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Suggestions for Proofreading Your Paper
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One of the most difficult parts of the writing process is proofreading. It is easy for us to see what we want to see, not necessarily what our readers will see. These suggestions should help you take a step back and view your writing more objectively.
Suggestions for Editing (Proofreading) your Paper
Read your paper aloud.
Any time your text is awkward or confusing, or any time you have to pause or reread your text, revise this section. If it is at all awkward for you, you can bet it will be awkward for your reader.
Examine your Paragraphs
Examine the overall construction of your paragraphs, looking specifically at length, supporting sentence(s), and topic sentence. Individual paragraphs that are significantly lacking length or sufficient supporting information as well as those missing a topic sentence may be a sign of a premature or under-developed thought.
Track Frequent Errors
Keep track of errors that you make frequently. Ask your teacher or visit the Writing Lab for assistance in eliminating these errors.
Turnitin Originality
Turnitin Originality is Purdue’s centrally supported originality checker and plagiarism detection tool for files submitted through Brightspace assignments. The tool works by comparing the text in file submissions to Turnitin’s database of previously submitted papers, published research papers, and numerous internet resources. A “similarity report” is then produced highlighting areas of the paper that match content in Turnitin’s database. Originality also includes E-rater grammar feedback technology that can check submissions for grammar, mechanics, style, and spelling errors.
Turnitin Originality is free to both instructors and students. The tool is only available within Brightspace and only for assignments where the instructor has enabled it. Files previously submitted to SafeAssign through Blackboard have been migrated to the Turnitin database.
Getting Started
Instructors
- How to Enable Turnitin for a Brightspace assignment
- How to interpret the Similarity Report
- Supported File Types
- How do I interpret the Similarity Report?
- Turnitin Roadmap
- Why has the Similarity Report not generated?
Support Information
Contact
- Purdue Information Technology
- Weblink: https://it.purdue.edu/help/index.php
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 765-494-4000 (44000 when dialing from a campus phone)
Funding
- West Lafayette Central Campus
- New Brightspace Tool Integration
- Support & Training
- Request a New Tool
- Instructional Technology Portfolio Home
Request a Consultation
Information Technology
New Turnitin tool does more than check for plagiarism
Purdue’s adoption of the Turnitin Originality plagiarism checker will give faculty and students systemwide access to a variety of tools that will not only help ensure academic integrity but also help improve grammar, spelling and proper citations.
Turnitin is be integrated with the new D2L Brightspace learning management system for courses to use this fall, and is available at no cost to students or instructors. The tool works by comparing text in submitted assignments to a database of both student-submitted and published research papers, then produces a “similarity report” that highlights possible instances of plagiarism. The tool replaces the SafeAssign tool previously available in Blackboard Learn, which will be decommissioned in August.
Faculty, grad students and administrators interested in learning more about Turnitin, are invited to attend a virtual demonstration of the tool from 3 to 4 p.m. on August 26. Click here to register and meeting details.
Although Turnitin is primarily known for its plagiarism-checker functions, the tool also provides faculty and students a host of other services, including:
- E-rater grammar feedback technology that can check submissions for grammar, mechanics, style and spelling errors – and provide “on the paper” feedback students can use before submitting an assignment.
- Reports show results within the context of students’ assignments.
- Check for similarity against their industry-leading content database.
- User friendly interface with color -coded matching text
- Instructors can choose to allow students to see their similarity scores
Educational technologists on the West Lafayette, Northwest and Fort Wayne campuses are currently developing documentation and additional workshops to help instructors use the tool this fall.
Brett Creech, an educational technologist with the Innovative Learning Team who also teaches communications courses on the West Lafayette campus, says he’s been impressed with some of Turnitin’s features, like the ability to specify whether to check for British or American grammar and spelling.
“I found that for a lot of students, it can help tremendously with improving their writing,” Creech says.
More information about how instructors can use Turnitin in a course, along with details about training materials and workshops, will be announced soon.
Last updated: August 11, 2020
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