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Plagiarism

What Is Mosaic Plagiarism?

Learn about mosaic plagiarism, also known as patchwriting, and why it’s such a difficult type of plagiarism to detect.

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Introduction

Our text compare tool is a fantastic, lightweight tool that provides plagiarism checks between two documents. Whether you are a student, blogger or publisher, this tool offers a great solution to detect and compare similarities between any two pieces of text. In this article, I will discuss the different ways to use the tool, the primary features of the tool and who this tool is for. There is an FAQ at the bottom if you run into any issues when trying to use the tool.

What makes Originality.ai’s text comparison tool stand out?

Keyword density helper – This tool comes with a built-in keyword density helper in some ways similar to the likes of SurferSEO or MarketMuse the difference being, ours is free! This feature shows the user the frequency of single or two word keywords in a document, meaning you can easily compare an article you have written against a competitor to see the major differences in keyword densities. This is especially useful for SEO’s who are looking to optimize their blog content for search engines and improve the blog’s visibility.

Ways to compare

File compare – Text comparison between files is a breeze with our tool. Simply select the files you would like to compare, hit “Upload” and our tool will automatically insert the content into the text area, then simply hit “Compare” and let our tool show you where the differences in the text are. By uploading a file, you can still check the keyword density in your content.

URL compare

Comparing text between URLs is effortless with our tool. Simply paste the URL you would like to get the content from (in our example we use a fantastic blog post by Sherice Jacob found here) hit “Submit URL” and our tool will automatically retrieve the contents of the page and paste it into the text area, then simply click “Compare” and let our tool highlight the difference between the URLs. This feature is especially useful for checking keyword density between pages!

Simple text compare

You can also easily compare text by copying and pasting it into each field, as demonstrated below.

Features of Originality.ai’s Text Compare Tool

Ease of use

Our text compare tool is created with the user in mind, it is designed to be accessible to everyone. Our tool allows users to upload files or enter a URL to extract text, this along with the lightweight design ensures a seamless experience. The interface is simple and straightforward, making it easy for users to compare text and detect the diff.

Multiple text file format support

Our tool provides support for a variety of different text files and microsoft word formats including pdf file, .docx, .odt, .doc, and .txt, giving users the ability to compare text from different sources with ease. This makes it a great solution for students, bloggers, and publishers who are looking for file comparison in different formats.

Protects intellectual property

Our text comparison tool helps you protect your intellectual property and helps prevent plagiarism. This tool provides an accurate comparison of texts, making it easy to ensure that your work is original and not copied from other sources. Our tool is a valuable resource for anyone looking to maintain the originality of their content.

User Data Privacy

Our text compare tool is secure and protects user data privacy. No data is ever saved to the tool, the users’ text is only scanned and pasted into the tool’s text area. This makes certain that users can use our tool with confidence, knowing their data is safe and secure.

Compatibility

Our text comparison tool is designed to work seamlessly across all size devices, ensuring maximum compatibility no matter your screen size. Whether you are using a large desktop monitor, a small laptop, a tablet or a smartphone, this tool adjusts to your screen size. This means that users can compare texts and detect the diff anywhere without the need for specialized hardware or software. This level of accessibility makes it an ideal solution for students or bloggers who value the originality of their work and need to compare text online anywhere at any time.

There are several types of plagiarism. Mosaic plagiarism is a complex form of plagiarism, which is more subtle than just copying and pasting (typically associated with direct plagiarism). 

Learn about mosaic plagiarism and tips for avoiding it in this comprehensive guide. 

Then, use the Originality.ai Plagiarism Checker to review content for potential instances of plagiarism and publish with confidence.

What’s in This Article

  • What mosaic plagiarism (or patchwriting) is.
  • Some common indicators of mosaic plagiarism.
  • How to avoid mosaic plagiarism.
  • Plagiarism detection for mosaic plagiarism or patchwriting.

What is Mosaic Plagiarism or Patchwriting?

According to the University Libraries of North Texas, mosaic plagiarism is also known as patchwriting. 

