how to check essay on turnitin

AI Writing Detection

Turnitin's AI writing detection capability is designed to help educators identify text that might be prepared by a generative AI tool. Our AI writing detection model may not always be accurate (it may misidentify both human and AI-generated text) so it should not be used as the sole basis for adverse actions against a student. It takes further scrutiny and human judgment in conjunction with an organization's application of its specific academic policies to determine whether any academic misconduct has occurred.

This feature is only available for certain Turnitin licenses. Contact your account administrator to find out more

The AI writing indicator

When you open a Similarity Report, the AI writing indicator is in the side panel. After a short period of processing, the indicator will display one of three potential states:

The AI writing report

The AI writing report contains the overall percentage of prose sentences contained in a long-form writing format within the submitted document that Turnitin’s AI writing detection model determines was generated by AI. These sentences are highlighted in blue on the submission text in the AI writing report.

Prose text contained in long-form writing means individual sentences contained in paragraphs that make up a longer piece of written work, such as an essay, a dissertation, or an article, etc. The model does not reliably detect AI-generated text in the form of non-prose, such as poetry, scripts, or code, nor does it detect short-form/unconventional writing such as bullet points, tables, or annotated bibliographies.

This means that a document containing several different writing types would result in a disparity between the percentage and the highlights.

The percentage, generated by Turnitin’s AI writing detection model, is different and independent from the similarity score, and the AI writing highlights are not visible in the Similarity Report.

How do we detect AI-generated writing?

How Turnitin has made this determination is complex. To help our users understand Turnitin’s method of detecting AI writing text, we have created an extensive FAQ. Learn more about Turnitin’s AI writing detection tool .

AI detection will only work for content submitted in English. It will not process any non-English submissions. As we continue to iterate, we will keep you updated on developments around non-English language support.

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Plagiarism and what are acceptable similarity scores?

Dec 1, 2020 • knowledge article, information.

The Similarity Report is a flexible document that provides a summary of matching or similar text in submitted work compared against a huge database of Internet sources, journals and previously submitted work, allowing students and instructors to review matches between a submitted work and the database scanned by Turnitin. Therefore, the Turnitin Similarity Report does not define whether or not a student's work is plagiarized. The instructor responsible for the course - as a subject matter expert - has a duty to exercise academic judgement on the work that is submitted to Turnitin for their classes. The percentage that is returned on a student's submission (called similarity index or similarity score) defines how much of that material matches other material in the database, it is not a marker as to whether a student has or has not plagiarized. Matches will be displayed to material that has been correctly cited and used, which is where the instructor's academic judgement must come into play. Please find our guide links below on how to interpret the Similarity Report and its similarity score: If you are a student, click here . If you are an instructor, click here . 

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UMGC Writing Center Writing & Turnitin

Tutors in the Effective Writing Center can help you to interpret your Turnitin feedback and use that feedback to improve your written work. Read more about how Turnitin works below, and if you want to work with a tutor on your Turnitin results, just include your feedback with your submission or share it in a live online session.

UMGC’s Technical Support  is prepared to help faculty and students with integrated Turnitin. Contact them first in any situation where you are having a problem.

Turnitin FAQ for Students

Turnitin At UMGC

Turnitin is a service integrated into LEO Classrooms that can find and highlight matching or unoriginal text in a written assignment. It compares text in a document against a large database of electronic academic materials which it indexes and stores. Many or most faculty have enabled assignments for Turnitin in the LEO Classroom. Turnitin checks the assignment against its database of materials to look for matches or near-matches in strings of text. Turnitin then generates an Similarity Report online. The Similarity Report summarizes and highlights matching text.

Using a Turnitin Similarity Report

Related videos:

• Getting All The Way to Paraphrasing 
• UMGC Student Resources   

Turnitin Draft Coach: To view a Turnitin report prior to submitting an assignment

Turnitin Draft Coach is available in UMGC’s Office 365 Apps in Microsoft Word on the web. It allows writing and grammar checking, similarity checks, and citation checking before submitting in the LEO online classroom.  

• Instructions to access Draft Coach at UMGC (Includes troubleshooting tips)
• More information about Draft Coach for students

Please contact  integrity@umgc.edu  with any questions

How to view instructor feedback (if applicable)

See  Turnitin Feedback  and scroll down to the section that says  Instructor Comments .  

TurnItIn for Faculty

Please see  Turnitin Resources for Faculty   on The Source. 

More about Turnitin

How does turnitin work.

Turnitin uses data-mining to compile a large database of electronic academic materials that it indexes and stores. As of January 2020, we are using the version of Turnitin that is integrated directly in assignment folders in the LEO Classroom. Once a document is submitted to an assignment folder, Turnitin checks the new submission against its database of materials to look for matches or near-matches in strings of text. The results are available directly in the assignment folder; a student or faculty member only needs to click the Similarity Score to get the full Similarity Report. If the same student submits multiple times to the same assignment folder, Turnitin will not count the 2nd, 3rd, or subsequent submissions as similar to the first. We have supplied faculty with instructions for setting up a draft folder to allow students to check work prior to submitting to assignment folders.

How complete is Turnitin?

