When trying to determine an acceptable Turnitin percentage, it’s key to know that Turnitin doesn’t actually detect plagiarism. Instead, it compares your work to the content in its database. If it finds matches or similarities, it flags those.
The issue of how much similarity is acceptable arises when a student’s work contains copied material. So, it’s crucial for students to understand what Turnitin similarity index is best to achieve optimal results.
This guide will provide essential details about Turnitin similarity scores.
What Does the Color-Coded Turnitin Report Mean?
Understanding how to read Turnitin’s originality reports is essential. You should also be aware of how this tool calculates similarity scores.
Experts from The Writing Metier say Turnitin is a top choice for checking plagiarism online. When you use our agency’s services, you get content that not only passes this tool but also meets your needs.
A key reason is that many institutions rely on this software. It checks for similarities across web pages, documents, and student work in its database.
Turnitin helps reduce plagiarism this way. If you find a high score, it’s important to rephrase and cite correctly, as the tool highlights paraphrasing and citation errors, plus instances where text is copied word-for-word.
Also, if your text is similar to content in the database, the similarity score will be high.
Wondering what a bad Turnitin score is? Look at our similarity column below to see what the percentage means.
What Is the Acceptable Turnitin Score? Interpreting the Similarity Report
I’ll break it all down for you now. In this section, I’ll help you understand the similarity report, covering low, average, and high scores.
So, what is a good Turnitin score?
Typically, a Turnitin score of 15% or less is considered acceptable. However, there’s no fixed similarity percentage because plagiarism rules differ across institutions. Some schools are okay with scores around 10%, while others may allow up to 45% if all sources are correctly cited in the student’s work.
What is a bad Turnitin similarity score, then?
No matter the accepted score, more than 15 percent means too much copying. The software doesn’t set an acceptable percentage, but it all depends on what the university wants.
So, if guidelines say 100 percent original, you need to create something completely new.
By properly doing pre-writing steps, like brainstorming, researching, and outlining, you can keep plagiarism below 5 percent. Is 5 percent bad? Even though 10-15 percent seems okay because it’s in the green zone, aiming for 0-5 percent makes you a top essay writer.
Getting 5 percent will catch your professor’s attention, and you’ll likely earn a good grade for it.
What similarity score is too high on Turnitin?
If your result shows yellow, orange, or red, it means your content is too much like others. You need to change the text to reduce plagiarism. Use the tips below to help with this.
What Causes High Turnitin Similarity Score?
If you find your Turnitin score is too high, keep in mind that the software highlights how much your content resembles other sources.
It’s not the tool’s job to decide if there’s plagiarism—that’s up to your professor. Yes, they really do check where your information comes from, which means they look to see if the similar parts of your work are properly attributed and quoted.
Typically, a high similarity score on Turnitin shows up because of a mix of reasons:
- Not crediting the source – To avoid plagiarism, you need to use quotation marks when you copy words directly from another source and provide a citation for where the content came from. Even if you put ideas from a source into your own words, you must still give credit to the source.
- You credit the source but paraphrase too closely – You can’t just grab ideas from another text, even if you switch up the words and don’t say where they came from. There’s also a kind of plagiarism where you use someone else’s work but change it a bit. Even if you rearrange the words and add your own touch, it’s still considered plagiarism.
- You use statistics with no source crediting – When someone makes charts, stats, or tables, they own them. So, you need to give them credit in your work to keep your Turnitin match low. Plus, citing sources has a speaking benefit since it shows someone got the stats backing up your info. This makes your argument more convincing.
- You use the uncited images – Using someone else’s picture without credit is like using a table or figure without acknowledgment. It’s considered plagiarism. Even if the photo is yours, it’s best to mention you’re the creator.
- You add a bibliography or reference list – If you’re in a bind with your assignments and haven’t done the research, you’re not alone. Many students procrastinate and find themselves scrambling at the last minute to compile a reference list with various books and articles. If you find your work flagged for high plagiarism on Turnitin, you can reach out to Writing Metier for professional assistance.
What Can I Do to Avoid High Similarity on Turnitin?
If you see a high percentage on Turnitin, it’s crucial to lower it. Here are some tips to help:
- Ensure you use quotation marks for all quotes. In any text, whether it’s a dissertation or research paper, introduce quotes with quotation marks and include the correct page number from the source.
- Aim to use as few quotes as possible. In a piece that’s 500 to 1,500 words long, stick to using one to three quotes.
- It’s important to rewrite everything using your own words. Be aware of what Turnitin considers an acceptable score, and aim to stay below that threshold. If the similarity percentage is high, you may need to alter your content to distinguish it from the original text.
- Make sure to review the Turnitin settings. Sometimes, they include common content, like bibliographies and topics. Check these and explain to your professor why there’s a match. If the settings are fixed, your score could drop below 5 percent.
Always get a fresh similarity report. Use the strategies given to lower your percentage. Remember, a 0 percent similarity is possible with original content.
Contact Writing Metier to Let Us Help You
What makes a Turnitin score high? If your score exceeds 15 percent, it’s considered high, and you should aim to stay below this threshold.
If you’re struggling with the task or lack time to refine your work, Writing Metier can help. Our experts understand Turnitin’s plagiarism limits and know how to achieve the required results. Just give us your guidelines, and we’ll ensure they’re met.
For an additional $9.99, we offer a PDF of the Turnitin report and an AI check for your final version.