PLAGIARISM! How to AVOID plagiarism | Best Plagiarism Checkers
Education
Introduction
Plagiarism is the act of using the ideas or words of others in your writing without giving due credit to the original authors. In very simple terms, plagiarism means cheating. It's a form of research misconduct because you're using somebody else's work and passing it off as your own.
Most times, plagiarism is not committed intentionally; it often happens because we are unaware of what constitutes plagiarism, how to avoid it, or the different plagiarism checkers available. This article will clear all your doubts about plagiarism.
Understanding Plagiarism: A Fun Activity
To make things clearer, here is a fun activity involving three situations to help you understand what constitutes plagiarism.
Incorporating a paragraph from another article but changing the keywords with synonyms: Is this plagiarism or not? Yes, it is plagiarism. Just changing the keywords with synonyms is not enough. Two important steps are missing here that you need to do to avoid plagiarism.
Cutting and pasting information from the internet with due acknowledgment: Basically, taking information word by word from any published article but citing the source. Is this plagiarism or not? Sorry to disappoint you, but this is also plagiarism. Something very important is missing here that makes it plagiarized.
Taking information from another article, completely writing it in your own words, and then citing the source: Is this plagiarism or not? This is not plagiarism. This is the correct way to include information in your text.
How did you score? Did you get three out of three, two, one, or zero? Those who scored zero are the biggest learners here.
How to Avoid Plagiarism
Now that you understand what constitutes plagiarism, let’s talk about the right ways to include information and avoid plagiarism.
1. Quoting
If you want to take information directly from another article and include it in your paper, you must:
- Put the entire information under quotation marks, showing that the information is represented exactly as in the source text.
- Cite the source.
When these two things are done together, you are not committing plagiarism.
2. Paraphrasing
If you don't want to use quotation marks or just want to use the idea from another paper but not the exact words, you can paraphrase. In paraphrasing:
- Write the entire information in your own words. Simply changing keywords with synonyms is not enough; you need to change the entire sentence construction.
- Cite the source alongside.
3. Summarizing
Summarizing is similar to paraphrasing but done in fewer words than the source text. For example, you might take information from several research papers and summarize it into one paragraph in your paper, or condense information from two to three paragraphs into two to three lines. Again, ensure you:
- Write everything in your own words.
- Cite all relevant sources.
Best Plagiarism Checkers
When it comes to plagiarism correction software, the most popular and reputed ones are:
- Turnitin
- iThenticate
These are paid tools, so if your institute offers them, use them.
Free Tool Recommendation
A great free tool for initial checks is PlagScan.com. You can get deeper checks with larger databases by paying a nominal fee of less than ten dollars.
Summary
By understanding what constitutes plagiarism, using quotations properly, paraphrasing correctly, summarizing information, and using plagiarism checkers, you can ensure your writing is plagiarism-free.
If you have more questions about plagiarism, put them in the comments below. If you want to learn more about research paper writing, you can join my research writing course. Find the course link in the description and the pinned comment.
Thank you for reading, and I wish you a fantastic career ahead.
Keywords
- Plagiarism
- Quoting
- Paraphrasing
- Summarizing
- Plagiarism Checkers
- Turnitin
- iThenticate
- PlagScan.com
- Research Writing
FAQ
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the act of using someone else's ideas or words in your writing without giving due credit to the original author.
How can I avoid plagiarism?
You can avoid plagiarism by quoting correctly, paraphrasing properly, summarizing accurately, and using plagiarism checkers.
What are some common ways people unintentionally commit plagiarism?
People often unintentionally commit plagiarism by changing keywords with synonyms, copying text verbatim without proper acknowledgment, or failing to cite sources correctly.
What are some effective plagiarism checkers?
Turnitin and iThenticate are highly reputed, though paid, plagiarism checkers. For free initial checks, PlagScan.com is a great option.
Can I use someone else’s work verbatim in my paper?
Yes, but only if you put that information under quotation marks and cite the source appropriately.