Computer Assisted Language Learning

Plagiarism Checker or Reality Check

rachid — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:33:37 +0000

When we hear the word Plagiarism, the first image that comes to our minds is that of a high school or college student plagiarizing on her paper. The reality, however, is much more different as every day, we hear news about celebrities, educators, professors and even politicians plagiarizing somehow. This week, the defense minister of Germany was forced to resign as a result of plagiarism accusations. Mr. Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg resigned from his office on Thursday, over revelations of serious plagiarism instances of plagiarism in his doctoral thesis. Apparently, the former defense minister copied a significant amount of content from a previously published document into his research, but failed to cite his sources.
Similarly, Rene Lafreniere, a renowned head of surgery at the University of Calgary , was found to have plagiarized by copying information from medical journals without giving proper credit. Unlike Mr. Guttenberg, Rene is still practicing and never faced any disciplinary measures as a result of plagiarism.
Clearly, plagiarism is a phenomenon that affects all sorts of people from all walks of life. The biggest mistakes made when dealing with this issue is to label someone who plagiarized a cheater and proceed with disciplinary measures such as suspension. This approach is innately erroneous as it fails to recognize the root causes of plagiarism which are social and psychological in nature. In other words, no one plagiarizes for the sake of plagiarizing. Instead, there are multiple factors at play that cause an individual to copy content from a source without giving proper credit to the original author.
Before we look at some of those factors, it is important to understand what plagiarism is and how students often end up committing this unforgivable sin. In simple terms, plagiarism is using someone else’s words or ideas without giving that person proper credit. Therefore, each time you copy something from another source and fail to correctly acknowledge the source, you are committing plagiarism. This gets more complicated when the person accidentally fails to cite sources, which is common among the majority of students as a result of disorganization or just physical and mental exhaustion.
There are also other reasons why students plagiarize such as lack of library skills. Many professors simply assume that their students have already been taught basic academic writing skills, which is often not the case. Many college students are not familiar with the different academic styles such as MLA and APA and have never written a real research paper in their life. Many of those students have not been taught how to incorporate quotes into their writing and correctly cite the sources in the bibliography. As a result, many students, under time pressure, would simply copy information from a book or a website and move on with their writing, not realizing that every outside source must be cited in the correct format.
As for detecting plagiarism, many universities and colleges around the world utilize software to identify instances of plagiarism in students’ essays and even on college applications. A simple Google search for the words a plagiarism checker or plagiarism detector returns dozens of free and premium online services that specialize in plagiarism detection. Finding reliable plagiarism software can be a challenging task. Most of these free online services are of poor quality and should not be trusted when running plagiarism checks on students’ papers. Instead, opt for a reliable premium company such as Turnitin or Academicplagiarism.com as they offer higher quality checks that cover multiple sources and databases. Academicplagiarism offers single user as well as institutional subscriptions to its plagiarism detection software.
All in all, educators must take responsibility in regards to plagiarism and ensure that students are equipped with the right knowledge to avoid plagiarizing in the first place. It is also recommended that students use an online plagiarism checker to scan their work before submitting it to their professor. Academic institutions are advised to subscribe to services lik plagiarismedu or Turnitin.

Plagiarism Detection for Colleges and Universities

rachid — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:03:14 +0000

Academicplagiarism.com is a U.S based company operating from New York that an advanced platform for preventing plagiarism and maintaining academic integrity.

Instructors use academicplagiarism.com to check their students’ work for instances of plagiarism by comparing documents to a large database of sources including the web, books, publications as well as pre-written essays (See Fig 1). Checking students’ work for plagiarism and maintaining academic integrity can be a daunting and time consuming task. Academicplagiarism.com simplifies this process by allowing you to generate detailed reports highlighting potential areas of plagiarism in students’ work.

Features

Accuracy: The power behind academicplagiarism’s algorithm is its accuracy. When uploading documents for a plagiarism scan, professors have two options

1- Exact sentence structure match. This option will only flag text as plagiarism if it exactly matches the source sentence. The advantage of this option is its detection accuracy as even the lowest plagiarism percentage is considered a red flag and requires further action. This option will not detect sentences and phrases that have been slightly modified using synonyms, passive/active voice alterations…etc.

