IX. Red Flags for plagiarism

There are several warning signs that a student may have plagiarized his work. Ask yourself the following questions.

--Does the paper contain vocabulary that you feel is too advanced for this particular student?

--Does the paper “sound like” this particular student?

--Is the voice of the paper consistent?  Are some sections conspicuously better written than others?

--Are you familiar with the works and sources cited?

--Does the paper have any areas in which font, margins, or other elements of format are inconsistent?

--Are there places where phrases seem to have been inserted for no reason?

--Has the student not had drafts to show you as assigned, demonstrating incremental progress?

--Is the essay factually accurate?

--Does the essay deviate from your specific requirements for this assignment, e.g. it lacks a thesis, does not have the right number of sources, etc., but otherwise is competent?