What is Turnitin?
Turnitin is an online tool created in 1996 by a group of professors from the University of California, Berkeley. This tool allows professors or students to upload papers to the Turnitin database.
How does Turnitin work?
The student's paper matched against the database of web pages, paper mill essays, and other student papers submitted online. Turnitin then creates an "originality report" highlighting any passages from the paper that might not be authentic and lists websites and other resources with content that matches that in the paper.
Does Alfaisal University provide access to Turnitin?
Yes, Alfaisal University has subscribed to Turnitin as an institution. For student access/use information see "getting started" to the right. For more information using TurnItIn please contact Mr. Abdullah M. Alhelan:
Email: aalhelan@alfaisal.edu
Phone: 215-7846
The Alfaisal University Libraries coordinate campus-wide access to Turnitin.com's Originality Checking, a service which enables faculty and students to maintain the University's high standards for ACADEMIC HONESTY. The Originality Checking software generates a report which compares submitted text against a continuously updated database of millions of pages of previously submitted student papers, journal articles and accessible internet sites. Faculty use the Originality Report to evaluate student work for proper citations and attribution, as well as for plagiarism. Turnitin is now widely used in over 50 countries and in thousands of high schools and universities.
More Information about Turnitin
Common Legal Questions about Turnitin
Each time a paper is submitted to TurnItIn, an Originality Report is created that compares that document with the TurnItIn database, along with a number in the form of a percentage, called the Similarity Index. These are tools to be used to identify when matching text has been found, ideally to ensure proper citations. As mentioned on TurnItIn's website:
"Warning: These indicies in no way reflect TurnItIn's assessment of whether a paper contains plagarized material or improperly used material."
So, if you were running an originality report on this guide, you would probably find a decent chunk of matching text. Just remember: cite your sources.
PowerPoint files (.pptx, .ppt, .ppsx, and .pps) can be submitted via file upload, Google Drive™, or Dropbox and will be converted to a static PDF. The text and images on the slides will be visible and available for feedback in the Document Viewer and Turnitin for iPad® app; however any dynamic elements such as slide animations, transitions, presenter notes, and audio/video are not available. |
Accepting PowerPoint files opens up possibilities for how Turnitin can be used; now when your students give live presentations, you can evaluate their presentations—slides and all—with Turnitin. Below is a proposed workflow for efficiently evaluating live presentations: |
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When class is over, your grading is done, and your students can have immediate access to your feedback on their performance. |