What do I do if I suspect a student has plagiarized or used AI (ChatGPT) or a student has asked me to check their writing for plagiarism?

Most colleges and universities subscribe to plagiarism detection software like Turninit.com. Often, before final submission, students can submit their assignments to this software and receive a detailed originality report. Otherwise, Grammarly offers free plagiarism detection. Please feel free to share this information/article with students. 

It's best practice for writing tutors to focus on providing feedback on higher order concerns (HOC's), which include citations and MLA/APA formatting guidelines. If a student expresses concerns about plagiarism, prioritize feedback around how to properly cite sources, quote, and paraphrase material. 

Additionally, it's important to keep in mind that plagiarism does not occur until the student has submitted unattributed writing to their instructor for a grade. When a student submits their work to a tutor, the writing is in draft form. 

Also, we understand that AI detection software is rapidly evolving and that multiple services exist for this purpose. Please keep in mind the current limitations of this software, which can't determine with 100% certainty the presence of AI-generated content. 

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