How Long does Turnitin Keep Papers? Is Submitting Previously Submitted Work Wrong?
Turnitin is a plagiarism prevention software that checks for originality in papers submitted through it. To execute this function effectively, Turnitin has a vast database of web pages, articles, published journals, and previously submitted work from which it performs the comparison.
The plagiarism checker has been widely accepted and used by many learning institutions, where instructors require their students to submit online assignments and tests through it.
However, both instructors and students still ask themselves some questions concerning this platform. One of the widely asked questions is; How long does Turnitin keep papers?
To get hold of this question and others and expand your knowledge on Turnitin, kindly read through this article.
How Long Does Turnitin Keep Papers?
Once you submit a paper to Turnitin for similarity checking, Turnitin stores the paper in its database by default forever. This plagiarism checking software has the policy to keep all the papers submitted through it in its archives. The papers are used for future comparisons.
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Even so, there are procedures you could follow to prevent Turnitin from storing your papers. First, notify your instructor if you need the software to remove your previously submitted paper from its archives. When the professor requests Turnitin to remove the paper, they will take it out within two weeks.
In addition, you could submit a paper to Turnitin for plagiarism checking but deter the software from saving the paper. In such a case, you will edit the submission folder. Then, click the ‘Standard paper Repository’ and select ‘Do not store the submitted paper.’ Here, Turnitin will generate a similarity report, but it will not store the paper in its standard paper repository or the institution’s paper repository.
Also check: Can Turnitin Detect Handwritten Work?
Does Turnitin Save Your Paper?
When you submit your paper to Turnitin, it saves the paper in its database by default. Remember, when you submit any content to Turnitin, you grant it, its service providers, vendors, affiliates, and licensors a perpetual and irrevocable license to keep and use your paper for the solitary function of detecting and preventing plagiarism in the future.
Turnitin saves your papers at the prudence of your educational institution in compliance with the conditions of the registration agreement between your institution and the software. Therefore, Turnitin will keep your papers for as long as you or your institution allows.
Nonetheless, you can request the removal of your paper from Turnitin’s database. First, communicate with your instructor, who will then contact your institution’s Turnitin administrator.
The administrator will then write an email to Turnitin requesting the removal of your paper. After the process, Turnitin will permanently delete your paper from its database within fourteen days.
Does Turnitin Check Previously Submitted Work?
Turnitin automatically stores the submitted papers in its standard paper repository from which it checks previously submitted work. This software uses these uploaded files in its database to create originality reports.
The Turnitin central database incorporates an immense volume of previously submitted documents, subscription-based publications, and web content.
Remember, Turnitin has developed procedures to compare your work and the content in this database whenever you submit your paper to its platform for similarity report feedback.
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In addition, this platform does not only save the papers submitted from your institution but from other educational institutions too.
Therefore, when you submit your paper for a similarity report, your work will not only be compared to papers in your institution’s paper repository but also with papers in other institutions’ educational databases and libraries.
Can I Submit the Same Essay I Submitted Long Ago?
You cannot submit the same essay that you submitted some time back. Remember, Turnitin keeps all the papers submitted previously in its central database, which it uses for future comparison. Therefore, when you submit the same essay you submitted long ago, Turnitin will know and treat that as previously submitted work.
However, there is a situation in which you can submit the same essay that you submitted earlier. This occurrence can only happen when the essay you submitted before has been completely removed from Turnitin’s database upon your request.
In such a scenario, you are assured that there is no existing essay record in Turnitin’s database. Therefore, when you resubmit the essay, Turnitin will treat it as an original essay.
Nevertheless, a safe way to submit a similar essay is to paraphrase the original one. You will use similar content and general overview through paraphrasing but alter the sentence structures, delivery style, and wordings. Remember, Turnitin treats paraphrased content as original.
You can also request a professional to help you write your essay and be assured of scoring a good grade.
What is Self-Plagiarism?
Self-plagiarism is the act of reusing one’s work with little or no acknowledgment. It involves presenting your previous work as entirely original.
Self-plagiarism happens when you re-submit a whole paper, a large portion of your original paper, or recycle data. Moreover, it happens when you publish identical content in different areas, also known as duplicate publication.
Self-plagiarism is considered a severe offense whose repercussions vary according to an institution’s policies on cheating.
Some of the consequences you could face as a student for self-plagiarizing include a failed course, suspension, legal repercussions, or even expulsion. For academics and researchers, consequences for self-plagiarism are copyright infringement and delayed or disapproved publication.
Nonetheless, there are paths you could follow to avoid self-plagiarism. These methods include; Avoid reusing previously submitted materials, cite the original content in your new work properly, and disclose to your instructor, editor, publisher, and reader that you intend to reuse some of the previously submitted content.
Is Submitting a Previously Submitted Paper Self-Plagiarism?
Submitting a previously submitted paper is not necessarily self-plagiarism but complete plagiarism. It only becomes self-plagiarism if you submit a previously submitted paper solely and entirely composed by you, to which you own the copyright.
It is vital to note that both complete plagiarism and self-plagiarism are forms of cheating that are forbidden and punishable.
Whether you or another person previously submitted the paper you intend to submit; both cases indicate that you intend to use the material as original and your own, which is wrong. Either of the two is an attempt to steal intellectual property and copyright infringement.
Can You Remove a Paper from Turnitin?
You can successfully and completely remove a previously submitted paper from Turnitin. The process is quite complicated because you have to follow several steps but pretty possible.
However, it is vital to remember that once a paper is completely removed from Turnitin’s database, that process is permanent and cannot be reversed.
Remember that your institution reserves the right refuse your request if the reason given is not deemed sufficient to warrant such a cause of action.
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As a student, you cannot remove your previously submitted paper from Turnitin. You have to inform your instructor about your intention to have the paper removed. Your instructor is the one who will notify your institution’s Turnitin administrator to request the removal of that paper.
Later, the administrator will write an email to Turnitin’s support team requesting the removal of the specific paper from the platform’s standard paper repository.
The email he writes from his registered Turnitin email should contain the class ID number, the submission ID number, and the assignment name. Upon receiving the email, Turnitin will permanently remove the paper from its database in two weeks.
Nonetheless, there is a more convenient feature in Turnitin that instructors could utilize instead of following the long process of removing a paper from Turnitin’s database.
They can select the option of not storing students’ papers when they submit them to Turnitin by selecting ‘No Repository.’
Conclusion
After reading this article, you can confidently and precisely answer a question like; How long does Turnitin keep papers?
Therefore, it is clear that Turnitin will keep a submitted paper in its database as long as your institution wants.