1. Johns Hopkins Engineering
  2. Instructional Technology
  3. Canvas

Turnitin AI Detection

Liz Pallia
Updated

The Turnitin tool used in Canvas for assignment submissions has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) detection feature. This feature will help faculty determine if writing tools such as ChatGPT have been used by students when submitting work in their class. The AI writing detector can identify 97% of ChatGPT and GPT3 authored writing, and has a less than 1/100 false positive rate. It can be used to help faculty make an informed decision, but is not meant to be used as a sole determinant for whether or not a student has committed academic misconduct.

Learn more about Turnitin AI detection at https://www.turnitin.com/solutions/ai-writing, and review the video below to learn more about false positives.

AI Detection Feedback Report

To review the AI Detection Feedback report for a student's submission, you will need to access the Similarity Score report in Speedgrader. Before students submit to any assignment, you should review the article Using Turnitin for Canvas Assignments and ensure that all relevant assignments have Turnitin applied in the settings.

Note: If you have not set up Turnitin for the assignment, you will not see this Similarity Score in Speedgrader; Turnitin cannot be setup retroactively, after students have already submitted.

Reviewing the feedback report for a student submission

  1. Access the student's submission via the Speedgrader tool.
  2. Next to the file download link for the student's submission, you will see a colorful box with a Turnitin Similarity Score in it. (Learn more about the similarity score color indicators: Using Turnitin for Canvas Assignments)

    Note: The score shown here does not indicate how much of the match is attributed to generative AI versus matches with other sources. It is possible a submission could have a low Turnitin Similarity Score, and a high AI detection score, as shown in this example.
  3. Click on the score box to open the Turnitin Feedback Studio.
  4. On the review panel in the Turnitin Feedback Studio, you will see a box with the AI detection score in it.
  5. Click on the score in this box to open the Turnitin AI Writing Detection report.
  6. This report will show approximately how much of the content of the document was written by AI, and provide additional resources.

Other Resources:

AI conversations: Handling false positives for educators

AI Misuse Checklist

Five ways to prepare writing assignments in the age of AI

AI-generated text: An annotated hotlist for educators

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