31     GUIDELINES ON INTERPRETING ORIGINALITY REPORT

31.1

The similarity index of the originality report showing matches of submitted work with internet content does not mean that the document is plagiarized.
31.2

The similarity index is based on the percentage of matched text out of the total number of words in a document.
31.3

Instructor/faculty members must verify each similarity index to identify potential clue to plagiarism.
31.4

If similarities in the document are significant, then the scholar/student may be guided, accordingly, or a case may be reported based on the evidence
31.5

The similarities in the document may contain matches with the author's previous work; they may be ignored if it is the same work.
31.6

Bibliography and quoted material may be excluded after verification. It is important to note that too much quoted material is not desired as per the policy.
31.7

Common phrases and proper nouns also appear as similarities in the report; therefore, every instructor or faculty member should ignore the matches returned from them.
31.8

The originality report will show similarities from three major sources: the Internet, periodicals, and student repositories. Similarities returned from the student repository may be ignored if they are the author's own work. Similarities from the student repository help in detecting collusions in the documents.
31.9

The graphs, tables, formulae, and other pictorial materials are not matched through the service; therefore, they will only offer similarities with text.
31.10
Instructor/faculty members supervising students/scholars can provide verdicts of plagiarism after interpreting reports.