Dr. Kate Thomas, 232-1505, thomask@uwstout.edu
Turnitin.com
How to Interpret and Use the TII Report
1. Training Videos at www.turnitin.com for everything (and more!) that we discuss today.
a. Click on “Training” “Instructor” at the top for more training documents and videos.
b. Since it is integrated with D2L, you only need to learn how to interpret the report.
 About Originality Check
 Viewing Originality Report
2. Turnitin boxes will turn colors when the essays have been checked.
a.
3.
We will go over duplicate files, probable copying from another student, article/book, and/or the internet,
and tweaking a copied or bought paper. Or see the video mentioned above “Viewing Originality
Report.”
b. Boxes marked red 100% / Duplicate files
i. Did the student submit the same file twice to D2L? Did you already upload this essay? If so,
exclude this match by hovering over the excluded symbol Ø on the bottom right.
ii. Click on the bar chart symbol to return to the “Match Breakdown” page.
c. 35% or higher scores indicate probability of copying.
i. To download the Turnitin report, click on the download icon on the bottom to the left.
ii. Click on the printer icon in the same place to print the report.
d. Multiple small matches found indicates probability of tweaking a copied or bought paper
i. When students work together or buy a paper but change a few words here and there, the file will
present with multiple copies of shorter phrases. The essay is circulating among college students
with each student changing a few words here and there.
ii. Or it could be that the student took a few paragraphs from many different websites that other
students also use, each student changing a few words here and there.
e. Overall considerations of Originality Reports
i. These matches are just the first matches that Turnitin found. It doesn’t mean that your student
went to this particular website or used the exact paper from the university named.
ii. Nonetheless, it does mean that several students are using this paper or these websites and just
changing a few words.
iii. Ask the student to come in, ask him/her a few questions about the highlighted sections to see if
she/he can explain. Or ask the student for her/his notes or rough drafts.
iv. DO NOT show the student the Turnitin report. This is for you and the Dean of Students only if
you decide to report the student for academic misconduct.
I spoke with the student and this is a case of academic misconduct. NOW WHAT?
a. Have your academic misconduct policy in your syllabus and link to the Dean of Student’s website.
b. Make sure! Speak face-to-face with the student. Don't try to do this over email. Make sure that you
have given the student a chance to show you his/her notes, drafts, etc. Before taking any formal actions, I
always explain college-level expectations and give a gentle warning followed by an email that this is their
first warning – if it never happens again, it's all forgotten. If it happens again, then they may fail the
course and/or be reported to the Dean of Students. I provide the link to Stout's Dean of Students'
website for academic misconduct.
c. 2ND occurrence I follow the procedure on Dean of Student’s website
http://www3.uwstout.edu/stusrv/dean/chp14.cfm
 Letter to student via email with a statement to see me during office hours if they have questions;
then email a copy of the letter AND the Turnitin report to the Dean of Students.
 Click on the download  on the bottom and to the left of the Turnitin screen to save the report
for your files and email to the Dean of Students.
 Students have the right to appeal your sanctions and decision. You simply need to make sure all
the documents (letter and Turnitin report) have been sent to the Dean of Students. She will take
it from there.