Many instructors use Turnitin.com's “similarity score” to check for plagiarism. Words or phrases that appear in other places, such as websites, books, documents, or other students’ papers, will be flagged as “similar.” A high Turnitin score does not mean that you've plagiarized, but it may mean that your instructor may ask you to do the assignment again, so that more of your original voice is present in your assignment. If this happens to you, use one (or all) of the options below to lower your similarity score.
Not sure how to interpret your Turnitin results? Check out our ARC Turnitin Guide by clicking here.
Looking to learn more about what is considered plagiarism at SNHU? Click here to review SNHU's Academic Integrity Policy
When you use an assignment template, the prompts and instructions may flag as a "match" in other students' submissions within Turnitin. These matches can contribute to a higher similarity score, even if you have completed the assignment correctly. Review your similarity score to see if the flagged text is from the template or your own writing. Follow your instructor's instructions on which portions of the template to keep, and which sections need to be rewritten.
Review the matched sections to determine whether you have used too much of your sources' original wording. Practicing your paraphrasing and summarizing skills can help you incorporate information from appropriate sources while still using your own voice. Remember to include in-text citations for paraphrased and summarized material, as well as direct quotations.
Paraphrasing means taking information that you've learned from a source and putting it into your own words, but keeping the original meaning. Learn more about paraphrasing by clicking here.
Summarizing means condensing the key points of a source into a shortened explanation that is in your own words. Learn more about summarizing by clicking here.
When your page limit allows, consider adding additional analysis and explanation. Rather than presenting information from a source and moving on, make sure you’re not leaving any source material alone. Explain what that information means and how it supports your key points.
How do you do this?
- Explain important concepts, data, or terms in your own words.
- Add relevant examples to help show the connection between ideas and evidence.
- Lengthen your explanation of how the evidence supports your thesis.
- Explain if there is a connection between multiple sources and ideas (if this aligns with your rubric).
- Include an additional source and explain everything in your own words.
Consider how much of your written assignment contains material that has been copied and pasted directly from other sources. Even when you correctly cite direct quotes, they contribute to a higher Turnitin score. Try removing directly quoted material where appropriate and replacing it with a paraphrase or summary. If you do need to use a direct quote, include only the wording necessary to support your point. Reserve usage of direct quotes when you have to provide a verbatim quotation (such as in a Humanities class where you provide song lyrics) or when the material is particularly dense to communicate (such as a legal text). To learn more about correctly citing direct quotes, try this ARC resource: Integrating Quotes and Signal Phrases into Your Writing (with Video).
References often flag as similar in Turnitin, but this does not mean you've done anything wrong. Turnitin simply shows that another student has used that source, or that it is duplicated from the website where it was published. Reviewing your in-text citations and reference list can ensure your instructor sees that you have used citations correctly.
- Make sure you have cited direct quotes appropriately for your citation style (APA, MLA, or Chicago)
- Include in-text citations when paraphrasing and/or summarizing
- Verify that your in-text citations correspond with an entry on your References List (APA), Works Cited (MLA), or Bibliography (Chicago).
Need More Help?
Want additional support? Sign up for our group sessions. Take a look at the full workshop schedule. For help signing up and accessing the Academic Support Center, see the How to Book ASC Sessions Page.