2- Dynamic detection: This option can flag sentences and phrases that have been slightly modified to avoid being detected.

Intelligence: Unlike most plagiarism detection services, academicplagiarism’s algorithm will detect quotations in your students’ work and will not flag them as potential plagiarism. This significantly improves the accuracy of the reports.

Ease of use: Plagiarism reports are very easy to read and navigate. academicplagiarism uses a very simple color-coded system to flag potential instances of plagiarism. Once a report is generated, users can simply click on individual sentences to view the source. Reports include a plagiarism percentage indicating the amount of potential plagiarism that has been detected in each document. Instructors have the option to upload multiple files as a single batch. In addition, professors have the option to download and print plagiarism reports as PDF documents to keep for their records or to show as evidence when presenting an infraction report.

Customization and Integration:

Academicplagiarism.com is easily customized to meet the specific needs of your institution.

· Your institution will receive it own custom sub domain under academicplagiarism.com (ex. http://yourinstitution.academicplagiarism.com).

· Your institution does not need to invest in any hardware of technology purchases. Our hosted solution is will save you money and resources. And most importantly, we take care of any technical issues that might arise.

· Your institution will have its own custom administrator control panel to:

o Manage users: add users, remove users, freeze users (users are faculty/staff who have access to the service)

o Mange plagiarism reports: view reports, archive reports, delete reports, print reports.

o Other features can be made available upon request.

· **Archiving: You have the option to archive scanned documents and add them to the pool of databases. This is a powerful deterring feature to prevent students

from recycling and sharing their work.

For more information on institutional licenses, visit http://academicplagiarism.com

Choosing The Right Plagiarism Tester

rachid — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:47:44 +0000

Doing a web search on the phrases plagiarism checker, plagiarism detector, plagiarism tester or plagiarize checker will return dozens of web services that specialize in plagiarism detection. The question that remains, however, is which one to pick? Which one can you trust to check your work for plagiarism and provide strong and accurate results? Are all these plagiarism detection services the same?

Many of these services provide what they claim to be a free plagiarism scan that is accurate and guarantees your privacy. These often come in two flavors. One type is fairly harmless but has serious limitations as it only checks for plagiarism against Google. You shouldn’t trust such services with your work because their results are limited to the web only and they don’t check against books, academic publications and other pre-written essays and research papers. The other type of plagiarism detection services is nothing else but a way to harvest essays and research papers to later sell them as original writing. Once you submit your work to one of these services, they will provide a basic plagiarism check against the web, but they will keep a copy of your writing to themselves without your knowledge or consent. These plagiarism checkers should be avoided at all cost because they literally steal your intellectual property and use it to make money.

So, if you suspect that your writing might have instances of plagiarism and need to check, use a reliable service that is reliable and safe. Don’t fall for the free stuff because in the real world nothing is free, so it’s not worth taking the risk.

We strongly recommend using http://academicplagiarism.com which is a premium plagiarism detection service that checks for plagiarism against billions of web pages, articles, publications, books and a huge database of pre-written essays. Academicplagiarism is an ideal solution for students and educators alike and one that guarantees highly accurate results and at the same time guarantees your privacy.

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Teaching positions in New York

rachid — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:57:25 +0000

The Most up to date list of teaching jobs throughout New York. This list includes both full time and part time positions, many of them with full benefits. If you love teaching and you love New York, then this is what you’re looking for!

Posted 12.23.10

Teacher/Coordinator (P/T)

The Lehman College Adult Learning Center is looking for a creative, energetic, bilingual (English-Spanish) educator to work as a teacher/coordinator for an innovative family literacy project in five Bronx middle and high schools. This is a substantial part-time position. ESOL teaching experience essential, familiarity with public school environments and/or family literacy experience preferred. This is a new project with room for growth. Saturday and some evening availability is required. There is some flexibility in terms of other hours. Salary dependent on experience. Please send resume and cover letter to Azi Ellowitch at azi.ellowitch@lehman.cuny.edu.
GED Instructor (P/T Evenings)

The Pre-College Academic Programming Department at LaGuardia Community College has openings for a p/t evening GED Instructor. Classes will begin in mid-February and meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:00pm-9:00pm. A minimum of a BA, familiarity with the GED exam and three years experience teaching reading, writing and math is required. The hourly rate is $33.18. No phone calls please. To apply, visit http://www.rfcuny.org/hr/pvn/cgi-bin/show_job.asp?pvn=RIS-1199.

