Does Turnitin Detect Self-Plagiarism? Is It Plagiarism If You Plagiarize Yourself?

Self-plagiarism is a delicate subject because one may argue that they are using their own work does not infringe any violations. However, it is still plagiarism, and committing it attracts serious consequences ranging from failing the essay to being expelled from school.

Most institutions around the globe use Turnitin to generate an originality report that lecturers use to determine whether you have committed plagiarism. However, does Turnitin detect self-plagiarism? I will address this topic in detail below and enlighten on efficient ways to avoid self-plagiarism and the consequences of committing self-plagiarism.

Read on and get enlightened.

Does Turnitin Detect Self-Plagiarism?

Turnitin can detect self-plagiarism if you present a paper that you had submitted before. Always remember that the moment an assignment gets submitted, it gets stored in Turnitin’s database. Afterward, the system uses the existing repository to generate an originality report for all essays submitted through the system.

Therefore, if you copy parts of previously submitted work, the system will match the sections, and your instructor will know that you have self-plagiarized.

Cases of self-plagiarism arise when you submit an existing paper for a different course. Having another lecturer and a contrasting unit does not mean contrasting repositories. The system uses the same database to check your essay.

On the other hand, Turnitin will not detect instances of self-plagiarism if you use a paper that was not previously submitted to its database or published online. There is no way of tracing the work because it does not exist anywhere on the web.

Many self-plagiarism instances are unintentional, and you can avoid them by citing already submitted work. Additionally, strive to have a deeper comprehension of academic integrity to uphold your reputation and avoid the consequences of submitting plagiarized work. Prioritize deep research, academic integrity, and original work.

The instructor should give assignments specific to the lessons taught to help students focus on the provided essay prompts. Consequently, prior work will be useless because the learners will focus on new research.

Can You Fail For Self-Plagiarism?

Many institutions treat self-plagiarism like normal plagiarism, where you suffer the same consequences for utilizing it. In most cases, you will get a zero or fail the course. Severe repercussions may include academic probation, suspension, or even expulsion.

Reusing previously submitted assignment hurts your learning process. Every lesson you attend offers a new learning experience. When you forward an old essay, you skip the research and creative writing process and consequently fail to learn something new.

Self-plagiarism can also affect your academic integrity because your publication may suffer delayed publication, and you may face accusations of copyright infringement. You, therefore, enhance a negative reputation and consequently lose the trust of your audience.

Some institutions allow students to use previous work under specific circumstances, especially when the current topic relates to an older one. However, be sure to seek clarification from your instructor to avoid unnecessary penalties.

How Can I Stop Self-Plagiarism?

The most efficient way of stopping self-plagiarism is starting every assignment from scratch. Start by researching extensively before writing to get enough sources to support your idea. Afterward, put down a short summary of what you comprehend and build the rest of the essay from it. Remember to paraphrase efficiently by using your own words and altering the sentence structure. Finally, make sure you cite your sources to avoid plagiarism.

If you are unsure whether you have self-plagiarized, visit your institution’s website and read through the plagiarism policy. It acts as your guide when writing. If the institution does have such a policy, talk to your instructor. They will let you know whether it is okay to use parts of your old assignment.

When your lecturer permits you to use previously submitted work, make sure you cite yourself. If the work is unpublished, indicate that in your citation.

Do Professors Check For Self-Plagiarism?

Professors check for self-plagiarism when you submit your essays. Often, the professor will not directly check your work but the institution’s system will. The system will compare your work with the existing resources in its database, and it will generate an originality report if any instance of self-plagiarism gets detected.

If your institution does not have a service site, your instructor has the option of using a plagiarism-checking tool to check the authenticity of your essay. However, they may be unable to detect self-plagiarism if you use your own unpublished work.

How Much Trouble Can You Get For Self-Plagiarism?

It is still plagiarism if you self-plagiarize, and you are likely to get the same consequences. Some of the most common repercussions include;

• Getting a zero on the submitted essay
• Failing the entire course
• Facing a disciplinary committee to assess the seriousness of the issue and the punishment one should receive
• You may get a severe warning and get recorded in the books. It ensures you think twice before presenting an already submitted assignment.
• If the situation is critical, you may get expelled from the institution.

Each institution has different repercussions, and it is wise to check with yours to get a better understanding of what you may face if you self-plagiarize.

Is It Plagiarism If You Plagiarize Yourself?

It is plagiarism if you plagiarize yourself because you mislead your readers and instructors into believing that they are reading authentic content. The content may be yours, but it is still unethical. Each assignment should help the students grow by ensuring the work submitted is original.

For each assignment, ensure you undertake prior research and treat it differently from all other essays you have written before. Treat each as a new opportunity to learn something new, and you will effectively avoid plagiarizing yourself. If necessary, discard previous assignments to avoid the temptation of reusing them.

Conclusion

Turnitin can detect self-plagiarism because the system’s database contains previously submitted essays which they use to compare with every paper you submit for marking. Always aim to present original work, even when covering the same topic in a different course. Remember it is still plagiarism even when you are using your own work.

If you must use previously submitted work, make sure you cite the essay properly to avoid unnecessary consequences. You don’t want to compromise that academic certificate because it may reduce the chances of getting valuable work in the future.