Why Your Turnitin Score Is High (And How to Fix It Fast)

Categories: Education

Why Your Turnitin Score Shoots Up (Real Causes)

1) Patchwriting (surface-level paraphrasing)

You swapped words, kept the same sentence structure. Turnitin still sees the pattern.
Fix: Rebuild the idea: change order, combine/split sentences, add your analysis.

2) Overuse of quotations

Big quote blocks inflate similarity—fast.
Fix: Quote <10% total. Paraphrase with citation where possible.

3) Self-plagiarism

Reusing your previous assignment/thesis sections triggers matches from Turnitin’s paper database.
Fix: Rewrite old sections from scratch; cite prior work if necessary.

4) References and templates included

Bibliographies, standard methodology text, and boilerplate sections (ethics statements, instrument descriptions) can bloat the score.
Fix: Ask to exclude bibliography/quotes/small matches in Turnitin settings.

5) Heavy dependence on a single source

Paraphrasing the same article repeatedly mirrors its structure.
Fix: Synthesize across multiple sources and add your commentary.

6) AI-generated text left “as is”

Raw AI output leaves detectable patterns; instructors often run AI + similarity together.
Fix: Humanize: restructure, vary rhythm, inject your reasoning, cite sources.

The Fast Fix Plan (Do This in Order)

  1. Pull the Similarity Report → Sort by highest match.
    Tackle the top 3–5 sources first; that’s where most of the percentage sits.
  2. Exclude what’s allowed:
    • Bibliography
    • Quotes
    • Small matches (e.g., <8–10 words)
      Ask your instructor/editor to enable these exclusions (or do it in settings if you can).
  3. Deep-paraphrase high-match chunks:
    • Change sentence structure, not just words.
    • Merge/split sentences; switch passive/active; reframe logic order.
    • Add your insight (“why this matters in your study”).
  4. Balance sources:
    If one source dominates, bring in 2–3 more credible sources and synthesize.
  5. Trim quotes:
    Convert long quotes into paraphrased summaries with citations.
  6. Fix citations:
    Every idea gets a citation; direct quotes get page numbers where applicable.
  7. Re-run a check (non-repository).
    If possible, use a non-deposit check first so you don’t create new matches against yourself.
  8. Final polish:
    Remove template clichés, tighten repetitive phrases, and normalize terminology you over-copied.

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High-Match Sections: Rewrite Templates (Paste-Ready)

Definition blocks (bad): “Leadership is the process by which…” (copied).
Rewrite model: Explain in your words + cite:

“In this study, leadership refers to how individuals influence team behavior toward shared goals (Author, Year). We focus on decision clarity and communication frequency as the practical levers.”

Methodology phrases (bad): “A cross-sectional descriptive design was adopted…”
Rewrite model:

“We studied respondents at a single time point and described current patterns rather than changes over time—appropriate for our objective of mapping usage rates.”

Literature review lifts (bad): Paragraphs mirroring one article.
Rewrite model:

“Across studies, two themes recur: access constraints and training gaps. While Author A emphasizes cost barriers, Author B highlights workflow issues. Our setting blends both, which explains the mixed adoption we observe.”

Do/Don’t Checklist

Do

  • Rebuild arguments from scratch
  • Cite every non-original idea
  • Keep quotes short
  • Synthesize multiple sources

Don’t

  • Thesaurus-swap words
  • Copy definitions verbatim
  • Depend on a single paper
  • Reuse your old submissions unedited

Example Outcome (What “Fixed” Looks Like)

Before After
28% similarity; heavy quotes in literature review 11% similarity; paraphrased synthesis with citations
One source = 70% of matches Diversified sources; no single source >20%
Methodology boilerplate copied Method section reframed in plain, original language

What’s a Safe Turnitin Score?

  • <10–15%: Usually acceptable for research papers (context matters).
  • >20%: Needs revision.
  • >30%: Expect rejection unless a lot is quotes/references (and excluded).

FAQs (Short, Rankable)

1) Can I lower my score without changing meaning?
Yes—via structural paraphrasing and better synthesis. We do this daily for theses and journal papers.

2) Why is my score higher than Grammarly’s?
Turnitin sees closed academic databases and prior submissions. Grammarly doesn’t.

3) Will excluding references instantly fix it?
It helps, but only if the problem isn’t in your main text.

4) Is AI-generated text safe if I edit it?
Only if you restructure and add your own reasoning + citations.

5) Can you do a quick turnaround?
Yes. Papers from any country.
WhatsApp: +91 7888946139

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Xpert Master reduces Turnitin similarity without distorting meaning and humanizes AI-drafted sections to pass both similarity and AI checks.

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Email: support@xpertmaster.com




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