The University’s plagiarism detection tool is an electronic resource that assists in the detection and deterrence of plagiarism. Instructors using this tool can create an assignment in their Quercus course to which students submit their assignments electronically for analysis.
With the integration of the University’s plagiarism detection tool into Quercus courses, instructors and students should not access the program through the company’s website.
Each submitted paper is checked for textual similarity using millions of resources stored in the company’s database. Instructors can access and view the Similarity Report in their Quercus course.
The University’s plagiarism detection tool can help students develop their writing skills, save instructors time in investigating textual similarities in student work, and allow for efficient citation verification.
Similarity Reports highlight passages that may be of concern but do not determine whether a paper has been plagiarized. Instructors must use the report’s information, along with any other relevant information, and exercise their professional judgment to determine whether plagiarism has occurred.
Before using the University’s plagiarism detection tool, instructors must adhere to U of T’s Conditions of Use, outlined in the following section.
Conditions of Use at the University of Toronto
The use of the University’s plagiarism detection tool by our instructors is completely voluntary. Those wishing to use this tool in their courses must adhere to the following conditions of use:
- The University’s plagiarism detection tool is a tool that will assist in detecting textual similarities between compared works. Instructors must exercise their independent professional judgment in, and assume responsibility for, determining whether a text has been plagiarized or not.
- Instructors must include the following passage (as is) on the course outline at the start of the class. Please note that the statement cannot be altered in any way.
Normally, students will be required to submit their course essays to the University’s plagiarism detection tool for a review of textual similarity and detection of possible plagiarism. In doing so, students will allow their essays to be included as source documents in the tool’s reference database, where they will be used solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism. The terms that apply to the University’s use of this tool are described on the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation web site (https://uoft.me/pdt-faq).
- Students are permitted, under our conditions of use, to opt-out of using the University’s plagiarism detection tool. If a student chooses not to submit their assignment through the plagiarism detection tool, instructors will need to find alternative arrangements to check their work as rigorously. (It should be noted that very few students choose to opt out.) Students cannot be penalized for choosing to opt out. If students choose to opt out, they should let their instructor know well in advance of submitting their paper. Ideally, they should communicate this during the first class, when the instructor is reviewing the course outline. In this case, you may ask them to submit all of their rough work for an assignment or you may have a short meeting with them and ask pointed questions about their research methodology. Instructors should not be asking students to do anything that might be perceived as additional work. We ask that instructors consult with the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation when establishing these alternatives.
The University’s plagiarism detection tool Conditions of Use statement is available through the Plagiarism Detection button in the Quercus course navigation menu, typically displayed on the right side when using a desktop or laptop. Instructors can copy the statement into their course syllabus.
Communicating with Students
It is recommended that instructors take a few moments at the beginning of the course to discuss the use of the University’s plagiarism detection tool and academic integrity expectations with students. While students’ papers are stored in the company’s database, students retain the copyright to their work. For additional guidance, consult the University’s Academic Integrity website, which provides resources for instructors, students, and teaching assistants.
Using the Plagiarism Detection Tool in Quercus
The University’s plagiarism detection tool is integrated into Quercus, allowing instructors to create assignments, receive student submissions, and review Similarity Reports within their courses. The integration provides textual similarity analysis only. Student assignments can be annotated and graded using SpeedGrader, as with other Quercus assignments.
Instructors do not need to contact CTSI to create a separate account. Their Quercus login provides access to the tool through their course.
Creating an Assignment
Instructors can create an assignment using the University’s plagiarism detection tool within their Quercus course.
The following Quercus course roles can create assignments and view submitted student work for textual similarity analysis:
- Instructor
- Teaching assistant
For step-by-step instructions on creating an assignment and enabling plagiarism detection, consult CTSI’s Plagiarism Review — Turnitin resource.
Student Assignment Submissions
Students submit their own assignments electronically through the designated Quercus assignment. For step-by-step instructions, consult the Canvas LMS resource How do I submit an online assignment?
Students who choose to opt out of using the plagiarism detection tool must be provided with alternative arrangements in accordance with the University’s Conditions of Use, outlined above.
Viewing Student Submissions and Similarity Reports
Instructors can view submitted papers through SpeedGrader, which is accessible from the Quercus assignment or Gradebook.
The Similarity Report highlights textual similarities found within an assignment and provides links to sources containing matching text. The report can be viewed side-by-side with the original paper to facilitate comparison. Textual similarities are highlighted in colour, and selecting a highlighted passage provides access to the related source. If the matching text comes from a student paper in the same class, this will be indicated. If the match comes from a student paper in another course, the report provides contact information for that course’s instructor.
