Accepting the Unacceptable: Why Percentages are not your Friend

James Bennett's speech about the text-matching systems and their correct use.

Speech at 3rd international conference Plagiarism across Europe and Beyond 2017 (24th-26th May 2017, Brno, Czech Republic).

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s9mf9BZbo8&feature=youtu.be

Length: 20 minutes

James Bennet from URKUND explains the need to use the text-matching systems consistently and correctly. Emphasising the need of proper interpretation of the reports from the systems, and shortcomings of the percentages.

In summary:
(from the presentation linked to this material)

• Percentages are absolute, except when they are not.
• There is no magical percentage.
• There can be no magical percentage.
• Even if there were a magical percentage, its value cannot be decided by a computer or a plagiarism detection provider.
• Using arbitrary percentages to decide whether an essay is acceptable or not is itself unacceptable to the teacher, the student and the subject.
• Percentages are not your friend!