Overview

Learn about Turnitin and how to set it up on your Canvas Assignments. Turnitin is a text-matching tool enabled in myLearning to detect potential plagiarism in learner submissions. This resource also includes information on interpreting Turnitin Similarity Reports.

About

More about Turnitin

Turnitin is used to detect potential plagiarism in learner assignment submissions. It works by text-matching learner submissions with published works, web content and its database of learner submissions from across the world. It also has an AI-detection feature enabled.

It is important to note that Turnitin detects potential plagiarism and AI use. Turnitin Similarity Reports, which detail potential plagiarism, should not be interpreted in isolation or as conclusive indicators of academic integrity breaches. Instead, Similarity Reports should be used to prompt and inform further investigations.

When can/should Turnitin be used?

Turnitin can and should be enabled on any online, text-based Canvas Assignment (it can also be enabled on Cadmus assignments), including those that have already been created. Note you can use Turnitin for Similarity Report generation without having learner submissions retained in Turnitin's database, should you or your learners have concerns about submissions being stored and used for comparisons against future submissions.

However, Turnitin cannot be enabled on Canvas Assignments set to use any external tool (other than Cadmus), Canvas Quizzes or Canvas Discussions, and, while Similarity Reports will generate for most text-based submissions, they will not generate for image, video or audio submissions (see the full list of supported file types). Note as well that Turnitin's AI-detection feature requires stricter conditions be met to function.

Coming from UoA MyUni?

In UoA MyUni, there are two ways to enable Turnitin on an assignment and to generate Similarity Reports:

Turnitin Plagiarism Framework, where the assignment submission type is set to 'Online'.
Turnitin External Tool, where the assignment submission type is set to 'External tool'.

In myLearning, only Turnitin Plagiarism Framework has been enabled. Turnitin External Tool has not been made available because its use poses notable risk of integration errors, grade sync errors and the accidental early release of learner grades, and because of variations in educator and learner experiences compared to other Canvas assessment options.

The table below explains some of the key differences between the two options:

Type	How you create it	How learners submit	How educators mark
Plagiarism Framework	Set the submission type to 'Online' then enable Turnitin Plagiarism Framework	Submit to the Canvas Assignment, like a regular Canvas Assignment	Mark using the Canvas SpeedGrader, like a regular Canvas Assignment
External Tool	Set the submission type to 'External tool' then enable Turnitin External Tool	Submit to the Turnitin submission portal associated with the Canvas Assignment	Mark using the Canvas SpeedGrader or Turnitin's Feedback Studio

Enabling Turnitin on Canvas Assignments

Enabling Turnitin on Canvas Assignments

Turnitin can be enabled on any online, text-based Canvas Assignment. That is, any Canvas Assignment with its 'Submission type' set to 'Online' and with 'Text entry' and/or 'File Uploads' enabled.

With online, text-based submissions enabled, you will see the option to enable a 'Plagiarism Review' tool. To enable Turnitin, set the 'Plagiarism Review' tool to 'Turnitin', adjust Turnitin's configuration settings as required and save the Canvas Assignment. There are five configuration options:

Store submissions in: Set whether you want learner submissions to be retained in the Turnitin database or not (Similarity Reports will generate regardless). It's best not to have submissions stored if they are drafts (including if they may later be submitted to academic journals) or if they contain private or sensitive information. Note if drafts are stored in Turnitin's database, then final submissions may register as being significantly plagiarised from the draft work.
Compare submissions against: Set what types of content you want submissions to be text-matched against for plagiarism.
Similarity Report: Set whether you want to exclude certain content types from plagiarism detection. It is recommended not to exclude any of these options, though note this would result in higher Similarity Scores (so make sure to review the full Similarity Reports, not just Similarity Scores).
Save default settings: Select to save your current configurations as the default next time you use Turnitin on a Canvas Assignment.
Show reports to students: Set when learners will be able to view Similarity Reports generated for their submissions. It is recommended to keep this as 'Immediately' so that learners can review their Similarity Reports and reword their submissions if required.

Viewing and interpreting Similarity Reports

Viewing and interpreting Similarity Reports

Turnitin Similarity Scores can be viewed when marking learner submissions in SpeedGrader. Full Similarity Reports can be accessed by selecting this Similarity Score.

Interpreting Similarity Reports

Content under development

The Learning Centre will continue to be updated throughout 2025. These updates will include resources on interpreting Similarity Reports, which are currently being planned/developed.

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