how to avoid plagiarism in essay writing

How to avoid plagiarism: 10 strategies for your students

Tech Wire Asia

The News Record | Olivia Romick

By completing this form, you agree to Turnitin's Privacy Policy . Turnitin uses the information you provide to contact you with relevant information. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time.

The International Center for Academic Integrity (ICAI) defines academic integrity as not just avoiding dishonest practices, but rather “a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to six fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage.” And while it might feel like enough to post these high-level tenants on the wall of a classroom and move forward, it’s wholly more valuable (and complicated) to provide actionable ways to avoid plagiarism and embody these values.

There are myriad ways to support students in and outside of the classroom. And when it comes to avoiding plagiarism, many might say instantly, “Just get a plagiarism checker!” However, genuine instruction and learning goes beyond that: a successful approach to learning needs to contain guidance on areas that surround accurate research and citation; adequate time management; definition of misconduct and support if misconduct ensues.

Below are ten specific strategies for instructors that specifically support the skills students need to not simply avoid plagiarism, but to authentically learn and grow.

• Ensure students know the difference between academic integrity and plagiarism.
• Outline and define emerging trends in academic misconduct.
• Teach students how to properly cite sources in a paper.
• Support students’ development of time management skills.
• Emphasize the value of and way to paraphrase correctly.
• Clearly outline the institution’s and course’s policy on academic misconduct and AI writing usage.
• Define the steps taken after misconduct is suspected.
• Explain the concept of authentic learning.
• Describe how authentic learning can help students avoid plagiarism.
• Consider options for a plagiarism checker and an AI detection tool.

Let’s dive into this list in more detail. In the next section, you’ll find each tip framed as a question that a student might plug into a search engine (“What’s the difference between academic integrity and plagiarism?”), followed by suggestions and resources that support the development in that topic.

What is plagiarism? What is the difference between academic integrity and plagiarism?

In the classroom, it is important to have an aligned definition of plagiarism, even if it's assumed to be common knowledge. Explicit instruction for students has a measurable impact on mitigating misconduct. So to start things off, let's define plagiarism.

To plagiarize means to “steal or pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own” and/or to “use (another's production) without crediting the source.” In fact, plagiarize (and plagiarism) comes from the Latin plagiarius “kidnapper.: An integral tenant of the Western world’s concept of academic integrity involves citing the original source of information, giving appropriate credit where credit is due.

Truth be told, many consider “plagiarism” and “academic integrity” to be synonymous, when in fact, they cover different aspects of similar ideas.

In a previous Turnitin blog post , we recognize that “while plagiarism is indeed an act of academic dishonesty and academic misconduct, it isn’t the entirety of academic integrity.” In fact, academic integrity really is the commitment to live by the values listed by the ICAI (above) and plagiarism, specifically, “is a subset of academic dishonesty, and one way to violate academic integrity.”

Students, then, need to understand what plagiarism is and isn’t, as well as their school’s policies on integrity and misconduct, so that they can approach their work with gusto and honesty. Instructors benefit from communicating their policies around academic integrity not just at the start of an academic semester, but throughout the year. In addition, it is worth talking with students about forms of plagiarism, which can be seen on Turnitin’s Plagiarism Spectrum 2.0 , covering twelve different types of unoriginal work, including traditional forms of plagiarism and emerging trends. Furthermore, instructors should explicitly list resources that students can turn to in times of need (tutors, office hours, citation guidelines, etc.) so that the temptation to plagiarize is lessened even more.

When students study or publish abroad, it’s worth noting that the concept of authorship and citation is deeply rooted in Western principles. There are significant cultural differences in plagiarism that need to be considered, so educators and students alike can uphold integrity as global citizens while also respecting the cultural norms of different learning communities.

What are emerging trends in academic misconduct?

There are a variety of trends in academic misconduct out there today. From contract cheating and electronic cheating devices, to word spinners and online test-banks, there is a vast world of shortcut options. There is also concern around AI Writing tools and how they may transform the landscape of academic integrity .

Some instructors may fear that by talking about shortcut solutions, they introduce the concept of plagiarism and thereby open a door for students. The opposite is true for many educators, however, who find that by discussing shortcut solutions openly and clearly communicating their plagiarism policies, students know what is expected of them and which recommended resources to turn to in times of need.

Additionally, there has been lots of meaningful discussion around the appropriate use of AI writing tools in education. Depending on the instructor’s or institution's policy around AI tools, it is of utmost importance for a student to have an understanding around expectations concerning AI for each and every assignment. And as instructors more readily utilize AI writing detection, it’s equally important to have a context within which to interpret any particular AI writing detection score . In particular, this infographic enumerates many of the variables that educators should consider when interpreting each student's AI writing score

A meaningful first step can be Turnitin’s eBook, “Emerging trends in academic integrity” for a complete look at trends in academic misconduct. This free, downloadable guide talks about how to identify cases of misconduct and mitigate them, as well as how to deliver remote assessments with integrity, which helps institutions and instructors alike to build a strong foundation of integrity for authentic learning.

How do I cite sources in a paper?

Instructors at every grade level and in every subject should cover correct citations. Referencing others’ work creates a strong association between one writer’s thinking and the perspective of other scholars in that field. According to the University of Washington (USA): “Scholarship is a conversation and scholars use citations not only to give credit to original creators and thinkers, but also to add strength and authority to their own work. By citing their sources, scholars are placing their work in a specific context to show where they ‘fit’ within the larger conversation.”

If students understand the value of citations and how to craft them in their papers , it can lead to confidence long-term in submitting their own writing and not that of others’, illustrating their own understandings, and developing their own voice in the academic space.

How can I develop time management skills?

Time management is essential to success, not only in academia, but in life. As early as possible, students should learn time management skills so that they can organize their work, schedule time to study or research, and balance their extracurricular and academic activities. When students plan ahead, there is less likelihood that they will choose shortcut solutions for assignments because they are confident in their own approach and the time required to research and revise.

If students are struggling with time management, interventions by tutors or teachers may be helpful prior to a larger assignment or exam. Online resources, too, can be helpful; Blair Fiander, founder of Blair’s Brainiacs, offers advice on how to keep motivated while studying remotely and tips for independent study and revision .

How do I paraphrase correctly?

Paraphrasing supports learning outcomes because it requires students to analyze, summarize, interpret, and restate others’ writing. It supports and strengthens research because it brings in other ideas without interrupting the flow of writing the way a direct quote sometimes does. However, if a student doesn’t know how to paraphrase information accurately or effectively, there is a greater chance that they will unintentionally plagiarize, or even seek alternative methods, including word spinners or AI writing tools to complete an assignment.

When students can read a body of text and then put it into their own words, not only do they avoid plagiarism, they also more deeply absorb complicated concepts and enhance their own thinking. Paraphrasing can often help students to feel more confidence about research they conduct and produce. Check out Turnitin’s Paraphrasing Resource Pack , a comprehensive set of ready-to-use resources for those seeking to enhance this valuable skill.

What is my school’s policy on academic misconduct and AI writing usage?

Just as roadways function better with clearly posted speed limit signs, so too, can students complete their best, original work when they understand expectations. In addition to the syllabus and rubric, which gives students a roadmap on what is needed to complete the assignment, students also need an understanding of the honor code and how a school approaches suspected misconduct.

When a student body receives education around academic misconduct, there is a significant decrease in cases of plagiarism. A 2020 study found that after 12 semesters of academic misconduct data, there was a 37.01% reduction in instances of detected plagiarism following explicit interventions on academic misconduct ( Perkins, et al. ).

Sharing a policy can take many forms. The University of South Australia provides students with a 12-page written Academic Integrity Policy that not only defines key terms, but also outlines levels of offense and their specific consequences. Kingston University in London offers a landing page that defines academic misconduct and the university’s procedures. Instructors, furthermore, should update their honor codes for online learning environments because with the increase of online instruction during the pandemic, many universities reported an uptick in misconduct.

Institutions, as mentioned above, also need to update their academic integrity policies to include AI and ideally, clearly outline what constitutes use and misuse within the charter.

All of these steps provide clear guidelines for students who need to know how to submit high quality assignments, as well as what happens if misconduct occurs.

What happens if I’m caught plagiarizing?

If a student’s assignment has suspected plagiarism, there are several things that may happen, depending your institution’s policies:

• An escalation policy, which needs to have been communicated to the students prior to any assignments, is enacted.
• Conversations between students and instructors, which could include a deep-dive into how research was conducted, how references were cited (or not cited), as well as any examples of a student’s previous work as a comparison.
• Administration or academic panel involvement (if needed).
• Next steps, be they a rewrite, a failed grade, expulsion, or other.

Plagiarism not only tarnishes the act of learning, but it can also affect a student’s or institution’s reputation, the quality and respectability of research, and the value of a diploma. And while it’s never a pleasant experience to go through this process, sometimes simply knowing there are serious penalties for misconduct deters students from seeking shortcut solutions.

Hamilton College Reference Librarian Julia Schult says, "Plagiarism isn't a bad thing simply because it's intellectual theft—although it is that. It's a bad thing because it takes the place of and prevents learning." As such, many instructors and institutions are opting for an alternative to the zero-tolerance approach when it comes to misconduct, in order to put learning back into the equation.

There is an increased desire for restorative justice which, unlike traditional punishment, looks “to see students not only learn from their mistakes, but to simultaneously re-establish their standing and give back to the institutional community” ( ICAI 2018 ). The University of Minnesota (USA) has provided a program entitled “Academic Integrity Matters” (AIM) for students who have engaged in scholastic dishonesty and accept responsibility for violating the Student Conduct Code. Based on restorative justice principles, this program offers an opportunity for students to attend facilitated meetings with community members to reflect on the importance of academic integrity. Participants and community members discuss and agree on an educational opportunity the student will complete in order to demonstrate understanding of academic integrity and move beyond the disciplinary space.

For instructors seeking restorative justice, there is an opportunity to turn plagiarism into a teachable moment , helping students to understand why there are safeguards in place to ensure original work. Furthermore, if students feel like they can fail safely , often risks are mitigated because they know that even if they make mistakes, they can rewrite, relearn, and rebuild trust to make it better in the future.

What is authentic learning?

Avoiding plagiarism is about prioritizing learning and its process above the end result. While explicit instruction and academic policies fortify academic integrity, it’s also important to nurture intrinsic motivation for learning. What is one way to help foster such intrinsic motivation in students? Authentic learning is one option.

Julia Hayden Galindo, Ed.D., from the Harvard Graduate School of Education , describes authentic learning as ”learning activities that are either carried out in real-world contexts, or have transfer to a real-world setting.” She goes on to say:

“Authentic learning tasks capture students’ attention and raise their motivation to learn because they touch on issues that are directly relevant to students’ present lives or future careers. The instructor’s role, in this mode of teaching, is to help students to make connections between their own ways of making sense of the material and the established cultural frameworks of the discipline” ( Stein et al., 2004 ).

Rooted in constructivist theory, authentic learning insists that actively engaging with problems and materials constitutes the best way to learn ( Mayo, 2010 ). As John Dewey said, “[E]ducation is not an affair of ‘telling’ and being told, but an active and constructive process” (Dewey, as cited in Mayo, 2010, p. 36). Stein, Issacs, & Andrews emphasize that authentic learning activities should have both personal and cultural relevance ( 2004 ). And as often as possible, instructors should merely be facilitators of learning, providing an environment for learning where students themselves lead the charge and engage with topics, wrestle with new ideas, engage in discussions with each other, and ultimately, dive into material that is meaningful to them on their own terms.

How does authentic learning help students avoid plagiarism?

At its core, authentic learning fosters intrinsic motivation. Instead of being driven by fear, by a higher grade, or even by approval of others, students instead work hard for themselves. They have an internal desire to try something new, make mistakes, acquire a skill, and increase their knowledge. And because it comes from within, they are less likely to seek shortcut solutions that would hinder or taint their genuine learning. If educators can foster in students such a desire to learn for its own merits, then even when under pressure or facing a deadline, a student will still seek to complete their own, original work.

• Using examples so students know how the material can be of use. Providing meaningful reasons for learning activities.
• Providing constructive feedback early and often to help students understand next steps in their learning journey, which includes positive feedback.
• Giving students control over their learning. Giving them opportunities to choose their own topics or reading lists and provide a variety of assessment formats , so they have control over how they demonstrate their understanding.

As James Lang put it in his book, Cheating Lessons: Learning from Academic Dishonesty , educators should strive to inspire students “with appeals to the intrinsic joy or beauty of the task itself.” If educators nurture an environment that feels authentic, safe, and inspiring, with clear expectations and high standards for original work, research shows that cases of misconduct are low and the caliber of learning high ( Lang, 2013 ).

How can a plagiarism checker help me?

In an academic space where students and instructors alike are seeking to avoid plagiarism and promote original thought, this question is prominent. However, it is a question that should be asked in tandem with all of the questions above, as one element of a multi-faceted approach to academic integrity. Plagiarism checkers like Turnitin Feedback Studio act as a backstop solution to academic misconduct if all of the above methods should fail.

A tool like Turnitin Feedback Studio is beneficial because it utilizes a massive database of content to determine if there are similarities between a student’s work and writing that has already been published. If instructors opt for multiple submissions , then a student can receive up to three Similarity Reports before the due date to get feedback on their writing and improve it before submitting.

Utilizing tools like Draft Coach in the writing process also upholds integrity; with Draft Coach, students can receive immediate feedback, not just on similarity, but on citations and grammar as well. From there, students can revise their writing accordingly, which not only encourages real-time learning, but also equates to real time saved by teachers grading papers on the back end.

And within Turnitin Originality, there is an AI detection feature to help educators identify when AI writing tools such as ChatGPT have been used in students’ submissions, offering insights to inform next steps.

And while choosing a plagiarism checker is helpful in a variety of ways, it is important to note that Turnitin does not detect plagiarism . Our tools, in fact, detect similarity and offer insights to support instructors and administrators making their own informed decisions about student work.

In sum: Strategies for students to avoid plagiarism

In the end, avoiding plagiarism goes beyond having a tool to check for similarity. It is a robust, holistic approach that includes foundational instruction around citations and paraphrasing; a culturally responsive curriculum that clearly defines misconduct and policies in that community; the prioritization of student wellbeing to ensure that students feel seen in the classroom .

Students, instructors, and administrators can work together to utilize these strategies and establish a culture of academic integrity where authentic learning is the goal and high-quality, original work is seen daily.

Unfortunately we don't fully support your browser. If you have the option to, please upgrade to a newer version or use Mozilla Firefox , Microsoft Edge , Google Chrome , or Safari 14 or newer. If you are unable to, and need support, please send us your feedback .

We'd appreciate your feedback. Tell us what you think!   opens in new tab/window

7 ways to avoid academic plagiarism

March 1, 2023 | 9 min read

By Michael Seadle, PhD

Plagiarism can be unintentional; the co-founder of a center to educate authors on research integrity highlights potential pitfalls

Editors note:  Plagiarism, the re-use of published work without appropriate credit, is surprisingly common and not always intentional. For academics, however, accusations of plagiarism can be devastating, marring their reputation and career. Prof Dr Michael Seadle is co-founder and director of the  Humboldt-Elsevier Advanced Data and Text Centre (HEADT Centre)   opens in new tab/window  and heads up its research integrity efforts. Globally recognized for his work to combat false information, he runs through some of the nuances and danger points authors should be aware of and offers seven helpful tips.

