LNG 501

Using Turnitin Positively

Lecture Outline

• Your voice

• Using Turnitin positively

• Integrating your voice with sources

Your voice
• Academic writing = demonstrating YOUR
understanding

• Do not copy and paste a lot from sources

• Essay: most of the assignment should be YOUR

ideas and points

• Research = support your points, make your

points stronger
Using Turnitin positively
• Turnitin – not a plagiarism detector
• Turnitin – matches texts

• Similarity percentage = how much of the text is not your own

words
(see pages 6 – 10 of Turnitin Student Guide on Moodle)

Your goal =
reduce
percentage as
you grow as
writers
Don’t be scared of the
percentage
If highlighted as similar – no problem
BUT
If highlighted and NO
REFERENCING?? = BIG PROBLEM
Essay writing – your voice
• Reduce your similarity percentage
• How?

• Paraphrase sources – don’t just copy and paste –

remember you still have to reference though!

• Use more of own thoughts, ideas – but support what

you are saying with other sources (evidence)

• 2 Re-submissions on Moodle are allowed – re-name

file when you upload 2nd/3rd time please!
Integrating your voice with sources
• Academic writing:
• express your ideas
• “2003 Pacific Games had economic effects on
Fiji”
• If possible, give some explanations yourself
• “major sporting event  so, people visited Fiji
 these people spent in Fiji, so economy
grew”
• After all the above, then you move on to looking
for ideas in academic, credible sources to
support what you wrote (with referencing!)
 Sample TEXC paragraph with own
voice
Firstly, the 2003 Pacific Games had economic effects on
Own Fiji. When a major sporting event is held in a nation, it is
explanation, likely that a lot of people will visit the country and spend in
later the country, leading to economic growth. This is supported
supported
by research by official reports from the FASANOC (2004, p.3) which
stated that the combination of hosting the 2003 Pacific
No direct Games and sports tourism for that year led to a $1.1FJD
quote – million boost for the Fijian economy. For example,
paraphrase
source
participating athletes were given accommodation at the
USP and other nearby centers, which gave those places
After income (Moon, 2003, p. 1). Moreover, the events also led
quoting, to many people visiting Fiji and spending in Fijian shops
gave own
and buying Fijian products, which would have been a boost
analysis
to the economy. Therefore, while it would have required
End paragraphinvestment in the beginning, it can be said that overall, the
yourself – own
interpretation
2003 Pacific Games had a positive effect on the Fiji
economy.
Conclusion
• Put more of your own opinion, ideas into your
writing
• Research & referencing  support your ideas

• Do not fill your essay with direct quotations/

copy & paste a lot from sources  low marks

• Lecturers want to know what YOU think

• Be confident
Reference
CFEL Turnitin Guide 2019