As a college student, you might view the internet cloud-based academic integrity tool, Turnitin, as a roadblock to your academic success. Though Portland State University faculty and students use it to help detect plagiarism and promote academic integrity, some students say it can feel punitive, daunting and punishing.
But for all the misconceptions, Turnitin can actually be a useful digital tool, one that can help you improve your writing and develop your unique voice.
"Since working with Turnitin, I have been able to gain a better understanding of how to write college level papers,” says senior advertising major Brandon Kindley. “Not only have I been able to see what parts of my writing need improvement, but I'm also now able to understand what parts of my writing could need improvement in the future.”
Let's explore how Turnitin can be your ally in amplifying your academic success.
Understanding Turnitin's Purpose
Ashlie Kauffman Sarsgard, an Educational Technology Specialist in PSU's Office of Academic Innovation, emphasizes that Turnitin is not just a plagiarism detector. "We see Turnitin as a tool for students to help or to improve their writing," she says. Think of Turnitin as a collaborative partner in your writing process rather than an adversary.
Interpreting Similarity Reports
When you submit a writing assignment on Canvas, Turnitin provides a similarity report that compares your work to a vast database of sources. However, it's crucial to understand that a high similarity score doesn't automatically determine plagiarism. Sarsgard clarifies that the similarity report identifies areas where you might need to improve your summarizing and paraphrasing skills, and work on putting ideas into your own words.
A Practical Demonstration
To further illustrate how Turnitin works from a student's perspective, Sarsgard walked us through the entire Turnitin process, from submission to reviewing the similarity report.
This practical demonstration can help you visualize the process:
Step 1: Locating the Similarity Report. After submission, students learn where to find their similarity report within the Turnitin system.
Step 2: Uploading the assignment. Students can see how to navigate the Turnitin interface and submit their work.
Step 3: Interpreting the results. The demonstration shows how to read and understand the color-coded similarity index and percentage scores.
The screenshots from this demonstration serve as a visual guide, walking students through each step of the Turnitin process. This visual aid can be particularly helpful for students who are new to Turnitin or those who learn better through visual examples.
Utilizing Turnitin to Improve Your Writing
"Ideally, a student can see where they've overquoted and maybe determine whether or not to even use some of those quotes, or whether they can paraphrase or summarize in their own words," Sarsgard says. This iterative process can help you develop a stronger, more authentic writing style that balances original thought and external sources
To make the most of Turnitin, consider these additional strategies:
- Ask your instructors to create separate assignments in Canvas with Turnitin enabled with multiple submission opportunities so you can turn in drafts and use Turnitin’s feedback to refine your work.
- Analyze flagged sections to understand why they were highlighted.
- Use the feedback to improve your paraphrasing and summarizing skills.
Remember, the goal of Turnitin is not to catch plagiarism but, as Sarsgard emphasizes, to help you improve your writing. By embracing Turnitin as a learning tool and on-demand editor, you can enhance your writing skills, develop your academic voice and approach your assignments with confidence. Turnitin is here to support your growth as a writer and thinker, not to hinder your progress.