One of the things that make up an exceptional essay or report is originality. But even with that, it’s not everything that a student or writer will come up with on their own. They may need to do a little research and find some reliable sources to enrich their literature, but in doing so they might end up losing that touch of originality and just reproducing someone else’s work and this can be intentional or otherwise.
There are a few ways that students can use to solve the issue of plagiarism. Read on as we discuss more.
What Does Plagiarism Refer To
Plagiarism is a serious offense and should be treated as such. It can be seen as committing literary fraud. Plagiarism can be defined in simple terms, and it can be defined as:
- Taking the words and ideas of another author and using them as if they are yours
- Using someone else’s literary work without showing the source you used.
- Stealing literary work
- Taking an idea that already exists in another source and portraying it as your original thought or brainchild.
How Can Students Avoid Plagiarism?
Most cases of plagiarism can easily be avoided with just a few resources and a little effort. All you need to do as a student is to cite the original source of information and make it easy for people to refer to the original source if they need to. Be honest enough not to turn in work that is not yours without crediting your sources.
Let’s discuss a few ways students can avoid plagiarism.
Always Cite Sources
If you decide to use a quote or any piece of information that is not your own I’m your essay or article, make it a point to cite the source. This involves adding the name of the author whose idea you are using, the year of publication, or any other information that is needed.
Be Original And Write A Few Of Your Ideas
This may seem a little difficult but in the end, it’s worth it. Thoroughly read and understand the topic you want to write about then give your own views about it. This will make your writing more unique and original. This doesn’t mean that you should skip the citing process. You should still cite since you are using other sources for research purposes.
Try Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is simply rewriting a piece of information using your own words without distorting the original message. The tricky part about paraphrasing is that it can easily turn into plagiarism if you are not vigilant. Even when you paraphrase, you will still need to add a citation to show that you used someone else’s writing or idea
Use A Plagiarism Checker
Even after citing and paraphrasing, you should always use a plagiarism checker because you can never be too careful. You can find a huge variety of plagiarism checker tools online. There are also a few really good free options like Grammarly. These tools can highlight any plagiarized areas so that you can correct them before turning in your assignment.
Check Your Work For Plagiarism
There are a number of tools that are available online for plagiarism checking and you can take your pick. You can invest in a plagiarism checker for students and start writing original and compelling work. Plagiarism checkers work by comparing your work with millions of web pages or any text that is available online. They will highlight all the plagiarized areas so that they are easy to spot and some premium versions even give you everything you need to cite and credit your sources.
Final Word
Most students view plagiarism as something that just their lecturer might be mad about. Plagiarism is a serious offense and should be treated as such. There is also a mostly-ignored form of plagiarism, which is self-plagiarism. Plagiarizing your own work can also land you in a very difficult situation and should be avoided at all costs. You can use several online plagiarism checkers to ensure that you are not reproducing your own work or someone else’s work.
There are also a few tips that you can use to avoid plagiarizing in the first place. These can range from using citations to perfectly done paraphrasing. Even after you take steps to avoid plagiarism, make sure you use that plagiarism checker in case you made an error.
Author Bio:
Stella Gary is an educator who travels all around the world helping students realize their potential. She enjoys hiking and camping in her free time.
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