Implemented MOSS for plagiarism detection in assignments

📅 2024-06-24 — Session: Implemented MOSS for plagiarism detection in assignments

🕒 15:35–16:35
🏷️ Labels: MOSS, Python, Plagiarism Detection, Automation, Scripting
📂 Project: Teaching
⭐ Priority: MEDIUM

Session Goal

The goal of this session was to set up and execute the Measure Of Software Similarity (MOSS) tool for detecting plagiarism in student programming assignments.

Key Activities

• Set up MOSS for plagiarism detection, including registration, installation, and script execution.
• Developed a Python script to integrate MOSS, organizing submissions and automating the process using the subprocess module.
• Modified the script to handle file limitations, retrieving up to three files from directories for MOSS processing.
• Resolved an error related to the unrecognized ‘-u’ option in the MOSS script by providing a corrected version.
• Summarized the results of the MOSS execution, noting no plagiarism was detected.
• Provided insights into the Perl MOSS client script, detailing its structure and functionality.
• Managed submission limits by batching file submissions and automating the process with a Python script.
• Executed a batch submission script for Python files to facilitate similarity checks.
• Utilized shell commands to count files by extension within directories.
• Analyzed execution results, identified issues, and suggested improvements for file handling and error reporting.

Achievements

• Successfully set up and executed MOSS, confirming no plagiarism in the current batch of submissions.
• Developed and tested scripts to automate and optimize the MOSS submission process.

Pending Tasks

• Further analysis and refinement of file handling and error reporting in the MOSS scripts to enhance robustness and reliability.