The first and best way to avoid plagiarism is not to plagiarize intentionally. This sounds simplistic, but there are people who persuade themselves that copying just a few useful phrases will help them meet their pressing deadlines. While that strategy may work in some corporate settings, in academic publishing, it is a fool’s game. Most serious academic publishers use software tools, such as  iThenticate   opens in new tab/window , that can scan an enormous database of academic publishing and detect copying at a highly granular level. Not all universities use such tools, but many do, and the consequences of being caught include failed classes, lost degrees or lost jobs. The risk is simply not worth the savings in time.

Unintentional plagiarism is surprisingly common, but the fact that it is unintentional does not excuse it. The rest of this article looks at how you can avoid some common practices that risk this kind of inadvertent plagiarism in writing.  Image plagiarism  represents a different kind of problem that is too complex for this short article to address fully.

Confidence in Research

Plagiarism is one of many factors that can undermine confidence in research. Elsevier has partnered with leading science organizations and Economist Impact for a global collaboration to understand the impact of the pandemic on confidence in research — and identify areas for action to support researchers.

The fine line between paraphrasing and plagiarism

English is overwhelmingly the most common language for modern academic publishing, but English is by no means the native language of all scholars. In the more mathematical natural sciences, certain phrases are so standardized that they no longer really count as plagiarism. One example is the language used to describe the results of certain statistical tests; widely used statistical textbooks often recommend using particular phrases.

In more verbally oriented fields such as humanities, law or economics, the quality of the writing matters, and it is natural to want to improve it by drawing on examples from published sources. While this is a sensible idea in itself, it carries risks if the author reproduces a phrase that is too long or too individual. This problem not only affects non-native speakers; it also happens to authors who “borrow” explanations when writing about a subject far outside their field of expertise. The risk is that they copy so much text that they cross the line into plagiarism. The best solution is to always use quotation marks and proper footnotes, even when that results in a page layout that seems unattractive.

The issue is, of course, how much must be in quotation marks, and how much can just be paraphrased?

Decades ago, paraphrasing rules were fairly relaxed, but today they are much stricter. There is no clear, simple agreement on the number of words that can overlap with the original before a paraphrase becomes plagiarism. Some institutions have published limits, then later removed them from their websites, presumably because they realized they were unrealistically restrictive.

The reason for paraphrasing can be to clarify a statement or to say it more compactly or correctly. At the very least, a paraphrase ought to be able to contain key words referring to the substance of the context and, ideally, function words (words that in themselves carry no meaning and merely structure the sentence). However, for some publishers and universities, every overlapping word counts, so authors need to think carefully about their justification for paraphrasing.

Professors routinely paraphrase in the classroom, where it is generally impossible to use direct quotes without a photographic memory. Even though written texts are more formal, people imitate what they hear rather than looking for rules that are themselves ambiguous.

Paraphrasing is especially common in literature reviews for the simple reason that authors must talk about the specifics of what other writers have said, and they must be able to reuse some of their words to convey the same meaning. This makes literature reviews especially prone to plagiarism accusations. This should serve as a warning to students and scholars to footnote the literature review sections carefully, especially in cases where a direct quotation would not work because of the grammatical structure or length of the phrases, or unclear references.

Separating fact from plagiarism

What may seem like simple facts can also become targets of plagiarism accusations. The six-word statement “Berlin is the capital of Germany” represents a fact and gets over 84,000 hits on Google. Wikipedia and numerous documents confirm that the statement is purely factual; nonetheless, the multi-word overlap means it can be flagged by unsophisticated plagiarism checkers and plagiarism hunters. The real problem is the lack of a clear agreement on what kinds of facts need to be sourced. Standard facts like the boiling point of water (100°C) should need no reference, but facts outside the scope of the reading audience may need one (example: the  birth date of the artist Michelangelo   opens in new tab/window  is 6 March 1475).

The importance of acknowledging intellectual ownership

The University of Oxford includes “ideas” in  its definition of plagiarism   opens in new tab/window : “Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own, with or without their consent, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement.”

Idea plagiarism is a particularly problematic concept because it can cover almost everything and anything. In very specific cases, it can include things like the ideas behind a software program, (if they are legally protected by a patent or have been published and are subject to copyright law). It can also include technical concepts like the structure of a type of DNA, such as a double helix. Without that level of specificity, the claim that someone has plagiarized an idea becomes so vague as to be meaningless.

The  Oxford definition   opens in new tab/window  goes on to say: “All published and unpublished material, whether in manuscript, printed or electronic form, is covered under this definition.” This could be seen to include anything on anyone’s computer or in online storage. This serves as a warning about how totalitarian plagiarism policing could become if allowed unfettered access to personal resources.

Recently, artificial intelligence writing tools such as  ChatGPT from OpenAI   opens in new tab/window  have been much in the news. Even when an author tells such tools to use references, AI can generate authoritative-sounding output that can be incorrect, incomplete or biased. Applying the technology should be done with human oversight and control and authors should carefully review and edit the result. The more important question is to what degree the use of an artificial intelligence tool counts as the human author’s own work? The Oxford definition implies that presenting something generated by an AI tool could be considered plagiarism since it is not the author’s own work in any conventional sense.

7 ways to avoid plagiarism

While a few bullet points cannot capture all the nuances, these seven steps serve as a summary.

Never intentionally plagiarize. It is not worth the risk because the likelihood of being caught is high at high-ranked journals, and it grows higher every year as more institutions acquire plagiarism identification software.

Always use quotation marks and references. It takes a bit of extra effort and time to find exact quotations and create a well-formed reference, but it is essential. There are many freely available programs that make the preparation and tracking of references easier.

Paraphrase only when necessary and include references . Use quoted passages whenever possible and ensure that any word overlap with the original is minimal and justifiable.

Cite references when using facts that may be outside of the knowledgebase of the intended audience.

Copy phrases with special caution if you are non-native speaker . Do not take whole sentences from published works, or even phrases of more than three words, unless those phrases are purely technical, as in a basic description of statistical results.

Always credit people for their ideas to avoid the risk of “idea plagiarism.”

Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies should only be used to improve readability and language of your work. Authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the contents of their work.

About the HEADT Centre

The  Humboldt-Elsevier Advanced Data and Text Centre (HEADT Centre)   opens in new tab/window  is part of  Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin   opens in new tab/window  (HU Berlin) in Germany. It was founded to educate researchers on plagiarism and research image and data fraud, along with other elements of research integrity.  It offers workshops, online modules and certification on these topics via its Information Integrity Academy.

Acknowledgements

Let me thank Dr Thorsten Beck and Ms Melanie Sterzer for their excellent suggestions.

Contributor

Michael seadle, phd.

Prevent plagiarism, run a free plagiarism check.

• Knowledge Base
• Examples of Plagiarism & Tips for Avoiding It

Examples of Plagiarism & Tips for Avoiding It

Published on November 1, 2021 by Tegan George . Revised on July 15, 2022.

Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas without properly crediting the original author.

Some common examples of plagiarism include:

• Paraphrasing a source too closely
• Including a direct quote without quotation marks
• Copying elements of different sources and pasting them into a new document
• Leaving out an in-text citation
• Submitting a full text that is not your own

Table of contents

Paraphrasing plagiarism, verbatim plagiarism, patchwork plagiarism: combining multiple sources, common knowledge: when do i need a citation, real-life examples of plagiarism, frequently asked questions about plagiarism.

Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. In order to do so correctly, you must entirely rewrite the passage you are referencing without changing the meaning of the original text.

Every time you paraphrase, it’s important to cite the original source and avoid wording that is too similar to the original. Otherwise, you could be at risk of committing paraphrasing plagiarism .

Remember that paraphrasing doesn’t just mean switching out a few words for synonyms while retaining the original sentence structure. The author’s idea must be reformulated in a way that fits smoothly into your text.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Quoting means copying a brief passage from another text, enclosing it in quotation marks .

If you fail to include quotation marks or a citation, you’re committing verbatim plagiarism : copying someone’s exact words without acknowledgement. Even if you change a few of the words, it’s still plagiarism.

To quote correctly, introduce the quotation in your own words, make sure it’s enclosed in quotation marks, and include a citation showing where it comes from.

Patchwork plagiarism , also called mosaic plagiarism, involves copying elements of different sources and combining them to create a new text. It can include both directly copying and paraphrasing content without citation.

It can be challenging to incorporate several sources into your work at once, so be sure to double-check that you are citing each one correctly.

If you quote or paraphrase multiple sources in one sentence, it’s often best to cite each one separately, so that it’s clear what material comes from which source.

“Americans have always remembered the battle. What we often forget are the difficult decisions tribal leaders made afterward to ensure the safety of their people” (Van Heuvelen, 2020).

“Under skies darkened by smoke, gunfire and flying arrows, 210 men of the U.S. Army’s 7th Cavalry Unit led by Lt. Colonel George Custer confronted thousands of Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors on June 25, 1876, near the Little Big Horn River in present-day Montana. The engagement was one in a series of battles and negotiations between Plains Indians and U.S. forces over control of Western territory, collectively known as the Sioux Wars” (McDermott, 2021). Example: Patchwork plagiarism For many Americans, the headdress is a well-known symbol of indigenous America indistinguishable from the narrative of the “wild west and cowboys and Indians.” One of the most famous examples of the cowboys versus Indians narrative is the Battle of Little Bighorn.

On June 25, 1876, 210 men of the U.S. Army’s 7th Cavalry Unit led by Lt. Colonel George Custer confronted thousands of Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors . Custer and his men were handily defeated, and Americans have always remembered the battle as “Custer’s Last Stand.” What is often forgotten is the difficult decisions tribal leaders made afterward to ensure the safety of their people . Example: Correctly citing multiple sources The headdress is a well-known symbol of indigenous America, forming part of “the narrative of the wild west and cowboys and Indians” (Van Heuvelen, 2020). One of the most famous examples of this narrative is the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Common knowledge refers to information you can reasonably expect the average reader to accept without proof.

For this kind of information, you don’t need a citation. For example, you won’t be accused of plagiarism for failing to cite your sources when you mention Paris is the capital city of France.

In order to be considered common knowledge, your statement must be widely known, undisputed, and easily verified. It also generally cannot be attributed to a specific person or paper. When in doubt, add a citation.

Plagiarism is most commonly discussed in the context of academia, but it’s a relevant concern across all sorts of different industries, from pop music to politics.

• Plagiarism in academia
• Plagiarism in art
• Plagiarism in politics
• Plagiarism in music

In 2006, the Brookings Institute accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of having plagiarized 80% of his economics dissertation from a paper published by the University of Pittsburgh a few decades earlier.

Dissertation plagiarism committed by other famous politicians, such as former Senator John Walsh, former German Defense Secretary Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg, and former Hungarian President Pal Schmitt, led to their resignations and their degrees being revoked.

Source: CNN Reusing or copying existing materials has been a big part of many types of art. However, it is still possible to plagiarize art.

In 1966, famous Pop Art artist Andy Warhol was sued by photographer Patricia Caulfield, who claimed unauthorized use of one of her photographs. Warhol had seen her photo of hibiscus flowers in the 1964 issue of Modern Photography  and used it for his silkscreen work Flowers .

While Warhol’s team argued that this was “fair use,” a judge determined that Warhol had, in fact, plagiarized the photo. This led to enduring reputation costs and a large financial settlement.

Source: Garden Collage Many political speeches revolve around similar themes, but while it is natural to draw inspiration from previous speeches, paraphrasing them too closely is considered plagiarism.

In 2016, a speech Melania Trump gave at the Republican National Convention was found to have copied several paragraphs almost verbatim from a speech Michelle Obama gave at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

While her staff claimed that she had incorporated “fragments of others’ speeches that reflected her own thinking,” she was widely considered to have plagiarized.

Joe Biden was found to have committed similar plagiarism in a speech he gave during the 1988 presidential campaign, paraphrasing a speech by Welsh politician Neil Kinnock too closely.

Source: CNN While technically no one owns a chord progression or particular combination of sounds, plagiarism in the music industry is a common accusation.

In 2018, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the 2013 hit song “Blurred Lines,” by Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams, infringed on the copyright of the song “Got to Give it Up,” by the late Marvin Gaye. The Gaye family was awarded over $5 million in damages as well as 50% of the royalties moving forward.

This sets a precedent that new music must be different in both style and substance from previously copyrighted songs. Other hit artists, such as Sam Smith, George Harrison, and Olivia Rodrigo, have faced similar consequences.

Plagiarism means presenting someone else’s work as your own without giving proper credit to the original author. In academic writing, plagiarism involves using words, ideas, or information from a source without including a citation .

Plagiarism can have serious consequences , even when it’s done accidentally. To avoid plagiarism, it’s important to keep track of your sources and cite them correctly.

Some examples of plagiarism include:

• Copying and pasting a Wikipedia article into the body of an assignment
• Quoting a source without including a citation
• Not paraphrasing a source properly, such as maintaining wording too close to the original
• Forgetting to cite the source of an idea

The most surefire way to avoid plagiarism is to always cite your sources . When in doubt, cite!

If you’re concerned about plagiarism, consider running your work through a plagiarism checker tool prior to submission. Scribbr’s Plagiarism Checker takes less than 10 minutes and can help you turn in your paper with confidence.

Common knowledge does not need to be cited. However, you should be extra careful when deciding what counts as common knowledge.

Common knowledge encompasses information that the average educated reader would accept as true without needing the extra validation of a source or citation.

Common knowledge should be widely known, undisputed and easily verified. When in doubt, always cite your sources.

Paraphrasing without crediting the original author is a form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly cite the source . This means including an in-text citation and a full reference, formatted according to your required citation style .

As well as citing, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.

Yes, reusing your own work without acknowledgment is considered self-plagiarism . This can range from re-submitting an entire assignment to reusing passages or data from something you’ve turned in previously without citing them.

Self-plagiarism often has the same consequences as other types of plagiarism . If you want to reuse content you wrote in the past, make sure to check your university’s policy or consult your professor.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

George, T. (2022, July 15). Examples of Plagiarism & Tips for Avoiding It. Scribbr. Retrieved September 23, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism/examples-of-plagiarism/

Is this article helpful?

Tegan George

Other students also liked, how to avoid plagiarism | tips on citing sources, what is common knowledge | definition & examples, what is self-plagiarism | definition & how to avoid it, what is your plagiarism score.

How to Avoid Plagiarism and Craft Original Content

Plagiarism can catch even seasoned writers off guard, as seen in the case of the esteemed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. Accusations of copying arose in connection with her work, 'The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys,' shedding light on the fact that plagiarism is not exclusive to novices.

In this guide to avoiding plagiarism, our paper writing service is here to help you with ethical writing! We'll explain what plagiarism is, why it's important, and ways to steer clear of it. We've also got FAQs and more to make sure your writing stays on the right path. Let's learn together and make your writing both original and ethical!

Let's Understand What Is Plagiarism 

Plagiarism is more than just a word tossed around in academic discussions—it's a serious matter with real consequences. Simply put, it's when you use someone else's words, ideas, or work without giving them credit. It's like taking a shortcut without acknowledging the original path.