Turnitin has a database of over a million papers and assignments sent to them by students and teachers, a digitized version of the Gutenberg Collection of Literary Classics, and papers pulled from the Internet and various "paper mills," (i.e., services that sell term papers). However, the Turnitin database currently does not search books or articles in subscription databases available through the UMGC Library Databases. It may not find matching text from those sources or from subscription database such as The New York Times on the Web unless those materials also appear in assignments previously sent to Turnitin. For those resources, it is best to search the UMGC Library Databases and/or supplement your Turnitin review by using a Web search engine (e.g., Ask, Google, etc.)

Faculty should consider the following cautionary notes about completeness:

When a paper is evaluated, Turnitin provides similarity reports which tell you that text in the evaluated project or paper is similar to or identical to text Turnitin has in its database.  Faculty must still evaluate the quality of the report  independently and determine if the parts identified by Turnitin that are similar or identical, are actually plagiarized text. This is because all matches are shown, even those where students cited properly. As a result, faculty must critique the report they receive, use their best judgment and follow University policy before approaching a student about possible plagiarism.

Similarly, if a paper is reported as "original" by Turnitin, that is not necessarily airtight evidence that the paper is original. Instead, it may mean that the student plagiarized from a work that is not available in the Turnitin database. If a faculty member has a concern, and strongly suspects plagiarism, it is best to email  integrity@umgc.edu  to consult about the situation. No database is entirely comprehensive, and many sources are not available in digital format. Therefore, plagiarism can occur and be undetectable by services such as Turnitin.

Are student papers kept confidential?

Yes. Faculty are not permitted to release student assignments either to other UMGC faculty or to faculty from other institutions. If a faculty member receives a request for permission to release a student's assignment, faculty shall deny the request.  The UMGC license with Turnitin specifies a privacy pledge in accordance with FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The U.S. Department of Education's  FERPA Regulations  give the requirements on the confidentiality of student records and information.

What about student copyright?

The UMGC license with Turnitin also specifies that students retain copyright to their submitted assignments and that the assignments will be stored only for the duration of UMGC's contract with Turnitin and solely for the purpose of using such papers as source material to prevent plagiarism of such papers.

The University has a license agreement with Turnitin, an educational tool that helps prevent or identify plagiarism from Internet resources. The instructor may use the service in the UMGC class by using the integrated version of Turnitin that is embedded directly in assignment folders in the LEO Classroom. The Turnitin Similarity Report will indicate the amount of original text in the students' work and whether all material that was quoted, paraphrased, summarized, or used from another source was cited as appropriate.

If Turnitin is enabled in any given assignment in the LEO Classroom, Turnitin will ordinarily store that assignment in its database. The assignment will be checked to see if there is any match between that work and other material stored in Turnitin's database. If the student objects to long-term storage of their work in the Turnitin database, the student must email  integrity@umgc.edu  within the first two weeks of the course and specify the course number and names of assignments for removal from long-term document storage with Turnitin. The student has two options regarding the assignment being stored in the Turnitin database. One, if the student does nothing then the assignment will be stored in the Turnitin database for the duration of UMGC's contract with Turnitin. Two, the student can ask the Office of Academic Integrity & Accountability to have Turnitin store the assignment only for the duration of the semester or term, then have the assignment deleted from the Turnitin database once the class is over. Students may not opt out of Turnitin similarity analysis during the course session.  

Faculty who need assistance setting up options and students with questions or requests about long-term document storage should consult with an Office of Academic Integrity & Accountability staff member by emailing  integrity@umgc.edu . 

What if I don't want Turnitin to keep my work?

If the student objects to long-term storage of their work in the Turnitin database, the student must email  integrity@umgc.edu  within the first two weeks of the course and specify the course number and names of assignments for removal from long-term document storage with Turnitin.

The student has two options regarding the assignment being stored in the Turnitin database.

• One, if the student does nothing then the assignment will be stored in the Turnitin database for the duration of UMGC's contract with Turnitin. 
• Two, the student can ask the Office of Academic Integrity & Accountability to have Turnitin store the assignment only for the duration of the semester or term, then have the assignment deleted from the Turnitin database once the class is over. 

Students may not opt out of Turnitin similarity analysis during the course session.  

Can students revise work that they submit to Turnitin?

This is up to the instructor. In some classes, students may revise their submissions to Turnitin to try to lower the score on the Similarity Report. For this reason, we instruct faculty to avoid use of a set cutoff Turnitin score. This can lead to a student focused on the score over the learning from the assignment. In other classes, revision may not be an option for students. Students should check assignment requirements to know if their first submission is going to be final or not.

Depending on how the instructor sets up assignments, three things may occur.

• Some instructors will set up assignments so that the first submission is going to be final. No revisions will be allowed.
• Some instructors will set up assignments so that students can submit their work but then overwrite it with edits and corrections until the due date. Integrated Turnitin works with multiple submissions to the same assignment folder in LEO Classrooms.
• Finally, some instructors will set up a draft folder, a different type of a draft process, or a formal revision process so that students can review their work, edit it, and resubmit revised drafts within minutes. To understand what is possible in any given course, consult assignment guidelines and classroom announcements. If you are not sure, email your instructor for clarification.

