How do I read a SafeAssign report?
A SafeAssign Originality Report provides detailed information about the matches found between a student's submitted work and existing sources. Both instructors and students can use the report to review submissions for originality and create opportunities to identify how to properly attribute sources rather than paraphrase. However, the instructor must decide whether the students can see the results of the report.
SafeAssign must be enabled before students submit assignments. It cannot be retroactively applied after students submit work.
Note: SafeAssign results are hidden in Blackboard Ultra if anonymous grading is enabled. After you post grades and names are shown, you can view the SafeAssign results and the Originality Reports.
Finding the Report in Your Course
- Go to the Grade Center or Needs Grading queue.
- Access the Grade Assignment page.
- Expand SafeAssign link.
- Select View Originality Report.
- The report will open in a new window.
In an Ultra Course, SafeAssign generates an Originality Report shortly after a student submits an attempt, even before you post grades.
The SafeAssign Originality Report appears next to the submission so you can view the analysis in context.
This sidebar shows a preview of the report with three sections: Overall Risk, Overall Text Matching, and Originality Reports Select any part will open the results in a new window.
A SafeAssign Originality Report is divided into three areas:
- Report Summary
- Citations
- Submission
The report identifies all matching blocks of text. Instructors and their students need to determine if the matching text is properly referenced. Investigating each match prevents detection errors due to differences in citing standards.
The Originality Report displays the list of potential sources, and each source is highlighted in a different color. The report can display up to 30 colors to represent 30 different sources.
Report Summary
Report Summary appears in the top panel of the report. Select Access Report Summary to view the Overall Risk of improper citations in the paper, including the percent of matching or similar text. If the student included multiple attachments, they appear with the report information.
Citations
Sources that matches the submitted paper's text are listed in the right panel of the report. Select the source type to learn more about the match. For each source, a number appears which corresponds with the highlighted text in the submission. Next to the source, you can select Highlight match to toggle highlighting. You can also select Open match source to visit the matching source text in a new window.
NOTE:
- If Another student's paper is listed as a citation, the submission is associated with another institution and you may not be able to view it due to privacy laws.
- When a student's submission is deleted from a course, the content remains in the database and can be used to detect future matches for other student submissions. A "non-existent paper" is listed as a source in the Originality Report in this case. SafeAssign detects a match, but you can't open the source to compare matches because the source has been deleted.
When you reduce the width of the viewing area, this information appears at the top.
Submission
The submission appears in the left panel of the report. All matching blocks of text are identified. Each source has a color specific to the source—up to 30 unique colors for 30 different sources. Text matching a source is highlighted in the source color and identified with a number.
In the Citations panel, you can select Highlight match to turn source highlighting off and on for all sources at one time. You can also turn the highlighting off and on for only one citation. Select Remove or Highlight match next to a citation.
Select a matching block of text to display information about the original source and the probability that the block or sentence was copied from the source.
Additional options and information
Below the Submission, you can find details such as Word Count, submission date, and the unique identifiers for the submission and attachment.
You can view a printable version of the Originality Report. This printable version is the most effective view of the report for users who rely on assistive technology. At the top of the page, select Print to view the printable version. Download the PDF to email to others.
