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This guide will show you how to make sense of the Similarity Report generated by Turnitin. This can help you decide whether any possible academic dishonesty has occurred.
Access a Similarity Report
Turnitin Similarity Reports are accessed from within SpeedGrader. To open the report:
- In Course Navigation, click on the Assignments link
- Click on the name of the Assignment
- Under Related Items, click on SpeedGrader
- Click on the Similarity Score to open the report
SpeedGrader can also be accessed from the Canvas Gradebook.
The Similarity Report will open in a new browser tab. The report may take a while to display if the submitted paper is long, complex or has a lot of matches.
- Accessing the Similarity Report with the Canvas Plagiarism Review enabled also opens the Turnitin Feedback Studio. Make sure your markers know NOT to use this for student marks and feedback – they should mark in SpeedGrader only.
- Rubrics cannot be seamlessly moved between Turnitin and Canvas. It is best to decide on these issues when setting up the assignment. Rubrics created in Canvas can be easily accessed and edited by all tutors, unlike Turnitin.
- There is a known issue where feedback scores are sometimes not updated in Speedgrader after exclusions are made or after the due date passes for collusion checks.
Interpreting a Similarity Report
The percentage symbol for a Similarity Report will be red for high similarity and green for low similarity. A smaller percentage is ‘better’.
A high similarity score means that there is a greater probability of academic dishonesty, but that is for the academic to probe and decide. The detailed reports in Turnitin can help make that decision. In some cases the academic may need to speak with the student.
Turnitin does not detect plagiarism or academic dishonesty. Turnitin can only show you how similar an assignment is to other texts.
- The LX.lab maintains up-to-date resources and guidance for academics to help students understand academic integrity and avoid plagiarism.
- UTS:HELPS has an interactive guide to avoiding plagiarism with specific advice by faculty. You can embed this tool into your online subject.