Direct answer
Direct Answer - Turnitin's Similarity Report checks your submitted document against a large database of web pages, academic journals, and previously submitted student papers, then shows a similarity score — the percentage of your text that matches other sources [1]. To use it, submit your paper to a Turnitin-enabled assignment through your university's learning platform, wait for the report to generate, and open the Similarity Report from the assignment inbox to review each highlighted match [1]. The score is a review starting point, not a judgment of academic integrity — instructors look at which sources matched and why before drawing any conclusions [1].
How Do I Submit a Paper to Turnitin and Get a Similarity Report?
Submitting a paper to Turnitin is done through the assignment your instructor created in your university's learning management system, such as Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard, or Brightspace. You open the assignment, upload your file (usually.docx or.pdf), and confirm the submission; the similarity check then runs automatically on the document [2]. Some courses use Turnitin Feedback Studio directly, where the workflow is the same — upload, submit, and wait for processing.
Once Turnitin finishes scanning, the Similarity Report becomes available in the assignment inbox next to your submission. Clicking the similarity percentage icon opens the full report, which displays the overall score plus the list of matched sources on the right side of the screen [2]. Each match is highlighted in your paper's text so you can jump straight from the score to the exact passage that overlaps with another source [2].
The time it takes for a report to appear depends on the size of the document and the system's load, but most reports are ready within minutes of submission. If you don't see the report icon immediately, refresh the page or check back after a short delay [2]. When you open the report, you'll see the percentage color-coded — blue means no matching text, green 1–24%, yellow 25–49%, orange 50–74%, and red 75–100% [2].
Keep in mind that the report you see is the version your instructor has configured. If your instructor applied exclusion filters — for example, ignoring quoted material, the bibliography, or very short matches — the score you see already reflects those settings [2]. If you're unsure whether exclusions were applied, ask your instructor or check the report settings shown at the top of the Similarity Report.
What Does the Similarity Score Mean and How Do I Read the Matches in the Similarity Report?
The similarity score is a single percentage that tells you how much of your paper's text matches other sources in Turnitin's databases — it is not a plagiarism detector and it does not decide whether you cheated [3]. A high percentage simply means a large portion of your text overlaps with published or previously submitted work, which can happen for entirely legitimate reasons, such as heavy use of quotations, a long reference list, or common technical terminology [3].
Reading the report means working through the match list on the right-hand side, where every source is listed with the amount of text it matches. Clicking a source highlights the corresponding passage in your document, and the report shows the original source side by side with your text so you can compare them directly [3]. This is the most useful part of the workflow: instead of staring at a number, you see exactly which sentences need your attention.
When you review a match, ask yourself whether the overlap is expected. Direct quotations, properly cited definitions, and standard boilerplate are usually fine and are often excluded by instructor filters [3]. The passages that matter are long, verbatim chunks with no quotation marks or citation — those are the ones you should paraphrase or restructure before the final deadline [3].
A common mistake is treating a low score as a guarantee of safety. Even a low similarity percentage can be a problem if the matched text is a critical, uncredited section, while a higher score made up of correctly cited quotes can be perfectly acceptable [3]. Treat the report as evidence to review, not as a pass/fail grade, and let the match breakdown guide your revision.
Can Students Check Their Turnitin Similarity Score Before Final Submission?
Whether you can see your similarity score before the deadline depends entirely on how your instructor configured the assignment. Many instructors release Similarity Reports immediately, which means you can submit early, review the matches, revise your paper, and resubmit before the due date [4]. Other instructors deliberately delay access until after the deadline so that a first submission isn't influenced by the score — in that case you won't see the report until grading is underway [4].
Turnitin also supports draft workflows in some institutions, such as separate draft assignments or a set number of submission attempts, precisely so students can check similarity as part of their revision process [4]. If your course offers this, use the draft submission to scan your near-final version, fix the highlighted overlaps, and submit a clean final copy through the graded assignment.
When you do get a pre-submission report, the smart workflow is: submit → open the report → read the match list → rewrite or re-quote the problematic passages → resubmit the revised version [4]. Each iteration should reduce the meaningful overlaps while preserving your own argument and voice, and you can keep checking until the report shows only expected matches [4].
If your institution does not give you pre-deadline access to Turnitin, you can still preview your similarity and AI results before submitting by using an independent checking service. Running your own check beforehand lets you spot risky matches early and fix them — rather than discovering a high score only after the official submission window has closed.
If you want to see exactly what a Turnitin report looks like before you ever hit submit — the cover page, the score, the flagged passages, and the similarity summary — turnitin0 can show you a real Turnitin AI and similarity report for your own draft. It's the same report format instructors see in their academic systems, so you can review your matches, lower your score, and walk into the official submission with confidence instead of guessing.
※ Turnitin0.com - Actual Turnitin AI Report Cover, Score, Flag And Similarity Summary
FAQ
Is the Turnitin similarity score the same as a plagiarism percentage?
No. The similarity score measures how much of your text matches other sources in Turnitin's databases; it is not a judgment of plagiarism [1]. A high score can come from properly cited quotes or a long bibliography, so instructors review the matched sources before drawing any conclusion [3].
Why can't I see my Similarity Report?
Students only see a report when the instructor has enabled student access to Similarity Reports [3]. Some instructors release reports immediately, while others wait until after the submission deadline [4]. If your report is missing, check the assignment settings or ask your instructor.
What do the color bands next to the similarity score mean?
Blue means no matching text, green is 1–24%, yellow is 25–49%, orange is 50–74%, and red is 75–100% [2]. The color gives you a quick sense of how much overlap exists before you open the match list.
Can I resubmit after seeing my similarity score?
Yes, if your instructor allows multiple submission attempts or provides a draft assignment [4]. You can revise the highlighted passages and resubmit before the deadline, which is exactly how similarity checking is meant to support the revision process.
Does Turnitin add my paper to its database when I check similarity?
That depends on the assignment configuration your institution chooses, which is why many students prefer to preview similarity with an independent service before the official submission — your draft never enters the instructor's system until you submit it yourself [1][4].