The similarity report details the percentage of matching or highly similar text in your assignment. Similarity reports are usually ready in 10-15 minutes of submission. If the assessment is large, or it is a busy time of semester, it may take up to 48 hours.
The following colours highlight the percentage of matching text:
- blue: no matching text
- grey: 1-14%
- green: 15-23%
- yellow: 24-34%
- orange: 35-45%
- red: 46-100%
There is no set percentage that indicates an acceptable level of similarity in a Turnitin report. Different assessment tasks return different amounts of matching text. Some assessments will include legitimate matches and are no cause for alarm.
Legitimate matches may include:
- the assessment title, topic, question or template
- direct quotations (some tasks require more quotations than others)
- reference list (this should match, as it indicates that it has been formatted correctly)
- key technical or disciplinary terms or phrases that cannot be paraphrased.
If in doubt, consult your lecturer, tutor, or the Learning Hub.