Think of it as borrowing without permission. If you copy and paste a chunk of text or paraphrase someone else's work without citing them, that's plagiarism. It's not just about following rules; it's about fairness and honesty in sharing knowledge.

To understand plagiarism, it's essential to recognize its different forms, from directly copying sentences to tweaking them slightly without acknowledging the source. It's a bit like walking a fine line between creating something original and borrowing too much from someone else.

In this exploration of plagiarism, we'll break down its various aspects and why it's a big deal. It's not about complicating things; it's about respecting the intellectual contributions of others and maintaining transparency in your own work. So, let's dig into the details and gain the insights needed to produce writing that's both original and ethical.

 Be More Than a GPA—Be Uniquely You!

Our writers infuse personality into every word, creating a 100% unique research paper that reflects your style.

Why Is It Important to Avoid Plagiarism

Understanding the importance of steering clear of plagiarism goes beyond mere academic protocol; it's about upholding the principles of integrity, credibility, and personal growth. Here's why avoiding plagiarism is a non-negotiable aspect of responsible writing, according to our research paper writing service :

• Credibility Matters: When you present someone else's work as your own, it erodes the trust your audience or readers place in you. Originality builds credibility, establishing you as a trustworthy source of information.
• Respect for Intellectual Property: Just as you wouldn't want someone to take credit for your hard work, it's essential to respect the intellectual property of others. Citing sources appropriately is a way of acknowledging the effort and creativity that went into creating the original work.
• Fostering Your Own Growth: Writing is not just about producing content; it's a journey of personal and intellectual development. By avoiding plagiarism, you actively engage with the material, enhancing your understanding and contributing to your own growth as a thinker and writer.
• Adhering to Academic Integrity: In educational settings, plagiarism is a breach of academic integrity. Learning is a collaborative process that involves building on existing knowledge, and giving credit ensures a fair and ethical academic environment.
• Legal Consequences: Plagiarism can have legal repercussions. It's a violation of copyright laws and can lead to legal actions, damaging not only your reputation but potentially resulting in severe consequences.

How to Avoid Plagiarism with These Tips

Now that we understand the significance of steering clear of plagiarism, let's delve into practical strategies to ensure your writing remains both original and ethically sound. From managing your sources effectively to understanding how to edit an essay through plagiarism checkers, each of these tips plays a crucial role in safeguarding your work:

• Manage Your Sources
• Effectively Credit Your Sources with Proper Citation

Avoid Plagiarism While Quoting

Express ideas in your own words through paraphrasing, share your original thoughts, ensure originality with a plagiarism checker.

Let's explore these tips in detail, along with examples of plagiarism, and equip ourselves with the tools to create content that stands on the pillars of integrity and authenticity.

Manage Your Sources Effectively

To prevent plagiarism, it's crucial to keep a detailed record of your information sources. Imagine you're researching the effects of artificial intelligence on job markets. Ensure you note down the author's name, the publication date, and the page numbers of the articles or studies you consult. This meticulous approach not only helps you avoid accidentally using someone else's work without acknowledgment but also facilitates a structured and accountable writing process.

Credit Your Sources with Proper Citation

Crediting sources is an essential part of academic writing. When incorporating information or ideas from a source, whether through direct quotes or paraphrasing, adhere to the citation style prescribed by your institution or publication. Common styles include APA, MLA, Harvard style citation , and Chicago style format .

For example, in APA style, you'd include the author's last name and the publication year, like this: (Author, Year). This practice not only upholds academic integrity but also allows readers to trace back and explore the referenced material for a deeper understanding. Remember, the goal is not only to steer clear of plagiarism but to contribute to the scholarly conversation by acknowledging the voices that have shaped your understanding.

When incorporating quotes into your writing, it's essential to do so judiciously. Quotations should complement and enhance your ideas rather than overshadow them. For instance, if you're discussing the impact of globalization on cultural diversity, a well-placed quote from an expert in the field can provide valuable support. When considering how to avoid plagiarism, remember to maintain a balance – use quotes to emphasize key points while ensuring the majority of your text is comprised of your original thoughts and analysis.

Original Famous Quote : 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.' - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Correct Quoting : In the face of challenges, Franklin D. Roosevelt once famously declared, 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.'

Incorrect Quoting 1 : Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, 'Fear itself is the only thing we have to fear.'

Incorrect Quoting 2 : 'Fear itself is the only thing we have to fear,' Franklin D. Roosevelt stated.

Explanation: In the correct quoting example, the quote is integrated seamlessly into the sentence, providing context and attributing the statement to Franklin D. Roosevelt. In the first incorrect quoting example, the order of the words in the quote is changed, altering the original phrasing. In the second incorrect quoting example, although the meaning is preserved, the attribution is separated from the quote, which may lead to confusion about the source. When incorporating quotes, it's important to maintain accuracy in both wording and attribution to ensure proper representation of the original source.

Paraphrasing is integral to avoiding plagiarism. Instead of copying a passage verbatim, rephrase it in your own words while retaining the original meaning. For example, if you come across a study on the effects of exercise on mental health, paraphrase the findings to fit seamlessly into your discussion. This demonstrates a deep understanding of the material and allows you to incorporate external ideas into your work authentically. Strive for a synthesis of your voice with the insights you've gathered, ensuring a harmonious blend of originality and external support.

Original Famous Quote : 'Imagination is more important than knowledge.' - Albert Einstein

Correct Paraphrase : Creativity holds greater significance than mere facts, according to Albert Einstein.

Incorrect Paraphrase 1 : Knowledge is less crucial than imagination, as stated by Albert Einstein.

Incorrect Paraphrase 2 : According to Albert Einstein, knowledge is less important than imagination.

Explanation: In the correct paraphrase, the essence of the original quote is retained, emphasizing the importance of imagination over knowledge. However, in the first incorrect paraphrase, the meaning is altered by suggesting that knowledge is less important than imagination. In the second incorrect paraphrase, the emphasis on the lesser importance of knowledge is maintained, but the structure of the sentence is changed, deviating from the original meaning. It's crucial to capture the intended meaning accurately while rephrasing to avoid misinterpretation.

Your unique perspective and insights are crucial in enriching the academic conversation. It's important to note that while expressing your thoughts, you should also be aware of a concept known as 'self-plagiarism.' So, what is self plagiarism? This occurs when you reuse your own work without proper citation or permission, which can be considered a breach of academic integrity.

As you delve into topics like the implications of artificial intelligence in healthcare, ensure that your expressions are fresh and tailored for each piece of writing. While it's acceptable to revisit your own ideas, be cautious not to recycle entire sections verbatim without acknowledgment. For example, if you've previously discussed the role of AI in diagnostics in another paper, consider how you can present that information in a new light. If you find yourself in need of additional ideas, consider using our essay writer help . This approach maintains the authenticity of your work while ensuring your understanding of how to avoid self plagiarism.

Leveraging technology through a reliable plagiarism checker is a proactive step to maintain the originality of your work. Before finalizing your writing, you can run it through our professional plagiarism checker for accurate results. This tool not only highlights potential instances of unintentional appropriation but also provides you with the opportunity to review and rectify any oversights.

Why Choose Our Plagiarism Checker?

• Accurate and Fast: Our advanced algorithm ensures a swift and thorough analysis of your text, saving you time while securing the integrity of your work.
• User-Friendly: Checking your work is as easy as copying, pasting, and clicking. Our user-friendly interface streamlines the process, eliminating unnecessary effort.
• Free of Charge: We believe in promoting academic integrity, and hence, our plagiarism checker is entirely free. There is no need to worry about additional costs – just focus on creating original content.
• Comprehensive Check: Our tool scans your paper against thousands of sources, offering a detailed analysis and highlighting any areas of similarity.
• Security and Safety: Your work is analyzed with the latest and best software, ensuring a secure environment for your text.

How to Use Our Plagiarism Checker:

• Copy your text.
• Paste your paper into the designated tab.
• Get prompt and precise results.

Additionally, our tool not only detects examples of plagiarism but also helps you understand which parts of your paper may need improvement. If you require additional tips on how to avoid plagiarism or assistance with editing, proofreading, or creating a new paper, our writing professionals are ready to support you.

Congratulations on navigating our guide to ethical writing and avoiding plagiarism! Remember, your unique voice and ideas are your most powerful tools. By citing sources correctly, using quotes and paraphrasing effectively, and staying mindful of self-plagiarism, you're on the right track.

If you ever feel uncertain, don't hesitate to ask for guidance. And remember, it's always a good idea to check your work with plagiarism detection tools. If you need extra support, you even have the option to pay for essay that's 100% unique. Keep writing with honesty, and let your ideas stand out in the academic world.

Secure Your 100% Unique Essay Today!

Wave goodbye to generic papers! Dive into the brilliance of a 100% unique essay crafted with wit and wisdom.

Can You Provide an Example of Plagiarism?

How to avoid plagiarism efficiently, what repercussions does plagiarism carry, how can plagiarism be identified.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

• Locations and Hours
• UCLA Library
• Research Guides
• Research Tips and Tools

Citing Sources

• How to Avoid Plagiarism
• Introduction
• Reading Citations

Best Practices for Avoiding Plagiarism

The entire section below came from a research guide from Iowa State University.  To avoid plagiarism, one must provide a reference to that source to indicate where the original information came from (see the "Source:" section below).

"There are many ways to avoid plagiarism, including developing good research habits, good time management, and taking responsibility for your own learning. Here are some specific tips:

• Don't procrastinate with your research and assignments. Good research takes time. Procrastinating makes it likely you'll run out of time or be unduly pressured to finish. This sort of pressure can often lead to sloppy research habits and bad decisions. Plan your research well in advance, and seek help when needed from your professor, from librarians and other campus support staff.
• Commit to doing your own work. If you don't understand an assignment, talk with your professor. Don't take the "easy way" out by asking your roommate or friends for copies of old assignments. A different aspect of this is group work. Group projects are very popular in some classes on campus, but not all. Make sure you clearly understand when your professor says it's okay to work with others on assignments and submit group work on assignments, versus when assignments and papers need to represent your own work.
•  Be 100% scrupulous in your note taking. As you prepare your paper or research, and as you begin drafting your paper. One good practice is to clearly label in your notes your own ideas (write "ME" in parentheses) and ideas and words from others (write "SMITH, 2005" or something to indicate author, source, source date). Keep good records of the sources you consult, and the ideas you take from them. If you're writing a paper, you'll need this information for your bibliographies or references cited list anyway, so you'll benefit from good organization from the beginning.
• Cite your sources scrupulously. Always cite other people's work, words, ideas and phrases that you use directly or indirectly in your paper. Regardless of whether you found the information in a book, article, or website, and whether it's text, a graphic, an illustration, chart or table, you need to cite it. When you use words or phrases from other sources, these need to be in quotes. Current style manuals are available at most reference desks and online. They may also give further advice on avoiding plagiarism.
• Understand good paraphrasing. Simply using synonyms or scrambling an author's words and phrases and then using these "rewrites" uncredited in your work is plagiarism, plain and simple. Good paraphrasing requires that you genuinely understand the original source, that you are genuinely using your own words to summarize a point or concept, and that you insert in quotes any unique words or phrases you use from the original source. Good paraphrasing also requires that you cite the original source. Anything less and you veer into the dangerous territory of plagiarism."

Source: Vega García, S.A. (2012). Understanding plagiarism: Information literacy guide. Iowa State University. Retrieved from  http://instr.iastate.libguides.com/content.php?pid=10314 . [Accessed January 3, 2017]

Plagiarism prevention.

• Plagiarism Prevention (onlinecolleges.net) This resource provides information about preventing plagiarism, understanding the various types of plagiarism, and learning how to cite properly to avoid plagiarism.

UCLA has a campuswide license to Turnitin.com. Faculty may turn in student papers electronically, where the text can be compared with a vast database of other student papers, online articles, general Web pages, and other sources. Turnitin.com then produces a report for the instructor indicating whether the paper was plagiarized and if so, how much.

For more information, go to Turnitin.com .

Plagiarism in the News

• << Previous: Plagiarism
• Next: Get Help >>
• Last Updated: May 17, 2024 2:33 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.ucla.edu/citing

• Boston University Libraries

Citing Your Sources

Avoiding plagiarism.

• Choosing a Citation Style
• Chicago Style
• Turabian Style
• NLM (National Library of Medicine) Style
• Harvard Style

Why is citing important?

It's important to cite sources you used in your research for several reasons:

• To be a responsible scholar by giving credit to other researchers and acknowledging their ideas
• To allow your reader to track down the sources you used by citing them accurately in your paper by way of footnotes, a bibliography or reference list
• To uphold BU's Academic Conduct Code, which establishes an environment of professionalism that helps to assure each individual receives appropriate recognition for their work

What is plagiarism?

• Plagiarism  is using someone else’s ideas or words without giving them proper credit. Plagiarism can range from unintentional (forgetting to include a source in a bibliography) to intentional (buying a paper online, using another writer’s ideas as your own to make your work sound smarter)
• Beginning writers and expert writers alike can all plagiarize
• The best way to avoid plagiarism is to properly cite every source used in your work

What is academic integrity?

• The International Center for Academic Integrity defines academic integrity “as a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to six fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals to action"
• For more information about plagiarism and academic integrity, see the  Boston University Academic Conduct Code

• << Previous: Choosing a Citation Style
• Next: APA Style >>
• Last Updated: Sep 25, 2024 9:52 AM
• URL: https://library.bu.edu/citing-your-sources

• Policies & Procedures
• Academic Integrity

How to Avoid Plagiarism

Northwestern's " Principles Regarding Academic Integrity " defines plagiarism as "submitting material that in part or whole is not entirely one's own work without attributing those same portions to their correct source." Plagiarism can occur in many forms besides writing: art, music, computer code, mathematics, and scientific work can also be plagiarized. This document pays special attention to plagiarism in writing, but it is important to understand that unauthorized collaboration in a math or science assignment is also plagiarism.

In all academic work, and especially when writing papers, we are building upon the insights and words of others. A conscientious writer always distinguishes clearly between what has been learned from others and what he or she is personally contributing to the reader's understanding. To avoid plagiarism, it is important to understand how to attribute words and ideas you use to their proper source. 

Guidelines for Proper Attribution

Everyone in the university needs to pay attention to the issue of proper attribution. All of us--faculty and students together--draw from a vast pool of texts, ideas, and findings that humans have accumulated over thousands of years; we could not think to any productive end without it. Even the sudden insights that appear at first glance to arrive out of nowhere come enmeshed in other people's thinking. What we call originality is actually the innovative combining, amending, or extending of material from that pool.

Hence each of us must learn how to declare intellectual debts. Proper attribution acknowledges those debts responsibly, usefully, and respectfully. An attribution is responsible when it comes at a location and in a fashion that leaves readers in no doubt about whom you are thanking for what. It is useful when it enables readers to find your source readily for themselves. You help them along the way, just as that same source helped you along yours. To make sure that our attributions are useful, we double-check them whenever we can. Quite literally, it is a habit that pays. Colleagues in every field appreciate the extra care. Nothing stalls a career faster than sloppy, unreliable work.

Finally, an attribution is respectful when it expresses our appreciation for something done well enough to warrant our borrowing it. We should take pride in the intellectual company we keep. It speaks well of us that we have chosen to use the work of intelligent, interesting people, and we can take genuine pleasure in joining our name with theirs.