ESOL Teaching Position (P/T)

Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation is looking for dynamic and creative ESOL teachers for adult classes meeting Monday to Thursday 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Classes are located in Brooklyn, near the Crescent St. stop on the J-line. Salary $27.50/hr. Classes will begin in January. Interested candidates should send cover letter and resume to Kent Katner at kentk@cypresshills.org.
ESOL Instructors (P/T)

The Adult Learning Center at NYC College of Technology/CUNY seeks ESOL instructors for beginning to low-intermediate level classes in two locations (downtown Brooklyn and lower Manhattan) starting in January. Responsible for theme-based curriculum development, instruction, and record keeping. Must be creative, organized, sensitive to the needs of a culturally diverse student body, and committed to learner-centered, participatory education.

Two classes are for construction workers and will meet M/W, 6-9PM. Two are for restaurant/food service workers; one will meet T/Th, 9AM-12 noon, the other M/W, 9AM-12 noon.

BA + 2 yrs. experience required, MA preferred. Experience in or knowledge of the relevant field is desirable. $31/hour. Rsum & cover letter to Joan Manes, email: jmanes@citytech.cuny.edu.

Posted 12.13.10

ABE/Pre-GED Instructor (P/T)

Provide adult basic education instruction to adult students to help them obtain necessary skills so they will be able to read, write and compute proficiently. Direct the program in a manner that supports student retention and daily attendance. Select, score and interpret TABE. Deliver appropriate ABE and Pre-GED instruction. Report attendance, test scores, and outcomes. Part-time Monday to Thursday, 6-9 PM. Qualifications: Bachelor of Arts/Science degree required and 2 years of successful teaching experience with an adult population. Please email jobs@literacypartners.org with resume and cover letter. No phone calls please.

Posted 12.8.10

ABE Instructor (P/T)

The Marks JCH of Bensonhurst (South Brooklyn), is seeking an ABE Instructor to work 2 evenings per week (from 6:45 to 9:45pm). Immediate opening: class begins in January. BS/BA required, (MS/MA preferred), 2 years of ABE/GED/Adult Literacy experience. Send resume and cover letter to: marinab@jchb.org.

Posted 12.2.10

Volunteer Tutors

CWE/1199 Resource & Learning Center needs tutors to help adult learners prepare for exams, specifically in the required reading, writing & math skills necessary to pass GED, CUNY (college) & C-NET (nursing) tests.

The center is open for scheduled tutoring sessions on Mondays & Thursdays, 10am – 8pm.

Contact Ms. Jean Prioleau, Supervisor, 25 Elm Pl, Brooklyn Cluster, 2nd flr.
Brooklyn, NY 11201: Phone #718.797.4372; email: jean.prioleau1199funds.org.

Posted 12.1.10

ESL Teacher (P/T)

Rutland Adult Day Health Care Center is looking for an ESL teacher to teach two separate groups of high functioning seniors, one Chinese, the other Russian. Very active and highly motivated to learn. One hour class per group after 4:00 PM (two hours per week). Days are flexible. Rate is $50.00 per hour. Chinese speaking preferred but not a must. Supportive staff. Rutland ADHCC is located in a residential section of central Brooklyn, close to transportation and parking. Please contact Sharon Wang, Program Drector @ #718-604-5400 or email resume to: swang@kingsbrook.org.

Posted 11.30.10

GED/Work Readiness Instructor (P/T)

Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow is a non-profit organization that empowers young adults and adults to become self-sufficient and financially secure through job training, education, job placement, and vocational and support services. The Adult Education and Literacy Program is seeking a GED/Work Readiness Instructor for classes Monday-Friday, 9-12:30. Candidates should have experience teaching adults or young adults all five content areas of the GED with demonstrated outcomes.

