These frequently asked questions for students cover the most common questions about Turnitin Clarity's Student Writing assignment.
For any questions about your writing or submission, please contact your instructor directly.
In this guide:
General
How will the student writing tool benefit me?
Students can use the writing tool to showcase the originality of their assignment. Features such as the document's playback and timeline help instructors visualize how the content has evolved during the writing process.
What data and activity is collected with a student writing assignment?
The writing space captures data on how you modify and engage with the document to generate a version history and an overview of the writing process.
This report is visible to instructors upon submission.
Modifications to the text are captured, including:
- Insertion, deletion, and revision of text and other content
- Clipboard paste events
- Copy and cut events
Your level of activeness is also captured in order to construct a version history report. Time spent actively modifying the document, engaged with the document, and inactive are captured and aggregated. Other activeness and engagement activities captured include:
- Tab switching (note that your activity outside of the writing environment itself is not captured)
- Browser window focus, open, and close
- Snapshots of your work in progress are periodically and automatically captured in order to construct a version history report
What data and activity is not collected with a student writing assignment?
The writing space is not a proctoring environment and does not capture your writing process in real time. Your assignment is not being actively monitored, supervised, or recorded on video via an online or digital setting or person.
How often is my work saved?
Your progress will be automatically saved as you write and make changes to the document.
Whenever you make a change to your document, a short timer starts to save your work. If you keep typing or editing, the timer will reset. But if you type continuously, your work will still be saved every 5 seconds. If you stop making changes, the save happens shortly after your last action.
You’ll see a “Saving…” or “Saved” indicator along with the Last Saved date and time stamp at the top-left of the editor.
Where can I find the End-User License Agreement (EULA) and the Privacy Policy for the student writing tool?
Turnitin’s privacy policy is accessible here. In order to use the new assignment tool, students and instructors will be required to agree to an EULA specific to this new tool.
Technical and system requirements
Is there an "offline" option to use Turnitin Clarity?
There is no offline editing available. If you go offline while editing, the editor will freeze and prevent edits from being made, ensuring that no work is lost. Internet access is also a requirement for accessing the AI assistant.
What browsers does Turnitin Clarity support?
We support the latest and one previous version of the following browsers:
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Safari
- Microsoft Edge
To learn more, visit Turnitin's System Requirements guide.
Can I work in multiple tabs or windows?
We recommend working in one active tab or window in your browser.
However, if you open the student writing tool in multiple tabs, it may take a few moments for the writing space to sync. If you have multiple tabs or windows open on the same device, you should not experience any data loss.
Can I work on multiple devices simultaneously?
If you have the writing space open on multiple devices simultaneously, you may experience some syncing issues with your document, which could result in data loss. This is not recommended.
Can I use a Mac or PC?
Yes. The student writing tool is compatible with both Macs and PCs.
Can I use a mobile device to access my Student Writing assignment?
The writing space is only supported on tablets, laptops, or desktops. Attempting to access the Student Writing Assignment on mobile is not recommended.
Do you support Chromebooks and Microsoft Surfaces (2-in-1 devices)?
If you're working on a tablet or two-in-one device (such as a Microsoft Surface), we recommend using a separate keyboard rather than the on-screen, tablet-style keyboard.
AI Chat and other tools
Can Turnitin’s AI Assistant write my assignment for me?
No. Turnitin’s AI Assistant will not write your entire assignment for you. Turnitin’s AI Assistant can help refine your original work, encourage critical thinking, and assist you in brainstorming ideas. It was designed to support your growth as a learner and strengthen your own critical thinking and writing. If copying content from the AI Assistant, we recommend that you cite it. Always refer to your instructor’s or institution’s policies regarding AI use for assignments and how to cite.
How much can I use AI to modify my work?
Your instructor must enable Turnitin’s AI Assistant for you to access it during your assignment. However, even when enabled, we recommend checking with your instructor about specific course or institution policies around AI usage for your assignments. Aim for honest disclosure about AI tool use in your assignments and provide upfront communication about using AI for research purposes according to your specific course or institution’s policies.
Can I use other AI tools on my assignment?
Each institution and specific course will have different policies around use of other AI tools on your assignment. Anytime you want to use AI tools for an assignment, including Turnitin’s, we recommend that you:
- Review your institution’s AI policy, course syllabus, and specific assignment instructions
- Speak directly with your instructor about acceptable AI assistance and use
- Always cite AI tools if you use them
- Ensure the majority of work remains your original thinking
Content created using AI outside Turnitin’s writing space might increase the risk of unintentional plagiarism. Always be cautious and transparent when incorporating external AI-generated content, in accordance with your institution's and the specific course’s policies.
Language Support
You can write and submit within Turnitin Clarity’s writing space in any language; however, some features are not available in all languages
English-only features:
- Grammar check and citation check are available only in English and support both English (US) and English (UK).