A Note about Attributions or Citations

The two most commonly used attribution systems—Modern Language Assocation (MLA) and American Psychological Association (APA)-- consist of two parts: (a) a reference or works cited list at the end of the document, giving precise information about how to find a source and (b) parenthetical citations immediately following the material you are citing. Professors and disciplines may vary as to the preferred style for documenting ideas, opinions and facts, but all methods insist upon absolute clarity as to the source and require that all direct quotations be followed by a citation. The best solution is to ask which method your instructors prefer. The reference desk of NU's library has manuals available, but form is not as important as substance.

It is sometimes difficult to judge what needs to be documented. Generally, knowledge which is common to all of us or ideas which have been in the public domain and are found in a number of sources do not need to be cited. Likewise, facts that are accepted by most authorities also do not require a citation. Grey areas, however, exist and sometimes it is difficult to be sure how to proceed. Many people wrongly assume that if they find material on the web, that material is in the public domain and does not need to be cited. However, the same guidelines apply to all sources you use in your work: electronic or print, signed or unsigned. If you are in doubt, err on the side of over-documentation.

The following passages come from a number of sources, including undergraduate essays. They are all appropriately documented using Modern Language Association (MLA) style and each represents a different kind of problem that you will be facing in your own written work.

A. Examples of Proper Citation

1. quoted material and unusual opinion or knowledge.

Source : Vivelo, Jackie. “The Mystery of Nancy Drew . ” Ms. 3.3 (1992): 76-77. Print.

The teenage detective who was once a symbol of spunky female independence has slowly been replaced by an image of prolonged childhood, currently evolving toward a Barbie doll detective. . . . Every few pages bring reminders of Nancy's looks, her clothing, her effect on other people. . . . The first entry in this series carries a description of Nancy: "The tight jeans looked great on her long, slim legs and the green sweater complemented her strawberry-blonde hair."

Use and Adaptation of the Material : Nancy Drew has become a "Barbie doll" version of her old self. She has become superficial and overly concerned with her looks. She is described in the new series as wearing "tight jeans [that] looked great on her long, slim legs” (qtd. in Vivelo 77). She has traded her wits and independent spirit for a great body and killer looks (Vivelo 76-77).

Explanation : The writer has paraphrased most of the material. She discovered that the paraphrased ideas are unusual (not found in other sources). Therefore, she placed a citation at the end of the entire passage. In addition, the writer borrowed a quotation from the Nancy Drew series that she found in the article. The writer has placed quotation marks around that borrowed material and  placed a “quoted in” citation immediately after the quotation.

2. Interpretation

Source: Lehmberg, Stanford. The Peoples of the British Isles: A New History . Vol. I. New York: Wadsworth, 1992. Print. Page 9: One recent theory, advanced by the physicist Gerald Hawkins, holds that Stonehenge was actually an observatory, used to predict the movement of stars as well as eclipses of the sun and moon. Such a structure would have been of great value to an agricultural people, since it would enable them to mark the changing seasons accurately, and it would have conferred seemingly supernatural powers on the religious leaders who knew how to interpret its alignments.

Use and Adaptation of the Material: If Stonehenge were  an astronomical observatory which could predict the coming of spring, summer, and fall, this knowledge would have given tremendous power to the priestly leaders of an agricultural community (Lehmberg 9).

Explanation: The writer has appropriately cited this material since the writer is in debt to someone else for the analysis, even though the writer has not used any direct quotations.

3. Paraphrased Material

Source:    Osborne, Richard, ed. How to Grow Annuals.  2 nd ed. Menlo Park: Lane, 1974. Print. Page 24: As a recent authority has pointed out, for a dependable long-blooming swatch of soft blue in your garden, ageratum is a fine choice. From early summer until frost, ageratum is continuously covered with clustered heads of fine, silky, fringed flowers in dusty shades of lavender-blue, lavender-pink, or white. The popular dwarf varieties grow in mounds six to twelve inches high and twelve inches across; they make fine container plants. Larger types grow up to three feet tall. Ageratum makes an excellent edging.

Use and Adaptation of the Material : You can depend on ageratum if you want some soft blue in your garden. It blooms through the summer and the flowers, soft, small, and fringed, come in various shades of lavender. The small varieties which grow in mounds are very popular, especially when planted in containers. There are also larger varieties. Ageratum is good as a border plant (Osborne 24).

Explanation: The writer has done a good job of paraphrasing what could be considered common knowledge (available in a number of sources), but because the structure and progression of detail is someone else's, the writer has acknowledged the source. This the writer can do at the end of the paragraph since he or she has not used the author's words.

4. Using Other Authors' Examples

Source: Begley, Sharon. "The Puzzle of Genius." Newsweek 28 June 1993: 46+. Print. The creative geniuses of art and science work obsessively. . . .  Bach wrote a cantata every week, even when he was sick or exhausted.

Source: Hotz, Robert. “The Heady Theories on Contours of Einstein's Genius.” Wall Street Journal 2009 May 22, late ed: A9. Print. Although he published 300 scientific papers, Einstein couldn't easily describe the way his mind worked.

Use and Adaptation of the Material If there is a single unifying characteristic about geniuses, it is that they produce. Bach wrote a cantata every week (Begley 50). Einstein drafted over 300 papers (Hotz A9).

Explanation: Instead of finding original examples, the writer has used other authors’ example to back up what the writer had to say; therefore, the writer cited the sources where he found the examples.

5. Using Other Authors' Charts and Graphs

Source: Technorati. State of the Blogosphere 2008.  Technorati, 13 October 2009. Web. 20 November 2009

Use and Adaptation of the Material:

As blogging has evolved, so has its credibility as a communication medium. In its survey for its 2008 State of the Blogosphere Report , Technorati asked a statistically valid representative sample of bloggers world wide about the credibility of the blogging world. The results suggest blogging is becoming more credible as a source of information (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Perceptions of Blogs and Traditional Media. Source: Technorati 2008.

Explanation: Instead of creating an original chart or graph, the writer has used one from an outside source to support what the writer has to say; therefore the graph has been cited both in the textual introduction and also in the caption. If the writer had created an original chart, some of the facts might need citations (see example VIII).

6. Using Class Notes

Source: McKay, Mary. : “Messages in Modern Music.” Northwestern University.  Evanston, IL.  10 Mar. 2010.  Lecture. A. Born in USA--Springsteen's 7th, most popular album a. Recorded with songs on Nebraska album--therefore also about hardship 1. Nebraska about losers and killers b. About America today--Vietnam, nostalgia, unemployment, deterioration of family c. Opening song--many people missed the Vietnam message about how badly vets were treated. class notes--Messages in Modern Music A05 Professor Mary McKay--March 10, 2010

Use and Adaptation of the Material: As Professor McKay has pointed out, many of the songs in Born in the USA (Springsteen's seventh and most popular album), including the title song, were recorded with the songs on Nebraska . Consequently, Born in the USA is also about people who come to realize that life turns out harder and more hurtful than what they might have expected. However, while Nebraska deals with losers and killers, Born in the USA deals more locally with the crumbling of American society--its treatment of returning Vietnam veterans, its need to dwell on past glories, its unemployment and treatment of the unemployed, and the loss of family roots. This is apparent from the opening song of the album "Born in the USA" in which Springsteen sings from the perspective of a Vietnam Veteran.

Explanation: By mentioning Professor McKay’s name in the text itself, the writer has acknowledged that these ideas (which are not commonly held or the writer has not investigated to find out if they are commonly held) come from a lecture. In this instance, because there is no page number to cite, no parenthetical citation is necessary. A reader can go to the entry for McKay in the Works Cited list to find all the necessary specific information about the source.

7. Debatable Facts

Source: Craig, Gordon A. Europe Since 1815. New York: Dryden, 1974. Print. Page 370: In the campaigns of 1915, Russian casualties have been conservatively estimated at more than 2 million.

Source: Stavrianos, Leften.S. The World Since 1500. New York: Prentice Hall, 1966. Print. Page 438: By the end of the summer [of 1915] in addition to military casualties totaling 2,500,000 men, Russia had lost 15 percent of her territories. . . .

Response to the Material Estimates of the number of deaths in Russia during 1915 range from over two million (Craig 370)  to two and a half million (Stavrianos 438).

Explanation: The writer found different facts in different sources; therefore the "facts" needed to be documented.

8. Unusual Facts

Source: Enroth-Cugell, Christina, Lyle F. Mockros, and Robert A. Linsenmeier. “Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern, 1969-1999.” PDF File. Northwestern University Biomedical Engineering. Northwestern University, 4 Sept. 2001. Web. 3 August 2010. The majority of the biomedical engineering faculty from various departments in Tech believed that if the program at Northwestern was to maintain the worldwide reputation for excellence it had achieved and make further progress during the ensuing years, then the curriculum had to continue to include quantitative biology courses on the Evanston Campus. One compelling reason for advocating the reintroduction of such biology courses on the Evanston campus was that by the early 1970's approximately 40% of first year undergraduates in the engineering school were enrolling in the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Engineering Program.

Use and Adaptation of the Material: For decades, biomedical engineering has been one the most popular engineering majors at Northwestern. In fact, in the 1970’s roughly 40% of incoming engineering undergraduates entered the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Engineering Program (Enroth-Cugell, Mockros and Linsenmeier, 3)

Explanation: The writer found this fact in only one source and wants his reader to know where to find it.

B. Examples of Plagiarism

Failure to acknowledge the sources from which we borrow ideas, examples, words and the progression of thought constitutes plagiarism. Here are some examples.

1. Direct Plagiarism

Source Material From: Ekman, Paul, Wallace V. Friesen, and Phoebe Ellsworth.  Emotion in the Human Face: Guidelines for Research and an Integration of Findings . New York: Pergamon, 1972. Print.

Page 1: The human face in repose and in movement, at the moment of death as in life, in silence and in speech, when alone and with others, when seen or sensed from within, in actuality or as represented in art or recorded by the camera is a commanding, complicated, and at times confusing source of information. The face is commanding because of its very visibility and omnipresence. While sounds and speech are intermittent, the face even in repose can be informative. And, except by veils or masks, the face cannot be hidden from view. There is no facial maneuver equivalent to putting one's hands in one's pockets. Further, the face is the location for sensory inputs, life-necessary intake, and communicative output. The face is the site for the sense receptors of taste, smell, sight, and hearing, the intake organs for food, water, and air, and the output location for speech. The face is also commanding because of its role in early development; it is prior to language in the communication between parent and child.

Misuse of source (italicized passages indicate direct plagiarism): Many experts agree that the human face , whether in repose or in movement, is a commanding, complicated, and sometimes confusing source of information. The face is commanding because it's visible and omnipresent. Although sounds and speech may be intermittent, the face even in repose may give information. And, except by veils or masks, the face cannot be hidden. Also, the face is the location for sensory inputs, life-supporting intake, and communication.

Comment The plagiarized passage is an almost verbatim copy of the original source. The writer has compressed the author's opinions into fewer sentences by omitting several phrases and sentences. But this compression does not disguise the writer's reliance on this text for the concepts he passes off as his own. The writer tries to disguise his indebtedness by beginning with the phrase "Many experts agree that. . . . " This reference to "many experts" makes it appear that the writer was somehow acknowledging the work of scholars "too numerous to mention." The plagiarized passage makes several subtle changes in language (e.g., it changes "visibility and omnipresence" to "it's visible and omnipresent"). The writer has made the language seem more informal in keeping with his own writing style. He ignores any embellishments or additional information given in the source-passage. He contents himself with borrowing the sentence about how only masks and veils can hide the face, without using the follow-up elaboration about there not being a "facial equivalent to putting one's hands in one's pockets." He also reduces the source's list of the face's diverse activities at the end of the paragraph.

Had the writer enclosed the borrowed material in quotation marks and credited the authors of the Emotions book with a parenthetical citation, this would have been a legitimate use of a source.

2. The Mosaic

Source Material From: Fishman, Joshua. Language in Sociocultural Change. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1972. Print.

Page 67: In a relatively open and fluid society there will be few characteristics of lower-class speech that are not also present (albeit to a lesser extent) in the speech of the working and lower middle classes. Whether we look to phonological features such as those examined by Labov or to morphological units such as those reported by Fischer (1958) (Fischer studied the variation between -in' and -ing for the present participle ending, i.e. runnin' vs. running and found that the former realization was more common when children were talking to each other than when they were talking to him, more common among boys than girls, and more common among "typical boys" than among "model boys"), we find not a clear-cut cleavage between the social classes but a difference in rate of realization of particular variants of particular variables for particular contexts. Even the widely publicized distinction between the "restricted code" of lower-class speakers and the "elaborate code" of middle-class speakers (Bernstein 1964, 1966) is of this type, since Bernstein includes the cocktail party and the religious service among the social situations in which restricted codes are realized. Thus, even in the somewhat more stratified British setting, the middle class is found to share some of the features of what is considered to be "typically" lower-class speech. Obviously then, "typicality," if it has any meaning at all in relatively open societies, must refer largely to repertoire range rather than to unique features of the repertoire.

Misuse of source (italicized passages indicate direct plagiarism): In a relatively fluid society many characteristics of lower-class speech will also be found among the working and lower middle classes. Labov and Fischer's studies show that there is not a clear-cut cleavage between social classes but only a difference in the frequency of certain speech modes. All classes share certain speech patterns. The difference among classes would only be apparent by the frequency with which speech expressions or patterns appeared. By this standard, then, Bernstein's distinction between the "restricted code" of the lower-class speakers and the "elaborated code" of middle-class speakers is useful only up to a point, since Bernstein mentions cocktail parties and religious services as examples of "restricted speech" groupings. "Typicality" refers more to speech "range" than to particular speech features.

Comment While this passage contains relatively few direct borrowings from the original source, all its ideas and opinions are lifted from it. The writer hides her dependency on the source by translating its academic terms into more credible language for a novice in sociology. For example, the plagiarist steers clear of sophisticated terms like "phonological features," "morphological units," and "repertoire range." However, her substitutions are in themselves clues to her plagiarism, since they over-generalize the source's meaning. The writer seems to acknowledge secondary sources when she refers to Labov's and Fischer's studies, but she obviously has no first-hand knowledge of their research. If she had consulted these studies, she should have cited them directly and included them in the Works Cited list, rather than pretending that both she and her audience would be completely familiar with them. She intertwines her own opinions with the source and forms a confused, plagiarized mass.

The writer should have acknowledged her indebtedness to her source by eliminating borrowed phrases and crediting her paragraph as a paraphrase of the original material. She could also have put quotation marks around the borrowed phrases and cited them appropriately: “As Fishman explains, phonological studies by Labov and Fischer show that “there is not a clear-cut cleavage between social classes but only a difference” in the frequency of certain speech modes (Fishman 67).

3. Paraphrase

Source : The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. Cliffs Notes, n.d. Web. 4 August 2010.

