A guide for students to avoid plagiarism in academic writing

By
Ellis Ferdinand
-
A guide for students to avoid plagiarism in academic writing
A guide for students to avoid plagiarism in academic writing

Ferdinand|EducationGhana| October 27|A guide for students to avoid plagiarism in academic writing

Academic plagiarism is one of the major problems for any student. So, how should they avoid it?

Plagiarism is growing, and some students don’t even think it’s that bad or unethical. According to a study by The Center for Academic Integrity, around 80% of college students admitted that they have plagiarized at least once.

It’s important to remember that plagiarism is never acceptable, regardless of the case. So, today, we’re going to analyze what it’ll take to avoid it. So, let’s get started with the basics first.

What is considered plagiarism and its types?

Plagiarism is defined as the “wrongful appropriation” and “purloining and publication” of another author’s “language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions” and the representation of them as one’s own original work.

It is very hard to spot plagiarism. There are many cases where people are accused of plagiarism, but there was no intention to steal someone else’s work. It can be really hard to tell if somebody copied a sentence from a book or article without citing it because there are many similarities in writing styles.

Plagiarism is a serious issue in academic settings. It is also an issue in the business world as well. There are different types of plagiarism, including accidental plagiarism, intentional plagiarism, and patchwork or complete plagiarism.

  • Accidental plagiarism occurs when someone copies material from another source without realizing it.
  • Intentional plagiarism occurs when someone deliberately copies material from another source without giving credit to the original author.
  • Direct or patchwork plagiarism is when someone creates something that may not be entirely their own. And, they do not give credit to the original author or create any acknowledgement that they were influenced by others’ ideas and words.

It’s important to remember that plagiarism is an act that violates the intellectual property of others. It is unethical because it is a form of cheating, and plagiarists are taking credit for someone else’s work. Plagiarism can also be hurtful to the original author’s reputation.

Besides, it can make the writer who plagiarizes look bad in the eyes of others. Furthermore, it’s proven that plagiarism can be expensive for companies because they may have to pay fines or lawsuits for copyright infringement. To avoid companies, invest in various ways to avoid it.

How to avoid it?

Avoiding plagiarism is not difficult once you know how to handle it. In order to do that, you can employ a few tips or tricks that professionals use. So, here are five of them:

1. Using A Plagiarism Checker: Why It’s Important?

The first thing you can do is scan your content with a plagiarism checker. The reason you need to use a proper plagiarism detector is that it can help you with a few things, such as:

  • Find plagiarism efficiently;
  • Show you where plagiarism exactly is in your text;
  • Help you find the original source;
  • Compare the content to avoid similarities in paraphrasing.

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These factors make a plagiarism detector an irreplaceable aspect of avoiding plagiarism.

That’s why you need a plagiarism detector tool that will determine the exact percentage of plagiarism in your content, helps you find the source, and allows you to scan at least 1000-words at a time. There are multiple online tools available

1. Rewriting Plagiarized Content

Once you’ve checked for plagiarism in your content, it’s important that you rewrite it. Now, there’s a difference between paraphrasing and rewriting. Let us spell it out for you:

  • Paraphrasing is rearranging the content to make it sound original;
  • Rewriting is rewording the content from scratch.

The thing about both rewriting and paraphrasing is that they will retain the original meaning. So, it’s important that you do it efficiently. However, they’re two sides of the same coin, and you need to do it efficiently to remove plagiarism from your content.

2. Paraphrasing Properly

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Paraphrasing is another option you have, but you need to do it properly. That’s why it’s important to rephrase your text using a paraphrasing tool.

The reasons you should paraphrase using a tool include:

  • It improves the quality of your content;
  • Rephrase your content without wasting any time;
  • Rephrase efficiently;
  • It can help you stand out with unique text;
  • It offers various content modes, so you can rephrase in various content voices;

Therefore, it’s important that you revise using a paraphrasing tool, as it can save you a lot of time and effort.

1. Citing The Source

The source of the original content is a vital thing to find out, as it can help you avoid it just as efficiently. In order to remove plagiarism properly, you need to rewrite the plagiarized text, but you also have to cite the original author as a source. This will avoid plagiarism effectively from your writing and save you a lot of hassle.

2. Quoting The Original Author

Another thing you can do is quote the original author. You will have to reference the original source alongside it, but it’ll help you remove plagiarism properly. So, try to use the original author’s words as if you’re quoting them.

Conclusion

These are some of the effective ways of avoiding plagiarism in your content. Granted, you need to find plagiarism to remove it. However, it’s important that you lead with originality from the get-go to avoid any such hassle during your academic writing.

 

By: Ellie Florence

Check Also:

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How to write and address any form of Letter to the Ghana Education Service HERE

How to write and Address an Application for Car Maintenance Allowance as a Teacher HERE

How to write and Address an Application for Responsibility Allowance as a Teacher HERE

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