If I'm interested in using Turnitin, what caveats should I be aware of?

Properly cited quotes

The initial originality report from Turnitin.com will not distinguish between legitimate direct quotations and text copied directly from a source that has not been cited properly. Students who are quoting correctly might have reports that indicate a high level of overlap with these sources. However, while reviewing the originality report, you can exclude quoted materials and bibliographic materials. For help, contact your campus teaching and learning center.

Plagiarized ideas or concepts, or paraphrasing

Turnitin does not catch essays that include plagiarized ideas or concepts, nor can it detect paraphrasing that dramatically changes the wording of an original source while maintaining that source's organization.

Originality reports

Turnitin originality reports are not always self-explanatory. Instructors need to discuss the interpretation of these reports with students, and allow students an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the tool. For help interpreting originality reports, contact your campus teaching and learning center.

The Turnitin.com at Indiana University Bloomington page contains information for both faculty and students, as well as links to information for using Turnitin at other campuses. Also, see Turnitin.com at IUPUI.

For more information about standards of academic integrity at IU, including disciplinary procedures for academic misconduct, see the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct.

Instructors at IUB may submit academic misconduct reports online.

Comments/Questions/Corrections