SafeAssign

SafeAssign is a plagiarism prevention service integrated into our learning management system, MyUni. This service helps teachers detect text that is copied from other sources and may not be referenced or acknowledged appropriately. SafeAssign can be used by students to assist them in evidenced-based writing and proper attribution of content from other sources.

SafeAssign is based on a unique text matching algorithm capable of detecting exact and inexact matching between a paper and source material. SafeAssignments are compared against several different databases, including:

• Internet – comprehensive index of documents available for public access on the Internet;
• ProQuest ABI/Inform database with over 1,100 publication titles and about 2.6 million articles from 1990s to present time, updated weekly (exclusive access);
• Institutional document archives containing all papers submitted to SafeAssign by users in their respective institutions.

Once a paper has been processed, a report is available that details the percentage of the submitted paper that matches existing sources. It also shows the suspected sources of each section of the submitted paper that returns a match. Instructors can remove matching sources from the report and process it again. This may be useful if the paper is a continuation of a previously submitted work by the same student.

Because SafeAssign identifies all matching blocks of text, it is important to read the report carefully and investigate whether or not the block of text is properly attributed.

The following flowchart briefly illustrate the process of setting up a SafeAssignment in MyUni.




Here is a step-by-step guide to setting up and grading a SafeAssignment.

Document Size

I have made another mistake of sending Word document of large file size through email again. This is a careless mistake of not checking the file size sent to me before redirecting them out. Large file size might not be a problem if the recipients are working on the same network within the organization. Once the the document goes out of intranet, it will counts towards the recipient internet data when it is downloaded. Though it might be negligible of just a 4-5 MB file attachment in an email or upload to the LMS, the accumulation of them will be rather significant in the long run.

Large file size in MS document that I have received were mostly due to the images inserted within document. Many a time, these document were simply insert images with a scan or digital photo captured without making a compression to the images. This might be due to ignorant of think that resizing image in a document will change the image file size. Imagine if you are creating a Word document with an insert of 10 high resolution photos from a field trip without compression, the document is going to be over 40MB. The file size will NOT be reduced by a simple click and drag on the corner of the picture.

To illustrate, I have created a Word document with 10 high resolution images inserted. I have saved them in 4 different compression (uncompress, print, screen and email) and also 1 in PDF format for printing.

You can notice the vast different in file size between the compressed and the uncompressed. Also if possible for printing purpose, convert to PDF for distribution.

Here are the steps on how to compress images in MS office:

Step 1:
Double click on any image in the document to bring out the Picture Tools ribbon.

Step 2:
Click on Compress Picture icon, on the pop-up box click Option.

Step 3:
Select the compression options and target ouput. Complete the process by clicking Ok and then Ok on the next box.

"Save" or "Copy" from YouTube

I have often being asked about how to “save” or “copy” (the exact word should be “rip”) the video clips from YouTube and later use them for lesson present. There are many reasons why you would want to do that, but mainly it is to ensure that clips are available during class without worrying about internet failure. Steps to “save” or “copy” are relatively easy as I am going to illustrate here. One important issue that I have to emphasize here, you have to ensure that you have got the copyright cleared from the content provider.

Step 1:
Locate the video on YouTube that you want to “save” or “copy”

Step 2:
Copy the URL of the video

Step 3:
Go to www.keepvid.com

Step 4:
Paste the URL

Step 5:
keepvid page will link you to the download url for different format of videos

Click on the link to any of the video quality you want to start the download. You will be prompt to save the file into your computer location.

Once downloaded you can use the video clip independently for the internet connection. A good video player for the downloaded clips will be VLC media Player from VideoLAN. VLC is opensource and it plays almost all the popular video formats on the net.