Turnitin: A Comprehensive Guide for Students

Turnitin is a widely used tool in academic institutions to promote originality and academic integrity. This guide provides a detailed overview of Turnitin, focusing on its features, benefits, and how students can effectively use it to enhance their research and writing skills.

Understanding SimilarityCheck

SimilarityCheck is a component of the Turnitin Suite designed to help instructors and students identify potential instances of plagiarism. It functions by comparing submitted work against a vast database of sources, including internet resources, journal articles, and other student papers. Depending on instructor settings, the scope of comparison can vary.

The primary purpose of SimilarityCheck is to provide opportunities for instructors to educate students on proper research methods and source attribution. By analyzing Similarity Reports, instructors can guide students in understanding how to correctly cite and paraphrase sources, thus improving their writing skills.

How SimilarityCheck Works

After a student submits their work, SimilarityCheck generates a Similarity Report. This report assigns a percentage score, indicating the proportion of the submission that matches text found in the databases. The report also highlights specific instances of matching text, allowing for a detailed comparison between the submitted work and the original sources.

It's crucial to understand that the Similarity Report score is not a definitive indicator of plagiarism. The score is influenced by various factors, including instructor settings and the nature of the assignment. Instructors from different disciplines may have varying expectations for what constitutes an acceptable score.

Read also: Turnitin Guide for Students

Interpreting Similarity Report Scores

The Similarity Report score represents the percentage of similarity between the uploaded composition and the databases to which it was compared. However, interpreting this score requires careful judgment and consideration of context.

False Positives

A high percentage match score does not automatically indicate plagiarism. Several factors can lead to a high score, even when the student has acted in good faith:

Self-Submission: A student may independently submit their paper to Turnitin.com to check for plagiarism before submitting it to the instructor.
Recycled Work: A student might reuse content from their previous assignments or research papers. It is essential for instructors to clearly communicate their policies regarding the "recycling" of previous work in their assignment guidelines. According to Ohio State's Code of Student Conduct, submitting "substantially the same work to satisfy requirements for one course or academic requirement that has been submitted in satisfaction of requirements for another course or academic requirement without permission of the instructor of the course for which the work is being submitted…" is a violation of the code.
Draft Submissions: If a student submits a draft of their paper earlier in the term, it may be added to the Ohio State database, resulting in a high score for the final submission.
Plagiarism by Others: It is possible that a student's original work is being plagiarized by another student. In such cases, the Similarity Report cannot differentiate between the original and the copy.

False Negatives

Conversely, a low percentage match score does not guarantee that a student has not plagiarized. There are several reasons why SimilarityCheck might miss instances of plagiarism:

Commissioned Work: The student may have paid someone else to write the paper for them.
Unindexed Sources: The source that was copied from may not be included in the databases used by Turnitin.
Paraphrasing without Citation: A student may paraphrase another's work without proper citation, making it difficult for SimilarityCheck to detect the similarity.

Communicating Expectations

Effective communication is crucial for ensuring that students understand how Turnitin will be used in the course. It is recommended to include a statement in the syllabus explaining the intended use of SimilarityCheck.

Creating Trust

It is essential to foster a sense of trust and transparency with students regarding Turnitin. Clearly explain what it means for their work to be submitted to SimilarityCheck. Discuss the Similarity Report and how the score will be used in the course, even if it is already stated in the syllabus.

Using Reports as Learning Opportunities

The Similarity Report should be used as a tool for learning and improvement. It highlights potential areas where students can strengthen their research and writing skills.

Make Reports Accessible: Allow students to view their Similarity Reports so they can identify the strengths and weaknesses of their papers. Encourage them to schedule office hours to review the report and discuss strategies for improvement.
Separate Assignments for Drafts and Finals: Provide students with the opportunity to submit a draft through Turnitin before submitting their final paper. This allows for discussion of research and citation techniques. Consider requiring students to schedule an appointment to review their draft with the instructor.

Sample Syllabus Statements

If Turnitin is used in a course, consider including the following statements or similar language in the syllabus and assignment descriptions:

"Students at The Ohio State University are accountable for the integrity of the work they submit. Therefore, you should be familiar with the guidelines provided by the Committee on Academic Misconduct (COAM) and Section A of Ohio State's Code of Student Conduct in order to meet the academic expectations concerning appropriate documentation of sources. In addition, Ohio State has made Turnitin, a learning tool and plagiarism prevention system, available to instructors. For this class, you will submit your papers to Turnitin from Carmen. When grading your work, I will interpret the Similarity Report following Section A of Ohio State's Code of Student Conduct as appropriate. For more information about Turnitin, please see the vendor's guide for students. Note that submitted final papers become part of the Ohio State database."

Faculty may opt to not include papers in the Ohio State Turnitin database.

Submitting Assignments

To submit an assignment to Turnitin through CarmenCanvas:

Read also: Enrollment at Notre Dame

Click on the Canvas Home tab.
Click Browse, select a file, and click Open at the bottom of the box.
If you want to turn in more than one file, click +Add Another File and then Browse for and Open that file.
When done adding files, click the box next to I agree to the tool’s End-User License Agreement.
Click Submit Assignment. The gold box to the right will say Re-submit Assignment.

The screen will show that the assignment is submitted.

Checking Turnitin Results

To view the results of the Similarity Report, click Submission Details in the upper left corner of the assignment submission page. Click the Report flag to see the originality report as a student. Refer to the Turnitin guide to understand your similarity score.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues while uploading an assignment:

Try again and follow all directions carefully. Avoid clicking away if the upload takes longer than expected.
Check your file type. Turnitin accepts Word (.doc/.docx), text (.txt), HTML, and many other file types. Some files, like Google Docs and PDFs, may work under certain circumstances.
Ensure you are using a compatible browser. ICON usually works best in Chrome, but personal settings and extensions can sometimes cause issues, especially when submitting Google Docs.

Turnitin Clarity

Turnitin Clarity is an add-on for institutions with a Turnitin Feedback Studio license. It offers educators visibility into the student writing process, from the first draft to the final submission.

Key Features of Turnitin Clarity

AI-Assisted Writing Insights: Gain visibility into AI usage and empower students to use AI tools responsibly.
One-Stop Composition Experience: Students can access assignment instructions, rubrics, and write their submissions within their institution's Learning Management System (LMS).
Transparency and Data: Provides transparency into the writing process and students’ AI usage, helping to level the playing field for students. Administrators can leverage the data to support academic integrity and AI usage policies.
Drafting Process Visibility: Educators can view students' entire drafting process, including pasted text, writing time, construction time, and draft history.

To add Turnitin Clarity to your institution's license, contact your Turnitin account manager.

Best Practices for Using Turnitin

To maximize the effectiveness of Turnitin, consider the following best practices:

Familiarize yourself with relevant guidelines: Understand the guidelines provided by the Committee on Academic Misconduct (COAM) and Section A of Ohio State's Code of Student Conduct, which define plagiarism and outline expectations for academic integrity.
Establish baseline expectations: Determine what percentage of non-original material is typical for well-written work in your discipline and set expectations accordingly.
Consider the assignment type: Given the nature of your assignment, determine what percentage of non-original material you should expect to see.
Maximize learning: Use Turnitin as a tool to enhance student learning by providing feedback, discussing research and citation techniques, and promoting academic integrity.

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