Is Using Chegg and Homework Help Sites Plagiarism? The Truth About Online Tutoring Platforms

Here's the question I get constantly from students: "Is using Chegg plagiarism? What about Course Hero? If I look at a homework solution and then write it in my own way, is that okay?" The answer is complicated, but not in the way you think. Let me break down what's actually going on with these platforms and the real plagiarism risks.

The short answer: It depends. Using these platforms isn't automatically plagiarism. But how you use them can be. And there are other ethical and legal considerations that matter even if it's not technically plagiarism. Let me explain the nuances.

What These Platforms Actually Are

Chegg, Course Hero, Tutor.com, and similar platforms position themselves as tutoring or study resources. You pay for access to solutions, explanations, and expert help. The marketing message is "study better" and "get help understanding the material."

But in reality, most students use them as: "Get the answer to my homework so I can submit it." That's not studying. That's outsourcing your assignment. And that's where the plagiarism concerns come in.

The Plagiarism Question: When Does It Become Plagiarism?

Scenario 1: You Use the Solution Directly

You find the solution on Chegg. You copy it (with or without changing a few words) and submit it as your work. This is plagiarism. Clear-cut. The solution belongs to someone else—either a Chegg expert or another student who submitted it. Copying it is plagiarism.

This is also where plagiarism detection becomes relevant. Chegg solutions are sometimes in plagiarism databases. Turnitin and other systems flag content that matches known sources—including homework help solutions.

Scenario 2: You Read It, Learn From It, Then Write Your Own

You look at a Chegg solution to understand how to solve the problem. You close Chegg. You work through the problem yourself, writing your own solution. Is this plagiarism? Technically, probably not. It's using a resource to learn, similar to reading a textbook or consulting a tutor.

But here's the caveat: your professor might consider it academic integrity violation depending on your school's policies. Many schools prohibit using homework help sites at all, even if you don't directly copy. It's not about plagiarism detection—it's about the school's definition of acceptable help.

Scenario 3: You Heavily Reference the Solution

You follow the Chegg solution's logic very closely. You use their approach, their steps, their organization. You change the wording but the structure and reasoning are almost identical. Is this plagiarism?

This is the gray area. Technically, if the logic and approach are so similar that they're obviously copied from a source, it can be flagged. Some professors consider this plagiarism (plagiarism of ideas), while others consider it academic misconduct for other reasons.

The Actual Risks (Beyond Plagiarism)

Academic Integrity Policy Violations

Many schools explicitly prohibit using homework help platforms. Check your school's academic integrity policy. Some schools say you can't use them at all. Some say you can use them for learning but not for submitting homework. Some don't address them specifically.

If your school prohibits it and you get caught, it's an academic integrity violation even if it's not technically plagiarism. Consequences can include failing the assignment, failing the course, or more serious academic penalties.

Detection Methods Schools Use

Schools have gotten better at detecting homework help site usage:

• • Plagiarism databases that include Chegg content
• • Direct comparison to known homework help solutions
• • IP address logging (Chegg tracks who accesses solutions)
• • Unusual writing style or quality (solution doesn't match your normal work)
• • Errors that match known solutions (if multiple students submit identical errors)

Some schools have actually subpoenaed Chegg for user information when investigating suspected cheating. Chegg complies with legal requests.

Your Learning Gets Compromised

This isn't about plagiarism or getting caught. It's about you. If you're using homework help sites to bypass actually learning the material, you're harming yourself. You don't understand the material. You'll struggle on exams. You'll lack foundational knowledge for future courses.

Short-term: you get the homework done. Long-term: you've wasted your tuition and your time.

How to Use Homework Help Sites Ethically (If at All)

If your school allows it and you're going to use these platforms, use them right:

• • Use them to understand, not to copy
• • Read the explanation, then close the site before you write
• • Work through problems yourself after studying the solution
• • Use them for learning, not for submitting
• • Check your school's policy first

Honestly? Free resources like Khan Academy, YouTube tutorials, and your school's tutoring center are probably better. You get the learning without the ethical complications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can Turnitin detect Chegg solutions?

A: Sometimes. Chegg content is in some plagiarism databases. If your solution matches a known Chegg solution, it could be flagged. But not all Chegg solutions are in these databases, so detection isn't guaranteed.

Q: Is looking at answers to understand how they're done cheating?

A: It depends on your school's policy. Some schools allow this (it's like asking a tutor). Some schools explicitly prohibit using homework help sites. Know your school's policy before you use it.

Q: What if I rephrase the solution completely?

A: If you're following their logic exactly but changing words, it's still using their intellectual work. This can still be flagged by your professor, even if plagiarism detection doesn't catch it. Professors notice when solutions follow known solution patterns too closely.

Q: Have students gotten in trouble from Chegg?

A: Yes. Multiple universities have used Chegg user data to identify and investigate cheating cases. Some students have been expelled. Using Chegg isn't risk-free, especially if your school takes academic integrity seriously.

Final Thoughts

The real issue isn't whether Chegg is plagiarism. The real issue is whether you're genuinely learning or just bypassing learning. If you're genuinely learning, great—use whatever resources help you learn. If you're just trying to get homework done without learning, you're wasting your education.

And yeah, there are also real consequences. Get caught and you face academic penalties. Your school might be stricter than you think. Know the rules first, then make informed choices.