5 A step-by-step guide to Turnitin

Watch Video 1 which demonstrates how to use your Turnitin report before submitting your work.

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Welcome to this short guide on how to use your Turnitin Similarity Report to improve your academic writing. When you open your report, you will see several key areas on your screen. At the top, you will find your overall similarity percentage. But don't worry, we will explain in a moment why that number doesn't tell the full story.

On the right hand side, you will see colour-coded matches that show where Turnitin has found text in your work that closely resembles other sources. You can click these matches to view the original sources and understand where the similarity comes from.

Now, let's start with the big myth, the overall percentage. It's easy to focus on this number, but it doesn't measure plagiarism, quality, or integrity. A high percentage doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong, and a low percentage doesn't automatically mean your work is perfect. What matters is where those matches occur and why. Think of the percentage as a summary of all the text Turnitin has found elsewhere. Your task is to interpret that information.

Let's explore how to use your report effectively. Look carefully at the highlighted sections within your work. You are looking for patterns, for example, large blocks of matching text that might suggest you have copied too closely from a source, or paragraphs where a few words have been changed, but the sentence structure is still the same.

These are signs of patchwriting-- when text has been altered slightly rather than properly paraphrased. If you notice these patterns, use them as learning opportunities. Ask yourself, have I fully understood and re-expressed the original idea? Have I included proper citations and quotation marks where needed. Could I rephrase this section in my own words to show deeper understanding? Turnitin helps you see where these issues might occur, so you can improve before submitting your final version.

Take action by paying particular attention to each of the highest matches, and have a look at your script to see if you have, one, included indication that you are using a direct quotation word for word, or you are paraphrasing writing in your own words from a source. An indication might be quotation marks or indented text. Two, you have included a correct citation that leads the reader to a reference. Three, included a reference at the end that matches the citation. Remember, Turnitin is not a test for plagiarism. It is a formative tool designed to help you strengthen your academic writing.

Always use your Turnitin draft submission link if it is available. Review your report carefully, make improvements, and resubmit where possible. The more you engage with your report, the more confident you'll become in paraphrasing, referencing, and expressing your ideas with academic integrity. Turnitin isn't there to catch you out. It's there to help you do better.

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Video 1

When you open your Turnitin report, start by remembering that it is a learning tool, not a judgement or a ‘plagiarism score’. The overall percentage does not tell you whether there is a problem. What matters is understanding where the matches appear, why they are there, and what you may need to revise.

Follow these six steps to help you use Turnitin effectively.

1. Submit your draft and collect your report. The link to submit your draft assessment will be made available to you on the Assessment Tab of your module. To submit a draft assessment you need to click on this link and follow the instructions. It will be similar to attaching a document to an email.

2. To open your report click on the link or the coloured box near the similarity score.

   This will open the Turnitin viewer, where your writing is shown in the main window and the list of matched sources appears on the right-hand side. At this stage, ignore the large percentage. Instead, click through each individual match to see the highlighted sections in your work.

   

   Figure 8 Matched sources appear on the right-hand side

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   A zoomed in image of the ‘Match Overview’ in a Turnitin report. At the top are the words ‘Match Overview’ and then directly underneath is 32% in bold red. Beneath this percentage is a list from 1 to 4. Number 1 reads 1 Submitted to Open Uni…. Student Paper. 14%. Number 2 reads 2 www.coursehero.com…. Internet Source. 6%. Number 3 reads id.scribd.com…. Internet Source. 2%. Number 4 reads www.staff.u-szeged.hu…. Internet Source. 1%.

   To the left of the ‘Match Overivew’ is a website tool bar. The first icon is a layerd icon and is blue. The second icon also shows a layers icon, but this is coloured red and has the number 32 underneath the icon. The third icon is a cog.

   Figure 8 Matched sources appear on the right-hand side

3. Check each match by clicking on the hyperlinks on the right-hand side of your report. When you click on the link it will take you to the corresponding original source online.

   As you review each match (indicated by each number), ask yourself whether the highlighted wording genuinely belongs to you. Sometimes the match is harmless—for example, it could be your reference list, a template, or a commonly used academic phrase. Other matches, however, may show where you have used someone else’s ideas or wording. If the text is almost identical to the original source and you have not cited it, or if you intended to paraphrase but the structure still mirrors the original closely, you need to revise that section.

   

   Figure 9 Your writing will be highlighted where matches have occurred

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   A screenshot of a passage of text. Large parts of the text are highlighted in blue, grey or purple.

   Figure 9 Your writing will be highlighted where matches have occurred

   Figure 9 shows an example of where paraphrasing has been ineffective, and citations are missing throughout each coloured section. This section would need to be revised. You do not want to see lots of block highlighting. There should also be more citations because a citation tells your reader where you got your information from and what your source is.

4. As you revise your work, think carefully about where you should place citations and references. Every time you use another person’s idea, whether you quote directly or paraphrase, you must include a citation. Quotes need quotation marks and an in-text citation immediately afterwards. Paraphrased ideas should be expressed fully in your own wording and structure, followed by a citation at the end of the sentence or section. If you use data, images or figures, reference them in the caption. At the end of your assignment, make sure your reference list accurately includes every source you cited, formatted consistently and in alphabetical order.

5. When Turnitin shows an issue, decide whether you need to quote or paraphrase. If it is a direct quote, keep the exact words, add quotation marks and include a citation with a page number if available. If you intended to paraphrase, close the original source, rewrite the idea in your own words, then compare afterwards to ensure it is genuinely different. Add the appropriate citation and update your reference list.

6. Finally, re-read your entire assignment to ensure the writing flows and reflects your own understanding. If your course allows resubmissions, upload a revised draft to Turnitin to check that the problematic matches have been addressed. A good final check is to make sure you can explain every idea in your work without looking at your sources. If something still feels unclear, speak with your tutor—they are there to help you use Turnitin confidently and ethically.

The next section will look at how to paraphrase effectively in your work.