How to Lower Your Turnitin Similarity Score the Right Way
Independent guide. Not affiliated with Turnitin, LLC. Read the Turnitin disclaimer.
You can't delete matches from a Turnitin report, but you can change the text that causes them. Work through these steps in order.
1. Fix "Not Cited or Quoted" first
For each match: quote and cite it, or rewrite the idea in your own words and still cite the source.
2. Turn close paraphrases into real ones
"Missing Quotations" means your wording follows the source too closely. Close the source, write the point your way, then cite.
3. Shorten long quotes
Keep the key phrase in quotation marks and explain the rest yourself.
4. Check references and templates
Unfiltered reference lists, assignment questions and standard templates add matches. See references and similarity.
5. Watch for your own drafts
A stored earlier draft matches your final version (self-matches).
6. Recheck before submitting
Get a fresh Turnitin report ($3.50) to confirm. If the AI report is high too, our editors humanize those sentences for $5.99 per 200 words.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reduce my Turnitin similarity score?
Fix uncited matches, quote and cite properly, paraphrase in your own structure, and make sure references are filtered.
Can I remove a match from a Turnitin report?
Only instructors can exclude sources. You change the score by changing the text.
Will rewording lower the AI score too?
Not necessarily. Similarity and AI are separate reports.
See your Turnitin AI and similarity scores first.
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