What about group projects in Turnitin?

If you are part of a group working on a project that is submitted to an assignment folder where Turnitin is enabled (i.e., present), appoint a team captain to submit the project on behalf of all the team members. If each team member submits the project, then of course Turnitin will detect that you are matching one another. Consult with your instructor to clarify expectations.

How long does a Turnitin check take?

Initial Submissions/First Drafts

Similarity Reports will be available within minutes when it is embedded in an assignment folder. Allow at least 15 minutes to get your report just in case there is any delay in Turnitin processing.

Revised Drafts

See "Can students revise work that they submit to Turnitin?" above. All submissions to assignment folders will get an Similarity Report shortly after submitting. Allow at least 15 minutes to get your report just in case there is any delay in Turnitin processing.

Where do I go for technical help?

If you have tried technical support and they have not been able to solve a problem, email with your Support Ticket number to  integrity@umgc.edu .

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Plagiarism checkers: How to pick the best plagiarism checker

Identifying potential plagiarism to supporting formative learning

By completing this form, you agree to Turnitin's Privacy Policy . Turnitin uses the information you provide to contact you with relevant information. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time.

With a wide variety of plagiarism checkers available on the market these days, it’s more important than ever to have a clear idea of your needs and pedagogical goals as you make your choice.

A note on the term “plagiarism checker”:

Because “plagiarism checker” is a term that is accusatory in tone and plagiarism detection is a judgment call that should be undertaken by humans, this isn’t a term Turnitin often uses. Turnitin doesn’t check for plagiarism in student work; we generate a report that provides text similarity and leave the academic judgment of whether work is plagiarized, to the instructor and academic leaders of an institution. That said, we acknowledge that “plagiarism checker” is an oft-used general term for tools that detect similarity.

We agree with researchers who state, “Plagiarism detection is an academic judgment, which is depending [sic] on plenty of factors, and only expert academicians can do this job” ( Meo & Talha, 2019 ). Notable academic integrity researchers Foltynek, Guerrero-Dib, and Weber-Wulff state similarly, emphasizing, “Plagiarism and similarity are very different concepts. What these tools promise is to find overlapping texts in the document examined. Overlapping texts do not always indicate plagiarism, thus the decision about whether plagiarism is present or not should never be taken on the basis of a similarity percentage. The similarity reports of these tools must be inspected by an experienced human being, such as a teacher or an academic” ( Foltýnek , et al., 2020 ).

Informing your choice of similarity checking tools

We acknowledge that choosing a similarity checking tool can be a fraught process for academic leaders. So what are key criteria and questions to consider when finding the best solution for your students, faculty, staff, and overall institution? And how can a solution go beyond simply identifying similarity and potential plagiarism but also serve as a formative learning tool? How can a solution support the lofty goal of transforming plagiarism into a teachable moment?

What matters most in the evaluation of plagiarism checkers and similarity detection tools?

What pedagogical criteria should academic leaders consider in choosing a “plagiarism checker?”

There are many factors to consider when choosing an edtech tool, and in turn, a plagiarism checker or similarity detection software. Pedagogical criteria are of utmost importance. An Edutopia article defines criteria in evaluating edtech tools as:

Student experience

Intrinsic motivation.

• Zone of proximal development
• And teacher experience ( Miller, 2020 )

How effective is the solution in upholding academic integrity and supporting student learning? While this factor is often muddied by marketing writing, it is a top question to ask when it comes to picking a similarity detection tool. The best option is to look at objective academic research and customer testimonials .

It is challenging to determine the efficacy of tools that haven’ t been around very long. Software that has been in existence for years or decades is subject to research and user stories that can provide transparency into how robust or helpful they are in upholding academic integrity. Multiple research projects over the years state that Turnitin Feedback Studio is effective in reducing plagiarism in student writing ( Li, et al., 2021 ; Kostka & Maliborska, 2016 ; Batane, 2010 ; Baker, et. al., 2008 ).

Can the tool meet a variety of student needs? Is it accessible to all students regardless of disability or circumstance ? How easy is it to use? The best similarity detection tools are ones that students are able to use and experience in positive ways so that they then use it consistently.

Research can also provide insights into student experience. According to Steppenbelt & Rowles, “Student perception of the usefulness and effectiveness of the use of the software was also very positive. Generally, due to the use of Turnitin and the accompanying focus this necessarily placed on the associated issues, students developed a sense that avoiding plagiarism is important. From this perspective, Turnitin appeared to be a successful learning tool in academic writing education” ( Steppenbelt & Rowles, 2009 ).

Is the similarity detection tool one that provides opportunities for learning? It is important to choose a tool where students set the goals, where they have access to feedback and information to guide them in the next steps of learning, and that these are primary features in the product.

A similarity detection tool—or “plagiarism checker”—should not discourage students or act as a policing device but rather provide them with a curiosity about learning and an appreciation of academic integrity.

Academic research found that “Turnitin can be used by learners in strategic ways that facilitated a deeper knowledge and capacity for academic writing practices. Students who demonstrated intentionality in their use of Turnitin engaged with the program in a nuanced way, which supported the self-identification of gaps in their academic literacy knowledge and skills. They then used an array of resources to develop their assignment and more broadly their own learning in this area” ( Orlando, 2018 ).