Patchwriting happens when various ideas and concepts are borrowed, including phrasing and writing style, from one or more publications, without acknowledging the source or the author.

Here’s a quick example to illustrate a hypothetical scenario where mosaic plagiarism occurs.

A person is writing a detailed article on the effects of climate change at the Arctic Circle, particularly in terms of how it affects arctic animals that live on and around the ice. 

In a hurry to get the article ready for publication, they come across a scientific report full of great information. To avoid making it look like they copied from the original author, they use some of the other author’s material, swap around a few words and rearrange different sections, mixing in a few of their own sentences. 

They decide that the work is different enough to be considered their own — and choose not to cite the original author. 

This is an example of mosaic plagiarism because the person presents another’s ideas and writing as their own original work and further they fail to properly cite and reference them.

Learn about the role of citation and referencing in avoiding plagiarism.

Indications of Mosaic Plagiarism

Review some common indicators that may be signs of mosaic plagiarism

Then, for a more comprehensive analysis of plagiarism, try the industry-leading Originality.ai Plagiarism Checker.

Text includes paraphrasing

By swapping out different words or entire sentences, a writer can use paraphrasing to attempt to avoid having their work detected as direct (copy-and-paste) plagiarism. 

Santa Clara University, notes that mosaic plagiarism frequently incorporates paraphrasing. In particular, the guide describes mosaic plagiarism as, adding a few new and ‘original lines’ mixed in with a couple of sentences that are paraphrased.

Get insight into paraphrasing plagiarism detection at Originality.ai in our comparative Grammarly and Copyscape reviews.

The original author doesn’t get credit

The University of Toronto, emphasizes that a key aspect of mosaic plagiarism is that credit, sources, or citations are not provided to reference the original author. 

Remember that if you take concepts and ideas from another source, failing to cite the original author of the idea is still plagiarism. 

Learn about citation checkers and how they can help to review work for proper citation practices.

Content is manipulated to make it look authentic

Beyond just partial paraphrasing, content used in mosaic plagiarism is often altered just enough to change the wording and style

This may appear as a handful of synonyms here and a passage there, to make it look like an original thought, even though, with enough investigation, it really isn’t. 

Ideas and phrases are pulled from different authors

When it comes to mosaic plagiarism, words and phrases from different authors, including ideas, concepts, and explanations, are often blended together and pulled from various sources. 

Mosaic plagiarism can occur accidentally

Patchwriting or mosaic plagiarism isn’t always done with the aim of plagiarizing. 

In fact, the University of North Texas notes that incorrect paraphrasing practices are often at fault for mosaic plagiarism, “This type of plagiarism is frequently called patchwriting and it most frequently occurs when students fail to paraphrase correctly.”

Sometimes it’s entirely unintentional and accidental particularly if the writer doesn’t have a good grasp of how to properly paraphrase, or how to cite the author of the original work. 

How to Avoid Mosaic Plagiarism

Taking steps to avoid mosaic plagiarism is a sign that you’re focused on publishing with integrity

To help avoid potential patchwriting, follow these best practices: 

Write ideas in your own original way

Even if you’re writing about something scientific or complex, you can still state the concept in your own words. 

This shows not only that you understand the material, but that you’re able to add your own unique inspiration or style to it.

Remember, every writer has their own style of writing. Show yours! 

Make sure to cite your sources

If ever in doubt, cite the author. It’s an overall good practice to follow, that will help you avoid unintentional or accidental plagiarism. 

Citation-checking tools can help you organize and prepare your citations so that you don’t inadvertently miss any. 

Use a reliable plagiarism detector

It’s a great idea to run a finished work through a plagiarism detector, such as Originality.ai. This will help you avoid any potential plagiarism, by highlighting text similarities, so you make sure to review where quotations and citations are required.

That way you can properly credit authors while making sure that the work is uniquely and authentically your own. 

Final Thoughts

Plagiarism detectors like the Originality.ai Plagiarism Checker can spot this complex form of plagiarism. 

