Work with your report · 5 min read
Reviewing similarity matches
Follow each match to its source and decide whether the overlap is expected, properly attributed, or worth revising.
The AI Report and Turnitin Report are separate results. Switch tabs to review source matches when your Turnitin report is ready.
Similarity measures overlap
A similarity score summarizes text matching material in the comparison sources. It does not decide whether the overlap is plagiarism. A quotation, reference, common phrase, and unattributed passage can all contribute matches for very different reasons.
Do not add individual source percentages to reconstruct the total. Sources can overlap, and small matches may be rounded or shown as less than 1%. Your institution’s filters and exclusions can also change the result.
Review one source at a time
Select Similarity, then Sources.
Choose a source to locate its highlighted text in your paper. Read the surrounding paragraph as well as the matched words.
Where a source link is available, inspect the original. A match label alone may not provide the full context.
For a quotation, check quotation marks or block formatting and the required citation. For a paraphrase, check both attribution and whether the wording reflects your own understanding.
Use Show all and repeat for the other sources, giving longer or unexplained overlaps priority.
The screenshot uses illustrative source data so we can explain the controls without publishing anyone’s work. It does not demonstrate an actual match returned by Turnitin.
Make a passage-level decision
There is no universal acceptable percentage for every assignment. Use your institution’s guidance and the nature of the writing. A low overall score can still contain an important unattributed passage.
| What you find | What to check next |
|---|---|
| A properly quoted passage | Confirm that the quote is necessary, marked clearly, and cited. |
| A bibliography match | Check the reference details; a matching citation is often expected. |
| A close paraphrase | Return to the source and restate the idea from understanding, with attribution. |
| Unexplained overlap | Investigate the source and revise or quote appropriately before submission. |