THE DISCIPLINE OF THE CODE HERO If the old traditional values are no good anymore, if they will not serve man, what values then will serve man? Hemingway rejects things of abstract qualities courage, loyalty, honesty, bravery. These are all just words. What Hemingway would prefer to have are concrete things. For Hemingway a man can be courageous in battle on Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. But this does not mean that he will be courageous on Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock. A single act of courage does not mean that a man is by nature courageous. Or a man who has been courageous in war might not be courageous in some civil affair or in some other human endeavor. What Hemingway is searching for are absolute values, which will be the same, which will be constant at every moment of every day and every day of every week. Ultimately, therefore, for Hemingway the only value that will serve man is an innate faculty of self-discipline. This is a value that grows out of man's essential being, in his inner nature. If a man has discipline to face one thing on one day he will still possess that same degree of discipline on another day and in another situation. Thus Francis Macomber in the short story "The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber," has faced a charging animal, and once he has had the resolution to stand and confront this charging beast, he has developed within himself a discipline that will serve him in all situations. This control can function in almost any way in a Hemingway work.

Misuse of source: Hemingway tries to discover the values in life that will best serve man. Since Hemingway has rejected traditional values, he himself establishes a kind of "code" for his heroes. This code is better seen than spoken of. The Hemingway hero doesn't speak of abstract qualities like courage and honesty. He lives them. But this living of values entails continual performance the Hemingway hero is always having his values put to the test.

How can the hero be up to this continual test? Hemingway stresses the faculty of self-discipline as the backbone of all other virtues. Self-discipline places man's good qualities on a continuum. The dramatic change in Francis Macomber in "The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber" stems more from his new-found self-control than from any accidental combination of traits.

Comment This illustrates plagiarism since the writer used the notion of the "Hemingway code hero" presented in Cliffs Notes as the sole basis for his own essay. He has absorbed his source's concepts, re-phrased them, and, perhaps, made them simpler. But there is a one-to-one relationship between the development of ideas in the Cliffs Notes and the plagiarist’s rendition.

The first two sentences of the plagiarist's are directly borrowed from his source; the remaining sentences are more artfully disguised. The worst feature of this idea-copying is that it seems to be the end product of a close reading of Hemingway's "Short, Happy Life," the writer makes it appear that his comments are based on this short story.

The writing here would be acceptable if he had written the same paraphrase with the proper acknowledgement of his source.

4. Insufficient Acknowledgement

Source: Laven, Peter. Renaissance Italy: 1464-1534. New York: Capricorn, 1964. Print.

The tenacious particularism of the Italian state gave rise to a wide variety of constitutional solutions and class structures throughout Italy. Even conquered territories and those swallowed up by bigger neighboring powers often managed to retain much of their internal organization as it had been. If power changed hands, the instruments and forms of power usually remained the same. Since the economic needs of such territories did not suddenly alter with a change of government or master, those classes which had been important before the change tended to continue to be important afterwards as well. Only when the nature of the change was economic and social might there have been a reversal in the relationships of classes; but even in this there was no sudden revolution in the structure of classes.

Misuse of source: In his comprehensive study, Renaissance Italy , Peter Laven discusses the peculiar organization of Renaissance city-states: “The tenacious particularism of the Italian states gave rise to a wide variety of constitutional solutions and class structures throughout Italy. Even conquered territories and those swallowed up by bigger neighboring powers often managed to retain much of their internal organization as it had been”(130). This means that if power changed hands, the instruments and forms of power usually remained the same. Since the economic needs of such territories did not suddenly alter with a change of government or master, those classes which had been important before the change tended to continue to be important afterwards as well. Only when the nature of the change was economic and social might there have been a reversal in the relationships of classes; but even in this there was no sudden revolution in the structure of classes.

Comment This half-crediting of a source is a common form of plagiarism. It stems either from a desire to credit one's source and copy it too, or from ignorance as to where to footnote. The general rule is to footnote after rather than before your resource material. In this case, the plagiarist credits historian Peter Laven with two quoted sentences and then continues using the author without giving acknowledgement. The writer disguises the direct plagiarism as a paraphrase by using the falsely-explanatory phrase "This means that ..." in the third sentence. This example of plagiarism is especially reprehensible because the writer seemingly acknowledges his source--but not enough.

This guide was prepared with contributions from many people, including members of the Undergraduate Council. Mark Sheldon, Assistant Dean for Academic Integrity in WCAS, assisted with the organization of the document and worked with Barbara Shwom of the WCAS Writing Program to update the material. The section on attribution was written by Jean Smith of the WCAS Writing Program, with help from Bob Wiebe of the History Department. Contributors include Katrina Cucueco (Speech '96), Ryan Garino (CAS '98), Scott Goldstein (Tech '96), and Jean Smith and Ellen Wright of the Writing Program. The examples of plagiarism and comments are based upon Sources: Their Use and Acknowledgement (published by Dartmouth College).

For more on plagiarism, see Charles Lipson, Doing Honest Work in College. How to Prepare Citations, Avoid Plagiarism, and achieve Real Academic Success (Univ. of Chicago Press, 2004).

Paraphrase Tool to Avoid Plagiarism

Have you ever struggled with paraphrasing in your academic writing? Paraphrasing allows you to demonstrate your understanding of the material and avoid plagiarism but it can be challenging and time-consuming. That’s why we recommend using our free online paraphrasing tool.  

The tool will help you reword any text quickly and accurately, ensuring that your work is original. Keep reading to learn more about it and discover how to paraphrase to avoid plagiarism.

• ✔️ How to Use the Tool
• ⭐ Tool Benefits
• 🔤 Paraphrasing Definition
• 👩‍🏫 How to Paraphrase
• 🚩 Unacceptable Paraphrasing
• 🔎 References

✔️ How to Use the Paraphrase Tool to Avoid Plagiarism? 

Our online paraphrasing app has a user-friendly interface, so you can reword any text in a few clicks. We designed it with students in mind, considering their unique academic needs. 

Here’s a small guide on how to use our paraphrase tool to avoid plagiarism: 

• Copy and paste the passage into the field. 
• Choose the percentage of words that should be paraphrased. 
• Click the “Paraphrase” button and wait for the result. 

⭐ Paraphrase Without Plagiarism: Tool Benefits

Many benefits make our tool stand out among similar paraphrasing software. Let’s have a look at the main advantages!

🔤 Paraphrasing Definition in Writing

In academic writing, paraphrasing involves rewording or expressing information from a source in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. It is a valuable skill that allows you to incorporate ideas from others but avoid plagiarism . Paraphrasing also helps you demonstrate your understanding of the source material and convey it in your writing style.

How Are Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing Different? 

It is common for students to mistakenly confuse paraphrasing with quoting and summarizing, as all these skills contribute to plagiarism-free academic writing. However, understanding the distinctions between the three is crucial to boost your writing skills.

👩‍🏫 How to Properly Paraphrase to Avoid Plagiarism 

You can always use our paraphrase tool to avoid plagiarism. However, if you want to practice manual paraphrasing and master this skill, check out our guide. 

• Read the passage. Look for the main ideas, supporting details, and the overall message of the text. 
• Set the original aside. After understanding the text, put it aside and write from your memory to avoid unintentional plagiarism. 
• Check against the original. Once you have rewritten the passage in your own words, compare it to the original text to ensure accuracy. 
• Use signal phrases. To attribute ideas to the original source, incorporate signal phrases such as “One study found that…,” “According to Brown,” or “Brown notes that…”. 
• Quote any borrowed terms. If specific terms or phrases are unique to the source and cannot be paraphrased, use quotation marks to quote them. 
• Cite the source. Finally, ensure you provide a proper citation that includes the author, publication year, and other relevant details according to the appropriate citation style (such as APA, MLA, or Chicago). 

🚩 What Is Unacceptable Paraphrasing? 

Here is a list of signs that indicate unacceptable paraphrasing: 

• Word-for-word copying. The text mirrors the original too closely, using the same sentence structure and vocabulary without enclosing them in quotation marks. 
• Insufficient modification. Only a few words or phrases are changed from the source. 
• Failure to capture the essence. The paraphrased version fails to convey the source’s meaning or key points. 
• Excessive reliance on synonyms. Overusing synonyms without genuinely understanding the context and intended meaning of the original text can lead to flawed paraphrasing. 
• Lack of citation or attribution. It is unacceptable to paraphrase without clearly indicating the source or providing proper citation , as this can be considered plagiarism. 

Check out an example of incorrect and acceptable paraphrasing.

📍 Paraphrase to Avoid Plagiarism: FAQ

📍 what does it mean to paraphrase a source.

To paraphrase a source means to restate the information from that source in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. Paraphrasing involves comprehending the material, expressing it in a new way, and providing proper attribution to the source.

📍 Do you need quotation marks when paraphrasing?

No, you usually don’t need quotation marks when paraphrasing. However, quotation marks are necessary if you use specific terms from the original text that cannot be reworded. Even though paraphrases don’t require quotation marks, you should still provide in-text citations to acknowledge the source.

📍 What is one benefit of paraphrasing?

One benefit of paraphrasing is that it allows you to make connections between ideas by controlling how they are presented and making them sound natural. By using your words to rephrase information, you can better integrate it into your writing style and context. It can enhance clarity and help avoid plagiarism while conveying the original meaning.

📍 When would you want to directly quote a source over paraphrasing it?

It’s better to directly quote a source when the exact wording is crucial to your argument or when the author uses unique terms or especially vivid or strong language. For example, you should directly quote textual evidence from a book or poem for your literary analysis paper.

🔎 References 

• Quoting and Paraphrasing (MLA Style) | Loyola Marymount University  
• Paraphrasing Sources | Lumen  
• Paraphrasing & Quoting | Azusa Pacific University  
• Paraphrasing & Avoiding Plagiarism | TUS Library  
• Paraphrase: Write It in Your Own Words | Purdue Online Writing Lab  
• Avoiding Plagiarism | Johns Hopkins Sheridan Libraries  

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. If you continue, we will assume that you agree to our cookies

5 Ways to Avoid Plagiarism

Plagiarism — the use of someone else’s words or ideas in writing without proper attribution — is one of the easiest ways to ruin your academic or professional reputation. Just ask Senator John Walsh , whose Master’s degree from the United States War College was rescinded after it was discovered that he copied large portions of his final thesis without attribution. Or Benny Johnson , the BuzzFeed writer who was dismissed after Twitter users pointed out dozens of examples in his articles of “sentences or phrases copied word for word from other sites.”

As a law student, being scrupulous about avoiding plagiarism is particularly important, as a plagiarism violation could be used as evidence of poor “character and fitness” when you apply for admission to the bar. For lawyers already in practice, plagiarism can be grounds for professional discipline .

1. Use direct quotes - or don't quote at all 

Sometimes in your research you will come across a passage that makes a point so eloquently that you can’t imagine saying it any other way. There’s nothing wrong with copying such statements in your writing, but be careful how you do it. Just adding a citation to the source is not enough; you must also put the copied language in quotation marks . Without quotation marks, you are giving the reader the impression that you wrote the passage yourself.

2. Paraphrase with care 

Don’t assume that you can avoid using quotation marks simply because you are not copying the entire original passage verbatim. At Seton Hall Law, we define plagiarism to include copying 15 or more consecutive words without the use of quotation marks. This means that, when you are paraphrasing a long passage, if you leave any 15 consecutive words unchanged from the original, you need to include those words in quotation marks. Keep in mind that 15 words can be less than a single sentence.

3. Give credit where credit is due 

Even if you remember to insert quotation marks around any copied passage of 15 words or more, you can still commit plagiarism if you rely on someone else’s words or ideas without giving that person credit.

For example, assume you are writing a paper about the American legal system, and you come across a web site with the following passage: “In the American legal system, litigants are generally responsible for paying their own attorney’s fees, regardless of the outcome of the case. This means that people who can’t afford to hire a lawyer may effectively be denied access to justice.”

In your paper, you write, “People who don’t have enough money to hire lawyers are effectively denied access to justice in America, since litigants are generally required to pay their own lawyers no matter which side wins the case.”

You have successfully paraphrased the original sentence, so no quotation marks are needed. But you still need to include a citation to the original source, to make it clear to the reader that this is not your own personal insight, but rather an observation made by someone else.

4. Beware of cutting and pasting 

When doing research on the Internet, it is easy to get into the habit of cutting and pasting snippets of useful information into a text document, and then using that document as the basis for writing your first draft. This is very dangerous, as you can inadvertently mix up your original writing with material that has been copied.

If you must cut and paste, be scrupulous about putting any copied material in quotation marks and clearly indicating the source.

Even better, put any text you have cut and pasted into a different color or font than your own original writing, so that you can easily see what is yours and what is someone else’s.

5. Footnote as you go 

Even when you’re just writing a rough draft, it’s a good idea to insert footnotes — at least one per paragraph, and ideally even more.

The purpose of these footnotes is not to provide perfectly formatted citation information — you can wait to do that until later — but rather to provide enough basic information to remind you of the sources you have used. At this stage, don’t use terms like “id.” or “ibid.” for referring to previous citations; instead, insert the name of the sources in each footnote, so that you will remember where the material came from even if you later move your sentences around.

If you follow these simple steps, you will have no need to worry about inadvertently committing plagiarism. Moreover, you are likely to find that the quality of your writing improves when you make a concerted effort to speak in your own voice rather than the voice of someone else.

Think you might want to refer to this information again?  Download our one-page guide on ways to avoid plagiarism so this information is always at your fingertips!

photo credit: V.H. Belvadi's desk via photopin (license)

Topics: Advice and Tips , Writing

Written by Carl Coleman

• There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Welcome to  OFF THE RECORD

Tell the reader more.

Seton Hall Law professors, students, administrators and alumni share advice and experiences about law school and life beyond the bar exam.

SETON HALL | LAW

• Bullets are great
• For spelling out benefits and
• Turning visitors into leads.

Recent Posts

Posts by topic.

• Advice and Tips (55)
• Student Life (45)
• Admissions (29)
• Classes and Courses (26)
• Internships/Jobs (17)
• Experiential Learning (15)
• Faculty (9)
• Writing (9)
• Clinics (8)
• Financial Aid (6)
• Graduate Programs (6)
• Compliance (2)
• Health Law (2)
• Library (2)
• Law Journals (1)

Subscribe to Email Updates

Seton Hall University School of Law One Newark Center 1109 Raymond Boulevard Newark, New Jersey 07102 973-642-8500

Directions | Map

Plagiarism and How to Avoid It Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Examples of plagiarism, reference list.

Plagiarism and other unfair practices are a problem for international students. This has resulted from increased use of other people’s inventions and ideas in learning institutions by lecturers without giving due credit to the sources of these ideas (Hall, 2004, para.1).

Plagiarism is described as a fraud in the sense that people obtain other people’s original ideas and cite them as their own inventions without crediting their source. Some students copy other people’s work directly from various sources such as books, articles or internet articles and present it as their own original work. Where an individual uses another person’s ideas and consequently fail to acknowledge the source of the information, such an act leads to plagiarism (Hall, 2004, para. 2).

Many people commit the act unconsciously. In a given case, one can find information which is relevant to the study or research being conducted thus copying it directly or does not give credit to the author. To avoid plagiarism, the researcher must ensure that the work being presented is legitimate.

Example of plagiarism- From 1945 onwards, there has been a fundamental hypothesis that poorer countries of the world are slowly developing towards the western model. In addition, there has been a view that the international aid policy should be geared to this end. Many Arab countries for example Japan-restructured under US guidance after 1945, believe in this hypothesis. The word bank categorizes countries either as high, middle and low income.

The low income countries are characterized by high levels of deceases, poverty, and are working hard with the help of high and middle countries to assist the improve their living standards by assuming western-style economic managements and institutions. This phrase is plagiarized and to some extent the original meaning intended by the author is changed.

