Turnitin automatically generates an \u2018Originality Report\u2019 with a \u2018similarity index\u2019 expressed as a percentage, and links to matched sources, including other students\u2019 work, the internet, and other publications. It\u2019s available at Reading through the University\u2019s VLE Blackboard as well as a web portal.<\/p>\n
As Associate Dean Orla Kennedy, who has been chairing these informal lunchtime gatherings this term, pointed out, the event coincidentally took place at the same time as a meeting of SCAM (the University\u2019s aptly named Sub-Committee on Academic Misconduct) but still saw a good turnout of some 20 colleagues from academic and service departments across the University.<\/p>\n
Speakers Virginie Ruiz (Systems Engineering), Sara Broad (Institute of Education) and Mary Morrissey (English Literature) are among those leading the use of Turnitin in teaching and learning at the University. Each shared their approaches and experiences, highlighting different aspects and issues surrounding the use of Turnitin, before addressing questions and concerns from colleagues.<\/p>\n
Virginie Ruiz demonstrated how Turnitin can be used very effectively to act as a plagiarism deterrent and a great time-saver for staff. Virginie allows students to submit draft versions of their work and to view the Originality Reports generated for their submissions to give them the opportunity to develop their writing skills \u2013 up until their final project that is, when their first submission counts.<\/p>\n
\u2018[What] they really take to heart is not the squeaky-clean assignment [\u2026] that comes up with no hint of plagiarism. They want to see a bad one\u2019, Sara explained. \u2018They want to see what it looks like if they get caught out, but they don\u2019t want the experience of being the one that gets caught out. And then they take the moral high ground [\u2026] they are nasty markers when it\u2019s another student [\u2026].\u2019<\/p>\n Sara\u2019s hacked-up essay satisfyingly returns matches to Wikipedia and Sparknotes, and comes up orange in Turnitin\u2019s traffic light system. \u2018For blood and gore, they quite like them in orange [\u2026] Orange means you\u2019re in trouble.\u2019<\/p>\n Mary Morrissey piloted the use of Turnitin for English Literature students last year and, alongside Director of Teaching & Learning Julia Waters, has been instrumental in co-ordinating a rollout of Turnitin at School level. Mary has developed some resources for staff and students on\u00a0setting up Turnitin assignments in Blackboard<\/a>,\u00a0submitting essays<\/a>, and\u00a0viewing and evaluating Originality Reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mary\u2019s talk highlighted the balance that needs to be struck between policies at University and School level and local practice. She emphasised the need to properly brief staff and students both in terms of how Turnitin works and how Originality Reports are interpreted, but also in terms of University guidelines and regulations, and more practical considerations such as existing office procedures for submissions.<\/p>\n Back in May, the termly\u00a0meeting of School E-Learning Co-ordinators<\/a>\u00a0held here at Reading also focused on the use of Turnitin. Concerns tended to centre around similar issues, such as using Turnitin for e-submission, anonymous marking, and the tie-in with administrative workflow. The discussions also revealed very contrasting perceptions of Turnitin, either as a \u2018plagiarism detector\u2019 or an educative tool, and a multitude of approaches and policies, particularly with regard to allowing students to see and discuss Originality Reports.<\/p>\n Regardless of whether you find yourself in one camp or another, and believe that students plagiarise because they are lazy, unwilling to engage properly with their studies, and bad at managing their time, or perhaps merely inexperienced in academic writing \u2013 the emphasis at Reading is on developing students\u2019 study skills.\u00a0Comprehensive guidance on note-taking, citation and referencing, grammar, punctuation and style<\/a>\u00a0is available from the central Study Advice service as well as locally in Schools and departments.<\/p>\n It\u2019s clear there is a real appetite for other ways of supporting students\u2019 skills development, and Turnitin may be able to help staff do this more effectively. As Mary said, \u2018Anything that gets them out of SCAM educationally is where we need to put the time.\u2019<\/p>\n Student representatives at a recent Faculty Board of Teaching & Learning meeting were asking for student access to Turnitin, and Sara also reported that her students have requested supplementary access to help them with their final-year projects \u2013 so students, too, can see the benefits.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.reading.ac.uk\/engage-in-teaching-and-learning\/files\/2012\/11\/Digitally-Ready-300x225.jpg\" "\\"Digitally")
<\/a>Sara Broad\u2019s use of Turnitin very much focuses on encouraging her students in the Institute of Education \u2013 future teachers \u2013 to reflect on their work and to think like a tutor. During an introductory session, the students have the chance to turn their hand to marking an essay with a similarity index of 63%.<\/p>\n