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How to use a CopyLeaks-enabled Assignment to protect a separate Discussion (Instructors)

  • Updated

CopyLeaks is a plagiarism checker tool that works with Canvas assignments, not discussions.

However, there are two workarounds for checking student discussion replies using CopyLeaks.

NOTE: Please be advised that Artificial Intelligence (AI) detection is not 100% accurate, so your attention and thorough inspection is required to fully use the AI report when discussing AI use with students. Please read the CopyLeaks AI Content Detector FAQ for more detail.

Workaround 1 - Setup pre-discussion scans in your course

(Recommended for proficient Canvas users; best method for transparency.)

Create an assignment with CopyLeaks for each discussion you wish to protect. Instruct students to submit their initial discussion response text (no classmate replies) to that assignment before posting that approved response in a corresponding discussion. 

Example from a Canvas Module

The screenshot below illustrates this two-item workaround in a Canvas module. The instructor has created (1) a pre-discussion scan assignment, configured with CopyLeaks and (2) the separate discussion. Notice that the pre-discussion scan is named to directly reference the discussion it is protecting.

Screenshot 2023-10-06 at 3.18.48 PM.png

 

Template for Pre-Discussion Scan

Instructors may use the text below to create pre-discussion scans for your discussions. You may modify the Rules section and raise/lower the similarity score percentage limit—but do not change the directions. 

Pre-Discussion Plagiarism and AI Scan

Please read these directions carefully in order to get credit in this week's discussion.

Rules

  • You must complete this scan before submitting your response to the discussion forum this week. No exceptions.
    • Scan only your discussion post for this week and nothing else.
    • Posts in the discussion forum that have not been scanned will be removed and will not receive credit.
  • Do not scan your replies to your classmates.

Directions

Step 1. Click Start Assignment (or New Attempt if you've previously submitted your work) in the upper right corner of this page to open the file upload and text entry menu, which will appear below these instructions.

Step 2. Choose either the file upload or text entry tab to submit your file or paste your text.

  • NOTE: For file upload, please submit DOCX files only. No Pages files please—they are not supported.

Step 3. Click the box to affirm the work you are submitting is your own work and that it adheres to the Academic Integrity Policy at UC San Diego Extended Studies and the specific Academic Integrity guidelines of this course.

Step 4. Submit your work by clicking Submit Assignment.

When to post in the discussion

Once your text has passed the scan with an appropriate similarity score, you may post it to this week's discussion prompt.

Similarity Score Rules

Your similarity score should be no higher than 20%. Scores higher than 20% may indicate copying or inaccurate paraphrasing. You should rework your text until it has an acceptable score.
  • If your work contains any plagiarized information, please be sure to cite the quoted information by mentioning the author and date of the text (book, webpage, etc.) and placing the quotation in quotation marks. You may also need to paraphrase the words of another but be sure that you still cite the source.
  • If you have used AI to any extent, please rewrite the work in your own words.
If you have any questions about the purpose or directions of this assignment, please reach out to your instructor right away.

 

Grading Considerations for Pre-Discussion Scans

  • Your pre-discussion scan assignment could be worth 0 points if the only purpose is to check for plagiarism and you will do all of your grading for the student's work in the discussion area, or perhaps the discussion is ungraded.
  • Or your assignment could be worth points if you would like to add points to the assignment to incentivize student completion rates and spread your scoring across the assignment and a graded discussion.

Workaround 2 - Single Scan for Private Use

Create an assignment with CopyLeaks in your own Canvas Practice course. You may give the assignment any name and any points since this assignment will only be used as a tool for you in your Practice course.

  • When your students make new replies in your discussion, copy each reply to your clipboard and go through the following steps
  • Go into your Practice course
  • Activate Student View
  • Submit the copied student reply from your clipboard to the assignment with CopyLeaks that you set up
  • Exit Student View
  • Click on the assignment in Canvas
  • View the Plagiarism Score for the Test Student

Common Issues with Pre-Discussion Scans

  • There is no report data available in my discussion.
    • Answer: The discussion is not protected by CopyLeaks, so it will not contain any scan data. Instead, you will need to manually review the scan data in the separate assignment.
  • There is no report data available in my pre-discussion scan assignment.
    • Answer: Be sure you have enabled CopyLeaks in the assignment settings.
  • Students are posting before completing the pre-discussion scan.
    • Answer: Students may not be used to this configuration, so expect some mistakes in the first couple of weeks. For the first time a student posts without completing the pre-can, email them, asking them to submit their post to the scan as directed. If a student has posted in the discussion but has not completed the pre-scan, you may award a score of zero.
  • Students with a similarity score higher than my stated limit are posting in the discussion.
    • Answer: Students might not understand the rules for posting. For the first time a student posts with a high similarity score, review the student's CopyLeaks report. If there is still time before the due date, email the student and ask them to edit their post and resubmit it to the scan. If the new post's pre-scan percentage meets your criteria, then you can grade the post (as long as it is submitted in a timely manner).
  • Trouble interpreting the CopyLeaks report.
  • I have an academic concern: what do I do?
    • Answer: Contact your program manager for support when you have an academic concern (e.g., if you suspect a student has used AI without permission or if you have evidence the student has plagiarized a particular assignment).

 

 

 

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