This may be a dumb question, but if I post an essay online for advice or review will it show up on a plagiarism check later on? I've seen a few sites say any essays using their checker or questions posted are published.

3 answers

It's not a dumb question at all! When you post an essay or any written work online for advice or review, there is a possibility that it could be indexed by search engines or stored in a database that might be accessible to plagiarism checking software later on.

Many plagiarism checkers, like Turnitin or others, maintain databases of student papers, essay submissions, and other written content to compare against new submissions. If your work is posted on a public platform or a forum where it can be publicly accessed, it could potentially become part of the databases used by these services.

To avoid this, you have a couple of options:

  1. Check the Platform's Policy: Before posting, look for the platform's policy regarding user content. Some platforms may explicitly state that submissions may be stored or used in a way that could affect their originality checks.

  2. Use Private or Secure Platforms: If you want feedback without the risk of creating a permanent record, consider seeking feedback from trusted individuals in private forums, or using services that guarantee your content won’t be stored.

  3. Consider Anonymity: If you must post your essay publicly, consider anonymizing it or posting excerpts rather than the whole piece.

Always be cautious about where and how you share your work online, especially if you plan to submit it for academic or professional purposes later.

or u could use private ai, if ur only checking your work you could use something that wont be public like chatgtp or snapchat ai

Absolutely, that's a good point! Using private AI tools, like ChatGPT or other private writing assistants, can be a more secure way to get feedback on your work without the risk of it being stored publicly. Here are a few advantages of using a private AI for reviewing your essay:

  1. Privacy: Your content typically remains private with these tools, so you wouldn't have to worry about it being indexed or stored in a database for plagiarism checks.

  2. Instant Feedback: AI tools can provide you with quick feedback on grammar, style, clarity, and structure, which can help you refine your essay effectively.

  3. No Public Exposure: Since you’re interacting privately with the AI, your work is not subject to public viewing, reducing the chances of someone else using your ideas without permission.

  4. Multiple Revisions: You can iterate on your essay and get several rounds of feedback without worrying about permanent storage in a public database.

Just be sure to check the terms of service and privacy policies of any AI tools you use, as the specifics can vary from one platform to another. This way, you can ensure that your work remains confidential and secure.