Instructions for Setting up a Turnitin Assignment via Canvas

What you need to know:

  1. If you are already using Turnitin via the website, do not activate it via Canvas. Each semester, faculty must select only ONE means per class of utilizing Turnitin. To activate more than one platform makes for utter chaos, which you want to avoid at all costs.
  2. Your students must input their email addresses in Canvas by clicking the Account tab in the blue global navigation menu. Then select Settings and click the option to add an email address. Click Register Email and follow the instructions to confirm the email address. If they have not input an email address, they will be unable to upload Turnitin assignments.

Setting up a Turnitin assignment:

  1. Select Assignments from the Canvas course menu and then create an assignment by clicking +Assignment on the upper right-hand side.
  2. Input necessary assignment information (title, instructions, etc.) before selecting “External Tool” from the Submission Type drop-down menu.
  3. Beneath that drop-down menu, notice a “Find” tab to the right of a search bar. Click “Find,” and many external tool options will show up. They are in alphabetical order, so scroll towards the end and choose “Turnitin,” and then use the “Select” button. You will notice a link is now in the search bar.
  4. Complete the Canvas assignment details below Submission Type. You MUST input a due date, or Turnitin will not activate. (You do not have to input the available “from and to” dates.)
  5. Choose “Save” on the lower right-hand side and your Turnitin assignment should appear in the window.
  6. At the top, you will see a Settings option. Once you select it, you’ll be in familiar Turnitin territory, presented with as few or as many assignment options as you desire. (To the right of this page, you’ll see an option to edit the Canvas assignment settings.)