A complete student guide to submitting, checking, and understanding your work through Turnitin
Turnitin is widely used at the University of Adelaide for digital assignment submission, plagiarism checking, and feedback delivery.
This guide provides a practical overview of how to use Turnitin effectively and responsibly throughout your studies.
Turnitin is an online platform that helps students and staff uphold academic integrity. It checks submitted written work against:
- Academic journals and publications
- Websites and online sources
- Previously submitted university assignments
- Student papers worldwide
At the University of Adelaide, Turnitin supports:
- Secure electronic submission
- Automatic originality checking
- Digital marking and feedback
- Learning good referencing practices
1. Accessing Turnitin Through MyUni
Students access Turnitin via MyUni (Canvas), the university’s learning management system.
To find your Turnitin submission link:
- Log in to MyUni with your university credentials.
- Select the relevant course from your dashboard.
- Navigate to Assignments within the course menu.
- Click on the specific Turnitin assignment link created by your instructor.
If you cannot find the link or it appears hidden, contact your course coordinator.
2. Preparing Your File for Submission
Before uploading, make sure your assignment meets Turnitin requirements.
Accepted File Types
Turnitin typically accepts:
- .doc / .docx
- .pdf (non-scanned)
- .rtf
- .txt
- .odt
Submission Tips
- Ensure your text is selectable, not an image.
- Remove password protection from files.
- Use clear file naming conventions — many courses recommend:
Lastname_StudentID_AssignmentName - Double-check that all references are included.
3. Submitting Your Assignment
Submitting through Turnitin in MyUni is straightforward:
- Open the assignment link.
- Select Upload Submission (or equivalent button).
- Enter submission details such as title or student information.
- Upload your file and wait for it to process.
- Preview the file to confirm everything looks correct.
- Click Submit.
A digital receipt should appear or be emailed to you. Always keep a copy as proof of submission.
4. Understanding Your Turnitin Similarity Report
Turnitin generates a similarity score, expressed as a percentage, which compares your writing to Turnitin’s global database.
What the Similarity Score Means
It shows how much of your text matches other sources. It does not automatically indicate plagiarism.
Typical interpretations:
| Similarity Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0–10% | Likely normal academic writing with references |
| 11–25% | Generally acceptable, depending on assignment type |
| 26–50% | Needs review—may contain too much quoted or close paraphrasing |
| 50%+ | Very high—faculty review may be required |
What to Check in Your Report
- Are direct quotes correctly formatted and referenced?
- Are paraphrased sections sufficiently rewritten?
- Are reference lists excluded or treated correctly?
Note: Some courses disable student access to similarity reports. This is a normal, course-specific policy.
5. Resubmissions and Deadlines
Resubmission policies vary across University of Adelaide courses.
Common Scenarios
- Some courses allow multiple resubmissions until the deadline.
- Some allow only a single submission.
- A 24-hour delay may occur between similarity reports after the first submission.
Always check your course outline or assignment instructions.
Late Submissions
Late submissions are generally accepted but are subject to penalty unless you have an approved extension under the university’s policies.
6. Accessing Feedback and Grades in Turnitin
Turnitin allows for rich, digital feedback through Feedback Studio.
You may receive:
- Inline comments
- QuickMarks (comment templates)
- Audio comments
- Rubrics or marking forms
- General overview feedback
To view your feedback:
- Return to the assignment link in MyUni.
- Select View Feedback or open the graded submission.
- Review comments and rubrics within Feedback Studio.
Feedback usually appears once grades are officially released for the course.
7. Troubleshooting Common Issues
My file won’t upload
- Convert to .docx or a simple PDF.
- Check that the file size is within the limit.
- Ensure images are not scanned or locked.
Similarity report isn’t appearing
- First reports appear quickly, but later resubmissions may take up to 24 hours.
File appears blank after submission
- Always preview your file before submitting.
- Contact your course coordinator immediately if something looks wrong.
Turnitin crashed near the deadline
- Take a screenshot of errors.
- Email your course coordinator or use the school’s recommended late-submission process.
8. Academic Integrity Expectations at the University of Adelaide
The University places strong emphasis on academic honesty.
To maintain integrity:
- Paraphrase genuinely instead of copying sentence structure.
- Cite all ideas, quotes, and data using your discipline’s required style.
- Never share your assignments with others.
- Use Turnitin as a learning tool—not just a submission portal.
Support is available through the Writing Centre, Library, and Academic Integrity tutorials.
9. Getting Help
If you encounter issues or need support with Turnitin or academic writing, you can reach out to:
- MyUni Support
- Ask Adelaide (general student support)
- Library Skills Hub
- Writing Centre
- Course coordinators and tutors
These services can help with technical issues, referencing, writing skills, and academic integrity guidance.