Qualified candidates should submit resumes to Michelle Lopolito, Director of Adult Education and Literacy, mlopolito@obtjobs.org.
GED Teacher (P/T)

The South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the South Bronx. The Education and Career Development department is currently seeking an experienced GED teacher for our winter semester. Candidates should have experience teaching GED to adult populations and be able to demonstrate positive outcomes. Classes run Monday-Thursday from 6pm-9pm.

Interested candidates should submit their resume to Tara Canty, Program Manager, at taracanty@sobro.org. (No phone calls please).

Posted 11.23.10

ESL, GED, and Spanish GED Teachers and Tutors (Volunteer)

Community Impact is a non-profit organization located on the Columbia University main campus that serves community members. GED Teachers, ESL Teachers, Spanish GED Teachers, and GED tutors are needed for the Spring 2011 session that runs January 26 – May 5th. Teachers are asked to volunteer to teach one day a week for two hours. ESL classes are in the evening from 4-6 and 6-8 while GED classes are in the morning and evenings.

If you are interested in any of these positions, please state your preferences and submit a resume to Juanita Erb, JEEP Coordinator, at jteinnyc@hotmail.com.
Math Lab Instructors (Volunteer)

Community Impact is a non-profit organization located on the Columbia University main campus that serves community members. Math Lab teachers instruct low-income neighborhood adults in preparatory math classes for the General Educational Development (GED) and college admissions test. Volunteer teachers must commit to one 2 hour class a week for six weeks, every Friday from 9:30am-11:30am starting in February and ending in March or April, depending on availability.

If you are interested in this position, please submit a resume to Milesh Patel, College Road Coordinator, at mileshmpatel@gmail.com.

Posted 11.19.10

ESL Teacher (P/T)

Rutland Adult Day Health Care Center is seeking a per diem ESL teacher to teach two groups of highly motivated/active seniors (Chinese and Russian clients) once or twice a week at/after 4:00PM. One hour lesson per group at $50 per session. Relaxed atmosphere. Located in a residential area of central Brooklyn. Very close to bus and subway, parking. Please call Sharon Wang, Program Director at 718-604-5400 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 718-604-5400 end_of_the_skype_highlighting for further information.
GED Bridge to Health Instructor (P/T evenings)

The Pre-College Academic Programming Department (PCAP) at LaGuardia Community College/CUNY is seeking an experienced instructor to teach in the contextualized GED Bridge to Health Program. Bridge to Health classes focus on questions and issues in the healthcare professions through the use of authentic texts and activities derived from health care and science settings. The Bridge to Health instructor will teach 11.5 hours per week, on Mondays from 6-9pm, Wednesdays from 6-9pm and Thursdays from 4:30-9pm.

For a full job description and to apply, please visit: http://www.rfcuny.org/hr/pvn/cgi-bin/show_job.asp?pvn=RIS-1191

Posted 11.17.10

TESOL Instructors (P/T Volunteers)

Volunteer TESOL teachers needed at Cabrini Immigrant Services. Teachers can create their own lessons and select their own books.
Volunters are needed for morning, 10-12, afternoon, 1-3 and evenings, 6-8.
Expectations: a volunteer teacher commits to two 2 hour classes per week.
Mon. and Wed. or Tues. and Thurs. at the same time each week.

We are located at 139 Henry St. in Manhattan. (F Train) Please contact:
Joy Haas, TESOL Coordinator
Telephone: 212-791-4590 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 212-791-4590 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
e-mail: jhaas.cis@gmail

Posted 11.16.10

Curriculum Writer (F/T)

PHI is seeking for a curriculum writer to write and edit a variety of instructional materials for direct-care workers and their supervisors, long-term care leaders, and long-term care consumers. This position offers an exciting opportunity for writers interested in workforce development, aging, organizational change, or long-term care issues.

QUALIFICATIONS

Exceptional writing skills.
Precise copy editing and proofing skills.
Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to work collaboratively.

PREFERENCES

Ability to write for lower-literacy audiences and from diverse backgrounds.
Ability to handle multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.

For a full job description and instructions on how to apply please visit: http://phinational.org/about/job-openings/.

Posted 11.9.10

Substitute ESOL Teaching Position (P/T)

Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation is looking for substitute ESOL teachers for adult classes meeting Monday to Thursday 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Classes are located in Brooklyn, near the Crescent St. stop on the J-line. Salary $27.50/hr. We anticipate a more permanent position opening up in January. Interested candidates should send cover letter and resume to Kent Katner at kentk@cypresshills.org.

