How to avoid plagiarism

What is plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the act of using another person’s work, ideas, or words without proper acknowledgment, presenting them as one’s own. It can be either intentional (such as purchasing a research paper or submitting someone else’s work) or unintentional (such as failing to properly cite a source or paraphrasing incorrectly).

“Plagiarism, specifically, is a term used to describe a practice that involves knowingly taking and using another person’s work and claiming it, directly or indirectly, as your own.” (Neville, 2007, p. 28)

In academic settings, particularly in the United States, plagiarism is considered a serious offense with both legal and ethical consequences. It may result in disciplinary action, including expulsion from a university, and can damage a student’s academic reputation and credibility.

Forms of Plagiarism

According to Plagiarism.org, plagiarism takes various forms, including:

✅ Submitting another person’s work as your own.
✅ Copying words or ideas from a source without giving proper credit.
✅ Failing to use quotation marks around directly quoted material.
✅ Providing incorrect citation details for a quoted source.
✅ Changing some words but keeping the original sentence structure without crediting the source.
✅ Using large portions of text or ideas from a source, even if credit is given, to the extent that the work lacks originality.

While it might seem that using the ideas of others is discouraged, academic writing is built on scholarly conversation. The key is to cite sources properly and ensure that your work demonstrates original thought while engaging with existing research.

How to Avoid Plagiarism

1. Take Good Notes

• Keep track of important quotes and key passages while researching.
• Record citation details (author, title, page number) to ensure accurate referencing later.
• Develop a consistent note-taking system to differentiate your thoughts from source material.

2. Cite Your Sources Correctly

“Any time you use words from another source, such as a website, book, journal article, or even a friend’s paper, you must give proper credit to the source.” Penn State, 2012)

• Citing sources means providing detailed information about a reference, including author, title, and publication date, so others can locate the original source.
• Even if you don’t use direct quotes, ideas and concepts must be credited if they come from an external source.

3. Use Quotations Properly

“If you use someone else’s exact words, you need to put those words in quotation marks. Changing a few words is not enough to avoid plagiarism.” Penn State, 2012)

• Use quotation marks for direct quotes and include a citation.
• Avoid excessive quoting—use quotes to support your argument, not replace it.
• If a passage is too long, consider paraphrasing instead of quoting.

4. Paraphrase Effectively

“In a paraphrase, you rewrite what someone else has said in your own way. Even when you paraphrase, your writing should sound like it came from you, not from someone else.” Penn State, 2012)

• Do not just swap words—rewrite the idea using your own sentence structure and style.
• Always include a citation when paraphrasing someone else’s ideas.
• Compare your paraphrase with the original to ensure it is not too similar.

References

• Neville, C. (2007). The Complete Guide to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism. New York: Open University Press.
• Penn State. (2012). Plagiarism & You. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from Penn State Libraries.
• What Is Plagiarism? (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2015, from Plagiarism.org.

By following these best practices, students and researchers can avoid plagiarism, maintain academic integrity, and contribute meaningfully to scholarly discussions. ✅