Similarity Reports highlight passages that may be of concern but do not determine whether plagiarism has occurred. Determining whether plagiarism has occurred requires analysis and professional judgment by the instructor.
For additional guidance, consult Understanding the Similarity Report (PDF) and CTSI’s Plagiarism Review — Turnitin resource. For information about what constitutes plagiarism at U of T, instructors should consult the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters or their department or division.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions address specific considerations related to the University’s plagiarism detection tool, including student submissions, copyright, graduate work, and alternative arrangements. For information about creating assignments and interpreting Similarity Reports, consult the preceding sections.
Can an instructor submit an individual student's paper to check for plagiarism?
At U of T, the Conditions of Use require that students be informed at the outset of the course if the instructor intends to use the University’s plagiarism detection tool. Students should submit their papers directly through the plagiarism detection tool assignment in Quercus, rather than having instructors submit on their behalf. This ensures that students can exercise their right to opt out without penalty.
Instructors cannot submit a student’s paper through the University’s plagiarism detection tool without the student’s knowledge. Instructors may ask students to submit their papers directly through the tool but cannot require them to do so if they choose to opt out.
What alternatives are available if a student opts out of submitting or is unable to submit a paper through the plagiarism detection tool?
Students may opt out of using the University’s plagiarism detection tool without penalty. Instructors must make alternative arrangements to check their work as rigorously, without imposing additional work on students.
Alternative methods may include:
- Requiring annotated bibliographies from students.
- Requiring students to submit rough work with their papers.
- Requiring students to include the call numbers or website addresses of all sources cited in their papers.
Instructors should consult CTSI when establishing alternative arrangements to ensure consistency with the University’s Conditions of Use. Alternative arrangements must not penalize students or require additional work solely because they have opted out.
What happens to papers once they are submitted to the plagiarism detection tool?
Submitted papers are stored in the company’s database but are not the property of the plagiarism detection tool. Instructors can only access those papers that were directly submitted to their own course. Similarly, students can only access and view the papers they have submitted in their Quercus courses.
What about copyright and intellectual property issues?
Under Canadian copyright laws, students retain the copyright to any papers submitted to the University’s plagiarism detection tool.
The plagiarism detection tool creates digital fingerprints of student papers, which are not “true derivative works for copyright purposes; they contain only uncopyrightable numerical algorithms regarding the papers but not the papers themselves.” Refer to Turnitin’s Services Privacy Policy for more information.
The intellectual property of all students submitting to the University’s plagiarism detection tool is protected by the licensing agreement between the University of Toronto and iParadigms. In addition, this agreement ensures that student papers submitted to the University’s plagiarism detection tool will not be used for commercial purposes.
Can graduate course papers be submitted to the plagiarism detection tool?
The Conditions of Use for the University’s plagiarism detection tool apply to both undergraduate and graduate course papers.
Can graduate theses be submitted to the plagiarism detection tool?
Supervisors should ensure that they have the explicit consent of a student before submitting their thesis to the University’s plagiarism detection tool.
Can the plagiarism detection tool review papers in languages other than English?
The University’s plagiarism detection tool supports textual similarity analysis in the following languages in addition to English:
Arabic, Catalan, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian (Bokmal, Nynorsk), Farsi, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish
The University’s plagiarism detection tool also indexes websites containing content in these languages for comparison with submitted papers.
Support and Additional Resources
For information about academic offences and University procedures, consult:
Academic Integrity Guidance and Contacts
Instructors who have questions about procedures for handling academic offences should contact the individual responsible for academic integrity within their department or division (in many cases, the undergraduate chair, associate chair, or dean). Divisional academic integrity offices can also provide advice about particular issues or situations.
These include:
- University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM): Academic Integrity Unit, academicintegrity.utm@utoronto.ca
- University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC): Academic Integrity Office, academic.integrity.utsc@utoronto.ca
- Faculty of Arts & Science: Student Academic Integrity, sai.artsci@utoronto.ca
Technical Support and Student Resources
For questions about accessing or using the plagiarism detection tool through Quercus, contact q.help@utoronto.ca or your divisional support team.
Students seeking assistance with submissions or academic writing can consult their instructor, teaching assistant, or local writing centre.
Additional resources include:
- Plagiarism Review — Turnitin: Instructions for setting up plagiarism detection assignments and reviewing Similarity Reports.
- Understanding the Similarity Report (PDF): Additional information about interpreting textual similarities in submitted work.