Answers to frequently asked questions are provided below.

What is Draft Coach and who can use it?
Draft Coach is part of the Turnitin suite of tools and allows OSU users to check for and address accidental plagiarism, citation and grammar issues in OSU Word Online or OSU Google documents. Learn more about Draft Coach.

Is it free?
Yes. There is no cost to use Draft Coach when logged in with OSU credentials

How can I use it?
Take the following steps in Word Online or Google to access Draft Coach. Draft Coach is not available in the desktop version of Microsoft Word. If this is the first time using the tool, you may be prompted to allow permissions for the Turnitin app and/or to agree to the Draft Coach terms and conditions. See the full instructions on Turnitin Draft Coach. 

  1. Log into OSU Microsoft 365 or OSU Google with your ONID username and password.
  2. Open your document in Word Online* or Google
  3. For Word Online, click on the Turnitin tab in the Word ribbon then Draft Coach; for Google, click Extensions then Turnitin Draft Coach
  4. The Draft Coach sidebar will appear to the right of the paper. Click Get Feedback Now to start the tool.

Who can view my reports or documents?
By default, only you can see your document and any Draft Coach reports. You can add collaborators to your documents in Word Online or Google and this will also give them access to Draft Coach on your document.

Why can't I access Draft Coach?
Make sure you are logged into OSU Microsoft 365 or OSU Google with your ONID username and, for Microsoft 365 documents, are opening your document with Word Online. Draft Coach will not work with personal Microsoft 365 accounts.

Are Microsoft Word Online and Google Docs the only way to access Draft Coach?
Yes. Draft Coach is only available through OSU Microsoft Word Online and OSU Google.

How do I interpret the Similarity Report?
If instances are found where your writing is similar to or matches against a source in the Turnitin database this will be flagged for your review in the Turnitin Draft Coach side panel. Learn more about the Similarity Report.

Which styles does Draft Coach check for?
Citation Check identifies when your citations are missing references or when your references are missing citations in APA, MLA and Chicago styles. Learn more about Citation Check.