On this page, review any information or notes related to our most-recent releases for iThenticate (1.0 and 2.0) including Crossref Similarity Check.
2024 release notes
August 2024
2024 August 8
Automatic upgrade to new, enhanced Similarity Report for all accounts
Turnitin license(s): iThenticate 2.0/Crossref Similarity Check
All accounts now have the new, enhanced Similarity Report view enabled. Administrators still have settings that allow them to disable the new report view for all users, or give users the choice to use either the classic report and new report views.
The new Similarity Report view is designed to provide an enhanced experience and improved accessibility, making it easier to interpret results. Updated features include:
- New Match Groups feature makes it easier to interpret similarity matches in the report (English submissions only)
- Report viewer remembers previous settings: the last viewed report mode becomes the default when reports are opened again using the same web browser on the same computer
- A fully redesigned PDF download includes a cover page that lists the organization name, folder, and submission information
- Document text is readable by a screen reader
- Document text can be copied and pasted while viewing the report
- Exclude individual text match instances from a report
- Exclude matches to content repositories while viewing the report: student paper repository, internet, and publications
- Exclude small matches by word count (only from the report)
- Additional resources:
- Shareable link for this release note
July 2024
2024 July 16th
Interactive detection categories with AI paraphrasing, word count increase, and updated low score treatment
iThenticate version: iThenticate 2.0/Crossref Similarity Check
Turnitin is excited to release new updates to our AI writing report, including a new visual design, detection categories with AI paraphrasing detection, and an increase to our maximum word count detection.
The AI writing report updates will apply to newly submitted files. To access the latest AI writing report on existing submissions, please resubmit the file to generate the updated report.
In this release, you’ll find the following updates:
Improved report experience
The previous AI writing report score reflected the amount of likely AI generated text detected, even if it was likely modified by an AI paraphrasing tool or word spinner. In the updated report, the AI writing score is divided into two detection categories with submission highlights enabling a more granular review of AI tools used in the submission. The new submission breakdown bar provides a visual overview of the AI detection instances throughout the submission.
Interactive detection categories
In the updated report, the AI writing score is divided into two detection categories, AI-generated only and AI-generated text that was AI-paraphrased . These categories provide more granularity into what AI capabilities were likely used and where, as well as their frequency within the submission. Selecting a category will bring the first highlight detected in the submission into focus.
AI-generated only
This category detects qualifying text that was likely generated from a Large Language Model (LLM). Text of this category is highlighted in a cyan color in the submission breakdown bar and in the submission highlights.
AI-generated text that was AI-paraphrased
This category detects qualifying text that was likely AI-generated and then likely modified by an AI-paraphrasing tool or AI word spinner, such as Quillbot. Text of this category is highlighted in a purple color in the submission breakdown bar and in the submission highlights.
Interactive submission breakdown bar
Use the new submission breakdown bar for a visual overview of where an AI Large Language Model and AI-paraphrasing tools have been detected within the individual pages of a submission. The interactive bar allows you to select each highlight color to bring the corresponding text and page of the submission into focus.
Increased maximum word count for detection
The AI writing report now supports submissions with up to 30,000 words of qualifying text.
Scores below 20% are no longer surfaced
False positives (incorrectly flagging human-written text as AI-generated) are a possibility in AI models. To avoid potential incidence of false positives, no score or highlights are attributed for AI detection scores in the 1% to 19% range. When AI is detected below the 20% threshold in the report, it is now indicated with an asterisk (*%) and no percentage is attributed. This change is reflected in new submissions only and will not retroactively apply to existing submissions.
For more information and comprehensive guidance for these updates, check out our
Turnitin’s AI writing assessment is designed to help educators identify text that might be prepared by a generative AI tool. Our AI writing assessment may not always be accurate (it may misidentify writing that is likely AI generated as AI generated and AI paraphrased or likely AI generated and AI paraphrased writing as only AI generated) so it should not be used as the sole basis for adverse actions against a student. It takes further scrutiny and human judgment in conjunction with an organization's application of its specific academic policies to determine whether any academic misconduct has occurred.
- Additional resources: AI writing Report guidance , AI Detection FAQ , and our Academic resources for AI generated text .
- Sharable link for this release note
March 2024
2024 March 21st
Updates to how we display sources
iThenticate version: iThenticate 2.0/Crossref Similarity Check
We have made an update to our Similarity Report around how we present overlapping sources.
When Show overlapping sources is selected all sources that have been found will be displayed, even if they contain partial matches to other displayed source domains. This allows us to display the similarity against each individual URL within the domain for an easy and straightforward at-a-glance investigation.
- Additional resources: Overview of the new Similarity Report experience
- Sharable link for this release note
February 2024
2024 February 1st
New custom section exclusions experience for iThenticate 2.0 and Crossref Similarity Check customers
iThenticate version: iThenticate 2.0/Crossref Similarity Check
The custom section exclusions feature has been added to the new Similarity Report experience. The customized section exclusions area of the report can be accessed from the top menu by selecting Custom Sections. It contains any custom sections that have been excluded from the report based on what your account administrator has set in the account settings.
- Additional resources: Web settings
- Sharable link for this release note
January 2024
2024 January 1st
AI preview ended and settings update
iThenticate version: iThenticate 2.0/Crossref Similarity Check
Preview access to AI writing detection has ended as of December 31, 2023. Access to this capability is only available to customers who purchase an additional add-on.
For customers who have the AI writing add-on, the AI writing detection setting is now controlled by the top-level parent account. Disabling the setting from the top-level account will disable AI writing access for all associated sub-accounts. When enabled at the top-level, sub-accounts can enable or disable the setting as needed.
- Additional resources: Check out our resources to help you navigate important conversations about AI in written work.
- Sharable link for this release note
November 2023
2023 November 1st
New Similarity Report experience now available for iThenticate 2.0 and Crossref Similarity Check customers. This includes access to AI writing detection preview until 31 December 2023
iThenticate version: iThenticate 2.0/Crossref Similarity Check
The new Similarity Report experience provides a more robust look at instances of similarity for faster insights. Instructors will notice some new and familiar tools.
What to expect in the new Similarity Report
Overall Similarity - The overall similarity is the percentage of text in a submission that matches to sources in our database (calculated by dividing the number of matching words by the total number of words in the submission).
Match Groups - In this new default view, the overall similarity is divided into four categories based on the usage of in-text citations and quotation marks. Any material in the submission matched to a source is highlighted in the corresponding match group color.
Match groups are only available for English language submissions.
Sources - This view displays a list of sources with the highest percentage of text matched for each submission highlight. Switching to this view will change the match-to-source highlights to a rotating color scheme. Choose the Show overlapping sources option for a list of every source matched to the submission, including sources matched to the same text.
Opt out of the new Similarity Report experience
The new report is still completely optional for instructors. Administrators are able to opt out of the new Similarity Report experience in the account settings. This will disable the new report completely for all instructors.
- Additional resources:
- Sharable link for this release note