Zone of Proximal Development

Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) refers to an optimal learning space where the student is challenged with tasks that they cannot achieve alone but with guidance can proceed to next steps ( Shabani, et. al., 2010 ). If the similarity detection tool can support students from unconscious incompetence to conscious competence in skill development , it effectively provides scaffolding for learning and supports the Zone of Proximal Development.

An excellent candidate for similarity detection will have ample opportunities for formative feedback so that plagiarism can be turned into teachable moments .

Research determined a decrease in similarity indices with continued student use of Turnitin. Steppenbelt & Rowles state, “Most students are genuinely interested in learning. The mechanistic application of citation and referencing rules, involving trial and error phases using the Turnitin software, may also be a necessary initial learning stage on the path to competent academic writing…Using the software, students received frequent feedback regarding the originality of their written work and whether sources had been properly acknowledged” ( Steppenbelt & Rowles, 2009 ).

Teacher experience

Finally, a similarity detection tool needs to help faculty both in providing accurate and reliable information to determine a case of plagiarism or misconduct as well as opportunities to teach and guide students. Of course, too, it should be easy to use and optimally, free up time for teachers.

Ask other teachers for their experiences with similarity detection tools. Look to academic research and case studies for evidence on teacher experience. According to Lisa Simperingham, Academic Advisor of Digital Learning at Unitec, “At first, our teachers primarily used Turnitin Feedback Studio for similarity checking. However, as they got used to using the platform, more and more teachers started to use the different feedback functions, attaching rubrics and grading online…The feedback from teachers has been positive. They say that it makes grading faster and easier, and they like the flexibility of being able to do their marking from anywhere. Also, being online, it simplifies the process of returning graded assessments to students.”

How to evaluate similarity detection tools or “plagiarism checkers”

Plagiarism detection shouldn’t be the main methodology in upholding academic integrity, but rather a backline defense. Similarity detection tools that guide students towards academic integrity are the most optimal solution. Additionally, effective assessment design and instruction, as well as honor codes are the foundation of preventing academic misconduct like plagiarism.

That said, according to notable academic integrity researchers, there are factors to consider when evaluating similarity detection tools.

At the 2021 International Center for Academic Integrity’s Conference, Dr. Debora Weber-Wulff presented her findings on various plagiarism detection tools. It was followed by a research article authored by various other notable scholars specializing in academic integrity.

In the article, researchers Tomáš Foltýnek, Dita Dlabolová, Alla Anohina-Naumeca, Salim Razı, Július Kravjar, Laima Kamzola, Jean Guerrero-Dib, Özgür Çelik, and Debora Weber-Wulff conducted an evaluation of the coverage and usability of most known similarity detection tools ( Foltýnek, et. al., 2020 ).

Turnitin, Unicheck, Plagscan, and Urkund had the highest overall scores for coverage and usability as illustrated in their graph .

Author’s note: In 2020, Turnitin acquired Unicheck . In 2021, Turnitin acquired Ouriginal , composed of both Plagscan and Urkund.

For coverage evaluation, the research encompassed language coverage, types of plagiarism sources (e.g., open access journals, Wikipedia , and student papers), plagiarism types (e.g., copy and paste, synonym swapping, translation plagiarism), and single-source versus multiple-source documents.

For usability evaluation, the research reviewed workflow process, result presentation , and other usability issues (e.g., integration into an LMS, call support, and no external advertisements).

These criteria may be used to do your own evaluation and research of similarity detection tools, especially if you want to weigh one factor more than another.

Does your similarity detection tool support AI writing detection?

AI writing tools like ChatGPT are disrupting education in both positive and negative ways. While having essential conversations with students about proper AI writing tool use is the foundation to academic integrity, AI writing detection can also be a deterrent to AI writing tool misuse . While similarity detection tools focus on potential plagiarism, it is important to prepare for the future and ensure that your similarity detection tool is keeping pace with emerging trends in academic misconduct.

Does your similarity detection tool integrate with your existing workflow?

The value of a similarity detection tool is eroded if there are technical and/or perceived barriers affecting educators and students. Software that is cumbersome or inconvenient is unlikely to receive buy-in and risks inconsistent use, or worse still, unchecked incidences of plagiarism. Not only should the tool support academic integrity checks that easily integrate with your daily workflow, it should ideally operate in unison with other teaching functions that nurture academic excellence.

Provision of feedback

Plagiarism is often the product of writing deficiencies, and robust feedback loops are key to assisting at-risk students develop their aptitude and confidence for original work and improving learning outcomes. It’s also a way to make students feel seen and less inclined to take shortcut solutions. However, crafting meaningful feedback at scale is often a hurdle for time poor educators.

In a 2021 study demonstrating synergy between pedagogy and technology, John Hattie teamed up with Turnitin researchers to examine feedback that leads to improvement in student essays. Using both high school and university data in the form of 3,204 student essays submitted through Turnitin Feedback Studio, results were gleaned following the initial submission, receipt of feedback, and resubmission of essays to generate final scores. They discovered that ‘where to next?’ feedback was most powerful, and that “the use of a computer-aided system of feedback augmented with teacher-provided feedback does lead to enhanced performance over time”.

