Measuring Whitespace Patterns as an Indication of Plagiarism
Ilana Shay, Nikolaus Baer, Robert Zeidman · 2010
There are several different methods of comparing source code from different programs to find copying1 . Perhaps the most common method is comparing source code statements, comments, strings, identifiers, and instruction sequences. However, there are anecdotes about the use of whitespace patterns in code. These virtually invisible patterns of spaces and tabs have been used in litigation to imply copying, but no formal study has been performed that shows that these patterns can actually identify copied code. This paper presents a detailed study of whitespace patterns and the uniqueness of these patterns in different programs. Keywords: Copyright Infringement, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Open Source, Plagiarism, Source Code, Source Code Similarity, Whitespace.