12 June 2006

New online software is to be used prevent GCSE and A-level students from cheating online.

Edexcel has announced that this summer's coursework will be scanned by turnitin software, which was developed to catch plagiarists.

Students trying to copy their coursework from the internet, or buy material from "cheating" websites stand to be caught out by the software, according to the Guardian.

Examiners have raised concerns that pupils and sometimes parents have been copying material directly from the internet, without acknowledging sources.

Furthermore, "cheat" sites, which sell essays and coursework, have also been on the rise, as government trading standards authorities are unable to combat these due to a disclaimer stating that pupils must not submit the work as their own.

iParadigms, the team behind the turnitin software, is made up of computer scientists, teachers, business professionals and graphic designers, all dedicated to preventing the rise of technology-aided plagiarism.

© Adfero Ltd

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