Does Turnitin Check Equations

Turnitin is one of the most popular and effective tools for catching plagiarism. And if your paper involves the use of equations, it is not uncommon to ask whether you have to cite them.

Further, it might be challenging because you are unsure whether an equation is part of your source material or just common knowledge.

Whichever position you are in, this article will help you understand whether Turnitin checks equations. It will also answer if you can plagiarize a mathematical formula and whether you need to cite equations and definitions.

Let’s jump right in, shall we?

Does Turnitin Check Equations?

Turnitin checks equations for plagiarism but is ineffective in giving an accurate report. However, it can help you avoid accidentally copying them. Its equation check service tells if your homework or assignments are copied from someone else by comparing two equations and tells you if they are the same or not.

Generally, the system checks text and will show results for words or phrases that match any of their databases. This means that if you include an equation but do not include the variables, it will not find the equation as plagiarism.

Additionally, if your equation has variables but is given different names than what they would be called on other sites or books, then Turnitin may also not flag your work as plagiarized even though it would be.

So, while Turnitin may be useful for checking text and ensuring that you haven’t accidentally included someone else’s work without knowing it, it cannot be relied upon to check your math problems without additional steps being taken first, such as making sure all variable names are spelled correctly and using consistent notation throughout each situation, so they stand out when compared against other sources available online or in print format.

Can You Plagiarize a Math Formula?

You cannot plagiarize a math formula. This is because math formulas are generally not viewed as materials that can be stolen and used without citation.

Math formulas are created by humans and are thus the product of human effort. They are not naturally occurring but are invented. This is why a math formula can be copyrighted, just like any other work of art or literature.

However, copyrighting a math formula doesn’t mean the creator will automatically sue anyone using it. In fact, it’s unlikely that anyone would even know if someone else used their work without permission.

A math formula is composed of symbols and numbers that represent mathematical concepts. As such, it is protected under U.S. law as a copyrighted work of expression, just like any other piece of literature or music created by an individual human being.

Therefore, when you use a formula, you must cite it and give proper credit. You must also explain where to find this information. If it’s available online, provide an internet link so others can see it too.

If an author offers no definitive source but implies from context clues such as chapter numbers or section titles, then citations are unnecessary.

Do Equations Need To Be Cited?

It is an excellent academic practice to cite every source of information, including equations.

If you are writing a paper, citing any source from which you borrowed information is generally considered good practice. But there are a few exceptions. If your instructor has not specifically told you that you must cite every equation used in your paper, then there is no need to do so.

There are other reasons why citing an equation would be considered unnecessary. Firstly, most students have not yet learned how to write proper citations when starting college. Next, finding the original publication of many scientific papers online can be challenging. Sometimes they only exist in print form and cannot be easily accessed by someone who does not have access to a university library.

In addition, there is often no need for citing an equation because it has already been mentioned previously by someone else who wrote about the same subject matter as you did in their paper.

For example, if you were discussing how a person’s weight affects their blood pressure, there would be no need to cite this equation since other researchers had already mentioned it before you even began writing your paper.

Do You Need To Cite Mathematical Definitions?

Generally, there needs not to be citations of mathematical definitions if you are writing about a well-known topic. However, some instances may require you to cite the definitions.

In mathematics, writers and researchers are often expected to cite the work of other mathematicians. This is especially true when they write about a new and not yet well-known topic. For example, if you are writing about a new proof or theorem in mathematics, you may need to cite the work of other mathematicians who have already written on the subject. However, sometimes you don’t need to cite mathematical definitions.

A mathematical definition is usually well-known and accepted by most people in the field. For example, if you were writing about finding the area of a square or circle using geometry, it would be unnecessary to cite any definitions because everyone knows what those terms mean.

The same applies to scientific concepts such as DNA or evolution. Even though many scientists disagree on these topics, there are still general definitions that can be used without citing sources.

Therefore, if you are unsure whether to cite or not, it is recommended to cite rather than omit the citations and appear as a plagiarist.