March-April 2002 Home Page

• GUMC Network

• Gelardin Center

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• GOCard Services

• KeyBridge

• Turnitin.com

• Computer-based Training

• Frye Institute

E-Notes Home Page

Turnitin.com

Joseph Gardner and Shaida Safai

Just over five years ago, the Honor Council was formed to support academic honesty at Georgetown's four undergraduate schools. The statistics kept by the Council reflect two significant problem areas: cheating and plagiarism. Of these two, plagiarism is by far the more common violation of the Honor System.

In order to combat this trend, Georgetown University has subscribed to the Web-based anti-plagiarism service Turnitin.com. Using Turnitin.com is quite easy. Faculty simply register, then use the site's interface to submit papers. Turnitin.com checks the entire Internet (including "term paper mills" such as Cheater.com) and a database of previously submitted papers. After 24 hours, Turnitin.com will send the faculty member an electronic report with suspect sections of the paper converted to links to the original source. If plagiarism is suspected, faculty members are required to notify the Honor Council.

Turnitin.com is a useful tool, and faculty are encouraged (though not required) to use it. The Honor Council asks that faculty who use Turnitin.com notify their classes that papers will be submitted and submit all papers, not just those suspected of plagiarism.

Student members of the Honor Council are available to assist faculty and answer questions, or contact:

• Dr. James Sandefur, Faculty Chair, Georgetown University Honor Council, at sandefur@georgetown.edu.
• Sonia Jacobson, Georgetown University Honor Council, Office of the Provost, at jacobsos@georgetown.edu.

Joseph Gardner and Shaida Safai are student members of the Honor Council.