One of many features designed to support feedback delivery within Feedback Studio is QuickMarks , which enables educators to save time on grading and offer richer, more personalized feedback with a library of drag-and-drop comments. Furthermore, the Draft Coach feature guides students through the writing process by blending similarity checking and citation checking with intuitive, real-time feedback so that students develop positive habits in upholding integrity where and as they write.

Grading delivery

With an all-in-one solution to surface plagiarism or validate the originality of student work as part of the overall grading process, educators can gain efficiency plus additional insights into what students know, what they struggled with, and next steps for both the instructor and student.

Ensuring that grading is based on clearly communicated learning objectives and standards is a key component to student success and mitigating the risk of misconduct such as plagiarism or student collusion. Rubrics are, in essence, not only part of assessment but also a teaching and learning junction with the potential to increase student learning outcomes and uphold integrity. By providing rubrics prior to assessment and mapping feedback to the rubric, students better understand how they are measured.

Turnitin Feedback studio supports customizable rubrics and grading forms for fair, consistent grading. With Turnitin’s Paper to Digital add-on as part of Feedback Studio, instructors can speed up grading using AI to cluster like responses to grade all at once. Dynamically update rubric scoring and apply it retroactively to previously graded work to ensure fairness. It also facilitates pedagogical best practice such as item analysis to evaluate student performance in relation to test effectiveness.

Paper-based and digital workflows

Amidst digital transformation, there is legitimacy and flexibility in tried-and-true pen-and-paper methods; especially as educators navigate integrity measures in the age of generative AI. For those looking to retain paper-based instruction and assignments but gain the speed and precision of digital grading, Turnitin’s Paper to Digital feature bridges the gap. By enabling the scanning and grading of paper-based assignments and supporting seamless LMS integration, educators can supercharge their productivity to enhance, rather than disrupt existing workflows.

How can similarity detection tools deter plagiarism?

At Turnitin, we’ve developed solutions that both check for text similarity and deter plagiarism. It’s one thing to flag potential plagiarism, but the work of teaching students the value of original writing and proper citation isn’t done with that one step. Educators aren’t police—we are teachers—and our tools should fully support the entire writing process.

Here’s the ideal scenario: the best solution for combating plagiarism is deterrence and to turn instances of plagiarism into opportunities to facilitate original thinking.

It’s an ambitious goal—and we know that many of these “ivory tower” pedagogical notions are not realistic. But we’re trying to bridge that gap between ideals and reality. Yes, teachers want a way to check for plagiarism, full stop. But—what if—what if there was a tool that not only checked for plagiarism but could provide ongoing support to students and teachers to move towards original ideas and thinking?

Teachers are used to providing scaffolding to our students. But what if—what if—teachers had scaffolding in the form of software? What if there was software out there that checks for similarity, but also provides students with formative learning opportunities that lead to success in writing and beyond?

To put it simply, if you are looking for a plagiarism checker that upholds writing pedagogy, here are some questions you should ask yourself before choosing a solution for your institution:

• Does the service allow teachers to provide feedback on student work flagged as potential plagiarism?
• Does the service offer automated feedback to help students with revision? Plagiarism checking is important—but more important is to deter it by providing scaffolding and feedback throughout the writing process.
• Does the service only police or does it facilitate student growth? Can students use the service to improve their drafts and address citation or paraphrasing issues before submitting final work?
• Is the service grounded in best practices for teaching and learning? Does the service provide any classroom resources beyond the product itself? Does the service help teachers address skill gaps that can lead to plagiarism?

It’s time to find out.

* This post was updated in 2024 to keep the content current and accurate.

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Check for unintentional plagiarism

Easily check your paper for missing citations and accidental plagiarism with the EasyBib plagiarism checker. The EasyBib plagiarism checker:

• Scans your paper against billions of sources.
• Identifies text that may be flagged for plagiarism.
• Provides you with a plagiarism score.

You can submit your paper at any hour of the day and quickly receive a plagiarism report.

What is the EasyBib plagiarism checker? 

Most basic plagiarism checkers review your work and calculate a percentage, meaning how much of your writing is indicative of original work. But, the EasyBib plagiarism checker goes way beyond a simple percentage. Any text that could be categorized as potential plagiarism is highlighted, allowing you time to review each warning and determine how to adjust it or how to cite it correctly.

You’ll even see the sources against which your writing is compared and the actual word for word breakdown. If you determine that a warning is unnecessary, you can waive the plagiarism check suggestion.

Plagiarism is unethical because it doesn’t credit those who created the original work; it violates intellectual property and serves to benefit the perpetrator. It is a severe enough academic offense, that many faculty members use their own plagiarism checking tool for their students’ work. With the EasyBib Plagiarism checker, you can stay one step ahead of your professors and catch citation mistakes and accidental plagiarism before you submit your work for grading.

Why use a plagiarism checker? 

Imagine – it’s finals week and the final research paper of the semester is due in two days. You, being quite familiar with this high-stakes situation, hit the books, and pull together a ten-page, last-minute masterpiece using articles and materials from dozens of different sources.

