Guidelines for instructors

Students must be informed that Turnitin is to be used in your course. The following statement must be added to your course outline: 

Plagiarism detection software (Turnitin) will be used to screen assignments in this course. This is being done to verify that use of all materials and sources in assignments is documented. Students will be given an option if they do not want to have their assignment screened by Turnitin. In the first week of the term, details will be provided about arrangements and alternatives for the use of Turnitin in this course.

If you would like a Graduate student to submit a research paper or thesis through Turnitin, the student needs to give permission before this can be done. This option may not currently be available for your student; please contact Sean  to make arrangements for Graduate student Turnitin submissions. The same general usage guidelines (below) apply.

• Students must be given a reasonable option if they do not want to have their assignment screened by Turnitin.  Alternatives could be one of:
  • an annotated bibliography
  • a draft bibliography identifying and documenting all sources and submitted on a specified date before the due date for the assignment
  • a “scaffolded” assignment where the student submits an outline of their paper in advance and then at least one draft of the paper with their list of resources before the submission of the final paper with a bibliography
  • a review of available research data on the subject
  • an oral presentation of the topic to demonstrate personal knowledge
  • other options the instructor and student have agreed upon

• Students need to inform their instructors (by a predetermined date) that they do not wish to have their work submitted to Turnitin.
• Instructors have the choice regarding whether to allow students to see the Turnitin screening report, or to have only the course instructor receive such reports.

Instructors who arrange for students to receive the reports believe the reports can serve an educational purpose. If students submit their papers to Turnitin in sufficient time before a submission date, they can revise their papers to avoid challenges about possible plagiarism. Each instructor may decide which approach to take.
For assistance with pedagogical and practical course design consult your faculty liaison at The Centre of Teaching Excellence.