Does Turnitin Keep a Record of Work You Check?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no — and the difference is a single setting on the assignment. Understanding it is the most valuable five minutes of Turnitin knowledge a student can have.
The repository setting
Every Turnitin assignment has a submission storage option: standard paper repository, institutional repository, or no repository. Standard means your paper joins the global student database permanently and will be matched against by every future submission worldwide, including your own.
Why self-matching happens
Student checks a draft in a repository-enabled folder, then submits the final version. Turnitin matches the final against the stored draft and reports 90%+. The content is entirely the student's own work, but the report looks catastrophic and often triggers an integrity process before anyone investigates.
What non-repository means
The paper is compared against every source in the index, the report is generated normally, and then nothing is retained. No future submission can match it. This is the only safe way to pre-check a paper you still intend to submit officially.
Can a stored paper be removed?
Only your institution's Turnitin administrator can request deletion from the repository, and it is a slow manual process. Prevention is far easier than removal.
How FREKUM WRITES handles it
Every check we run is a non-repository submission, and we delete the file from our own storage after delivering your report. You get the official PDF and leave no trace behind.
FAQ
Will my pre-check show up when I submit for real?
Not with a non-repository check. With a standard repository check, yes — it will match itself.
How do I know which setting my university used?
Ask the module leader or check the assignment settings note in your VLE. If in doubt, use a non-repository service instead.
Need an official Turnitin report?
Order a real Turnitin similarity or AI detection PDF report from $1. Non-repository, delivered in minutes on WhatsApp or Telegram.
Related reads
Is 15% a good Turnitin score? What about 25%? Here is what similarity percentages actually mean and what most universities accept.
The ten most common Turnitin mistakes that get students in trouble — from accidental self-plagiarism to submitting to the wrong repository setting.
What does non-repository mean in Turnitin, and why does it matter for your final submission? Plain explanation with real examples.