GCSEs and A-levels. Students' accused of plagiarism will receive no grade
for the module or possibly for the whole exam. "We are determined to
ensure that those who cheat are caught," said John Black, Edexcel's Head
of Compliance and Quality Management. "Additionally, this software will
also benefit head teachers by providing detailed information and evidence,
which they can use when discussing plagiarism with colleagues and candidates."
The Turnitin program scans billions of pages from the Internet,
checking for match-ups between submitted coursework and previously
published work. Concerns about plagiarism resurfaced earlier this month
after a study revealed the phenomenon of "contract cheating" in which
students use legitimate out-sourcing websites to employ others to write
essays for them.
COMPLIED BY NIMI KURIAN
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