How to Avoid Plagiarism?

Do not Paraphrase as you write your text

Why? – You may not have the necessary understanding of the subject matter. – You may not have the  vocabulary. – You haven’t read enough, so you haven’t learnt enough about the topic. – If you are new, you may lack knowledge about the structure/format of paper/thesis.

There are two common types of plagiarism:

– Improper use of someone else’s words. – Improper use of someone else’s ideas.

Both forms of plagiarism involve using someone else’s words or ideas without appropriately acknowledging the author or source.

1. Prefer paraphrasing over direct quoting. 2. Use direct quotes sparingly. 3. Employ quotation marks and in-text citations. 4. Word plagiarism occurs when copying without quotation marks or citations. 5. Include both quotation marks and citations. 6. Be cautious of patchwriting. 7. Patchwriting is evident when sentence structure and key phrases closely resemble the original. 8. Opt for genuine paraphrasing to avoid unintentional word plagiarism.

Word plagiarism occurs when you use another author’s exact words or phrases without quotation marks.

– Paraphrase other authors’ work in your own words. – The easiest way to avoid repeating sentence structure or lifting phrases is to read a section of a work, and then put the work down and write notes in your own words. – As a general rule, paraphrase when taking notes on a source.  – Always attribute every idea, fact, or finding you put in your paper when you write it.

Avoiding Word plagiarism 

1. Blatant idea plagiarism occurs when students adopt arguments or ideas from a source without proper attribution. 2. Common idea plagiarism arises from incorrect in-text citations, 3. Proper in-text citation placement is crucial. 5. Idea plagiarism includes using class-learned facts or assuming common knowledge without proper citation.

Idea plagiarism occurs when you present an idea from another source without citing the author and year.

– To avoid idea plagiarism, use (a) signal phrases (e.g., “I believe that”, “In my opinion”) to designate your own idea, or (b) include an in-text citation to a source to signal someone else’s idea. – Most important, always search the literature to find a source for any ideas, facts, or findings that you put in your paper.

Avoiding Idea plagiarism 

– Read the sentence, Understand what is written and Put it in your own words – Compare it with the original to make sure you haven’t missed anything important. – You may use a software, but be cautious, paraphrasing/rephrasing yourself will help you understand the concepts in more depth. I recommend avoiding the software. – DO not copy from a single source. – Try to develop linkages between sentences, this will help reduce plagiarism. Finally, Paraphrase/Rephrase at the End

Tips to Avoid plagiarism