Turnitin Comments: How to See Your Instructor's Feedback
Turnitin comments are the feedback your instructor adds directly onto your paper in Turnitin: bubble comments, inline text, QuickMarks, voice comments and a summary comment. They live on the same submission as your similarity report, but in a different layer. Here is how to find them, what each type means, and how to download your paper with the comments included.
Types of Turnitin comments
| Type | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Bubble comment | A small speech-bubble icon on the page. Click it to read the note. |
| QuickMark | A labelled icon such as "Citation needed" or "Awk.", from a saved set your instructor reuses. Click for the explanation. |
| Inline comment | Text typed straight onto the page, usually in blue. |
| Strikethrough | Words crossed out to suggest a deletion. |
| Summary text comment | Overall feedback in the side panel. |
| Voice comment | A short audio recording in the side panel. |
| Rubric or grading form | Scores against criteria, in the side panel. |
How to see Turnitin comments
- Open your submission the same way you open your similarity report (in Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard or Brightspace, click the score or the "View" link).
- When the paper opens in Feedback Studio, look for the Instructor Feedback layer. In the right-hand panel, select the feedback icon rather than the similarity icon.
- Click each blue icon on your paper to read the comment.
- Check the side panel for the summary comment, voice comment and rubric.
Turnitin comments vs similarity highlights
Colours on your paper can mean two different things. Coloured highlights with source numbers come from the similarity report and show matching text. Blue icons and typed text come from your instructor. Turn the similarity layer off to see only the feedback. More on colours: Turnitin report colours explained.
How to download your paper with comments
- Open the submission in Feedback Studio.
- Make sure the Instructor Feedback layer is on.
- Click the download icon and choose Current View. The PDF includes what is currently shown, including comments.
Voice comments are not included in the PDF. For a report-only download, see how to download a Turnitin similarity report.
Can you reply to Turnitin comments?
Not inside Turnitin. Comments are one-way. Reply through your LMS message system or email your instructor, quoting the page and the comment.
The similarity layer, before feedback is added
Both screenshots below come from the same 24-page, 6,364-word paper. The similarity report found 1% overall similarity. The AI writing report flagged 51% of the qualifying text as likely AI-generated. Tap either one to see it full size.
Screenshots shown for illustration. Your own reports arrive as full PDFs in your dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
Where are comments in Turnitin?
Open your submission in Feedback Studio and switch to the Instructor Feedback layer. Comments appear as blue icons on your paper and in the side panel.
Why can't I see my Turnitin comments?
Your instructor may not have released grades yet, may have left feedback in your LMS instead, or the similarity layer may be on instead of the feedback layer.
Can I download Turnitin comments?
Yes. With the Instructor Feedback layer on, download the Current View as a PDF. Voice comments are not included.