Using Turnitin Assignments with JAWS
What is Turnitin?
Turnitin is online software that works by comparing electronically submitted papers to billions of pages of content located on the Internet and proprietary databases as well as the work of other students whose papers have also been submitted into the system. This software is currently used by many universities in Australia and internationally.
When documents are submitted into Turnitin, sections of the document that match other sources are highlighted and identified. This analysis of the submitted documents forms an Originality Report which is made available to your lecturer. Turnitin cannot make a judgement regarding whether plagiarism has occurred. It is the responsibility of your lecturer to determine the quality of the Originality Report and to assess whether parts identified by Turnitin as non-original may be reasonably considered as plagiarism.
1.1. What can I submit to Turnitin?
The coordinator of your subject may be using Turnitin to check assignments. This will mean that some or all of the assessment tasks for this subject may be electronically submitted into Turnitin for scanning.
Turnitin accepts the following document formats: MS Word, WordPerfect, PostScript, PDF, HTML, RTF, and plain text. Ensure that you insert your name and/or student ID into the header or footer of your document.
There is a document size limit of 10 MB and one million characters. If your document is larger than either of these limits, please contact your lecturer for advice.
Turnitin cannot read password protected documents - ensure that you do not save your document this way.
You will be asked to accept a new licence agreement the first time you use Turnitin.
Turnitin has recently introduced a new interface for creating and submitting assignments, you have the option to 'Try the New Turnitin' or 'Switch Back' at any time.
A link to a Turnitin assignment may be located in the subject menu or within a content page of your subject. If you can't locate the Turnitin assignment, check with your lecturer as to where it may be located and /or if it is titled differently
The instructions in this guide will describe the process needed to access a Turnitin assignment within a content page of your subject.
1.2. Navigating to the Turnitin assignment tool
If you are new to the LMS, the most effective method for familiarising yourself with the layout of any subject page is to arrow through it. The methods below provide shortcuts for people familiar with their LMS subject pages.
Once you are inside your LMS subject:
- INSERT+F7 (this brings up a list of links on that page)
- Arrow down until you reach the link which contains the Turnitin assignment (generally located within an assessment page)
- ENTER to activate this link
You are now somewhere in the area of your subject where the Turnitin assignment is located. Exactly where you are varies depending on page. You need to position yourself at the top of this area to navigate successfully to the Turnitin assignment.
- Press the letter H key.
- JAWS will read the name of the page followed by 'level heading 1 link'
You are now situated at the section of the LMS subject page where the Turnitin assignment (and maybe other items) may appear.
- Arrow down through this page viewing the items located here
Within LMS content pages each item has:
- Graphic
- Title e.g., Assessment Tasks
- Description
- >> symbol
- View / Complete option
Note: There can be numerous items on the page.
- Press the letter N key if you want to just read the descriptions of the assignments
JAWS will read 'subject content frame frame end' when you have reached the end.
1.3. Opening a Turnitin assignment
- Arrow down to the required assignment title
Note: make sure this is the assignment you want
- Arrow down to the view/ complete option
- ENTER to activate this link
Note: a new screen opens.
- CONTROL+HOME to the top of the page
- INSERT+F7 (this brings up a list of links on that page)
- Press the letter s key until the 'submit paper option appears
- ENTER to activate this option.
Note: a new screen opens.
- CONTROL+ HOME to go to the top of the page
- Press the letter H key until you reach the 'try the new Turnitin level heading 1 link'
- Arrow through this section until JAWS reads 'submit a paper by: file upload 1 of 2'
The default option here is File Upload. If you need another option such as Cut and Paste, Bulk Upload or Zip file do the following steps
- ENTER on the combo box
- ALT +down arrow then use the arrow key to select the desired option. If you select a different option the screen will refresh with information pertinent to that option.
If not changing from the 'submit a paper by: file upload 1 of 2' option
- Press the letter E key to find student name. JAWS will read first name: and your name
- Press the letter E key again; JAWS will read last name: student's name.
- Note: these two edit field boxes are read only options. You can not change these.
- Press the Letter E key again to get to the submission title edit field box.
- ENTER on this field
- Type in the submission title
Note: Be sure to read the instructions provided by your teaching staff first to see if there is any assignment naming convention you should follow.
Note: don't enter after typing as this will take you away from the section you are in.
- Tab twice to the browse option button.
JAWS will read 'browse for the file to upload button button
Note: If you miss hearing the option the first time press Shift TAB and then TAB to re-read the option
- ENTER to activate this option
A message saying 'no file uploaded!' will appear.
- Press the letter B key until you reach the browse button
- ENTER to activate this option
JAWS will read 'choose file edit'
- SHIFT TAB until you locate the 'look in' drop down menu
- Arrow to navigate to the location of the file to be uploaded e.g., My Documents
- ENTER to select the location of the file
- TAB three times to go to Folder View. A list of files will appear.
- Arrow through to locate the file
Note: Do not press ENTER here as you will not be able to tell which file has been loaded.
- TAB to the 'file name edit' field
Note: When in this edit field box JAWS will read the name of the file that is attached.
- TAB twice to get to the Open button
- ENTER to attach the file
JAWS will read 'browse button'.
1.4. Submission of the Turnitin assignment
- Arrow down to the disclaimer section
- Arrow down to the student declaration section.
- Enter on the 'academic honesty and plagiarism' link if you are unsure of its contents.
Alternatively continue through the student declaration section
- Press the letter B key to go to the submit button
- ENTER to activate this option
A message appears 'make sure that the paper displayed below is the correct paper. If it is, click 'yes, submit' if it is not the correct paper, Click 'no, go back' to return to the previous page and select another paper.'
- Arrow down to the text 'is this the paper you want to submit?'
Note: The confirm button and no, go back link appear
- Arrow past these two options to read through the paper to be submitted.
If this is the paper you want to submit
- Press the letter B key until you reach the confirm button
- ENTER to activate this option
You will receive a Turnitin digital receipt of your assignment. You will also receive an email confirming the receipt of your assignment, including the full text of your assignment.
The digital receipt will include:
- Paper title
- Paper ID
- Author
- Portfolio ñ view submissions
For students experiencing disability, some aspects of the LMS may present access difficulties. If you need any assistance or advice about using the LMS, or would like to book a consultation about your LMS subject please contact the Disability Liaison Unit at dlu-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au