Also, the source of the information is not reflected in the text. To avoid plagiarism, this phrase should have been presented as follows; since the World War II, countries which were poorly developed are believed to be adopting western style with examples of Japan (currently developed) in order to develop. This has created levels of development among the developed and developing countries (Buckley, 2004, p.7).

The second example of plagiarism is also illustrated as follows; a person can be a good conversationalist by being a good listener. When one is conversing with someone else, he / she should pay close attention to the words of the speaker and also looking at his or her face. One should show the interest by smiling and/or nodding.

In addition, one should not interrupt while the other is speaking: this is impolite. If one has a good story, he / she should wait until the speaker has finished. To add on this, one should watch the body language as can affect the communication whether one is the speaker or the listener. For instance, one should not sit slumped in a chair or make nervous hand and foot movements. One should be relaxed and bending the body slightly forward to show interest in the person and the conversation.

This phrase lacks the source of this information. Also, it is apparent that the information has been obtained from another source and changed to represent the third person.

To avoid plagiarism, this should have been presented as follows; conversation flows as expected and smoothly if the parties involved are paying attention to each other’s message, avoiding interruptions, showing positive responses and observing correct body languages. Ones behavior during conversation dictates much to the speaker of the kind of a listener a person is. Therefore, it is vital if one observes the necessary requirements during conversation (University of Portsmouth, 2008, p.27).

It is vital for writers to avoid plagiarism. This can only be attained if the sources used are properly documented and cited. Recognizing works of other people can be attained via use of footnotes, parenthetical references, or endnotes. In addition, at the end of the research paper, reference list or work cited page should be created Stanford University Libraries (2008, para.2).

Buckley, R. 2004. The Global village: challenges for a shrinking planet . USA: Garnet Publishing.

Hall, B. 2004. What is plagiarism and why it is important? Bloomington: Herman B Wells Library.

Stamford Universities Library.2008 . Plagiarism; how to avoid it . Stamford: Stamford Universities library.

University of Portsmouth. 2008. Academic Writing . Portsmouth: University of Portsmouth.

• Illegally downloading copyrighted material
• The Patent Rights and Its Importance
• Plagiarism: For and Against
• The Price of the Plagiarism
• Plagiarism Effects and Strategies
• Protection of Inventors Ideas
• What New Media Will Look Like in 2023: A Time Travel Into the Era When Innovations Clash With Ownership Issues
• Copyright Infringement
• Has the digital age rendered copyright obsolete?
• The control of intellectual property has played an important role in the development of media technologies
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2019, April 18). Plagiarism and How to Avoid It. https://ivypanda.com/essays/plagiarism-essay/

"Plagiarism and How to Avoid It." IvyPanda , 18 Apr. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/plagiarism-essay/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Plagiarism and How to Avoid It'. 18 April.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Plagiarism and How to Avoid It." April 18, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/plagiarism-essay/.

1. IvyPanda . "Plagiarism and How to Avoid It." April 18, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/plagiarism-essay/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Plagiarism and How to Avoid It." April 18, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/plagiarism-essay/.

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

• Basic site functions
• Ensuring secure, safe transactions
• Secure account login
• Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
• Remembering privacy and security settings
• Analyzing site traffic and usage
• Personalized search, content, and recommendations
• Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

• Remembering general and regional preferences
• Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy .

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy .

07 Dec How to Avoid Plagiarism in Essay Writing: Five Easy Methods

The trickiest part in writing an essay is how to avoid plagiarism. You may be passing somebody else’s work as your own in your paper and not even know about it.

However, such carelessly done work may cost you your degree. Here are five easy methods to adopt if you wish to be fair in your essay writing assignment.

Also, if you wish to be fair in creating and managing client websites try WPMU DEV. WPMU DEV’s all-in-one WordPress platform combines multiple tools and licenses into one – allowing you to save money and streamline your development workflow. Get 20% off any of their plans .

Table of Contents

1. Cite Your Source

If you wish to avoid plagiarism, you must first understand it correctly. Once you know this, you will automatically realize the importance of citing your sources correctly. So, what constitutes plagiarism? Students often don’t even realize that they have plagiarized someone else’s work.

Plagiarism means using somebody else’s work as your own, whether accidentally or deliberately. Your academic authorities will treat it as an offense in both situations. Therefore, you must understand its seriousness and be careful when writing an essay.

If you are still confused, there are ways to get your essay checked by professional writers for plagiarism. Some of the best essay writing services in the USA offer to revise your paper, removing all traces of plagiarism from it. Hence, ensure that you get the best grades in your assignment.

Make sure that you cite according to the standard of the citation style you are required to follow. However, the problem arises when you don’t remember the source of the idea you have mentioned in your essay, leading to accidental plagiarism.

Being thoroughly organized in your work is the best way to avoid it. It would help if you prepared your notes after thorough study, well before you sit down to write your essay. It would help if you remembered to keep your notes as self-explanatory as you can.

Don’t forget to highlight the ideas that are not yours and need to be cited in the final essay. Mention the source in your notes to make it convenient to cite. Keep a detailed record of all the sources you have studied for your essay, whether it’s a research paper, a journal, a website, or a magazine article.

Doing this will make your life more accessible and your task easily manageable. You must also remember to mark any quotes you intend to use in your essay. So, if you are concerned about avoiding plagiarism in your essay, correct citation of outside sources is the easiest way.

2. Paraphrase With Care

Why? Mainly because your essay should be a concoction of pictures and words from other authors and your understanding of the research. Your analysis and interpretation must also be visible in your work. Paraphrasing a passage from a source allows you to express your knowledge of the original text in your own words, making your ideas dominate your essay.

However, the problem is many writers don’t understand what constitutes paraphrasing. It surely does not mean substituting a few words from the original text and calling it your own. Paraphrasing means rewriting the source’s ideas as you have interpreted them, hence, presenting your understanding of the original text.

However, the trick is to keep the original vision intact. Even if you have paraphrased from a source, it will still be considered somebody else’s viewpoint. So, you must cite it according to your citation style.

3. Beware of Cutting and Pasting

Cutting and pasting from a magazine or a website is a great temptation for many students who think their professor will not identify the source. However, this is a grave ethical offense you will be committing if you fall for the temptation.

Don’t be over-smart. Your professor will eventually find out about it, costing you your grade. Some students are tempted to copy from their previous work committing self-plagiarism. Your professor may still consider this unethical, especially if the publisher hasn’t allowed it to be reused.

4. Include Quotations

One of the ways to use outside sources is by quoting the actual text word-by-word. However, don’t forget to introduce the text in your own words. Quotes are always enclosed within inverted commas and proper reference within brackets.

Remember, the beauty of your essay exists if you don’t quote excessively. Too many quotes will spoil the originality of your writing. It would also help to refrain from using very long quotations in your text.

5. Use a Plagiarism Checker

Once your essay is complete, your primary concern will be to check it for grammatical errors and accidental plagiarism. Run it through a plagiarism checker to check for the most common plagiarism errors that include;

• Incorrectly paraphrased text;
• Incorrect or missed citations;
• Quoting without quotation marks;
• Missing sources in the final reference list.

An authentic plagiarism checker will scan your document against possible intellectual property violations. It will identify any instances where you have accidentally committed plagiarism and highlight them for your convenience.

Once the errors are identified, your next concern will be how to get out of plagiarism in your essay. The easy answer is, follow the methods mentioned above and make your essay plagiarism-free. So, running your paper through a plagiarism checker is a good idea before the final submission of your essay.

Avoiding plagiarism in essay writing is a pertinent topic in today’s time when colleges and universities exercise a no-tolerance policy towards plagiarism. Follow these five easy methods to eliminate any traces of plagiarism in your essay and produce a top-grade piece for final submission. On the other hand, there are other solutions – you can buy essay on PaperWriter , to make sure you pass that plagiarism test.

Editorial Staff

Editorial Staff at 85ideas is a team of WordPress experts led by Brian Harris. Here to share amazing tuts, guides and collections.

No Comments

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• +44 (0) 207 391 9032

Recent Posts

• What Is an Adjective: Types, Uses, and Examples

How to Write a Reflective Essay

• Abstract vs. Introduction: What’s the Difference?
• How Do AI detectors Work? Breaking Down the Algorithm
• What is a Literature Review? Definition, Types, and Examples
• Why Is Your CV Getting Rejected and How to Avoid It
• Where to Find Images for Presentations
• What Is an Internship? Everything You Should Know
• How Long Should a Thesis Statement Be?
• How to Write a Character Analysis Essay
• Academic News
• Custom Essays
• Dissertation Writing
• Essay Marking
• Essay Writing
• Essay Writing Companies
• Model Essays
• Model Exam Answers
• Oxbridge Essays Updates
• PhD Writing
• Significant Academics
• Student News
• Study Skills
• University Applications
• University Essays
• University Life
• Writing Tips

How to really avoid plagiarism in essay writing

(Last updated: 13 May 2021)

Since 2006, Oxbridge Essays has been the UK’s leading paid essay-writing and dissertation service

We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.

Today we are talking about avoiding plagiarism. Oh, plagiarism – the nemesis of so many a student, and so many a university institution. Students dislike it because it’s an easy trap to fall into; universities loathe it because too many students aren’t aware of what it really is and how to avoid it.

We get asked a lot of questions about plagiarism; what it means, what is acceptable, and what is not acceptable. Fortunately, we know an awful lot about plagiarism, and we’re here to clear up many of the misconceptions out there.

In this article, we’ll outline some of the main aspects of plagiarism and what you should (and should not) do when writing an academic paper.

What constitutes plagiarism?

What exactly is plagiarism? To help us understand the answer to this question, let's look at the Cambridge Dictionary definition :

"Plagiarise (verb): to use another person's ideas or work and pretend that it is your own."

The key in this definition is "pretend". In all of your essay and dissertation writing at university level and above, you cannot attempt to pass off any words, phrases or specific authors' ideas off as your own.

But what kind of behaviour is and isn't allowed under general university regulations?

Let’s start with the obvious; you cannot just buy an essay and submit it wholly in its original form to your instructor. This is using someone else’s work and is outright cheating. You also shouldn’t have a friend write it for you, or copy parts of your friend’s assignment. Not only can this get you in trouble, but probably your friend as well. Plus, who is to say that your friend is a better writer than you anyways?

Let’s keep going. Did you also know that you can’t resubmit an assignment for one class that you previously submitted to another? That’s known as self-plagiarism and it’s also a big no-no.

Universities around the world take academic integrity very seriously. In fact there’s usually a code of conduct as a part of each university framework which each student should read. Plagiarism is one part of academic integrity, and it’s something that you, as a student, should take seriously too. It’s important to remember that the rules you had in secondary school may not apply and the rules you have in your home country may not apply. The rules aren’t that difficult once you know them, but you have to actually know them in the first place.

So, you might be asking, why should you care? Well, first of all, if you are caught plagiarising, bad things can happen.

We’ll discuss the bad stuff first, before we work on how you can avoid it. At many universities, if you are suspected of an academic offence, which includes plagiarism, you first have to meet with your instructor. If you are found to have plagiarised, you could get a mark of zero or get referred to the Dean/Departmental Head for sanctions. For more serious issues there may be a tribunal and you could ultimately be dismissed from the school. Wouldn’t you rather be spending your time elsewhere, not dealing with an academic offence?

Instructors, professors and administrators are commonly told, “But I didn’t know I was committing an academic offence!”. Universities generally hold the position that it is your responsibility to know, so this is not a good excuse. We refer you back to the statement above where it says to read the code of conduct for your university. As a student, you are expected to know the rules, so pleading ignorance just isn’t acceptable.

All of this negative information is not meant to scare you, but is really meant to clarify what simply is not okay. It is important to also know what you can do. Here are some common points and questions and our best answers.

Referencing and citing

A piece of academic writing needs to be your own thoughts, but when you get to university level, your professors are going to expect more from you than just your own opinions. They are going to expect you to read, and then to incorporate that reading into your own writing to help you to formulate and support your arguments. This means you are going to have to reference other people’s work.

Why should I reference?

One of the main reasons why you should reference is that it actually shows your instructor that you have done the reading. Those who read should get credit for it. You want to show your instructor that you have actually read a wide range of sources and that you have been able to integrate those points effectively into your own argument. This is in addition to the fact that you should reference because sometimes the opinions you are giving aren’t your own. And if you are using someone else’s opinions, you should give them credit.

So, then when should I reference?

Many undergraduate students think that they should reference pretty much every sentence, but this is not the case. You should only include sources that you have actually read and that are relevant to your assignment topic. But that’s a whole other story on how to write an academic paper. In order to avoid plagiarism, you should reference if you use someone else’s idea in your assignment. You do not need to reference if what you are saying is common knowledge.

How do I know what’s an opinion and what’s common knowledge?

Common knowledge is a fact, so for example if you said, the capital of Canada is Ottawa, or that the Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci, or that World War I began in 1914 or that smoking is harmful…you wouldn’t need to provide a reference. It’s easily verified or taken for granted. You need to start referencing when you move away from these generic ideas to ones that identify the authors’ position in some way. So if it’s someone else’s idea, you need a reference.

How do I reference?

The first thing you should do is determine what referencing style your department uses. Many instructors will tell you in your course syllabus, but if you are unsure, ask your TA or your professor. Different referencing styles mean different formatting rules, so make sure to read up on the one that is applicable to you. If you are unsure, there are some really good guides available on the internet and each referencing style has its own website with specific guidelines. Some are easier to make sense of than others.

In addition, there are different ways to incorporate other people’s ideas into your own work. Typically, you’re either using direct quotes or you are paraphrasing. If you are using direct quotes, you need quotation marks. You also need to know where the quote has come from – like the page number. Keeping good notes is important. For example, let’s say you are reading a textbook and you come across a passage that you think is really important. You then copy down this passage into your notebook. Three weeks later, you are reading through your notes trying to write your assignment. You come across the passage and now you incorporate that into your assignment…but you don’t reference it. That’s plagiarism. Careful note taking would have ensured that you maintained your academic integrity.

In addition, think about the formatting of longer quotes. Some referencing styles want longer quotes to be separate from the other text and indented further from the margin. Check which rules apply to the referencing style you are using in order to ensure success.

Paraphrasing means to read someone else’s work and then to highlight the main points in your own words. If you paraphrase, you still need to provide a reference. If you are highlighting a specific passage you will need the author, year of publication and the page number. If you are just generally discussing the work, usually just the author and the year will do. Again, check the guidelines of your referencing style to make sure you get it right. With paraphrasing, it is not OK to just change a few words and then say it is your own. You still need a reference. Always.

What should appear in my reference list or footnotes?

In your reference list or your footnotes, you should record the works cited in your paper. The general rule is, if the author appears in your paper, you should reference them in your bibliography, reference list or footnotes. If the author does not appear in your paper, but you have just done some additional reading, the reference does not need to appear. This is assuming that you have correctly cited the ideas in your paper to the appropriate authors.

Seeking help

English is not my first language and i am concerned that my essay will not be edited properly or have the correct grammar. can i get help.

Yes! It is certainly acceptable to seek help with grammatical or structural concerns. There are a few things you should recognise, however, in relation to plagiarism. First, if you take your work to an editor and they make substantial changes to it, this can often be seen as plagiarism. This is because the original work has now been altered to a point where it is not your original thoughts, and so this can get you in trouble.

