Reference checkingfor a whole institution.
Benthic checks the references of one thesis on one Mac, for free. Abyss is its planned version for universities and business schools: every submission checked when it is handed in, findings across courses and terms, and reports anyone can verify.
Proof of concept: two parts work today. Pilots with the first institutions start in 2027.
- Not foundOne invented reference in 9 submissions from 3 departments since Marchmemory
- RetractedA source cited in a faculty paper from 2025 was retracted yesterdaypublication watch
- DeviatesThe same DOI with another year and other pages in 4 submissionson hand-in
- AttestedMaster's thesis report re-checked, countersigned and timestampedattestation
One app stays free. Abyss adds what only exists centrally.
The line runs by where a feature runs, not by who uses it. A university may install the free app on every lab Mac and check whole courses with it, now and later.
Benthic
Free and open source under the AGPL, with every feature, on every system it supports. It checks on the computer it runs on, without an account.
- Studentscheck a thesis before they hand it inVerifiedNot found
- Lecturerscheck a whole course folderZIP from MoodleBatch check
- Librariesa pool Mac for everyoneNo accountHouse rules file
One engine: Abyss runs the same checks as Benthic, with the same seven verdicts.
- Campus serverevery submission on hand-in, a memory across termsOn campusMoodle, Canvas, ILIAS
- Attestationreports countersigned by Benthic and the institutionCountersignedTimestamped
- Publication watchthe references in the institution's own papersEvery dayRetracted
Abyss
A server for the institution, and a contract. It sees what no single computer can.
Planned, a proof of concept
Two parts work today
Both ship in Benthic 1.1.6, free for everyone. Abyss builds on them.
House rules in one file
One file carries an institution's citation style, ranking lists, proxy link and contact address. Benthic loads it under Settings › Sources and access › Load house rules and takes nothing else from it. Abyss will push the same file to every enrolled installation.
{
"benthic": "house-rules",
"version": 1,
"name": "Universität Musterstadt (example)",
"style": "apa",
"rankings": [ … ]
}
A fictional university. The sample sets a name, a citation style and a ranking list with two example rows, and leaves your proxy link and contact address alone.
Reports anyone can check
Every PDF report from Benthic 1.1.6 carries a signed seal with a QR code. The verify page shows whether the report is unchanged since it was made and looks up its DOIs again at Crossref and DataCite, in the reader's own browser.
The seal proves that a report is unchanged, not who made it. Abyss adds that part: a countersignature from Benthic's service and the institution.
Seven parts, one annual plan
All seven are planned. Two rest on pieces that work today; the pilots decide which comes first.
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Every submission, on hand-in
A thesis or term paper is checked the moment it is handed in, through Moodle, Canvas or ILIAS. One queue for all lecturers, results in the console and back in the course.
For examination offices and graduate schools
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Attested reports
Benthic's service looks up a report's sources again at Crossref, DataCite and OpenAlex and countersigns it with Benthic's key and the institution's, with a timestamp. Anyone can verify it in the browser, and a revoked report shows as revoked. Reports already carry Benthic's own seal today; the countersignature is the planned part.
For examination offices
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Memory across courses and terms
An invented reference that turns up in nine submissions from three departments since March is a pattern no single lecturer sees. Abyss keeps fingerprints of such references, never the texts, and never scores a person.
For academic integrity and deans of studies
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Publication watch
Every reference in every paper the institution has published, checked again every day. The research office hears when a cited work is retracted or corrected, and faculty can check a manuscript before they submit it.
For research offices and research deans
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House rules, managed
The institution's citation rules, journal lists such as the VHB rating, AJG or FT50, its link resolver and contact address, on every enrolled installation at once. The file works today; pushing it to every installation is the planned part.
For libraries
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Scale
A whole term's theses in one night. The volume is written into the contract; Abyss does not promise “unlimited”.
For IT
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Sign-in and a contract
Single sign-on through the institution's own identity provider, roles and an audit log, a data processing agreement, an accessibility statement, support, and invoicing by purchase order.
For IT, procurement and data protection
Where the data stays
Written for data protection officers first.
Campus server
- Submissions and full texts
- Names, as your learning platform holds them
- The memory across courses and terms
Stays on campus. Benthic has no access, except in a support session you open.
Attestation and publication watch
- DOIs and cited titles
- Verdicts
- Fingerprints of documents
Never a document, never a student's name.
Evidence, not suspicion.
No AI writing detection, no scores for students, no rankings of departments. A finding is a reference that does not exist, a DOI that belongs to another paper, or a quotation the source does not contain: something a lecturer can check in a minute.
The process, not the truth.
An attested report states what Benthic found and when, looked up again at Crossref and DataCite. It does not certify that a reference list is correct; judging the work stays with people.
Pilots in 2027
Free, time-boxed and under a written agreement. Three kinds of partners fit.
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Examination office or graduate school
Attested reports for theses, and whether your office would accept them.
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Research office or research dean
A watch on the references of your institution's publications. Business schools fit well.
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Library or writing centre
Your citation rules and journal lists on every installation.
A pilot answers three questions: does it save work, what does your data protection officer need, and which budget would carry it?