Posted 11.5.10

Adult Tutorial Education Center Coordinator (F/T)

The Adult Tutorial Education Center Coordinator is responsible for directing, coordinating, and supervising the adult tutorial ABE education center. Direct the tutorial program in a manner that supports measurable increases in student learning in reading, writing, and numeracy. Increase student retention and attendance consistent with the goals outline in Literacy Partners latest Strategic Plan and the annual targeted NYSED goals. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree, Literacy training and/or 2 years experience teaching preferably adults, experience managing volunteers. Send resumes and cover letters to:
job@literacypartners.org.

Posted 10.29.10

ABE Instructor (Volunteer)

ACE, a job-training program for individuals facing multiple barriers to employment, is looking for a volunteer ABE instructor to lead small group classes in either literacy or math. Each class is held once a week, for an hour and a half. Volunteers must be available during regular office hours, and must be reliable. Please do not contact us about this opportunity if you are unable to commit to one day a week on a regular basis. Please have experience teaching adults.

If interested, please send a cover letter and resume to: rgrinstein@acenewyork.org.

Posted 10.28.10

Literacy Specialist (F/T)

The Queens Library currently has an opening for a Library Literacy Specialist in the Long Island City Adult Learning Center. The Library Literacy Specialist will assist in outreach and student recruitment. Assist with intake and assessment of students. Maintain files & records including ASISTS and EBP purchasing. Assist students with computer-assisted instruction. Provide small group instruction. Assist in training of volunteer tutors Perform other duties as required.

Minimum qualifications: BA or BS degree in Adult Education or related field required. Master’s degree preferred. Requires minimum 2yrs F/T work experience in Adult Basic Education. Resume to employment@queenslibrary.org, reference “Lib.Lit.Spec.LongIslandCity_EXT” in the subject line.

http://www.queenslibrary.org/jobs

Posted 10.19.10

Adult Basic Education Instructor (P/T)

Phipps Community Development Corporation-NYC Justice Corps (Bronx), is seeking an Adult Basic Education Instructor. The Adult Basic Education Instructor will be responsible for teaching two 6 hour classes two days a week for 10-15 Corps members who test below a 6th grade level for reading and/or math. The instructor will assist with designing and implementing a 20 week curriculum that incorporates Justice Corps concepts into reading instruction. A complete description of the NYC Justice Corps can be found at www.nycjusticecorps.org.

Qualifications:

Bachelors or Masters Degree in Education
Minimum of three years experience teaching adult learners
Experience working with adjudicated youth or adults
Experience as a reading specialist with ability to work with multi-level ABE students within the Level 1 range
Knowledge of adult learning theories, using contextualized curriculum
Classroom experience with knowledge in teaching phonics, fluency, and comprehension

To Apply: To request a full job description, email resume to ksmith@phippsny.org.
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor (P/T)

Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC), is a nationally recognized South Brooklyn based, non-profit community development corporation formed in 1978 that works to transform the lives of over 5,000 low and moderate income New Yorkers annually so that we can all live and work with dignity and respect while making our community more equitable, sustainable, inclusive and just.

FAC is looking for a qualified and experienced ABE/GED Prep Teacher to work 10.5 hours a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Applicant must have excellent math and writing skills and be patient, creative, diligent, articulate, and organized. BA/BS degree is required, and at least one year of recent, relevant teaching experience. Applicant must have excellent computer skills.

Please send resume and cover letter to Brian Mendes at bmendes@fifthave.org.

FAC is an equal opportunity employer (EEO). Women, people of color and neighborhood residents are strongly urged to apply.
Early Childhood Educator (P/T)

The Coalition for Hispanic Family Services is seeking to fill a 21-hour a week part-time educator position in their Family Literacy program in Corona, Queens. The pay is negotiable and applicants will teach early childhood education, develop curriculum, and assist in the development and facilitation of PACT activities. Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply. Ideal candidates will have experience in the aforementioned job skills, and must have experience working with children. Qualified applicants should send a cover letter and resume to familyliteracyprogram@gmail.com.

