PasteTrace: A Single Source Plagiarism Detection Tool For Introductory Programming Courses

TL;DR

PasteTrace is an innovative real-time plagiarism detection tool integrated into IDEs, specifically designed for introductory programming courses, effectively identifying various forms of academic dishonesty and outperforming existing tools.

Contribution

The paper presents PasteTrace, a novel open-source IDE-integrated plagiarism detection tool tailored for introductory programming courses, with real-time activity tracking and improved detection capabilities.

Findings

Successfully detects multiple forms of plagiarism

Provides real-time insights into student behavior

Outperforms existing plagiarism detection tools

Abstract

Introductory Computer Science classes are important for laying the foundation for advanced programming courses. However, students without prior programming experience may find these courses challenging, leading to difficulties in understanding concepts and engaging in academic dishonesty such as plagiarism. While there exists plagiarism detection techniques and tools, not all of them are suitable for academic settings, especially in introductory programming courses. This paper introduces PasteTrace, a novel open-source plagiarism detection tool designed specifically for introductory programming courses. Unlike traditional methods, PasteTrace operates within an Integrated Development Environment that tracks the student's coding activities in real-time for evidence of plagiarism. Our evaluation of PasteTrace in two introductory programming courses demonstrates the tool's ability to provide insights into student behavior and detect various forms of plagiarism, outperforming an existing well-established tool. A video demonstration of PasteTrace and its source code, and case study data are made available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.27115852