Turnitin is a popular plagiarism checker used by students, teachers, and researchers around the world. This tool has been helping students to identify and prevent plagiarism for many years. It is widely used in academic institutions to check assignments and research papers. However, many students find it difficult to use Turnitin. In this blog post, we will guide you on how to use Turnitin effectively.
Procedure
Step 1: Accessing Turnitin
- First, you need to access Turnitin through your academic institution’s website or by creating an account on Turnitin’s website. Once you have access, you can upload your document or enter the text you want to check for plagiarism.
Step 2: Uploading a Document
- If you want to upload a document, click on the “Upload” button and select the file from your computer. Turnitin supports various file formats, including Microsoft Word, PDF, and plain text. You can also copy and paste the text into the text box provided.
Step 3: Understanding the Report
- Once the document has been uploaded or the text has been entered, Turnitin will generate a report showing the percentage of similarity between your text and other sources. The report also shows the sources where the matching text was found. You can click on the highlighted text to view the source and compare it to your text.
Step 4: Interpreting the Report
- It is essential to understand that a high percentage of similarity does not necessarily mean that you have plagiarized. Turnitin also identifies similarities between your work and common phrases or quotes. Therefore, you need to go through the report carefully and determine if the similarities are due to plagiarism or other reasons.
Step 5: Fixing Plagiarism Issues
- If Turnitin identifies plagiarism in your document, you need to take immediate action to fix it. You can rewrite the plagiarized sections, properly cite the source, or paraphrase the text. You can also consult your instructor or academic advisor for guidance on how to fix plagiarism issues.
Step 6: Submitting the Final Document
- After fixing any plagiarism issues, you can resubmit your document to Turnitin to check if the issues have been resolved. Make sure that you have properly cited all sources and paraphrased any text that may be similar to other sources.
Conclusion
Turnitin is an essential tool for students and researchers to check for plagiarism. By following the steps above, you can use Turnitin effectively to avoid plagiarism and ensure that your work is original. Remember that Turnitin is just a tool, and the ultimate responsibility of avoiding plagiarism lies with you. Therefore, always strive to maintain academic integrity by properly citing your sources and avoiding plagiarism.