A paper can look clean on screen and still carry tracked changes hidden rather than accepted, resolved comments, a highlighted "[citation needed]", a TODO, and a record of who made the file. This guide, published by EdCitation, explains each leftover, what a marker sees, and how to clear it in Word and Google Docs.
The rules come from Microsoft's and Google's help pages, Turnitin's guide for markers and four universities' guidance, read on 23 September 2026. The last sections show Mechanics QA, EdCitation's rule-by-rule check of a finished paper, reading leftovers out of the file.
What gets left in a paper that should never reach a marker?
Seven kinds of leftover, and only some show on the page in front of you.
- Tracked changes hidden by a view, not accepted or rejected.
- Comments, resolved ones included.
- Highlighting and shading used as reminders.
- Hidden text, a font effect that keeps words in the file but off the page.
- Placeholder and template text: "Insert title here", "[Your Name]", "Lorem ipsum", "Click here to enter text".
- Notes to self: TODO, TBC, XX, "??", "check this".
- The file's properties: the author, who saved it last, the software, the revision number, minutes of editing.
The seventh appears in no view of the page; it travels with the file whatever the text says.
Why is the No Markup view not the same as accepting changes?
Because a view changes the screen, not the file. Microsoft (n.d.-a) says a tracked change is removed only by accepting or rejecting it, and that No Markup "only temporarily hides changes", which return when the document is next opened. Until you decide, the file keeps both versions, each tagged with the reviewer's name and the time.
What each markup view does
| View | What the screen shows | What stays in the file |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Markup | Changes applied, a red line in the margin | Every change and comment |
| All Markup | Each reviewer's edits in their own colour | Every change and comment |
| No Markup | The text as if every change were accepted | Every change and comment |
| Original | The text before any change | Every change and comment |
Microsoft (n.d.-f) describes the four views this way, and adds three traps. Turning Track Changes off stops new marks but leaves the old ones. Markup hidden from the Show Markup menu shows again whenever the file is next opened. And Accept All Changes Shown accepts only what is on screen, so with the view filtered to one reviewer, everyone else's changes stay: use Accept All Changes.
Resolved is not deleted
Resolving a comment closes it without removing it. Word's contextual view hides resolved comments, while its List view shows every comment, active or resolved (Microsoft, n.d.-g). In Google Docs a closed comment can be viewed and reopened (Google, n.d.-b). To remove them in Word, click the arrow by Delete on the Review tab, then Delete All Comments in Document (Microsoft, n.d.-c).
What does a marker see when leftovers are still in the file?
What Word shows when the file opens, plus what the marking system reads from it. Markup returns on opening, and each comment carries a name: Word takes it from the User name setting, the same name it writes into the Author property (Microsoft, n.d.-b).
| Leftover | What a marker can see | What Mechanics QA reports |
|---|---|---|
| Tracked changes | Insertions, deletions, each reviewer's name | Must fix, naming the reviewers |
| Comments, resolved or not | Each comment and its author | Must fix, with the first comment |
| Highlighting, hidden text | Coloured phrases; hidden words once revealed | Fix |
| Placeholders, template prompts | The words themselves | Must fix, or fix for prompts |
| Notes to self | TODO, TBC, "check this" | Fix |
| File properties | Author, last modified by, software | A note giving the file's record |
In the similarity report
Turnitin describes a Document Details panel that shows markers a file's metadata: author name, last modified by, software and fonts (Turnitin, n.d.). It exists only where a university's account includes it, and stays hidden during anonymous marking until the post date. The guide adds that a .docx's author is whoever holds the software licence, perhaps a parent, a peer or an institution, and that misconduct investigators often treat this metadata as key evidence.
Tracked changes can reach the report too. University College London (2025) warns Mac users that changes may appear in the similarity report even after saving as "Final", and advises accepting all changes or submitting a PDF. An older Oxford note, Fresen (2013), gave the reason: deleted text was matched too, inflating the similarity index. We found no current statement from Turnitin itself, so accept every change. To see what matches published or web text first, Check plagiarism, part of Pro on credits, marks each passage with its source.
When a PDF carries the markup
A PDF is clean only if it was made clean. Under Publish what in Word's PDF options, Document showing markup puts tracked changes into the PDF and Document leaves them out (Microsoft, n.d.-e). The University of York (n.d.) tells thesis writers that Document showing markup should be the default for a tracked document: right for a corrections copy, wrong for coursework. Check the setting, then open the PDF and look.
A real case: the complaint that named another defendant
In March 2004 the software company SCO sued DaimlerChrysler. Shankland (2004) reported for CNET that the complaint's Word file, viewed with markup showing, recorded Bank of America as the defendant until 18 February at 11:10 a.m., and a comment about jurisdiction for a national bank removed three minutes later. The filed text showed none of it; the file kept who changed what, and when. A draft with a tutor's comments keeps the same kind of record.
How do I clear every leftover in Word before submitting?
After your last change to the content, in this order.
- Save a copy under a new name, and keep the original with its history.
- On the Review tab, set All Markup and step through with Next, so you see each change before deciding.
- Choose Accept All Changes (not Accept All Changes Shown), or decide one at a time, then turn Track Changes off.
