Plagiarism detection with IO (Inspera Originality)
Mid Sweden University has a joint license for the text-matching tool Inspera Originality (IO). This means that teachers at all the university's departments can use IO to check student work.
What is IO (Inspera Originality)?
IO is a system that automatically compares student work against other texts from three main sources: the internet, selected publisher content, and IO’s own archive. IO is used at many Swedish and international universities as part of efforts to prevent and detect academic misconduct and plagiarism. IO can be used either as an integrated tool in the Canvas learning platform or as a standalone web service.
Preventing Plagiarism in Teaching
An effective way to reduce plagiarism is to discuss the topic with students. By addressing academic integrity, you help them develop important skills, such as how to reference correctly and use sources appropriately.
It is always better to prevent plagiarism than to deal with it afterwards. Many students need a clearer understanding of what plagiarism means in practice.
How Inspera Originality works
IO is a tool that helps teachers and examiners review student texts and detect plagiarism and text manipulation.
At Mid Sweden University, IO is primarily used together with digital submissions in Canvas. The results are presented in an analysis report, which you as a teacher or examiner need to review and assess.
The recommendation is to use IO as an integrated tool within Assignments in Canvas, although it can also be used as a standalone tool in certain cases.
Using IO in Canvas
Inspera Originality can be enabled when creating an assignment in Canvas, or later for an assignment that has not yet received submissions.
Once the review is complete, the report is available directly in Canvas.
More information on how to enable and use IO can be found in the Canvas Basic Course for Teachers.
Using IO as a Standalone Tool
In some cases, such as thesis courses, there may be a need to use plagiarism detection outside of Canvas. In these situations, Inspera Originality can be used as a standalone tool.
Link for standalone login.
User Information
Handling of disciplinary matters
Procedure for disciplinary measures
Source: Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 10. Disciplinary measures
General Provisions
1 § Disciplinary measures may be taken against students who , with prohibited aids or in any other way, attempt to deceive during examinations or when study performance is otherwise to be assessed /.../
2 § The disciplinary measures are a warning and suspension.
A decision on suspension means that the student is not allowed to participate in teaching, examinations or other activities within the framework of the education at the university. The decision shall relate to one or more periods, up to a total of six months. /…/
Source: Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 10. Disciplinary action.
Urkund's customer service: 08-738 52 10 or send an e-mail to: support@ouriginal.com
More information about disciplinary matters
Which file formats are supported?
Inspera Originality (IO) supports a wide range of file formats. See their page about file formats for the latest list.
We recommend restricting submissions to supported formats. Unsupported files may result in errors, so be clear in your assignment instructions.
Does highlighted text mean plagiarism?
No. A highlighted section simply means the system has found similarities with other sources.
It is always your responsibility as a teacher or examiner to determine whether it constitutes plagiarism. Properly cited text and common phrases may also be flagged.
Why do all students show high similarity in an assignment?
This can happen if students include a shared template or instructions in their submissions.
Since the same text appears in all documents, it will generate matches in the report.
Can I rely on Originality to detect everything?
No. Originality is a support tool, not a definitive answer.
It compares texts against web sources, academic databases, and previous submissions, but it does not have access to all sources.
Do students need to know their work is being checked?
Yes. Students must confirm that their submission is their own work when submitting assignments.
We also recommend informing them in the assignment description that the text will be checked with Inspera Originality (IO) and specifying allowed file formats.
What happens if a student submits a new version?
If the new version is submitted in the same assignment, it is treated as an updated version and the previous submission is excluded from comparisons.
If submitted in a different assignment, it is treated as a new text and may match the student’s earlier work, which can appear as self-plagiarism.
Can I use IO outside Canvas?
Yes. For example, when supervising theses or doctoral work, you can use Inspera Originality (IO) as a standalone tool if no Canvas course room is available.
You upload the document directly in the IO portal and receive a report. (Log in with SWAMID)
What happens if the document is too short or in the wrong format?
To be analysed, the document must contain at least 20 words and 430 characters.
If it is too short or in an unsupported format, no report will be generated, even though the submission appears in Canvas.
Will I receive email notifications for each report?
No. Inspera Originality (IO) does not send automatic emails for each report.
You need to log in to view reports. Notification settings can be adjusted in the IO portal if applicable.
Can I see all student submissions in the system?
No. You can only access reports with your own courses or documents you have uploaded.
Previous submissions are used for comparison but cannot be browsed.
What should I do if I suspect plagiarism or misconduct?
If you suspect plagiarism or misconduct, follow MIUN’s procedures for disciplinary cases.
Questions about disciplinary matters
