Ohio University will spot-check some 1,500 theses and dissertations submitted by engineering students since 1980 in order to determine if a rash of plagiarism uncovered this year is a recent phenomenon or a vintage technique, The Columbus Dispatch reported this morning. The engineering dean told the newspaper that such a check, conducted by computer analysis on a randomly chosen set of papers, is the only way to tell if the university has a wider problem. Checking all the papers would take too long.

The plagiarism, which was brought to light by a graduate student, has so far resulted in university action against the copycat students, as well as lawsuits against the university by faculty members disciplined over their students’ misconduct.