As for grammar, the rules seem a bit more unclear. Some universities will allow you to employ someone to check your grammar; others want you to state in your paper that you have employed the services of a proof-reader. Some universities reserve proofreading for graduate-level work and prohibit undergraduates from using this service – others are more flexible. So, here, we again suggest checking the regulations of your school before asking for someone to make changes to your paper.

You also should not write your paper in your first language and run it through translation software (e.g. Google Translate). This is generally considered plagiarism. This is because the words that you are obtaining from the translation software program are not technically your words. In addition to the fact that you should not do this, it also is not a very good strategy from practical purposes. Translation software is not yet at the stage where the sentences come across very coherent; the grammar is often still questionable. Also, when writing a paragraph, the way something is composed in a second language is not the same as the way it would be in English. So while plagiarism may be the concern with this strategy, it is generally one that should be avoided.

If I am completely lost with an assignment, can I ask for help?

Yes. Asking for help is great. There is no reason that you should try and struggle through an assignment all on your own, especially if you are really unclear about the topic. Yet there are certain people you should probably focus on more than others. First, ask your professor or the teaching assistant for help. They are going to be the ones marking your work, so they are a great first point of contact. On the contrary, you should probably not ask your friends for help, especially if they are in your class. This is because if you work with another person in your class on an assignment, this can become collusion. While you don’t need to know the finer details of this, it can get both you and your friend in a bit of trouble.

A solution to this would be to seek outside assistance. This can come in various forms. Firstly, you could find a private tutor – someone who can help you to organise your ideas and thoughts and explain what a good paper/paragraph can actually look like.

Secondly, using a professionally written model essay as inspiration for your own writing can be extremely helpful. Remember, you can't submit a model essay and try to pass it off as your own. But you can learn from it, paying attention to the language used, the way sentences and the argument are crafted, and how the essay flows (and more).

Be careful, though – the web is a minefield of poorly written essays and you may be asked to pay money for work that is very substandard. Not only will this be expensive and not provide much help, a bad essay could actually make your essay writing skills worse . Instead, use a reputable, trusted, British company, like us folk here at Oxbridge Essays .

We are meticulous in choosing the academic writers we hire. We ensure they have only studied at top universities and institutions, including Oxford and Cambridge, and that they are experts in their field(s). This means the work we produce is of the highest quality and academic standard. Choosing a trusted company like us will not only help you greatly with your studies, but will save you precious time searching for the right resources. What's more, all of the essays we write are 100% original, so you can be certain we haven't just recycled an essay from a stockpile; we tailor our service to every individual student's needs.

Universities generally have few rules about tutors, because while they want students to work independently, they also recognise that many students need a bit of extra help. This is where tutoring and support can be really valuable . It can cost a bit of extra money to get this support. But it may be worth it in the long run if you get a distinction score in the class, which eventually leads to more job opportunities.

In summary…

Plagiarism may seem like a complicated issue, but it is really very closely aligned with honesty. The university you are enrolled in wants you to act with a certain element of integrity and wants to make sure that you are responsible for the work that you have created. Make sure you know the rules of the university at the beginning, not after the fact. Get help when you need it and give credit where it is due.

Essay exams: how to answer ‘To what extent…’

How to write a master’s essay.

• academic convention
• academic writing
• writing tips

Writing Services

• Essay Plans
• Critical Reviews
• Literature Reviews
• Presentations
• Dissertation Title Creation
• Dissertation Proposals
• Dissertation Chapters
• PhD Proposals
• Journal Publication
• CV Writing Service
• Business Proofreading Services

Editing Services

• Proofreading Service
• Editing Service
• Academic Editing Service

Additional Services

• Marking Services
• Consultation Calls
• Personal Statements
• Tutoring Services

Our Company

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Become a Writer

Terms & Policies

• Fair Use Policy
• Policy for Students in England
• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Writing Service Examples
• Editing Service Examples
• Marking Service Examples
• Tutoring Service Examples
• [email protected]
• Contact Form

Payment Methods

Cryptocurrency payments.

How to Avoid and Fix Plagiarism in Your Essays?

What is Considered Plagiarism?

This blog post will clear up any confusion you may have about plagiarism. First, we'll define the term and discuss the different types of plagiarism. We'll then go on to discuss the consequences of plagiarism and what you can do to avoid it, including ways how to avoid accidental plagiarism. Pro tip: if you're in a hurry, just make sure to jump to the article section that includes the top 3 ways to avoid plagiarism – we guarantee that this valuable information will make your academic life much easier!

Direct Plagiarism

Direct plagiarism is the act of copying someone else's work word-for-word without giving credit to the original author. This can include copying text from a book, article, or website. It can also include copying another student's essay or using someone else's ideas without giving them credit. 

One way to fix plagiarism is to properly cite your sources using in-text citations and a reference list. When in doubt, it's always better to err on the side of caution and give credit to the original author. Another thing that would help would be to learn how to write an essay outline and follow it step-by-step to ensure you don't miss out on where you need to cite your sources. And, if you're still unsure, you can always recruit report writing services to ensure your work is up to par.

Mosaic Plagiarism

Mosaic plagiarism is a form of plagiarism that occurs when a person borrows ideas or language from another source and combines them with their own original work. While it may not be immediately obvious, it can be just as serious as copying and pasting direct quotations word-for-word. After all, you are still using someone else's ideas without giving credit, which is dishonest and illegal in many cases.

It's worth highlighting that mosaic plagiarism can be quite harmful. Not only does it lead to lower grades and potential disciplinary action from schools, but it also deprives students of the opportunity to learn how to cite credible sources properly. In addition, it can make it difficult for readers to understand where the borrowed information came from. 

If you're unsure how to avoid plagiarism, the best thing to do is cite all your sources. That way, you can prevent any potential issues altogether.

Minimal References to Partial Quotations

Another type of plagiarism is minimal reference to partial quotations plagiarism, which occurs when you use a small portion of someone else's work but don't give them credit. For example, this might happen if you quote a sentence or two from a book without including the author's name or forget to use quotation marks.

For example, let's say you're writing a research paper about the causes of the American Civil War. You come across the following sentence in a book: "The North and South had different views on slavery, which was a major cause of the Civil War." If you were to use this sentence in your paper without including a reference or quotation marks, it would be plagiarism. 

Even if you haven't duplicated the statement directly, you still use someone else's ideas without giving them fair credit.

So, if you want to learn how to fix plagiarism, include a reference to the original source. This is one of the top tips to avoid plagiarism – don't forget to cite your sources!

Paraphrasing Without Citation

Paraphrasing is when you take someone else's idea or concept and explain it in your own words. This is a common practice in academic writing, as it allows you to avoid direct quotes and helps you to synthesize information from multiple sources. However, it is important to ensure you are not simply copying the original author's ideas without giving credit.

Alternatively, you can use a citation machine plagiarism checker to keep track of your citations. This plagiarism detector allows you to see whether you have committed accidental plagiarism in your writing. This way, you will be able to use your own words and ensure that your paper is original.

Inadequate Citation of the Paraphrase

Properly citing your sources is an important part of academic writing and a very important tip on how to avoid plagiarism. Inadequate citation of a paraphrase occurs when you fail to provide enough information about the source material.

For example, simply including the author's last name is insufficient; you should have the page number or other specific reference point. Failing to cite a paraphrase properly can make it seem like you are trying to pass off someone else's ideas as your own. Therefore, the best way to avoid plagiarism is to be clear and concise when citing sources in your work. And, if you want to be extra cautious, you could always buy an essay from a reputable essay writing service!

Plagiarism in Graphs, Charts, Figures, or Images

Graphs, charts, figures, and pictures are frequently used to convey information concisely and attractively. However, it is important to remember that these materials are also protected by copyright law. In addition, failure to cite their source may be considered plagiarism, so it's essential to know how to deal with plagiarism.

There are a few different ways to avoid plagiarism when using graphs, charts, figures, or images. So, if you're wondering which technique is useful for avoiding plagiarism, we have two options for you. One is to create your own original content. Another option is to use materials that are in the public domain or that have been licensed for reuse. If you do use someone else's work, be sure to attribute it appropriately. This way, you'll be able to prevent plagiarism and avoid being accused of accidental plagiarism.

Misrepresenting Material as "Common Knowledge"

Even if something may be considered "common knowledge," that doesn't mean you can automatically assume it's okay to use without crediting the source. Misrepresenting material as common knowledge is one of the most severe types of plagiarism. Here's why:

For starters, what is considered common knowledge can vary depending on the context. For example, just because everyone in your class knows about a particular historical event doesn't mean it's considered common knowledge in history.

You can fix plagiarism by crediting your sources - even for something that is "common knowledge." Constantly asking yourself how to get rid of plagiarism shows that you're committed to academic integrity and ensures that your work will be trustworthy.

How Turnitin Detects Plagiarism?

First off, if you're unfamiliar with it, Turnitin is one of the most widely used plagiarism checkers in academia. More specifically, it is plagiarism detection software that instructors use to check student papers. This way, they can ensure that you have created your own work, used your own ideas, and appropriate in-text citations and quotation marks to specify the parts where you're referencing other people's works.

Now, it's interesting to see how Turnitin can detect plagiarism in your work. To do so, it compares each paper against a database of billions of web pages and other documents, looking for passages that match or closely resemble the text in the article. If Turnitin finds a match, it will flag the paragraph and provide a link to the source of the matching text.

In addition, Turnitin uses a proprietary algorithm to calculate a "plagiarism score" for each paper. This score includes a percentage of matching text, the length of the document, and the number of cited sources. Instructors can use these scores to identify papers that may contain plagiarized content quickly.

It's worth pointing out that since Turnitin also detects accidental plagiarism, you must be mindful of how to avoid unintentional plagiarism. For example, use a citation checker, and, particularly if you're short on time, recruit a seasoned writer to write an essay for you.

Consequences of Plagiarism

Every year, thousands of students are caught plagiarizing. Colleges take plagiarism seriously, so you must know the risks before submitting work. The consequences for plagiarism are severe and may include, but are not limited to, the following courses of disciplinary action by academic institutions:

• Academic probation.
• Assignment failure.
• Course failure.
• Suspension.
• Program or institution dismissal.

If you are found to have plagiarized work, you'll probably be put on academic probation, which means you'll be closely monitored for a while. Any further infractions could result in harsher penalties. Failure to complete the assignment or course is another possibility. In addition, you may receive a failing grade for the entire class if you plagiarize on an important task, including if you commit self plagiarism. Finally, in some cases, plagiarism has even resulted in students being suspended or even dismissed from their program or school.

You can see why it's crucial to fully understand what you can do to avoid, as well as how to fix plagiarism. But, of course, if you find yourself at a loss, you can always look for 'write an essay for me' services.

How to Avoid Plagiarism in Your Writing

With the advent of the internet, finding information on any topic is easy. However, it's also easy to commit accidental plagiarism, even if you use a few words from someone else's work. Whether you're a student, a blogger, or a professional writer, it's essential to make sure you're using your own words and ideas. Even if you’re worried about how to write a hook for an essay or need graduate essay help - don't hesitate to seek it. Plagiarism can result in a loss of credibility; in some cases, it can even lead to legal penalties.

So, what's the best way to avoid plagiarism? First, take a look at our tips below on how to avoid plagiarism in 5 easy steps:

Use In-Text Citations

One of the best ways to avoid plagiarism is to use in-text citations and brief references inside parentheses that tell the reader where you got your information. For example, if you're quoting from a book, you would include the author's last name and the page number, like this: (Smith 12). Remember that this is a simplified example; your course guidelines will show you what the requested format is – like, say, that you need to use an APA citation style.

Use Quotations

Quotations and quotation marks enable you to incorporate the thoughts of others into your paper while still maintaining your own voice. When using quotations, attribute them to the correct source and use quotation marks. By doing so, you'll be able to avoid having pieces of articles plagiarized and still get your point across.

Enrich with Your Thoughts

What does enriching your thoughts entail? It means using your own words to express someone else's ideas, thinking deeply about the material without having articles plagiarized, and coming up with your own interpretations. When you do this, seek ways how do you avoid plagiarism and deepen your understanding of the material.

Use Plagiarism Checkers

Plagiarism detectors are programs that scan your paper and run a plagiarism check for matching text, and flag any passages that might be suspect. By using plagiarism detectors before you submit your papers, you can be sure that you're not accidentally stealing someone else's work. So, if you want to avoid the consequences of plagiarism, be sure to use a plagiarism checker.

Don't Forget the Reference Page

When taking notes, write down the author, title, and publication date for each source. When you are ready to write your paper, consult your notes and create a list of sources you need to reference. For each source, including the author's last name, the date of publication, and the page number(s) you consulted. If you are unsure how to format a particular reference, turn to a style guide or ask your professor for help. By taking the time to compile your bibliography properly, you can ensure that your work is scholarly and accurate. If you have trouble with creating a reference page, an essay writing service could take care of that for you! We have a huge team of college essay writers for hire .

Example of a Plagiarized Work Contrasted with the Proper Paraphrasing

Here is a sample of avoiding plagiarism in your essays:

It is no secret that many students plagiarize their college essays. In fact, a study by Turnitin found that over 86% of high school students have admitted to plagiarizing at least once (Turnitin, 2017). With the ease of access to information online, it has become all too easy for students to simply copy and paste someone else's work and pass it off as their own. While this might seem like a quick and easy way to get a good grade, it can actually lead to serious consequences. Not only can plagiarism result in a failing grade on an assignment, but it can also lead to expulsion from school.

Alternative Text with Plagiarism:

Many students plagiarize their college essays. According to a Turnitin research, more than 86% of high school students admitted to plagiarizing at least once. It has become all too easy for students to simply copy and paste someone else's work with the ease of access to information online. Although this may look to be a quick and easy way to achieve a good grade, it might have serious consequences. Plagiarism can result in not just a poor mark on an assignment, but potentially expulsion from school.

Alternative Text with Correct Citations and Paraphrasing:

A Turnitin survey found that plagiarism is a significant issue for college students, with more than 86% of high school students confessing to committing it at least once (Turnitin, 2017). Because of how simple it is to get material on the internet, it is all too simple for students to copy and paste someone else's paper while claiming it as their property. Although it would seem like a simple and fast approach to earn a decent score, doing so might really have negative effects. Plagiarism not only increases the likelihood of receiving a failing mark on a project but also of being expelled from college.

Frequently asked questions

She was flawless! first time using a website like this, I've ordered article review and i totally adored it! grammar punctuation, content - everything was on point

This writer is my go to, because whenever I need someone who I can trust my task to - I hire Joy. She wrote almost every paper for me for the last 2 years

Term paper done up to a highest standard, no revisions, perfect communication. 10s across the board!!!!!!!

I send him instructions and that's it. my paper was done 10 hours later, no stupid questions, he nailed it.

Sometimes I wonder if Michael is secretly a professor because he literally knows everything. HE DID SO WELL THAT MY PROF SHOWED MY PAPER AS AN EXAMPLE. unbelievable, many thanks

New posts to your inbox!

Stay in touch

• Utility Menu

fa3d988da6f218669ec27d6b6019a0cd

A publication of the harvard college writing program.