- Delete All Comments in Document, resolved ones included.
- Search for an opening square bracket, TODO, TBC, XX, "insert", "lorem", "??" and your template's prompts, then clear highlighting from the whole text. A "[citation needed]" is a claim with no source yet: find one with Find sources and build the reference with Cite a source.
- Run the Document Inspector on the copy: File, Info, Check for Issues, Inspect Document (Microsoft, n.d.-d).
- Save, close, reopen, and look once more with All Markup on.
- Upload the Word file to Mechanics QA, which lists any change, comment, placeholder or note still there, each with its fix.
For every check before a deadline in order, see check your paper before you submit.
The Document Inspector's limits
Microsoft (n.d.-d) lists what the standard inspector covers: comments, revision marks, versions and ink; document properties and personal information; headers, footers and watermarks; hidden text; custom XML; invisible content. It cannot detect text hidden other ways, such as white text on a white background. Its header and footer option removes their contents, page numbers included, so leave it unticked. What it removes cannot always be restored, even with Undo. It has no check for a highlighted reminder, a bracketed placeholder or a TODO, hence step 5.
How do I clear suggestions and comments in Google Docs?
Accept or reject every suggestion (Google, n.d.-a), and delete comments rather than resolve them, before you download anything.
- Suggestions. Tools, Review suggested edits, then Accept all or Reject all. The preview with or without the changes decides nothing.
- Why it matters for Word. Google says suggestions become tracked changes when a file is converted to Microsoft Office, so a Doc downloaded as Word with suggestions open arrives with tracked changes.
- Comments. On each comment, More, then Delete; Resolve only closes it (Google, n.d.-b).
What we could not confirm: whether resolved Google comments travel into a downloaded Word file. Google's pages do not say, so delete them, download the .docx, and open it in Word to look.
What do the file's properties say about me?
Your name, twice, and part of your working history. Word sets Author from the User name in its options (Microsoft, n.d.-b), and keeps who last saved the file, when it was created, and statistics (Microsoft, n.d.-d); the sample paper below recorded a revision number, minutes of editing and a word count. None of that is wrong to have. It matters in two cases.
When marking is anonymous
The University of Edinburgh's School of Social and Political Science (n.d.) asks students to check that a submission holds no name, student number or hidden personal information. The University of York (2026) names three places to clear: the file name, the text, and metadata such as author and last modified by. Word's option to remove personal information on save is off by default (Microsoft, n.d.-h), so:
- Windows: on a copy, run the inspector's Document Properties and Personal Information check and remove all.
- Mac: York gives Tools, Protect Document, Remove personal information from this file on save.
- PDF: York says to clear the Author field in Save As and untick Document properties under Options.
EdCitation's free Check your paper reads a brief's word limits, headings, style, font, spacing and margins into a checklist; anonymity and file-name rules are yours to read in the brief.
When the file began on someone else's computer
A family laptop or a friend's template can put another name in Author, and a panel like Turnitin's would show it. Change it under File, Info, Related People (Microsoft, n.d.-b). Leave the rest of the record alone and keep your drafts: together they show the work is yours.
How does Mechanics QA find leftovers?
It reads the file, not the screen. Mechanics QA is the best tool for this job for a reason Microsoft's own list makes plain: the standard Document Inspector has no check for highlighting, placeholders or notes to self, and Mechanics QA reports those in the same pass as tracked changes and comments. EdCitation's page for the tool says the file's own properties are read, not a picture of it, so No Markup and a resolved comment hide nothing. No model reads your paper, and every finding names the rule it broke and the fix.
What the report says when it finds leftovers
The phrases in quotation marks are the check's own wording:
| Leftover | How the report words it | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tracked changes (Word files) | "tracked changes still in the file by" the reviewers; fix: Review → Accept All Changes, turn Track Changes off, save | Must fix |
| Comments | "comments left in the file", with names and the first comment; fix: Review → Delete All Comments | Must fix |
| Placeholders | One row of every distinct placeholder and where it sits: [Insert title here], [Your Name], [XX], {{…}}, <<…>>, lorem ipsum |
Must fix |
| Template file name or assistant chat | "The file name still carries the template pattern"; "Pasted assistant chat in the paper" | Must fix |
| Highlighting, hidden text, template prompts | "highlighted runs of text"; "runs of hidden text"; "Template prompt text left in" | Fix |
| Notes to self and asides | "Note to self left in the text" (TODO, TBC, XXX, ??); "Reads like a note to yourself" ("citation needed", "check this") | Fix |
| Slips, empty headings | Double periods, stray spaces, unclosed brackets; a heading with nothing under it | Check |
Upload a Word document or a PDF; for tracked changes upload the Word file, because that check reads Word's own markup. Findings come back as must fix, fix and check, each marked where it sits, with where the paper stands: Ready to hand in, A few things to fix, Some work to do first, or Start with the must-fix items. The next run shows what was fixed and what is new. It gives three checks a month with a free account and no limit with Pro, at $8 a month or $72 a year. Its APA formatting checks are in Mechanics QA and APA formatting.