Plagiarism checker

rachid — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:10:52 +0000

The World Intellectual Property Organization defines intellectual property or IP as “creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce.” Each year, the United States Department of Justice handles hundreds of legal cases relating to violations of intellectual property. Needless to say, violating intellectual property is a crime that is punishable by law.

A similar reality is present in the world of academia, as colleges and universities throughout the world have strict rules against violating intellectual property. The term often used to describe it is academic plagiarism. According to the Center for Academic Integrity, 80% of college students admit to cheating at least once. A recent study done by the US News and World Report concluded that 90% of students believe that students that cheat are never caught or have not been appropriately disciplined.

Colleges in the U.S and throughout the world have different policies in regards to plagiarism. While some adopt very strict rules when dealing with plagiarism (which is the case in the U.S and Canada), others can be quite lenient or unclear about what is considered plagiarism. This is particularly confusing for international students who come to the U.S in order to continue their education and end by being expelled from their university because they failed to correctly reference their outside sources in an essay or research paper.

It is true that the Internet is one of the main culprits here, as it provides a plethora of resources and information that any student could simply copy/paste into his/her essay and claim ownership of it. This happens every hour of every day as students under the pressure to complete their assignments, either intentionally plagiarize or forget to reference information they got from outside sources. Things get even more complicated for international students who are already dealing with the linguistic challenges and often fail to recognize plagiarism in their writing. In general, these are the main reasons why students plagiarize:

1-Lack of academic research and library skills
2- Lack of linguistic competence to correctly paraphrase and cite sources: this particularly prevalent among non-native speakers.
3- The student has not been instructed on how to properly cite and reference outside sources
4- Student’s lack of confidence about his/her writing skills
5- Time pressure when dealing with deadlines and finals.
6- Cultural differences: borrowing others’ words and ideas without acknowledgment is an acceptable practice in many societies.
7- Lack of interest in the course itself. How to deal with plagiarism

There is no magical solution for solving the problem of plagiarism, but a first step would be trying to understand the real causes behind it, which are often social in nature. Identifying plagiarism, however, is possible using the same technology that makes it quite widespread today: the Internet. Online services such as www.academicplagiarism.com allow you to scan your writing for plagiarism by comparing your text to billions of web pages, journal articles, magazine articles…etc. A plagiarism checker can be a powerful tool in the hands of high school and college instructors to scan their students’ work for plagiarism. On the other hand, students can also benefit from the use of an online plagiarism detector by scanning their own writing for accidental plagiarism. This is particularly helpful when doing a research paper: an arduous process that involves keeping track of multiple quotes and outside sources. Students often forget to acknowledge outside sources and end up being accused of plagiarism. It is therefore safer to scan one’s writing for plagiarism before submitting the work to an instructor for assessment.

When choosing a plagiarism checker, one has to take a few things into considerations:

1- Quality: A good plagiarism detector doesn’t have to cost you money. In fact, many of the hyped up plagiarism detectors are quite expensive, yet have serious limitations and not reliable.

2- Practicality: Many plagiarism detecting tools require you to download their software to your computer. This can be very frustrating for users on the go, who need continuous access to a plagiarism scanner. Opt for an online plagiarism checker that is available online and is accessible from anywhere and at any time.

Academicplagiarism.com offers a free and secure plagiarism detector that is available fully online and guarantees very accurate results.

Whether it is a corporation mimicking the logo of a competitor, or a student using the words/ideas of another author without acknowledging that those words/ideas belong to another person, the consequence could be very serious. As mentioned earlier, violating intellectual property is a crime, so it is critical to take all necessary measures to avoid it. Scanning one’s work for plagiarism can help.

Online Plagiarism Scanner

rachid — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:38:17 +0000

Well! I am back and with some exciting news. My new site www.academicplagiarism.com is finally up and running! What is academicplagiarism.com? Basically, it’s an affordable, and flexible alternative to the complicated corporate plagiarism detecting resources out there on the web. academicplagiarism.com offers free and premium memberships to students, instructors and writers in general to scan documents for potential instances of plagiarism. What makes academicplagiarism.com unique is its simplicity, flexibility and affordability. As soon as you open your free account, you can go ahead and scan your documents by pasting your text onto an online form and clicking scan! It’s that simple. In less than two minutes, an easy to read report is generated highlighting duplicate content as well as the source. For longer documents that require more time to scan and process, you have the option to upload your documents (compatible formats: .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt, .rtf) and check back later to read your report (you also receive an email notification when your report is ready for viewing).

