THE ROLE OF TURNITIN POLICY IN ACADEMIC
WRITING: A CASE OF ZIMBABWE OPEN UNIVERSITY

THE ROLE OF TURNITIN POLICY IN ACADEMIC
WRITING: A CASE OF ZIMBABWE OPEN UNIVERSITY

JUDITH TAFANGOMBE

Academics strive to produce quality academic writing. There is need to ensure that issues of
plagiarism are addressed to promote quality academic writing. Plagiarism means using some
one’s ideas without even acknowledging the source (en.writecheck.com/resources). In academic
writing plagiarism is a serious offence. It results in one loosing academic or professional
standing or failing assignments or courses (http:// www.examiner.com/ adult –education-in-
pittsburg/plagiarism-higher education. It is therefore imperative that academics make use of anti-
plagiarism software such as turnitin as it would assist them to avoid plagiarism. The study sought
to findout the role of turnitin in academic writing. A qualitative approach was adopted and a case
study design was employed. The case study allowed the researcher to focus on a particular
instance to get an in-depth understanding of the situation (Creswell, 2009).A purposive sampling
of 5 lecturers and 5 students was drawn. The lecturers revealed that they have been trained to use
the anti-plagiarism but were yearning for a clear policy since it would determine universal
acceptable percentage. The students on the other hand revealed that they have not been trained to
use it and would appreciate such training to promote production of quality assignments. It is
recommended that there be a turnitin policy used in faculties to promote quality academic
writing. Students on the other hand should be trained to use turn it in soft-ware in order to
produce quality assignments. Thus generally both students and lecturers should be encouraged to
use the anti-plagiarism software in all their academic writing

IJESR

2015