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Student Instructions for Using Turnitin in Canvas
Overview
Description: TurnItIn is a tool that compares your academic papers against a database of papers from other students, published sources, and online content. It produces a Similarity Report highlighting any sections of your paper that are similar to other sources.
Important: Turnitin is not a standalone tool that students can access directly. It is integrated within Canvas and is only available when your instructor has enabled it for a specific assignment. If you do not see Turnitin options or a Similarity Report, it likely means Turnitin is not being used for that assignment.
Estimated Time of Completion (ETOC): For the first submission to an assignment folder, the Similarity Report is often available within minutes, typically 5-15 minutes for an average paper (500-1000 words). You should allow at least 15 minutes to an hour just in case there are any delays in Turnitin processing, especially during peak submission times (midterms, end of semesters)
Instructions
Submitting an Assignment via Canvas/TurnItIn
- First, ensure that your document matches the file type requested by the instructor. Not all file types are compatible with Turnitin.
- Navigate to your course in Canvas and find the assignment you’d like to submit. Not all assignments have Turnitin turned on. Once your assignment opens, you will see a header with your assignment title and other information.
- Upload your submission to the assignment in one of two ways:
- Drag your submission into the white space near the paper icon on your screen.
- Click the My Computer button on your screen to select your submission from your computer.
- Then, click the Submit File button. You should see a “Success!” message in green text if your file is submitted successfully.
Note: Turnitin will only be available if your instructor has enabled it on the assignment. If you do not see Turnitin features, proceed with submission as normal unless instructed otherwise.
Accessing the Similarity Report
- After your assignment has been submitted, Turnitin will generate your Similarity Report. The process may take several minutes or up to 24 hours.
- To view your Similarity Report after submitting your Canvas assignments, navigate to your assignment and click on the assignment name.
- Select the Submission Details link on the right.
- Select the Similarity Score to view the report in a new tab.
- You can also view the report from Grades. Select the Similarity Score to view the report in a new tab.
Interpreting the Similarity Report
Turnitin does not check for plagiarism in a piece of work. Instead, it checks a user’s work against its extensive database. If instances are found where your writing is similar to or matches a source, this will be flagged for your review in the match overview.
Keep in mind that direct quotes will almost always be flagged in your Similarity Report. As long as your sources are cited appropriately, a high Similarity Score does not necessarily indicate you have committed plagiarism. A low similarity score does not necessarily indicate that plagiarism has not occurred. Best practice is to review the Similarity Report and confirm that you have cited your sources appropriately and avoided academic dishonesty.
The color of the report icon indicates the similarity score of the paper, based on the amount of matching or similar text that was uncovered. The percentage range is 0% to 100%. The possible similarity ranges are:
- Blue: No matching text
- Green: One word to 24% matching text
- Yellow: 25-49% matching text
- Orange: 50-74% matching text
- Red: 75-100% matching text
Troubleshooting
- If you see “Processing” on your submission tile, Turnitin hasn’t yet checked your submission for similarity with other files. Check back in a few minutes.
- If you see “Available on [the assignment due date]” on your submission tile, you’ll have to wait until the date listed there (the assignment due date) to see your Similarity Report.
- If you see “Failed to Process” or “Timed Out” on your submission tile, Turnitin is having some issues generating your Similarity Report. Don’t panic. Take a screenshot of what you’re seeing, email your instructor to let them know, and include the screenshot in your message.
- If you do not see a Similarity Score or any Turnitin indicators, your instructor may not have enabled Turnitin for this assignment. Check your assignment instructions or contact your instructor for clarification.
Still Need Help?
If you are having issues with TurnItIn, please contact your instructor. If needed, contact ask@captechu.edu with the Course Name, Assignment Name, and error/issue details.