18 Sep 2024

Using iThenticate for ERDC Publications: Avoiding and Addressing Unintentional Plagiarism

Abstract: The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) conducts world-class research that supports national endeavors and the Army mission. To demonstrate the reliability of ERDC’s research and to preserve ERDC’s reputation, it is critical that ERDC publications meet quality standards. This includes reviewing publications for potential copyright infringement, which adds another level of assurance to the quality and integrity of ERDC’s published works. Therefore, this report aims to explain the benefits and purpose behind implementing iThenticate, a powerful antiplagiarism tool, into the ERDC In-formation Technology Laboratory–Information Science and Knowledge Management (ISKM) Branch’s publication process and to present thorough guidance on using iThenticate effectively. To accomplish this, this document outlines the basics of copyright law, how to use iThenticate, and how to provide proper attributions for both text and images. With this information, ISKM editors will be able to better communicate to authors the results of iThenticate reviews and to propose solutions for any issues that iThenticate may highlight.