plagiarism detector

Meaning

A plagiarism detector is a software tool or online service used to scan written documents for copied or unoriginal content by comparing them to a massive database of web pages, journals, and student papers. Universities widely use these tools to ensure academic integrity. Students also use them to check their work before submission.

Examples

• Our university uses a sophisticated plagiarism detector to scan all student essays.

  Our university uses a sophisticated plagiarism detector to scan all student essays.

• I always run my draft through an online plagiarism detector to catch any accidental copying.

  I always run my draft through an online plagiarism detector to catch any accidental copying.

• The plagiarism detector flagged a common idiom as matching another source.

  The plagiarism detector flagged a common idiom as matching another source.

• If the plagiarism detector shows a similarity index above twenty percent, the paper is flagged.

  If the plagiarism detector shows a similarity index above twenty percent, the paper is flagged.

• Don't rely solely on a plagiarism detector; you still need to cite your sources properly.

  Don't rely solely on a plagiarism detector; you still need to cite your sources properly.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The teacher checked my essay with a plagiarism scanner machine.

  ✓ The teacher checked my essay with a plagiarism detector.

  While 'scanner' or 'checker' is sometimes used, 'plagiarism detector' is the standard terminology. 'Machine' is incorrect.

• ✗ I used a plagiarism detector to avoid plagiarize.

  ✓ I used a plagiarism detector to avoid plagiarizing.

  The preposition 'to avoid' must be followed by a gerund ('plagiarizing') or a noun ('plagiarism').

Related Expressions

Practice

• Before turning in your thesis, run it through a ___ to ensure originality.

  💡 Software used to find copied text.

  Show answer

  plagiarism detector

• The online ___ highlighted several sentences that matched a Wikipedia page.

  💡 A digital tool that flags unoriginal work.

  Show answer

  plagiarism detector