Is 36% Similarity on Turnitin Bad? What to Do Next!
You’ve just checked your Turnitinin report and saw the result: 36% similarity. You’re probably thinking, Is this bad? Or is it no big deal?
Let’s dive into what that score really means, how to interpret it, and what steps you can take to lower your similarity score.
And if you're looking for an easy way to check your similarity report without Turnitin access, T-detector’s Turnitin Detector is a great option!
Let’s continue to clear up the confusion!
Is 36% Similarity on Turnitin Bad?
Understanding Turnitin's Similarity Report
First things first: Turnitin's Similarity Report doesn't outright accuse your work of plagiarism; it measures how much your work resembles other writings it can find—be it on the internet, in its own massive database, or in papers other students have submitted. The similarity score simply highlights parts of your text that match these sources. It's then up to your instructor to decide whether these matches are acceptable, based on the context of your citations, the nature of the assignment, and the expected use of quotations.
Is 36% Considered High?
Now, onto that 36% similarity score—there's no one-size-fits-all answer here. It’s crucial to understand there isn't an inherently "good" or "bad" Turnitin score.
Generally, instructors might start to raise eyebrows if the similarity score exceeds 20-25%. This level of similarity could indicate missing citations or that the paraphrasing is too close to the original text, which might suggest plagiarism.
So if your document is teeming with properly cited quotes, a 36% similarity might totally make sense. However, if the report shows large passages lifted directly from one or two sources without proper citations, that's a red flag.
Dive into the specifics of your similarity report to see where these matches are coming from. Are they scattered small matches throughout the document? That's usually less concerning. But if you find a few large matches, you may need to reevaluate and revise those sections.
Remember, the similarity score isn't the final say—it's a starting point for discussion.
How to Get a Turnitin Similarity Report Without a Class ID
Ever wish you could get a sneak peek at your Turnitin similarity report before actually submitting your paper to your class? While the official route requires submitting your essay through your school’s system to receive the report, there's a faster way to check your work.
What is the T-detector?
T-detector is a tool that mimics Turnitin’s AI detector without needing a class ID. It provides a full report just like the one your instructor would see, including the AI score. Simply upload your paper, wait 5-20 minutes, and voilà—you’ll have access to a Turnitin-style report!
The best part? Your paper isn’t stored in Turnitin’s database, so it’s completely safe and won’t affect your final submission. This gives you the chance to revise and perfect your paper before your teacher sees it.
Curious how it works? Check out this quick video!
How to Reduce Your Similarity Score and Avoid Plagiarism
If your Turnitin Similarity Score is higher than you'd like, don't worry—there are steps you can take to improve it.
How to Keep Your Score Under the Accepted Range
Analyze the Report: Look at the flagged sections to see which parts need attention. Large matches may require more rephrasing or citations.
Balance Sources and Original Content: Your paper should focus more on your analysis and ideas, with sources supporting them.
Paraphrase and Summarize: Minimize direct quotes. Rephrase the ideas in your own words, ensuring proper citations.
Check Citations: Make sure every source is correctly cited. Missing or wrong citations can significantly raise your similarity score.
Discuss with Your Instructor: If you're unclear on why certain sections are flagged or need help reducing your score, ask your instructor for guidance.
Utilize Filters: Turnitin offers filters to exclude bibliography, quotes, and small matches. This helps refine your score by excluding standard elements.
Using AI Tools to Lower AI Traces
If you've used AI in your paper, consider manually paraphrasing or using reliable AI paraphrasing tools, like AI Humanizer, to reduce the traces of AI-generated content. These tools help reword AI-written text in a way that feels more natural, which can lower your similarity score.
Factors That Influence Turnitin Similarity Scores
Understanding what Turnitin flags can help you interpret your similarity report more accurately. Here’s what you need to know.
What Does Turnitin Mainly Detect?
Turnitin compares your paper to a vast database of sources—academic papers, websites, and past student submissions. It highlights text that matches these sources, including quotations and paraphrased material (as long as proper citations are used).
What Turnitin Doesn't Detect
Turnitin can't flag:
Images, Diagrams, or Charts: These aren’t checked for matches.
Printed Books or Journals: Only digital content in the database is analyzed.
Translated Text: Works that are translated may not be detected. But with Translated Matching, Turnitin can automatically translate non-English submissions into English and compare them to its database, showing any matches alongside the original text.
Password-Protected Content: Any content behind a paywall or login remains unseen by Turnitin.
It's also crucial to note that Turnitin doesn't detect plagiarism. It just flags matching text. Whether those matches are acceptable or indicate plagiarism depends on your instructor’s judgment.
Common ‘Acceptable’ Matches
Certain types of matches are common and typically not problematic, such as:
Quoted Text: Properly cited quotes will show up as matches, but they’re fine.
Bibliographies and References: These often match across multiple papers.
Essay Titles: It’s normal for titles to match.
Common Phrases or Terminology: Technical terms or widely used phrases may trigger matches.
Paraphrased Text: Even if reworded, paraphrased content will be flagged, but proper citations make it acceptable.
How Student Collusion Affects Your Turnitin Similarity Score
Collusion occurs when students work together inappropriately, sharing their papers or copying each other's work. Turnitin can detect collusion when it finds significant similarities between two or more students' submissions for the same assignment. Here's how it works:
Imagine this scenario:
Sophia and Liam are classmates. Sophia shares her assignment with Liam, and Liam submits it as his own. Sophia's submission has a 10% similarity score, while Liam’s version, submitted later, shows a 100% similarity score to Sophia’s work.
Turnitin detects this collusion by comparing both submissions and red flags the similarities. The system compares submissions across all students so it will flag when the text has been copied during post-deadline review.
By finally running the report after all assignments are submitted, the system catches all exact matches between submissions, intentional or not, for an instructor to flag and review.
Conclusion
So that’s the end of our discussion on whether a 36% similarity score on Turnitin is bad.
Don’t panic if you spot a score like that—it’s not the end of the world!
Remember, the similarity score is just a starting point for discussion. Your instructor uses it to engage with your work critically, not just to flag plagiarism. We hope this has been helpful. Thanks for reading!