1️⃣ The overall similarity %
The big number is the share of your text that matches something in Turnitin's databases — web pages, published work and papers submitted by students. It is not a plagiarism verdict. A 25% report made of correctly quoted and cited sources can be fine; an 8% report where one paragraph is copied from a classmate is not.
| Colour | Similarity | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| 🔵 Blue | No matching text | Nothing matched |
| 🟢 Green | 1–24% | Normal for most coursework with citations |
| 🟡 Yellow | 25–49% | Read the sources — often quotes, references or close paraphrasing |
| 🟠 Orange | 50–74% | Large sections match; expect questions |
| 🔴 Red | 75–100% | Mostly matching text — or the file was already submitted to the repository |
2️⃣ The source list — read this first
- Sources are numbered and ranked by how much of your document they match. Each has its own colour in the text.
- Internet sources are web pages, Publications are journals and books, Student papers are files submitted at a university — often a senior's assignment or a classmate's draft.
- One source above about 5% is what lecturers look at. Twenty sources at 1% each are usually common phrases and definitions.
- A source with 90%+ that is a student paper from your own university usually means your file was submitted before with repository on. Coolsbox checks run in No Repository mode, so they never cause this.
3️⃣ Filters your lecturer can turn on
In the same report, a lecturer can exclude quotes, exclude the bibliography and exclude small matches (for example under 8 words). Each can drop the % a lot. Some lecturers use them, some do not — so fix what you can control: put direct quotes in quotation marks, cite everything, and paraphrase in your own sentence structure rather than swapping words.
4️⃣ The AI writing report
- The AI score is the share of qualifying prose — long sentences in paragraphs — that Turnitin's model thinks is AI-generated. Tables, bullet lists and references are usually not scored.
- *% means between 1% and 19%. Turnitin hides the exact number there because false positives are more likely.
- Highlighted text is split into text likely AI-generated and text likely AI-generated then paraphrased by an AI tool.
- It works for English, Spanish and Japanese, 300 words or more. Bahasa Melayu gets no AI score — use the GPTZero AI check (RM2.39) instead.
The AI + plagiarism check (RM6.99) gives you both reports in one PDF.
5️⃣ What to fix before submitting
- Start with the highest source and rewrite or quote-and-cite that section.
- Remove the assignment question or template text if you pasted it in.
- Rewrite AI-highlighted paragraphs with your own examples, data and reasoning.
- Check the final version again — small edits can move the % a lot.
❓ FAQ
What is a good Turnitin similarity score?
There is no universal pass mark. Many Malaysian lecturers accept under 20–30% for coursework and under 10–20% for a thesis, but your course outline decides. One large source matters more than the total.
What do the colours on a Turnitin report mean?
The overall similarity score is shown in a colour band: blue for no matching text, green for 1–24%, yellow for 25–49%, orange for 50–74% and red for 75–100%. Inside the document, each colour marks text matching a different source in the source list.
What does *% mean on the Turnitin AI score?
Turnitin shows AI scores between 1% and 19% as *% because false positives are more likely in that range, so it does not display an exact number.
Why does my reference list show up as similar?
Turnitin matches every part of the document, including quotes and references, unless the lecturer turns on the filters that exclude quotes and the bibliography. The report you receive shows what Turnitin matched before those filters.
Does the Turnitin report show if I used ChatGPT?
The similarity report does not. The separate AI writing report gives a percentage of qualifying prose that is likely AI-generated, for English, Spanish and Japanese text of 300 words or more. The Coolsbox AI + plagiarism check (RM6.99) includes both reports.
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