How does Turnitin work?
A new technology called document source analysis, which uses a set of powerful algorithms to make a digital “fingerprint” of any text document and then compare it against millions of other sources on the Internet. Turnitin has compiled a massive database of digital material by continually cataloging and indexing online academic works with automated web robots. Online paper mills are a major focus of the searches. A complement to the Internet data-mining capabilities is our archiving function: papers from participating courses and other academic web sites are also indexed and stored in Turnitin’s secure, in-house database.
Turnitin uses data-mining to compile a large database of electronic academic materials that it indexes and stores. Use your Web browser to access the Turnitin Web site, then submit assignments electronically by copying and pasting a digital copy of the work (e.g., a Word document or an html document) in a Turnitin text box or by attaching a file, much like in WebTycho. The service then checks the new submission against its database of materials to look for matches or near-matches in strings of text. Users then login to Turnitin to access the Report Inbox within Turnitin to view an Originality Report generated for each assignment that is uploaded. Faculty can view Originality Reports for each student in the class, but students can only view the Originality Report for their own assignment, not the assignments of other students.
