As stated in Oklahoma State University Policy and Procedure 2-20822 on Academic Integrity, an institution’s reputation and intellectual freedom depend on an uncompromising commitment to academic integrity. This commitment applies to all written scholarly work produced at OSU.

As the volume of disciplinary and interdisciplinary literature continues to grow and the time demands on students and faculty increase, careful attention to proper attribution becomes increasingly important. Regardless of intent, plagiarism, defined as taking the work or ideas of another and representing them as one’s own, is a concern shared across the higher education community.

These best practices apply to written works such as publications, comprehensive exams, theses, and dissertations. These types of documents are typically completed outside of formal course settings and often represent significant academic milestones.

While the focus here is on written materials, the same principles of proper attribution also apply to oral presentations, exhibits, and other scholarly outputs.

Technology can help enhance citation accuracy and the responsible use of sources. Oklahoma State University provides access to Turnitin, plagiarism-detection software available to both students and faculty.

Turnitin may be used as a tool to identify potential citation issues and support proper attribution in written works. Its use aligns with OSU’s broader commitment to maintaining academic integrity in graduate scholarship.

Faculty advisors, advisory committees, and graduate programs are encouraged to require Turnitin checks at the final-draft stage for theses, dissertations, and other major written works. Using Turnitin at this stage can help improve citation accuracy and prevent plagiarism before final submission.

If the use of Turnitin is required, graduate programs should establish program-level policies to guide its use. Students who have concerns about their citations may also conduct a self-check before submitting drafts to advisors or committees. Any results that suggest potential plagiarism should be addressed in accordance with university policies and procedures.

Turnitin generates a Similarity Report that highlights matching text between a submitted document and existing sources. These reports require careful interpretation and academic judgment.

For example, a student who previously submitted a literature review for a course or published a related article may receive a high similarity score, even when the work is not plagiarized. There is no single similarity percentage that automatically indicates whether a document is acceptable or problematic.

Because Similarity Reports are nuanced, individuals using Turnitin should be familiar with interpreting the results. Turnitin offers a webcast by Dr. Ann Rogerson that addresses common questions about Similarity Reports, including decisions about whether to include or exclude citations during a check. (https://www.turnitin.com/virtual-events/how-to-interpret-a-turnitin-similarity-report-2)

In addition, the Institute for Teaching and Learning Excellence (ITLE) has personnel available to assist students and faculty with questions related to Turnitin and academic integrity practices.

Documents submitted to Turnitin are incorporated into its database for future comparison. To avoid false positives in later Similarity Reports, users are encouraged to select the “do not store the submitted papers” option found in the Optional Settings when uploading draft documents.

Once a final document, such as a thesis or dissertation, is released publicly in electronic form, Turnitin’s system should identify the material naturally through its indexing process.

In brief, Turnitin is a technology tool that students and faculty can use to support accurate citation practices and protect OSU’s academic reputation. When used appropriately and interpreted thoughtfully, it helps ensure that written scholarly work reflects the principles of academic integrity expected at Oklahoma State University.

Institute for Teaching and Learning Excellence (ITLE):

• OSU Turnitin website: https://itle.okstate.edu/turnitin.html
• Email: itle@okstate.edu
• Phone: 405-744-1000