SafeAssign

SafeAssign is a plagiarism detection tool in Blackboard Ultra that helps to deter plagiarism and educates students on proper citation practices.

SafeAssign checks student papers for plagiarism by comparing them to several databases, including the internet, a large collection of articles, institutional papers, and a global reference database. It looks for exact and similar matches between submitted work and existing sources. SafeAssign can process several file types, such as .docx, .pdf, .txt, and .html, but not all file types are supported. Only compatible files will generate an Originality Report. If a file type is unsupported, the report will not show a matching score.

In Blackboard Ultra, you can utilize SafeAssign in two ways:

  • Enable SafeAssign for Assessments (Assignments and Tests)
  • DirectSubmit

Enable SafeAssign for Assessments

In a new or existing assignment or test, click on Settings to open the assessment’s settings panel.

  1. Select Enable Originality Report.
  2. Check the box labeled Enable SafeAssign.
  3. Optionally,
    • Allow students to view their SafeAssign Originality Reports after submission to identify potential plagiarism issues in their work and make necessary corrections before final submission. 
    • Exclude submissions from the Institutional and Global Reference Databases. This is useful for draft submissions that you don’t want included in the databases.
  4. Click Save to apply these settings.

Viewing and Interpreting Originality Reports

  1. In the Submissions View, an Originality column will show each student’s SafeAssign score.
  2. Click on a student’s name to view their submission attempts, along with the Highest and Average Match scores for each.
  3. To review specific areas of concern, click on Additional Content to view highlighted sections.
  4. Click the printer icon in the upper right corner to print the detailed report including Source Matches.

Additional Content View

Source Matches

Understanding Match Percentages:

  1. Low (<15%): Typically includes common phrases or properly cited material.
  2. Medium (15-40%): May contain unoriginal text; further review is recommended.
  3. High (>40%): Likely includes significant unoriginal content.

DirectSubmit:

DirectSubmit allows instructors to use the plagiarism tool on student work not submitted as a Blackboard assessment.

  1. Select Books & Course Tools from the Details & Actions menu.
  2. At the top of the panel, under Instructor Tools, select “SafeAssign.”
  3. Choose whether to submit as an uploaded file or copy and paste text.
  4. Select the desired upload options.
    • Check for Plagiarism: Generates an Originality Report. Turn off to process submissions without generating a report, while still allowing future comparisons.
    • Add to Database: Adds submissions to the institutional database when enabled.
    • Share: Grants access to others with grading privileges when selected; private submissions are accessible only to you.

Best Practices

  • Inform Students: Clearly communicate to your students that their submissions will be checked using SafeAssign and educate them on the importance of academic integrity.
  • Review Reports Carefully: Not all matches indicate plagiarism; some may be common phrases or properly cited material.
  • Use as a Teaching Tool: Encourage students to review their Originality Reports (if you allow them access) to learn about proper citation and paraphrasing techniques.
  • Be Aware of Delays: SafeAssign may experience delays during busy times in the semester. Please remind students not to resubmit papers, as this will move them to the end of the queue. Blackboard reports that it may take 24-36 hours or longer for report results to be returned.

By effectively integrating SafeAssign into your Blackboard Ultra course, you can uphold academic integrity and support your students in developing ethical research and writing skills.

Print Article