How to Create a Custom Google Reader Feed and Use it to Detect Plagiarism

RSS feed readers are nifty little tools that allow you to quickly and easily syndicate content. For example, if you are a Web content writer that publishes your articles on a site such as Associated Content, you can create an RSS feed and embed the URL in your blogs and other locations. Your fans can subscribe to this same feed and have your content delivered directly to them. Another advantage of using RSS feeds for Web content writers is that you can enter your feed URL into a plagiarism detection service called FairShare and quickly and easily find plagiarized copies of your content. While many blog and Web sites have built-in RSS tools for creating the RSS feed URL, not all do. Don't worry; you can create your own RSS feed by using Google Reader. Once created, you are ready to start detecting plagiarism.

Opening Google Reader and Creating an RSS Feed

First, you will need a Google account if you don't already have one. Once signed into your Google account, click the My Account link. Now, click the Reader link. Find the Notes link in the left pane under "Your Stuff." In the main pane, two choices are available: Note in Reader or a blank text box. Copy and paste the text that you want as your feed into the blank text box and click Post Note. Make sure that the Add to Shared Items check box is marked.

Now, click the Settings link in the upper right corner of the screen. Click on the Folders and Tags tab in the orange box. Find the Your Shared Items line and click the View Public Page link. This will open your content in the Google Reader. You're not done yet. On the right side of the screen, you should see a small orange RSS feed icon and a link for Atom Feed. Click the Atom Feed link. Now, the official feed page will display along with an option to subscribe to the feed. Go ahead and subscribe to the feed if so inclined. The URL of this page is your RSS feed. Use it just as you would any other RSS feed URL. Better yet, if you're a Web content writer, use it to monitor your articles for plagiarism.

According to Google, the URL to your Google Reader public page is not revealed to others (unless you give this link to others) nor is it accessible via search engines. This cloak of invisibility is an important point if you are concerned about duplicate content issues. For example, if the articles you are monitoring are available for full rights purchase at a site like Constant-Content.com, potential customers need to be assured that the content is not indexed.

Using the Google Feed URL with FairShare to Detect Plagiarism

FairShare.cc is a plagiarism detection service that compares the content of your URL with Internet content. Simply sign up for a free account and enter your RSS feed's URL; in this case, the URL you just created with Google Reader. Hint: You can also enter your Google Reader feed into Feedburner and use the Feedburner feed with FairShare which appears to work a bit more consistently with the FairShare service.

Choose the way you want to view the results and give FairShare a few hours to scour the Internet in search of plagiarized copies of your articles. For more information, read the Using FairShare to Detect Plagiarism article.