REFRAMING TURNITIN: FROM PLAGIARISM DETECTOR TO FORMATIVE TOOL FOR ACADEMIC WRITING AND INTEGRITY

Chelle Oldham

Abstract


Turnitin has historically been perceived by students as a punitive mechanism for detecting plagiarism rather than as a pedagogical tool to support academic writing development. This paper explores how Turnitin can be reframed and repositioned as a formative tool that enhances student engagement with referencing, paraphrasing, and academic integrity. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies, this article critically examines how students’ relationships with similarity reports can shift through guided support, dialogic feedback, and academic literacy frameworks. The study offers a synthesis of evidence supporting the formative use of Turnitin, arguing for a pedagogical rather than disciplinary integration of the tool, and recommends inclusive, proactive educational strategies that foster academic confidence and reduce misconduct referrals.

 

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Keywords


academic integrity; academic conduct; Turnitin; academic writing; plagiarism

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejoe.v10i3.6210

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