How Long Does Turnitin Take? Unpacking Report Timelines

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Write by  Dr. Lily Chen
2024-12-06 14:58:52 5 min read

Have you submitted your work to Turnitin but haven't received any results yet? Wondering what might have happened? 

This article will explore how long Turnitin typically takes to generate a report in different situations and what you can do if there are delays. We'll also provide tips to help accelerate the processing time. Let's dive in and find out how to streamline your Turnitin submissions!

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How Long Does It Take to Get a Turnitin Score?

Turnitin Report Timing

Turnitin typically generates Originality Reports within minutes for your first three submissions. Specifically, you can expect a report in about 15 to 20 minutes under normal conditions. However, if you submit the same assignment more than three times, there's a required waiting period. After your third submission, you must wait 24 hours for a new report to be generated.

Delays During Peak Times

During peak periods, such as midterms or end-of-semester finals when many students are submitting papers, it may take longer. During these times, even initial reports could take up to 24 hours or more to process.  

Tips for Efficient Turnitin Use

  • Pre-Check Your Work:  Since students cannot directly view the AI score component of the Turnitin report, it’s beneficial to use professional tools like the Essaydone Turnitin Detector before submitting your paper. This tool provides a report the same to what instructors see, allowing you to make necessary revisions ahead of time.  

  • Avoid Last-Minute Submissions: Don't wait until the last minute to submit your papers. Giving yourself a buffer can help you avoid delays when you most need your report.

  • Be Mindful of Submission Limits: If your instructor allows multiple submissions, remember that there’s a 24-hour waiting period between each submission. This is designed to allow the system to properly generate reports without matching against previous drafts of the same assignment.

Why Does Turnitin Take So Long to Process?

Why does Turnitin take different amounts of time to spit out a report? Getting a grip on what affects Turnitin's processing time can help you handle your expectations and better plan out your submissions. Let's dive into the key reasons why:

1. Analysis Complexity

Turnitin performs a detailed examination to detect improper citations and matching text. This process involves comparing each submission against a vast database of academic texts, websites, and previously submitted papers. The complexity of this analysis can vary significantly, influenced by the settings your instructor has selected, such as the sensitivity levels for matching and the types of sources to be checked.

Turnitin Analysis Complexity

2. Paper Length

Did you know your paper's length can impact how quickly you receive your report? The longer the paper, the more text to analyze, which naturally extends the processing time. While a short essay might only take a few minutes, a lengthy dissertation could take up to 24 hours to process.

3. Submission Settings Configured by Educators

Your educators can customize how Turnitin checks papers, affecting the duration of the report generation. These custom settings can include the depth of the report and the sensitivity of the plagiarism detection. More stringent settings may lead to longer processing times as the system performs more thorough checks.

4. High Submission Volumes During Peak Times

Turnitin's servers handle submissions from students worldwide. Peak periods like the end of an academic term or during midterms see a dramatic increase in submission volume. This spike can significantly slow down processing times as the system copes with the higher load.

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5. Frequency of Submissions

As previously noted, if you're resubmitting work, the system requires a longer waiting period after the first three submissions. Turnitin designed this policy to prevent system abuse and ensure each submission is thoroughly compared against new and existing content without being biased by previous versions of the same paper.

6. Practical Advice for Students

  • To avoid delays and ensure timely feedback, plan your submissions wisely. 

  • Try to avoid peak periods by submitting assignments early in the submission window. 

  • Also, consider the waiting period for multiple submissions if revisions are necessary. 

  • If you have a lengthy paper, allocate sufficient time for Turnitin to process your submission thoroughly. 

What to Do if Turnitin Takes More Than 24 Hours?

Checking Your Originality Report

First off, if it's been over 24 hours and you're starting to worry, check if the report is actually ready. If your instructor allows access to Originality Reports, you'll find a colored rectangular icon next to the date of your submission in your class portfolio. Simply click on that icon to view your Originality Report. Remember, you can only see this if your instructor has enabled student access to these reports.

Turnitin Waiting for More than 24 Hours

If the Report Hasn't Generated

If there's no report and it’s been over a day, here’s what to do:

  • Check Submission Status: Often, the submission status might still show as 'Pending' in the Submissions Inbox. If it's been longer than 24 hours, try opening your submission anyway—sometimes the report might be ready even if it hasn't been updated from 'Pending'.

  • Avoid Resubmitting: Don’t keep resubmitting your work; it won’t speed up the process. Instead, resubmissions can actually delay the report further.

  • Contact Support: If after a full 24 hours the report is still not available and remains 'Pending', it’s time to contact your Support Centre. They may need to check the status of your submission manually.

When reaching out for help, be prepared to provide specific details to expedite support:

  • Full URL: Include the full URL from within the Ultra grading UI where your submission is located.

  • Submission Details: Mention any relevant details about your submission timing and any error messages if displayed.

Normally, Turnitin reports generate within a few minutes to several hours. However, during peak times or due to specific settings by your instructor, delays can occur. Patience is key, but don’t hesitate to seek help if you think there’s a technical issue after 24 hours.

FAQ about Turnitin

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 Is 70% of Turnitin Bad?

A 70% similarity score on Turnitin indicates that 70% of your paper matches text from the database used by Turnitin. This is generally considered high and could be problematic, depending on the nature of the matches and the guidelines set by your institution.  

Why Can’t I See the Turnitin Report?

If you can't see the similarity report, it could be due to one of the following reasons:

  • Access Not Enabled: The instructor might have set the assignment to not show the similarity report to students.

  • Report Not Generated: The assignment settings may not include generating a report. If you believe you should have access to a similarity report, consult your instructor for clarification.

How Many Times Can You Submit the Essay?

The number of times you can submit an essay to Turnitin depends on the settings applied by the instructor to the assignment. Some instructors allow multiple submissions, while others limit it to just one.

Does Turnitin Always Take 24 Hours?

No, Turnitin does not always take 24 hours. Originality Reports are typically ready within 15 minutes, but they can take up to 24 hours during peak times like midterms or the end of semesters when submission volumes are high.

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Can Turnitin Detect ChatGPT?

Yes, Turnitin can detect content generated by ChatGPT with a high degree of accuracy. It assesses individual sentences and provides an AI detection score that helps identify whether parts of the submission were generated by AI tools like ChatGPT.

Does Turnitin Tell You If It Detects AI?

Yes, Turnitin does include AI detection results within its reports. However, the AI writing detection indicator and the detailed report are accessible only to instructors and are not visible to students. This feature is part of Turnitin's integration with platforms like Brightspace and is contingent upon whether the instructor has activated it for a specific assignment.

Conclusion

That wraps up our exploration of how long Turnitin takes to generate reports. 

Now that you're familiar with the factors affecting processing times and equipped with strategies to speed up your submissions, you can manage your academic tasks more effectively. 

Use these insights to plan your submissions wisely and ensure you receive timely feedback. Happy submitting!