However, in those late, coffee-fueled hours, are you fully confident that you correctly cited all the different sources you used? Are you sure you didn’t accidentally forget any? Are you confident that your teacher’s plagiarism tool will give your paper a 0% plagiarism score?

That’s where the EasyBib plagiarism checker comes in to save the day. One quick check can help you address all the above questions and put your mind at ease.

What exactly is plagiarism? 

Plagiarism has a number of possible definitions; it involves more than just copying someone else’s work. Improper citing, patchworking, and paraphrasing could all lead to plagiarism in one of your college assignments. Below are some common examples of accidental plagiarism that commonly occur.

Quoting or paraphrasing without citations

Not including in-text citations is another common type of accidental plagiarism. Quoting is taking verbatim text from a source. Paraphrasing is when you’re using another source to take the same idea but put it in your own words. In both cases, it’s important to always cite where those ideas are coming from. The EasyBib plagiarism checker can help alert you to when you need to accurately cite the sources you used.

Patchwork plagiarism

When writing a paper, you’re often sifting through multiple sources and tabs from different search engines. It’s easy to accidentally string together pieces of sentences and phrases into your own paragraphs. You may change a few words here and there, but it’s similar to the original text. Even though it’s accidental, it is still considered plagiarism. It’s important to clearly state when you’re using someone else’s words and work.

Improper citations

Depending on the class, professor, subject, or teacher, there are multiple correct citation styles and preferences. Some examples of common style guides that are followed for citations include MLA, APA, and Chicago style. When citing resources, it’s important to cite them accurately. Incorrect citations could make it impossible for a reader to track down a source and it’s considered plagiarism. There are EasyBib citation tools to help you do this.

Don’t fall victim to plagiarism pitfalls. Most of the time, you don’t even mean to commit plagiarism; rather, you’ve read so many sources from different search engines that it gets difficult to determine an original thought or well-stated fact versus someone else’s work. Or worse, you assume a statement is common knowledge, when in fact, it should be attributed to another author.

When in doubt, cite your source!

Time for a quick plagiarism quiz! 

Which of the following requires a citation?

• A chart or graph from another source
• A paraphrase of an original source
• Several sources’ ideas summarized into your own paragraph
• A direct quote
• All of the above

If you guessed option E than you’d be correct. Correct punctuation and citation of another individual’s ideas, quotes, and graphics are a pillar of good academic writing.

What if you copy your own previous writing?

Resubmitting your own original work for another class’s assignment is a form of self-plagiarism, so don’t cut corners in your writing. Draft an original piece for each class or ask your professor if you can incorporate your previous research.

What features are available with the EasyBib plagiarism checker? 

Along with providing warnings and sources for possible plagiarism, the EasyBib  plagiarism checker works alongside the other EasyBib tools, including a grammar checker  and a spell checker . You’ll receive personalized feedback on your thesis and writing structure too!

The  plagiarism checker compares your writing sample with billions of available sources online so that it detects plagiarism at every level. You’ll be notified of which phrases are too similar to current research and literature, prompting a possible rewrite or additional citation. You’ll also get feedback on your paper’s inconsistencies, such as changes in text, formatting, or style. These small details could suggest possible plagiarism within your assignment.

And speaking of citations, there are also  EasyBib citation tools  available. They help you quickly build your bibliography and avoid accidental plagiarism. Make sure you know which citation format your professor prefers!

Great! How do I start? 

Simply copy and paste or upload your essay into the checker at the top of this page. You’ll receive the first five grammar suggestions for free! To try the plagiarism checker for free, start your EasyBib Plus three-day free trial.* If you love the product and decide to opt for premium services, you’ll have access to unlimited writing suggestions and personalized feedback.

The EasyBib plagiarism checker is conveniently available 24 hours a day and seven days a week. You can cancel anytime.  Check your paper for free today!.

*See Terms and Conditions

Visit www.easybib.com for more information on helpful EasyBib writing and citing tools.

For informational guides and on writing and citing, visit the EasyBib guides homepage .

Sakai 23 - Assignments: How do I use Turnitin?

How do I use Turnitin?

What is turnitin.

Turnitin is a web service used primarily for reviewing written work for originality. The service compares submitted text strings with a large database of student papers, common full-text journals, and web content, identifying any matched "unoriginal" material.

Through its Feedback Studio interface, Turnitin provides a similarity report (also known as an "originality report"), which depicts highlighted segments of text which match a preexisting source. Turnitin can also be used for teaching how to apply citation of sources correctly and how to appropriately use quotes or to paraphrase accurately. Turnitin may also be used to detect possible plagiarism. Pacific Lutheran University has licensed Turnitin for institutional use as a resource by faculty. Faculty who choose to use Turnitin may enable its use within the Sakai Assignments tool.

Turnitin also provides grading tools within the same view as the similarity report, bundled as part of Feedback Studio. For more information, see How do I provide student feedback with Feedback Studio?

WARNING: If an instructor configures an assignment to use Turnitin for originality or plagiarism checking, students receive a notification that Turnitin will process their submission . Also, please note that for Turnitin to process student submissions, the assignment needs to be configured to use Turnitin beforehand . Details for this configuration are below.

