When detection software flags a student's essay
A score came back high, and now you have to decide what to do with it. The score is a starting point at most. What you do next matters more, for the student and for you if the decision is ever questioned.
What the score is, and what it isn't
Detection software estimates how much a text resembles machine-generated writing in general. It doesn't know this student. Vendors say not to rely on it alone: Turnitin's own guidance says its indicator "is not a replacement for educator judgment" and tells teachers to talk with the student. Research has also found that detectors flag the writing of non-native English speakers far more often than that of native speakers.
Before you say anything
- Hold off on sharing the score. A number invites an argument about the tool instead of a conversation about the writing.
- Pull the student's own writing, especially in-class pieces, and read them side by side with the flagged essay.
- If the essay was written in Google Docs, look at its version history. Note whether the text arrived in one large paste or was written and revised over time.
- Write down any specific differences you find.
If the essay matches the student's own writing
Treat the flag as a false alarm and move on. If the student already knows about the flag, tell them plainly that you reviewed it and it's fine. A student who was wrongly suspected remembers it.
If it doesn't match
Start with the writing, not the score:
"This piece reads differently from your usual writing — walk me through how you wrote it."
Then ask them to walk you through their process, explain a choice, or add a paragraph in front of you. Follow your school's academic-integrity policy for anything beyond that conversation.
Where Authentext fits
Authentext doesn't score text against AI writing in general. It compares each submission with the student's own earlier writing and shows how, and how much, a piece departs from their pattern. That's the evidence a detection score can't give you, and it's specific enough to share with a student, a parent, or an administrator. It's evidence, not a verdict.
Sources
Keep reading
Try Authentext during the beta
Authentext is in beta. It compares each student's writing to their own history, not to AI models.