Skip to Main Content

Avoiding Plagiarism

Delivery Options for Avoiding Plagiarism

The lecture content of the Avoiding Plagiarism live webinars, certificate course, and Canvas module is all the same, but the assessment differs between the delivery methods. It is up to instructors as to how they would like to incorporate the content, but here are some things to consider:

  • the live webinars are currently offered in Fall and Winter semesters only and use Zoom polls to ask the students 10 questions about the content of the webinar
  • the Canvas module can be imported into an existing course and is published as an OER, meaning that you have control over how the content is integrated, including if and how the review quiz is used
    • the content is updated about once a year, but you will have to update the imported module
  • the certificate course is stand alone and is continuously running, so librarians are not closely monitoring the students' progress

Please continue down the page to learn more about each delivery method to choose what works best for you and your students. You can contact Liz Svoboda with any questions.

Avoiding Plagiarism Webinars

The library offers Avoiding Plagiarism webinars during the Fall and Winter semesters. Please register for one of the upcoming sessions below for Winter 2024:

  • Wednesday, January 24 from 6 to 7pm
  • Tuesday, February 13 from 6 to 7pm
  • Wednesday, February 21 from 6 to 7pm
  • Tuesday, March 12 from 6 to 7pm
  • Wednesday, March 27 from 6 to 7pm

After each session attendance and review question participation records will be shared with those instructors that students in attendance name.

Adding Avoiding Plagiarism Module to Canvas Course

The Canvas module includes four videos with embedded check point questions, a 20 point review quiz, and helpful resources linked throughout the module. The review quiz is set as a "practice quiz" so it will NOT automatically be added to an instructor's gradebook. This module is an OER with a CC BY-SA 4.0 license, meaning that you are able to adapt the content to your needs.


To add the module to your Canvas course.

  1. Open your course.
  2. Click Import from Commons in the upper right corner of the page to be taken to the Canvas Commons.
  3. Search for Thompson Library.
  4. In the resulting content look for the Avoiding Plagiarism module and select it.
  5. On the module's page you can preview the content before clicking Import/Download to open a side menu.
  6. On the side menu select the course you want to import the module, then click Import.
  7. The module will appear in your course and gradebook shortly.

It is a good idea to check for updates to the Canvas modules you import. We review the content and update about once a year, typically over the summer.

Avoiding Plagiarism Certificate Course

If you don’t want to add the module to your Canvas course and if students are unable to attend a live webinar, the self-paced certificate course is an option. Hosted through the UM-Flint Professional Development storefront, students will need to self-enroll, then complete the lectures and review quiz in order to earn the certificate. There is no cost to enroll in this course and the certificate expires after 18 months.

Students can easily share their certificate with you as a PDF, but for detailed information about student participation, please contact Liz Svoboda.

To enroll:

  1. Click the enroll button on the course’s page to add the course to your cart, then click enroll again in your cart.
  2. The enrollment will be pending for a few minutes, but the screen will eventually say “ready to begin.”
  3. The course can then be accessed in your Canvas Dashboard.

Additional Resources & Guidance