Enabling Turnitin in Assignments

The Turnitin service may be optionally enabled by Sakai course instructors for individual assignments via the Assignments tool. Turnitin works only with one file attachment, so the Assignments tool will automatically force the Student Submissions setting to "Single Uploaded File only" (1) when you opt to use Turnitin. However, ensure that you do NOT check Allow Resubmission (2) when you want to use Turnitin, because doing so can yield confusing results. For instance, instructors could not otherwise be certain which of the student's multiple submissions would be accounted for in the similarity report returned to Sakai.

To use the Turnitin Service, check the box labeled Use Turnitin (3). You can optionally check Allow students to view report (4). Note that if using the grading tools in Turnitin Feedback Studio, checking "Allow students to view report" would (eventually) be necessary.

Note: When Allow students to view report is checked, then the Turnitin report will be made available to students as soon as it is processed. In other words, students will have access to the Turnitin report at the same times as instructors.

See also How do I provide student feedback with Feedback Studio?

Once you've posted the assignment, you'll return to the list of Assignments  (5). Click the Grade link (6) for the assignment in question, and you'll see a new column showing the status of each student's Turnitin report (7).

Student Assignment Submission

Students may submit their assignments to Turnitin as file attachments. The following file types are acceptable:  Word 97-2003 (.doc), Word 2007+ (.docx), Excel (.xls, .xlsx), PowerPoint (.pps, .ppsx, .ppt, .pptx), PDF (.pdf), PostScript (.eps, .ps), plain text (.txt), HTML (.htm, .html), WordPerfect (.wpd), OpenOffice (.odt), rich text (.rtf), and Hangul (.hwp). Also, the file size may not exceed 20 MB. Once the assignment is submitted, students receive a confirmation message and an emailed receipt confirming their assignment submission.

Reviewing the Turnitin Similarity Report

Similarity reports may take as long as 10 to 20 minutes to be created after an assignment submission. You can check the status of a student report under the Turnitin column of the assignment grading view (7). A completed report will be illustrated as a flag icon. Clicking the flag icon opens a new window with the Turnitin Similarity Report as depicted below.

Details for how instructors can view and interpret the Turnitin similarity report are available in the following Turnitin help documents:

• Instructor Guide: Interpreting the Similarity Report
• Instructor Guide: Viewing the Similarity Report
• Instructor Guide: Navigation in Turnitin Feedback Studio
• Instructor Guide: AI Writing Detection Capabilities - Frequently Asked Questions

AI Plagiarism Checker & Chat GPT AI Detector

Find AI-generated content in no time with an accurate AI plagiarism checker.

Add your text and check it with Chat GPT detector in seconds

Why any modern workflow requires ai detector.

AI content generators are getting closer to a human capability to write meaningful text. Although helpful in many ways, AI writing tools can be harmful, causing integrity and performance issues in Education, SEO, Recruitment, Media, and beyond. Cutting-edge technologies like Chat GPT created a new notion in plagiarism — AI plagiarism, which is not plagiarism in a human sense but in a machine one.

While AI technology is progressing quickly, we improve our solution constantly so it stays one step ahead to provide a reliable way to detect AI writing.

How AI content detector works

Our AI checker recruits advanced technologies against text generators to catch AI-related breadcrumbs. The algorithms analyze various parameters, including creativity/predictability ratio, to detect AI content across different AI bots.

AI detector provides 97% accurate results, avoiding False Positive when human writing is recognized as an AI-generated document. Furthermore, our AI text detector is constantly improving to empower you with the latest approaches in catching cases of AI-generated text usage.

Who can benefit from Chat GPT checker

Support Academic Integrity by detecting AI Plagiarism with a reliable AI checker.

Students may embrace new technology faster to cut corners in writing essays, use AI-generated resources to compose a paper, or even mention a non-existing source in an AI-created bibliography.

Our AI plagiarism checker helps Teachers and Students ensure they read human-written texts and protects checked papers from being leaked.

AI-generated texts may sound original, but they put your blog or platform and its ranking at risk. Google forbids using “auto-generated” content and warns that such pages will be removed from the search.

A reliable AI content detector keeps your SEO strategy and enterprise well-being safe.

Selecting the best candidates is a time-consuming process involving hundreds of applicants. AI generators are powerful enough to write CVs and Cover Letters in seconds. They may sound right, but they were not written by the person who submitted them.

Using an AI content detector, you can always filter human-written applications.

AI detector as a groundbreaking trend for academy and business

With AI solutions developing faster than ever, the emergence of the AI plagiarism checker was inevitable.

AI technologies accumulate a significant amount of resources and knowledge to perform tasks that are usually associated with human efforts. Many companies and people are beginning to adapt the already existing AI-based innovations to complete routine or even more complex tasks.

However, some may utilize it in a variety of spheres unscrupulously, which leads to the emergence of unfair AI tech use, necessitating the development of tools such as Chat GPT detector or Bard AI plagiarism checker.

A trustworthy AI content detector can be used to foster integrity and honesty. Read this short article to uncover how to integrate trendsetting technologies into your workflow.