Who uses academicplagiarism.com?

Students: Whether it’s an essay or research paper, it’s always safe to scan one’s writing for accidental cases of plagiarism. Writing can be an overwhelming process, and students often forget to correctly cite outside sources on their papers. A simple scan will highlight duplicate content in your work by comparing your text to billions of web pages, books, periodicals, journals and our large collection of pre-written essays.

Instructors:

Check your students’ work for instances of plagiarism. Your time is valuable, so spend it helping your students instead of wasting hours Googling phrases and sentences. Generate detailed plagiarism reports in as little as 5 minutes. Just upload your students’ files and generate detailed plagiarism reports in minutes. Your reports are available to view on-line or as a PDF document that you can download and print.
Bloggers and writers:
Each time you post articles or blog entries on the web, you are at risk of being ripped off! Most people aren’t even aware that their writing is being plagiarized by others and republished word for word. There is an entire industry on the web that promotes website (SEO or search engine optimization) by providing what they claim are original promotional articles that link to the client’s site. In most cases, these articles are plagiarized content(with minor alterations) that have been stolen from other blogs and websites. If you have a blog or have published articles on the web, there is a strong possibility your work is being used by others without your permission. academicplagiarism.com will help catch those weasels!

Please check it out and open your free account. Of course your feedback is greatly appreciated!…and don’t forget to share this with your friends and colleagues!

www.academicplagiarism.com

Annotate for Word 2007 Review

rachid — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:39:02 +0000

Annotate for Word is a comment plug-in for Microsoft Office Word developed by 11trees.com. This simple, yet versatile add-on allows you to insert pre-designed comments to a Word document. In this review, I will be highlighting the different features of Annotate For Word, and I will also share my own experience using it this semester with one of my intensive English classes.

When I first stumbled upon Annotate, I questioned its purpose as it looks exactly like the built-in Office commenting feature, and it also does the same exact thing: inserts comment! Well, immediately after I installed it and opened a new Word document, I realized how interesting it was.

Annotate for Word comes in two flavors: A free version with limited features (and from my understanding, no pre-written comments), and a Pro version which provides pre-written comments organized by categories. This review will focus only on the Pro version.

Installation: The plug-in itself is a tiny file that installs in a few seconds. The next time you open an Office document, you will notice a new tab (Annotate) on the toolbar. Clicking on “Annotate” unveils a new menu consisting of 10 commenting categories, each with a drop-down menu offering further commenting options. The main commenting categories are: Argument, Evidence, Organization, Writing Style, and Grammar/Mechanics.

Usage: The first time I attempted to use Annotate, I was a bit confused, as I spent quite sometime figuring out the different commenting categories while searching for the needed comment. It took some time for me to understand the way comments were organized and the hierarchy under each category, especially since items under comment categories are not alphabetized.

One major drawback, however, is that you cannot modify your comments and categories by adding new ones to the Annotate menu. In other words, you are may only use Annotate’s comments and categories. To address this limitation, the developers of Annotate offer customized versions for schools and programs.

Comments: Comments are written in very clear, often generic language that most students are able to understand. Once the comment has been inserted, you have the option to edit/modify it, just as you would on a regular MS. Word comment. I rarely needed to modify any of the comments, but I did check to ensure that the hyperlinks still worked. Most comments include a hyperlink to details explanations on Purdue’s OWL website. In addition to regular comments, Annotate Pro provides praise type comments for positive reinforcement…nice touch!

Overall, Annotate simplified the process of correcting my students’ essays, but it was a bit frustrating when I couldn’t find the comment I was looking for and ended up creating a blank comment. Hopefully, the developers of Annotate will address this in future updates by allowing users to customize comments and categories on the toolbar.

