Turnitin is connected to Schoology and ManageBac.
MYP teachers and students use Turnitin via Schoology.
Turnitin is optional for MYP teachers but highly encouraged.
DP teachers and students use Turnitin via ManageBac.
“Internally Assessed/Externally Assessed IB work:
Ensure draft and final submissions are put through Turnitin via ManageBac.
Turnitin is a learning tool, mistakes are a learning opportunity.”
Set-up Turnitin and technical questions? Contact Bruce Roadside and Yariv Cohen sec-ict@cis.edu.hk
Want to learn more about the features of Turnitin or guidance for students using Turnitin? Contact Ardea Smith asmith@cis.edu.hk
Similarity Index Percentage is more than a number.
Do not take the Similarity Index percentage as a definite indication of plagiarism or no plagiarism. These percentages can indicate many different things depending on the context and work.
Let’s interpret different Similarity Index percentages:
0% = No plagiarism, complete academic honesty! Yippy!
vs.
0% = Opinion piece with all original wording. This paper is high in originality but low in credible peer reviewed sources. Is this acceptable for an academic paper like an EE?
30% = “Look at all these matches!” you exclaim. (Matches = Text in your paper is very similar or the same as text found in the Turnitin database.) “I’m doomed!”
vs.
30% = You’ve done a great job of correctly citing all your sources with citations and quotation marks. Now, take a look at how many direct quotes you’ve used. Perhaps you are relying too much on source material and need to select a few significant quotes that tie directly to your thesis or claim. More paraphrasing may be needed. Or, you are writing a scientific paper that requires extensive direct quotes and you do not need to make changes.
Ask yourself these 7 questions as you look over the Turnitin report:
1. Do I have too many direct quotes (overreliance on others words)?
2. Am I underutilizing my own voice?
3. Could I summarize, paraphrase, and use my own words more effectively within the paper?
4. Do I have too few peer reviewed sources (overreliance on only one or two sources)?
5. Does my paper include incorrect referencing (lack of or incorrect use of quotation marks, lack of in-text citation)?
6. Does my work necessitate the use of many common phrases or subject specific terminology? These legitimate uses of phrases and terminology can increase the Similarity Index percentage.
7. Have bibliographic materials, quoted materials, and small sources been excluded from your Similarity Index percentage? If not, speak with your teacher.
Note: Turnitin does not check graphs, images, charts. Please check over your citations for the use of these graphics.
If you use ‘...’ or do not include in-text citations, Turnitin will consider this a match.
Turnitin has highlighted commonly used phrases or subject specific terminology that is necessary for the your work. Some information cannot be paraphrased (names, titles, dates) and this does not indicate plagiarism.
For quotes over 40 words, students should format correctly as a block - new line and indented (see MLA/APA for details.
Do not rely on only one source for your work:
Improper headings for bibliography, works cited.
Don't forgot to upload the reference/bibliography/works cited page.
If you uploaded an earlier draft of your essay, Turnitin may match your work to the earlier draft.
Non academic sources. Confirm you are using an acceptable source.
Is it patchy?
Poor paraphrasing looks like this:
