Online plagiarism detection services – saviour or scourge?

Although the exponential growth of the internet has made it easier than ever to carry out plagiarism, it has also made it much easier to detect. This paper will give an overview of the many different methods of detecting web-based plagiarism which are currently available, assessing practical matters such as cost, functionality and performance. Different types of plagiarism detection services will be briefly outlined by broad category. The paper will then consider the relative advantages and disadvantages of the different methods, referring to comparative studies where possible. It will also draw out some of the more general drawbacks of electronic detection, ranging from practical matters such as technical restrictions, data protection issues, and cost, to the human impact on staff and students alike. It will counterbalance this by outlining the many possible benefits of implementing online detection in academic institutions, aside from the obvious pragmatic time-saving if dealing with large cohorts of students. It will argue that if online detection is used in conjunction with the many valuable 'anti-plagiarism' resources and tutorials available on the web, it really can become a positive teaching aid for staff and students alike, rather than a threatening online policing system. The paper will conclude with a brief forecast for the future of plagiarism detection, and will emphasise that any form of online detection service can only act as a mere diagnostic tool to highlight possible cases of plagiarism, with human judgement always needed to investigate further.