What it does not catch
A bare XX, as in "20XX" or "p. XX", is not among its patterns, so search for it. Prompts such as "Insert title here" or "Type your name here" are caught with or without brackets. It reads highlighting and the hidden-text effect, not font colour, so white text is yours to find: select all and set one colour. A bracketed word you meant, such as [sic], can be listed as a placeholder; keep it.
What came back when we ran Mechanics QA on the sample paper?
Nothing was left in the file. On 23 September 2026 we uploaded EdCitation's sample paper, a four-page Word file of 429 words on nurse staffing with five references. The residue checks raised no findings: no tracked change, comment, highlight, hidden text, placeholder or note to self.
It still came back as "Start with the must-fix items", from one must fix, one fix, one check and seven notes. The must-fix item was the fifth reference: the report said no publisher, registry or library has a record of it, the lookup the free Verify references runs on a whole list. A clean file is one check among many.
The note on the file's properties, exactly as it came back:
File record: author “Jordan Lee” · last modified by “Jordan Lee” · Microsoft Office Word 16.0000 · revision 6 · 212 min of editing · 498 words recorded.
Its advice: “This is what a marker’s tools see before reading a word.” Jordan Lee is the sample's fictional student, named on its title page, and 498 is the file's stored statistic, not a count of the text, which came to 429. On a real paper, this line is where a laptop owner's name, or a name that breaks anonymous marking, would show.
Quick questions
Does the No Markup view remove tracked changes?
No. Microsoft says No Markup only hides changes, and they show again when the document is next opened. Accept or reject every change, then turn Track Changes off.
Does resolving a comment delete it?
No. A resolved comment stays in the file, and Word's List view and Google Docs can show it again. Delete it; EdCitation's Mechanics QA counts every comment stored in a Word file, resolved or not.
Can my marker see who wrote the file?
Yes. Anyone who opens the file sees the author under File, Info, and Turnitin's Document Details panel, where a university has it, shows the author and last modified by, though not during anonymous marking before the post date.
Is saving as a PDF enough to clear tracked changes?
Only if Publish what was set to Document. Document showing markup prints the changes into the PDF, and York's thesis guidance calls that the default for a tracked file.
Which EdCitation tool finds leftover comments and placeholders?
Mechanics QA reports tracked changes, comments, highlighting, hidden text, placeholders, template prompts and notes to self, each where it sits with its fix. A free account gives three checks a month; Pro, at $8 a month, removes the limit.
References
- Fresen, J. (2013, April 25). Advise students not to submit documents showing Tracked Changes. Turnitin at Oxford. https://blogs.it.ox.ac.uk/tii/2013/04/25/advise-students-not-to-submit-documents-showing-tracked-changes/
- Google. (n.d.-a). Suggest edits in Google Docs. Google Docs Editors Help. https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6033474?hl=en
- Google. (n.d.-b). Use comments, action items, & emoji reactions. Google Docs Editors Help. https://support.google.com/docs/answer/65129?hl=en
- Microsoft. (n.d.-a). Accept or reject tracked changes in Word. Microsoft Support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/accept-or-reject-tracked-changes-in-word
- Microsoft. (n.d.-b). Change the author name for documents, presentations, or workbooks. Microsoft Support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/change-the-author-name-for-documents-presentations-or-workbooks
- Microsoft. (n.d.-c). Insert, delete, or change a comment. Microsoft Support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/insert-delete-or-change-a-comment
- Microsoft. (n.d.-d). Remove hidden data and personal information by inspecting documents, presentations, or workbooks. Microsoft Support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/collab-files/remove-hidden-data-and-personal-information-by-inspecting-documents-presentations-or-workbooks
- Microsoft. (n.d.-e). Save or convert to PDF or XPS in Office desktop apps. Microsoft Support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/collab-files/save-or-convert-to-pdf-or-xps-in-office-desktop-apps
- Microsoft. (n.d.-f). Track changes in Word. Microsoft Support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/training/track-changes-in-word
- Microsoft. (n.d.-g). Using modern comments in Word. Microsoft Support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/using-modern-comments-in-word
- Microsoft. (n.d.-h). View my privacy options in Microsoft Office. Microsoft Support. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/view-my-privacy-options-in-microsoft-office
- Shankland, S. (2004, March 4). Hidden text shows SCO prepped lawsuit against BofA. CNET. https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/hidden-text-shows-sco-prepped-lawsuit-against-bofa/
- Turnitin. (n.d.). Viewing document details. Turnitin Guides. https://guides.turnitin.com/hc/en-us/articles/23980873584909-Viewing-document-details
- University College London. (2025, August 12). Turnitin FAQs. Digital Education support for students. https://ucldata.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ELearningStudentSupport/pages/65470473
- University of Edinburgh, School of Social and Political Science. (n.d.). Guidance for submissions through Turnitin Feedback Studio. https://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/students/your-studies/guidance-submissions-turnitin
- University of York. (n.d.). Submit your thesis. York Graduate Research School. https://www.york.ac.uk/research/graduate-school/progression/thesis/submit/
- University of York. (2026, September 2). Anonymising your work. Learning Technology subject guide. https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/learning-tech/anon