[HOT] Does Turnitin compare your paper against paywalled journals?

The short answer is YES. The longer answer is that the devil lies in the details. Keep reading to know more about it.

Why does Turnitin compare your work against paywalled journals?

Turnitin has a subscription-based “publications” repository of periodicals, journals, and publications. [1] This basically means Turnitin can go behind the paywall, thanks to direct publisher partnerships and the Crossref Similarity Check service. [5][6] They never advertise that they skip paywalled content or can’t access it. Hence, if it is part of Turnitin’s partnership network, it can check your paper against it.

Also Read: Can teachers see edit history in Turnitin?

Which sources are used by Turnitin?

Turnitin compares submissions against three main buckets:

• Internet pages (including archived versions)
• Previously submitted student papers
• Periodicals / journals / publications (subscription content) [3]

When creating an assignment, instructors can enable or disable these buckets. Typically, “Periodicals, journals, and publications” appear in the assignment settings as “third-party publications.” [4] So, if your instructor ticks that box, your paper is likely to be matched against tons of paywalled journals.

Also Read: What is the difference between Turnitin and Originality feedback studio?

How does Turnitin get text from paywalled journals?

1. Direct Publisher Partnerships: Through special agreements with premier publishers, they gain access to the full text of articles and subscription-based sources. [5]
2. Crossref Similarity Check: Many publishers allow Turnitin to index the full text of their entire catalogue via DOI feeds. [6]

It might sound complicated, but it is basically like letting Turnitin’s system read the articles even if the rest of us cannot access them without paying. Publishers can “safelist” the crawler’s IP range to see past the paywall. [7]

Is it 100% coverage?

“Substantial but not universal” is how it is often described. [2] If a paywalled journal is not in Turnitin’s database or the publisher does not participate, you might slip through the cracks. Older material or journals that don’t have a formal partnership with Turnitin might not appear in the Similarity Report at all.

Also Read: Is iThenticate the same as Turnitin?

What about the Similarity Report?

When Turnitin finds a match with a specific paywalled source, it will show a “source box” snippet for context. [8] Could you read the entire restricted article from Turnitin’s interface? The short answer is NO. Without the proper subscription, you only get a snippet.

Is a high similarity score automatically plagiarism?

No, absolutely not. Turnitin predominantly checks for text matches; it doesn’t automatically brand your work as plagiarized. [3] Proper citations, quotations, and referencing can spike your similarity, yet still be valid under academic guidelines. You need a real human to interpret that similarity score.

My personal opinion

In my opinion, if you’re using paywalled journals, do it responsibly by citing your sources. Turnitin can easily detect copied content if that journal is participating, so the best strategy is to be transparent in your references. This not only builds your credibility but also avoids confusion.

Practical Consequences at a Glance

• Copying from a paywalled journal can still be caught if that journal is participating with Turnitin. [1]
• You will only see a snippet in the Similarity Report if a paywalled match is found. [8]
• High similarity does not necessarily mean plagiarism. Sometimes it’s just proper quoting. [3]
• Non-participating, older, or non-digitized journals may not appear in Turnitin’s database. [2]

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Does Turnitin compare every paywalled journal in existence?
No, they only compare against the materials from publishers that have partnered with Turnitin or participate in Crossref Similarity Check. So coverage is big but not 100%.

Q2. How do instructors enable or disable paywalled journals?
They can toggle it in the assignment settings under “Periodicals, journals, and publications” or “third-party publications.” [4]

Q3. Does a high similarity score mean I will get in trouble?
Not necessarily. Turnitin only shows a Similarity Report. You need human interpretation to see if it’s plagiarized or just a valid citation. [3]

Q4. Will I get to see the entire paywalled article in Turnitin’s interface?
No, Turnitin only shows you a small snippet matching your text. You need the publisher or institutional subscription to view the full text. [8]

Q5. Can older materials or non-digitized manuscripts escape Turnitin’s scan?
Yes, if they are not in an electronic format or not licensed to Turnitin, it won’t be included in the database. [2]

The Bottom Line

Turnitin does compare your paper against paywalled journals, and it does so more often than you would think. If you’re relying on copying from these sources thinking Turnitin won’t catch you, you are sorely mistaken. However, even if they detect a match, it’s not automatically plagiarism. Rules like proper citation and quoting still keep you safe. So, always combine your own ideas with correct referencing of paywalled journals, and you should be good to go.

References

1. Turnitin Guides – “Accessing the Similarity Report and similarity score via Turnitin Website”
2. Elsevier – “Plagiarism detection | Editors | Elsevier”
3. Turnitin Help Center – “Plagiarism and what are acceptable similarity scores?”
4. Turnitin Guides – “(New Standard Assignment) Assignment settings”
5. Turnitin – iThenticate product page
6. Crossref – “Similarity Check” service
7. Crossref – “How to participate in Similarity Check”
8. Crossref – “Creating and finding your Similarity Report”