Direct answer
If you have opened a Turnitin AI writing report and found an asterisk (*) where you expected a number, you are not alone — and your report is not broken. Turnitin intentionally displays any AI writing score below 20% as an asterisk instead of a single-digit percentage such as 3% or 12% [1]. Only an explicit 0% appears as a numeric low outcome; everything else under the 20% threshold lands in the asterisk bucket [1]. In short, the asterisk is shorthand for "very low AI score," and it is the outcome most students want to see before submitting.
What Does The Asterisk Mean In A Turnitin AI Writing Report?
The asterisk in a Turnitin AI writing report means the AI writing score fell below the threshold at which Turnitin reports a percentage. Rather than showing a single-digit number, the report displays * to signal that the score is under 20% [2]. This is a deliberate display rule, not a technical glitch or a pending result.
A report showing an asterisk is complete and final — there is no hidden percentage waiting to appear later. Turnitin's student documentation explains that the indicator reflects that the text received a low AI-writing percentage, and the asterisk is the standard way that low result is presented [2]. The only explicit low numeric outcome students typically see is 0%; otherwise, any sub-20% result is bucketed as an asterisk [1].
For students, the practical reading is straightforward: the asterisk means the AI writing detector found little evidence that the text was generated by an AI tool. It is a positive signal, though it should still be read together with your similarity score and the overall context of your submission [2]. If you see the asterisk, your paper has not been flagged as substantially AI-written.
Is An Asterisk On Turnitin A Good Result For Students?
Yes — an asterisk is the result students want to see. According to Turnitin, a low or asterisk AI indicator reflects that the tool did not find substantial evidence that the text was generated by artificial intelligence [3]. It is the strongest "all clear" signal the indicator can give you outside of an explicit 0%.
It is important to understand what the asterisk does and does not claim. Turnitin positions the AI writing indicator as a guidance tool rather than a definitive statement of authorship, so an asterisk means low probability — not a proof that you wrote every word yourself [3]. Instructors are advised to treat the indicator as one data point alongside similarity, writing style, and their knowledge of the student.
For practical purposes, an asterisk removes the biggest worry most students have before submission: being flagged as AI-written. It does not guarantee that no instructor will raise questions, but it does mean the automated detector found no substantial AI signal [3]. Keep your similarity score reasonable as well, because a clean AI indicator combined with a high similarity match can still attract attention [3].
How Can I Preview My Real Turnitin AI And Similarity Score Before Submitting?
The safest way to know what your instructor will see is to preview your own report before the final submission. Turnitin's similarity report shows matched text and the overall similarity percentage, and the AI writing indicator appears alongside it in the same report view [4]. Reviewing both together gives you a complete picture of your submission risk.
Because the AI indicator and similarity score are presented together, checking only one of them leaves you with a blind spot. Turnitin's guidance recommends reviewing the report early so you can address matches and flagged content before the submission deadline [4]. A draft submitted for checking behaves like a normal report, so you can revise, re-check, and iterate until you are confident.
This preview-before-submit workflow is the standard way students reduce risk: upload a draft, read the AI indicator and similarity summary, revise anything flagged, and only then submit the final version [4]. If your preview shows an asterisk for AI and a healthy similarity score, you have strong evidence that your paper is in good shape. If it shows anything else, you still have time to act before the official submission is locked in [4].
Seeing an asterisk on a third-party preview is reassuring, but you want certainty about what your actual submission will look like in your institution's system. Turnitin0 delivers real Turnitin AI and similarity reports on your own draft, so you can see the exact report cover, AI score, flags, and similarity summary your instructor would see — before you ever hit submit.
※ Turnitin0.com - Actual Turnitin AI Report Cover, Score, Flag And Similarity Summary
FAQ
Does the asterisk mean Turnitin found no AI at all?
The asterisk means the AI writing score fell below 20%, which is the lowest reporting bucket. Turnitin describes this as finding no substantial evidence that the text was AI-generated, though it is not a definitive statement of authorship [2].
Why does Turnitin show * instead of a number like 3%?
Turnitin intentionally hides single-digit percentages. Any score below 20% is displayed as an asterisk, and 0% is the only explicit low numeric outcome students typically see [1].
Can my instructor see my real percentage behind the asterisk?
No. Your instructor sees the same report view you do — the asterisk is the official display for sub-20% AI scores in Turnitin's reporting interface [1].
Is an asterisk better than a flagged AI percentage?
Yes. A flagged percentage indicates the detector found substantial AI-writing evidence, while an asterisk indicates the score stayed below the reporting threshold. An asterisk is the outcome most students want before submitting [3].
Should I still check my similarity score if my AI result shows an asterisk?
Yes. The AI indicator and similarity score are separate metrics shown together in the report, and a low AI score does not protect you from a high similarity match. Review both before your final submission [4].