When you’re getting ready to submit your assignment to Turnitin, one of the first things worth checking is the size of your file. Turnitin doesn’t accept files of any size, so knowing the limits can save you from last-minute stress.
The Standard File Size Limit
For regular submissions, the maximum file size you can upload to Turnitin is 100 MB. If your document is larger than that, the system will reject it. This limit exists to keep uploads manageable and ensure Turnitin can process your work smoothly.
Other Requirements to Keep in Mind
Turnitin doesn’t just look at file size. There are also some word count limits you need to be aware of. Your document needs to contain at least 20 words of readable text, since the system relies on actual text and not just images. There’s also a page limit of about 800 pages, which is more than enough for most assignments.
ZIP Files for Instructor Uploads
If an instructor is uploading work on behalf of a student, they can use a ZIP file instead. A ZIP upload can go up to 200 MB and hold as many as 1,000 files. Even then, each file inside the ZIP still needs to be 100 MB or smaller, so the individual limits still apply.
Special Rules for Certain File Types
Plain text files, like .txt documents, have a much smaller size limit of around 2 MB. For PDFs, Turnitin requires that the file contains real, selectable text. If the PDF is just a scanned image of text, it may be rejected because Turnitin can’t read it properly.
Making Sure Your File Fits
Most essays and reports won’t even come close to the 100 MB limit unless they contain a lot of high-resolution images or oversized attachments. If you do run into a size issue, you can reduce image sizes, remove unnecessary content, or save the file in a more compact format.
Final Thoughts
Knowing these file size rules can help you avoid problems when submitting your work. A quick check before you hit the submit button can make the whole process smoother and give you peace of mind that your assignment will go through without a hitch.