AI plagiarism detection issues and task

With the apparent immense potential of AI in technology, the need for an AI writing checker becomes urgent. While a student engaged in plagiarism or cheating is no surprise for any experienced professor, today's AI academic integrity issues challenge educators for entirely different reasons.

Unlike typical plagiarism, the plagiarism performed by AI uses distinct words from multiple sources, composing longer phrases or word constructions. It makes AI plagiarism impossible to find and distinguish from uniquely crafted text. One particular word can be taken from many texts, so it is almost unattainable to use traditional methods to check for AI plagiarism. Hence, a necessity for a new type of AI plagiarism checker emerges.

It is evident that since the AI model uses entirely different technologies and approaches to text exploitation, it is crucial to develop other anti-plagiarism software. If you're unfamiliar with such tools, don't worry: it's a newly developing field, and many people need guidance in finding the right option. “So I can't use my anti-plag tools to check if AI wrote this?” you'll ask. Unfortunately, you can't do it: it will simply be ineffective because you deal with entirely different technology to which your tools weren't adapted. If you want to know whether an AI detector is even necessary, read the material below.

When AI content needs to be uncovered

Why do people even create tools to detect AI writing? Isn't AI supposed to help us? It is, but not everyone views this technology favorably. Quite often, the content generated by AI can be similar to the human-created one. Nonetheless, it can have different negative consequences for people working in many spheres.

The SEO sphere can suffer from machine-written content significantly. Google has policies that don't allow the use of AI-made content, that's why you'd want to use AI plagiarism detection.

In learning, using AI-created content is illegal when it comes to writing: it's viewed as academic cheating and violates academic integrity and ethics.

Many people want to receive only human-created content and know their interactions are genuine. That's why recruiters want to be sure that they connect with a person when reading a cover letter or an email. So, they need a trustworthy AI text detector to ensure authenticity and originality.

AI brings plagiarism-related issues to a new level, making it impossible to solve the problem without specific tools. Therefore, many companies invest in testing and buying an AI detector. Don't know where to start? Fortunately, we have a few suggestions for those only beginning to navigate their place in this rapidly changing environment.

How the tool checks the text for AI content

AI is based on large language models (LLM). Imagine that every second, the system analyzes enormous amounts of existing data to generate the result it considers the most relevant to the processed content. That is right: AI analyzes and generates but does not create a unique text!

Even if it sounds original, formally, the machine plagiarizes, borrowing pieces of content it discovered elsewhere.

While AI's analysis coverage is impressive, its capabilities are still limited. This fact brings us to the crucial point: the machine can paraphrase and generate human-like sounding texts, but it remains predictable. That is why, along with other parameters, AI detecting mechanisms include creativity/predictability ratio.

The AI model may be complicated, but checking for machine-written content requires no secret trick or code. Our tool makes it simple for you: upload the document or insert the text you need to analyze and see the result in the report section. Moreover, you can scan the content right on the webpage using our AI-checking browser extensions!

We intend to cover all the creators' and educators' needs: get a plagiarism checker, AI detector, proofreader, citation generator, and authorship authenticator in one tool!

AI essay checker for academic integrity: Why it matters

If you're still unsure whether you need something like a Chat GPT checker, we can step aside and first focus on the notion of academic integrity and why it is essential.

AI-written texts submitted for assignments that require originality are considered cheating. If you count on being a part of a formal academic institution, you should adhere to its demands.

People who want to trust in their ability to be professional should be honest and not engage in plagiarism. Cheating can lead to losing self-confidence or worsen people's desire to work hard. For such reasons, using Chat GPT AI essay checker or any other tool is necessary.

Learners who don't care about honesty are rarely interested in what they do for a long time. Currently, AI and plagiarism can intersect, and learning to recruit AI without illegally using someone else's work will serve your interests as a researcher, writer, or professional.

All learners should have equal access to knowledge and rights. Chat GPT detector helps all students remain in line and not abuse technologies to receive unfair results. It ensures that the academic society is preserved and all people have a chance to become better in education.

What is the best AI plagiarism checker?

It is worth mentioning that no AI checker provides a final decision on whether a machine or a human wrote the text. However, you can draw your conclusion based on the tool's analysis. The best solution is the one that ensures a high accuracy rate and protects the texts without publishing them in the public domain.

Is using AI plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the use of someone else's work as your own. AI plagiarism cannot be considered plagiarism in the traditional sense, but from the perspective of machines, it can be classified as such.

Can AI text be detected?

The AI-generated text has traits that allow powerful AI content detectors to recognize them. While AI generators like Chat GPT continue to evolve, AI content checkers progress as well, reducing the chances someone can get away with using AI text as human-written.

Can I ask AI if it wrote this content?

AI chatbots are not tailored to uncover machine-written text. Hence, the answer you get from an AI bot can not be considered reliable. You need a model specifically trained to distinguish between AI-generated and human-crafted content.

Will AI replace professors?

It is hard to predict the future of the AI in education. What is evident is that AI can have immense potential in helping and optimizing processes in multiple fields. Even now, professors can use it to educate, provide feedback, and grade performance. AI will affect professors' performance, allowing them to focus on improving students' knowledge.

Be in tune with the times - try the AI Detection tool!

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