Then, complement your use of a plagiarism-checking tool in the publishing process by taking concrete steps to cite your work correctly and phrase things in your own words using your own ideas. 

Being able to understand the small yet important differences between paraphrasing and plagiarizing is one important step you can take to make sure that everything you write is published with integrity. 

Read more about plagiarism and plagiarism detection:

Sherice Jacob

Sherice Jacob is a seasoned copywriter and content professional fluent in English, Spanish, and Catalan, with over 25 years of experience crafting high-converting copy. Passionate about AI, she enjoys exploring the new innovations and possibilities it brings to the world of content creation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to check for plagiarism?

Tools for conducting a plagiarism check between two documents online are important as it helps to ensure the originality and authenticity of written work. Plagiarism undermines the value of professional and educational institutions, as well as the integrity of the authors who write articles. By checking for plagiarism, you can ensure the work that you produce is original or properly attributed to the original author. This helps prevent the distribution of copied and misrepresented information.

What is Text Comparison?

Text comparison is the process of taking two or more pieces of text and comparing them to see if there are any similarities, differences and/or plagiarism. The objective of a text comparison is to see if one of the texts has been copied or paraphrased from another text. This text compare tool for plagiarism check between two documents has been built to help you streamline that process by finding the discrepancies with ease.

How do Text Comparison Tools Work?

Text comparison tools work by analyzing and comparing the contents of two or more text documents to find similarities and differences between them. This is typically done by breaking the texts down into smaller units such as sentences or phrases, and then calculating a similarity score based on the number of identical or nearly identical units. The comparison may be based on the exact wording of the text, or it may take into account synonyms and other variations in language. The results of the comparison are usually presented in the form of a report or visual representation, highlighting the similarities and differences between the texts.

String comparison is a fundamental operation in text comparison tools that involves comparing two sequences of characters to determine if they are identical or not. This comparison can be done at the character level or at a higher level, such as the word or sentence level.

The most basic form of string comparison is the equality test, where the two strings are compared character by character and a Boolean result indicating whether they are equal or not is returned. More sophisticated string comparison algorithms use heuristics and statistical models to determine the similarity between two strings, even if they are not exactly the same. These algorithms often use techniques such as edit distance, which measures the minimum number of operations (such as insertions, deletions, and substitutions) required to transform one string into another.

Another common technique for string comparison is n-gram analysis, where the strings are divided into overlapping sequences of characters (n-grams) and the frequency of each n-gram is compared between the two strings. This allows for a more nuanced comparison that takes into account partial similarities, rather than just exact matches.

String comparison is a crucial component of text comparison tools, as it forms the basis for determining the similarities and differences between texts. The results of the string comparison can then be used to generate a report or visual representation of the similarities and differences between the texts.

What is Syntax Highlighting?

Syntax highlighting is a feature of text editors and integrated development environments (IDEs) that helps to visually distinguish different elements of a code or markup language. It does this by coloring different elements of the code, such as keywords, variables, functions, and operators, based on a predefined set of rules.

The purpose of syntax highlighting is to make the code easier to read and understand, by drawing attention to the different elements and their structure. For example, keywords may be colored in a different hue to emphasize their importance, while comments or strings may be colored differently to distinguish them from the code itself. This helps to make the code more readable, reducing the cognitive load of the reader and making it easier to identify potential syntax errors.

How Can I Conduct a Plagiarism Check between Two Documents Online?

With our tool it’s easy, just enter or upload some text, click on the button “Compare text” and the tool will automatically display the diff between the two texts.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Text Compare Tool?

Using text comparison tools is much easier, more efficient, and more reliable than proofreading a piece of text by hand. Eliminate the risk of human error by using a tool to detect and display the text difference within seconds.

What Files Can You Inspect with This Text Compare Tool?

We have support for the file extensions .pdf, .docx, .odt, .doc and .txt. You can also enter your text or copy and paste text to compare.

Will My Data Be Shared?

There is never any data saved by the tool, when you hit “Upload” we are just scanning the text and pasting it into our text area so with our text compare tool, no data ever enters our servers.

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