Writing sample false positive plagiarism concern

[Cpoco]

Hi folks. I have been waiting for my decisions, and there recently comes to my mind a practical concern. After I submitted my applications, I put my writing samples online in order to get some critique, and my essays are fully indexed by Google. So now I am worrying about that when the admission committees use stuff like Turnitin.com or something like that, it will raise a big red flag on their end because an identical essay will certainly be matched by Google. I am afraid that if they are not patient enough to actually check whether that source belongs to me, they will simply consider my writing sample as plagiarism and discard my application? What are your thoughts and experiences on this issue? Thanks!

[AwkwardPants]

Huh, I never thought about this before. I don't know anything about how admissions committees operate, but it seems a little unlikely that they would use Turnitin.com or a similar service, mostly because those services tend to be a pain to use. Plus grad students (even prospective ones) are more likely to be given the benefit of the doubt compared to undergrads, meaning professors are going to be less likely to assume grad students will plagiarize. (Although shady online thesis mills indicate otherwise.)  I guess your best bet is probably to edit your essay or add a comment or whatever to make it abundantly clear that you are the original author. The Turnitin.com flag is just that -- a flag. Anybody who is using it for something as important as an admission decision is going to do their due dilligence to find out where that writing sample originated.

[Cpoco]

Huh, I never thought about this before. I don't know anything about how admissions committees operate, but it seems a little unlikely that they would use Turnitin.com or a similar service, mostly because those services tend to be a pain to use. Plus grad students (even prospective ones) are more likely to be given the benefit of the doubt compared to undergrads, meaning professors are going to be less likely to assume grad students will plagiarize. (Although shady online thesis mills indicate otherwise.)  I guess your best bet is probably to edit your essay or add a comment or whatever to make it abundantly clear that you are the original author. The Turnitin.com flag is just that -- a flag. Anybody who is using it for something as important as an admission decision is going to do their due dilligence to find out where that writing sample originated.

 

I only uploaded my essays to Academia.edu, so if they really bother to go to that site, they would definitely know the author is me. I do wish everything shall turn out just fine as you suggested. Thanks for the reply.