To try Annotate for Word, visit http://www.11trees.com

Update: Annotate for Word 2007 now supports customization. I was able to add new tabs and fully tailor comments to my needs. It’s really great! AND, in addition to commenting, Annotate automatically crosses out words by simply using the backspace key and each time you add new text, it is entered in blue. This makes the process of editing papers a breeze!

Electronic Portfolios

rachid — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:23:12 +0000

Electronic portfolios, also known as e-portfolios or Webfolios, are a compilation of text and multimedia resources used as tools for assessment, learning and reflection. Over the last few years, schools and universities worldwide have been experimenting with digital versions of the paper-based portfolio. While the medium is fundamentally different, the process and the objectives remain the same. Students use electronic portfolios to document their educational gains, showcase their accomplishments and reflect on their overall learning experiences. The result is a web URL displaying multiple artifacts that include drafts of essays, summaries, personal reflections in text, audio, video or a combination of these components. In addition, students have the option to create blogs, share photos, link to Youtube videos and upload their resumes.

This semester ( Fall 2009) I am piloting an e-portfolio project with my CEP (Certificate of English Proficiency) class at the Pratt Institute. After months of deliberation and testing, the Pratt Institute opted for a free, open-source e-portfolio. As the Computer Assisted Language Learning Coordinator with the Intensive English Program, I was invited to test various e-portfolios (both commercial and open source) for efficiency and ease of use. We decided to go with Mahara.

Last week, Pratt’s Instructional Technologist, Johel Brown, visited my CEP class to meet with the students and walk them through the process of getting started with their e-portfolios. Students’ initial reaction has been very positive. They seem very excited about the interesting possibilities Web 2.0 adds to the otherwise static portfolio. During a 30 minutes session, students designed a template for their e-portfolios using the intuitive Mahara drag-and-drop feature. Each student created a three-column page with information about their class, major, and an area to showcase their learning milestones. Each artifact in the e-portfolio includes a space for feedback and reflection.

Electronic portfolios are a great tool for students to report on their growth and help build a connection between theory and practice in a friendly and collaborative environment. Since they are web-based, e-portfolios take full advantage of Web 2.0 capabilities by adding multimedia and interactivity, which are very popular among young learners today. However, electronic portfolios have limitations that teachers and administrators should consider before implementing an e-portfolio program. Some opponents of e-portfolios dismiss their value as effective assessment tools, arguing that they lack standardization and are susceptible to bias. Others maintain that many teachers lack the technical expertise to successfully incorporate this new technology into their teaching methods. It is, therefore, important that all stakeholders be actively involved in the decision-making process when considering a switch to electronic portfolios. Teachers must understand both the technical and pedagogical aspects of electronic portfolios and they must be offered ample training opportunities prior to using them with their students.

How to embed Youtube videos in Moodle

rachid — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:43:08 +0000

This video tutorial walks you through the steps of embedding videos directly on your main Moodle page using the “Label” feature. I prefer to embed videos directly as opposed to using links for two reasons.

1-To avoid distraction: Linking to the Youtube site can be very distracting as students are easily tempted to click on related videos instead of the assigned ones.

2- Practicality and efficiency: Placing external videos directly on the main Moodle page saves your students time and provide a practical space for follow-up activities such as Wikies and forums.

Moodle’s Vocabulary Glossary

rachid — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:10:46 +0000

This semester I decided to experiment with Moodle’s Glossary block and so far, the results are great. Vocabulary development is an important component of both classes I’m teaching this semester (Integrated Skills and Listening/Speaking). Moodle’s glossary is a simple, practical and effective tool to help students acquire new vocabulary. Here’s how we do it:

The process involves two steps.

One week, each student is responsible for inputting 10 vocabulary items. They do so by adding a new vocabulary item that they recently learned( in any of their classes), providing a dictionary definition and by including an example using their own words.

On week two students are not required to add new vocabulary. Instead, they look up 5 vocabulary items in the Glossary (ones they are curious about), understand the meaning and provide a second example using the comment feature.

This process repeats every two weeks. The result is continuous and steady acquisition of new vocabulary with minimal intervention from the teacher. On occasions I intrude by making additional comments when correction is needed. My students enjoy the communal nature of this activity as it allows them to learn new words and interact at the same time. If you have used the glossary block before, please share your experience using the comment feature below.