Harvard Guide to Using Sources 

• The Honor Code
• How to Avoid Plagiarism

It's not enough to know why plagiarism is taken so seriously in the academic world or to know how to recognize it. You also need to know how to avoid it.

The simplest cases of plagiarism to avoid are the intentional ones: If you copy a paper from a classmate, buy a paper from the Internet, copy material from a book, article, podcast, video, or website without citing the author, you are plagiarizing. Here's the best advice you'll ever receive about avoiding intentional plagiarism: If you're tempted to borrow someone else's ideas or plagiarize in any way because you're pressed for time, nervous about how you're doing in a class, or confused about the assignment, don't do it . The problems you think you're solving by plagiarizing are really minor compared to the problems you will create for yourself by plagiarizing. In every case, the consequences of plagiarism are much more serious than the consequences of turning in a paper late or turning in a paper you're not satisfied to have written.

The consequences of accidental plagiarism are equally daunting and should be avoided at all costs. As a member of an intellectual community you are expected to respect the ideas of others in the same way that you would respect any other property that didn't belong to you, and this is true whether you plagiarize on purpose or by accident. The best way to make sure you don't plagiarize due to confusion or carelessness is to 1) understand what you're doing when you write a paper and 2) follow a method that is systematic and careful as you do your research . In other words, if you have a clear sense of what question you're trying to answer and what knowledge you're building on, and if you keep careful, clear notes along the way, it's much easier to use sources effectively and responsibly and, most of all, to write a successful paper.

If you have questions about plagiarism at any point in your research or writing process, ask. It's always better to ask questions than it is to wait for an instructor to respond to work that you have turned in for a grade. Once you have turned in your final work, you will be held responsible for misuse of sources.

Keep Track of Your Sources; Save PDFs or Print Electronic Source

While it's easy enough to keep a stack of books or journal articles on your desk where you can easily refer back to them, it's just as important to keep track of electronic sources. When you save a PDF of a journal article, make sure you put it into a folder on your computer where you'll be able to find it. When you consult a website, log the URL in a separate document from the paper you're writing so that you'll be able to return to the website and cite it correctly. You should also print or save to PDF the relevant pages from any websites you use, making sure you note the complete URL and the date on which you printed the material. Because electronic sources aren't stable and websites can disappear without notice, beware of directing your readers to sources that might have disappeared. Check when the website you're using was last updated and update the URLs as you work and once again right before you submit your essay. If an electronic source disappears before you submit your work, you will need to decide whether or not to keep the source in your paper. If you have saved the source and can turn it in with your paper, you should do so. If you have not saved the source, you should consult your instructor about whether or not to use that source in your paper.

Keep Sources in Correct Context

Whenever you consult a source, you should make sure you understand the context, both of the ideas within a source and of the source itself. You should also be careful to consider the context in which a source was written. For example, a book of essays published by an organization with a political bias might not present an issue with adequate complexity for your project. You can learn more about how to understand a source’s context in the Evaluating Sources section of this guide.

The question of context can be more complicated when you're working with Internet sources than with print sources because you may see one article or post as separate from an entire website and use or interpret that page without fully understanding or representing its context. For example, a definition of "communism" taken from a website with a particular political agenda might provide one interpretation of the meaning of the word—but if you neglect to mention the context for that definition, you might use it as though it's unbiased when it isn't. If your web search takes you to a URL that’s part of a larger website, make sure to investigate and take notes on the context of the information you're citing.

Research can often turn out to be more time-consuming than you anticipate. Budget enough time to search for sources, to take notes, and to think about how to use the sources in your essay. Moments of carelessness are more common when you leave your essay until the last minute— and when you are tired or stressed. Honest mistakes can lead to charges of plagiarism just as dishonesty can; be careful when taking notes and when incorporating ideas and language from sources so you always know what language and ideas are yours and what belongs to a source.

Don't Cut and Paste: File and Label Your Sources

Keep your own writing and your sources separate.

Work with either the printed copy of your source(s) or (in the case of online sources) the copy you downloaded—not the online version—as you draft your essay. This precaution not only decreases the risk of plagiarism but also enables you to annotate your sources. Those annotations are an essential step both in understanding the sources and in distinguishing your own ideas from those of the sources.

Keep Your Notes and Your Draft Separate

Paraphrase carefully in your notes; acknowledge your sources explicitly when paraphrasing.

When you want to paraphrase material, it's a good idea first to paste the actual quotation into your notes (not directly into your draft) and then to paraphrase it (still in your notes). Putting the information in your own words will help you make sure that you've thought about what the source is saying and that you have a good reason for using it in your paper. Remember to use some form of notation in your notes to indicate what you've paraphrased and mention the author's name within the material you paraphrase. You should also include all citation information in your notes.

Avoid Reading a Classmate's Paper for Inspiration

If you're in a course that requires peer review or workshops of student drafts, you are going to read your classmates' work and discuss it. This is a productive way of exchanging ideas and getting feedback on your work. If you find, in the course of this work, that you wish to use someone else's idea at some point in your paper (you should never use someone else's idea as your thesis, but there may be times when a classmate's idea would work as a counterargument or other point in your paper), you must credit that person the same way you would credit any other source.

If you find yourself reading someone else's paper because you're stuck on an assignment and don't know how to proceed, you may end up creating a problem for yourself because you might unconsciously copy that person's ideas. When you're stuck, make an appointment with your instructor or go to the Writing Center for advice on how to develop your own ideas.

Don't Save Your Citations for Later

Never paraphrase or quote from a source without immediately adding a citation. You should add citations in your notes, in your response papers, in your drafts, and in your revisions. Without them, it's too easy to lose track of where you got a quotation or an idea and to end up inadvertently taking credit for material that's not your own.

Quote Your Sources Properly

Always use quotation marks for directly quoted material, even for short phrases and key terms.

Keep a Source Trail

As you write and revise your essay, make sure that you keep track of your sources in your notes and in each successive draft of your essay. You should begin this process early, even before you start writing your draft. Even after you've handed in your essay, keep all of your research notes and drafts. You ought to be able to reconstruct the path you took from your sources to your notes and from your notes to your drafts and revision. These careful records and clear boundaries between your writing and your sources will help you avoid plagiarism. And if you are called upon to explain your process to your instructor, you'll be able to retrace the path you took when thinking, researching, and writing, from the essay you submitted back through your drafts and to your sources.

• What Constitutes Plagiarism?
• The Exception: Common Knowledge
• Other Scenarios to Avoid
• Why Does it Matter if You Plagiarize?
• Harvard University Plagiarism Policy

PDFs for This Section

• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Online Library and Citation Tools

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Avoiding Plagiarism

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting: A Comparison

This 10-minute activity helps raise students’ awareness to the similarities and differences among summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting as they prepare to use these strategies in an effort to avoid plagiarism.

Peer Summarizing

This 45 to 90-minute activity allows students to practice writing their own summaries as well as evaluate summaries written by their peers.

Anonymous Paraphrasing

This 45 to 70-minute activity gives students the chance to practice paraphrasing a short passage and anonymously review each other’s work as a class.

Paraphrasing from Media

This 35-minute activity provides students practice with paraphrasing visual and multimedia texts.

Using In-text Citations

This 50-minute activity first offers students various examples of how to cite a single passage. Students are then asked to practice writing their own in-text citations with another text, following the examples they’ve been given. The supplemental handout for this activity offers a variety of examples on how to integrate an original source text into one’s own writing.

Quoting Others

This 40-minute activity asks students to practice quoting an original source. The supplemental handout for this activity offers useful templates for students to use when both quoting as well as interpreting a quote in their own work.

Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation in Context

This 35-minute activity asks students to analyze and evaluate example summaries, paraphrases, and in-text citations in a given sample essay.

• CITATION GENERATOR
• HOW IT WORKS
• How it works
• Testimonials

How to avoid plagiarism in essay writing?

In order for the content to be interesting, it must be readable., given that your teacher assigned to you an unfamiliar topic, the way to work on it is to search the web., remember the formatting guidelines., the use of quoting., citing quotation usage., references..

• Wide range of services
• 700+ professional writers
• Experienced writers
• Any citation style available
• High quality writing

Essay on time did a great job delivering my paper in three hours. I checked, it was unique. The content impressed me and I got a good grade on it. Sarah

I wanted a professional to write my essay for me online. Choosing this service was a good call. Good price for outstanding quality! Tracey

I'm after great support when I hire someone to write my essay online. I got it at this site. The agents were friendly and supportive. The essay was amazing. Larry

Secure Payments:

• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Write My Research Paper
• Complete Coursework For Me
• Buy College Essays Online
• Case Study Writing Service
• Custom Term Paper Writing
• Custom Dissertation Writing Service
• Essay Writer For You

We use cookies. What does it mean? OK

Home > Blog > Essay Title Generator: Create Captivating Titles for Essays

Essay Title Generator: Create Captivating Titles for Essays

• Smodin Editorial Team
• Updated: September 24, 2024
• All About Content and Writing

Creating a good title for your essay is crucial. It’s the first thing readers see and it sets the stage for what’s to come. A well-crafted title grabs attention, sparks curiosity, and gives a preview of your essay’s main topic.

In this guide, we’ll explore the purpose of an essay title, how to create one, and why it matters. We’ll also introduce you to various essay title generators to help you craft the perfect title every time.

Why Your Essay Title Matters

An essay title serves multiple purposes. It informs the reader about the essay’s topic, catches their interest, and can even affect their perception of your work. Whether you’re writing an essay for school or creating a research paper for publication, a compelling title is essential.

A good essay title will do several things to set your essay up for success:

• Informs: It tells readers what your essay is about. By incorporating relevant keywords, your title gives a clear indication of the main topic. This helps readers quickly understand what to expect, making your essay more accessible and appealing.
• Engages: It captures their attention and makes them want to read more. An engaging title uses attention-grabbing words or phrases to spark curiosity. Creative title generators can assist in crafting unique and intriguing titles that stand out.
• Reflects: It sets the tone for your essay and reflects your writing style. A well-chosen title not only summarizes your essay but also conveys your approach and perspective. Using a creative essay title generator can help ensure that your title aligns perfectly with your essay’s tone and style.

A well-crafted essay title is vital for drawing in readers and setting the stage for your content. Utilizing tools like a creative title generator can help you craft titles that are informative and reflective of your voice.

How To Write a Good Title for an Essay

Creating a good title requires thought and creativity. Here are some tips on how to write a good title for an essay that captivates your audience.

Brainstorm Ideas

Start by brainstorming ideas. Think about your essay’s main topic and keywords. Jot down different combinations and phrases that come to mind. This will give you a pool of potential titles to choose from. Try using different angles or perspectives to see which titles resonate most with your essay’s theme.

Keep It Clear and Concise

Your title should be clear and concise. Avoid complex words or long phrases. Keep it simple and to the point. A good title should be easy to read and understand at a glance. Clear and concise titles make your essay accessible and appealing to a broad audience.

Make It Engaging

To make your title engaging, use attention-grabbing words or phrases. Think about what would make you want to read an essay. Use descriptive words that paint a picture or invoke emotions like curiosity. An engaging title piques interest and encourages readers to explore your essay further.

Use Relevant Keywords

Include relevant keywords in your title. This helps readers and search engines understand the main topic of your essay. Keywords make your essay more discoverable and improve its SEO. Ensure the keywords fit naturally within your title for the best impact.

Use an Essay Title Generator

A catchy essay title generator can be a helpful tool. These generators create titles based on the keywords and ideas you provide.

Best Essay Title Generator: 5 Top Free Tools To Use

Essay title generator free tools are a great option if you’re on a budget. An essay topic generator provides quality titles without any cost. They’re easy to use and can help you create a compelling title quickly. Despite being free, they offer reliable suggestions that can improve your essay’s visibility and appeal.

One popular free essay title generator is Title Generator . This tool is user-friendly and provides a variety of title suggestions based on the keywords you input. It’s a great option for students and writers who need quick, creative, and relevant titles without having to pay for the software that creates them.

Here are a few of our best essay title generators that are completely free to use.

1. Smodin.io

Smodin.io is an advanced tool that leverages artificial intelligence to create compelling and unique essay titles. It analyzes your essay’s content and generates titles that are both relevant and engaging. This makes it easier for you to attract readers and convey the main topic of your essay effectively.

2. EduBirdie

EduBirdie Title Generator is a user-friendly tool designed to help students come up with catchy and relevant essay titles. By entering a few keywords related to your essay topic, EduBirdie provides a list of creative title suggestions.

3. SEOMagnifier

SEOMagnifier Title Generator offers a quick and efficient way to generate titles for your essays. It focuses on SEO-friendly titles that can improve the visibility of your essay online. Simply input your keywords, and SEOMagnifier will produce a range of titles that are optimized for search engines.

4. Reedsy Book Title Generator

Reedsy Book Title Generator, although primarily designed for book titles, this tool is also a great resource for essay titles. It offers a variety of genres and styles to choose from, providing inspiration for a wide range of essay topics. The tool is easy to use and can generate creative and intriguing titles.

5. HubSpot Blog Ideas

HubSpot Blog Ideas, though primarily aimed at blog posts, is an excellent tool for creating essay titles as well. By entering up to five keywords, it generates a week’s worth of title ideas! This tool is great for brainstorming and finding inspiration.

How To Avoid AI Plagiarism: Use a Creative Essay Title Generator Wisely

When using a creative essay title generator that utilizes AI, it’s important to avoid plagiarism . Here are some tips to ensure your title is original:

• Customize the generated titles.
• Use plagiarism-checking tools .
• Combine multiple suggestions.
• Add unique keywords.
• Rephrase common phrases.

Customize Generated Titles

Always customize the titles from an AI essay title generator. Use the suggestions as a starting point and tweak them to fit your essay. This ensures your title is unique and tailored to your work. Add specific keywords related to your topic.

Modify the structure or wording to make it personal. This way, your title will stand out and accurately reflect your essay’s content.

Check for Originality

Use plagiarism-checking tools to verify the originality of your title. This helps you avoid unintentional plagiarism and ensures your title is unique. Tools like Copyscape or Grammarly can help.

Paste your title into the tool and check for matches. If there are similarities, revise your title until it is completely original. This step is crucial in maintaining academic integrity and originality.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an essay title generator.

An essay title generator is a tool that helps you create titles for your essays. It uses algorithms to combine your keywords and ideas into a compelling title.

How does an essay title generator work?

Essay title generators work by taking your input keywords and generating possible titles based on them. It uses a database of words and phrases to create unique and engaging titles.

Are essay title generators reliable?

Yes, a good essay title generator is reliable. However, it’s important to customize the generated titles to fit your essay. This ensures your title is original and relevant.

Can I use an essay title idea generator for any type of essay?

Yes, you can use an essay title maker for any type of essay. Whether you’re writing a personal essay, analytical essay, or argumentative essay, a title generator can help you.

Create Compelling Essay Titles With Smodin.io

Crafting a good essay title is an art unto itself. It requires creativity, precision, and a good understanding of your essay’s topic. With the right tools and tips, you can create a title that captures attention and sets the stage.

Ready to create captivating essay titles? Make your essays stand out with Smodin’s AI writing tool. Smodin offers a range of tools to help you craft the perfect essay title and improve your writing. Join Smodin.io now , enhance your essay-writing skills, and create essays that will get top marks.