Plagiarism Checks & Rephrasing

Many types of plagiarism exist; some are obvious and some are not. A writer must know what constitutes plagiarism because ignorance of the facts will not excuse him or her from the consequences.
Copying text “as is” without quotation marks and with no citation or source.

• Reordering the elements of the source text without citation.
• Copying pieces (sentences, key phrases) of the source text without citation.
• Paraphrasing without citation.
• Reproducing information that is not common knowledge or self-evident without citation.
• Incorporating an idea heard in conversation without citation.
• Using your own past material or another student’s material as a new idea without citation.
• Paying for another to contribute to your work without citation.
• Using software or online translators to translate material without citation.
• Paying someone else to do your work, purchasing material, or translating from someone else’s material (web-based or hard copy).

Plagiarism Reference List: 10 Must-Have Tips
Plagiarism, often misspelled as plagerism, occurs knowingly and unknowingly, and is always wrong and carries penalties whatever the cause. Arming oneself with the facts of plagiarism is the best prevention. This plagiarism reference list should be kept close to or in every student’s or professional’s computer.
Plagiarism Reference List
1. Copying text “as is” without quotation marks and with no citation or source.
Example: The researcher, John Hughes, used a mixed-methods approach that included quantitative and qualitative data.
2. Reordering the elements of the source text without citation.
Example: The researcher, John Hughes, included qualitative and quantitative data and used a mixed-methods approach.
3. Copying pieces (sentences, key phrases) of the source text without citation.
Example: He used a mixed-methods approach that included quantitative and qualitative data. (The use of three or more words in a phrase, without citation, constitutes plagiarism.)
4. Paraphrasing without citation.
Example: John Hughes performed his research using a mixed-methods approach.
5. Reproducing information that is not common knowledge without citation.
Example: Common knowledge refers to knowledge that is virtually known by everyone such as the fact that the Earth is round or that there are 365 days in a year.
6. Incorporating an idea heard in conversation without citation.
Example: A classmate relates an original idea that you borrow and use in a paper without citation. (The citation should be referenced as a “personal communication.”)
7. Using your own past material or another student’s material as a new idea without citation.
Example: Using text, etc. from a past paper, either yours or someone else’s, with no citation. (Reference this kind of material with the title of the borrowed material.)
8. Paying for another to contribute to your work without citation.
Example: Paying a classmate, writing service, or anyone else.
9. Using software or online translators to translate material without citation.
Example: Any translation without citation. The words were not yours.
10. Paying someone else to do your work, purchasing material, or translating from someone else’s material (web-based or hard copy) without citation.
Example: The words were not your own and must be cited.
Plagiarism, intentional or not, comes with penalties. Losing academic or professional standing or a job are real possibilities to offenders. Taking the time to cite and to develop original material is important to the academic and the professional. Know how to cite properly and know what constitutes plagiarism. Keep your good name and learn from the correct writing process.

It’s easy to find information for most research papers, but it’s not always easy to add that information into your paper without falling into the plagiarism trap. There are easy ways to avoid plagiarism. Follow some simple steps while writing your research paper to ensure that your document will be free of plagiarism.

So you have found information that is perfect for your research paper. Read it and put it into your own words. Make sure that you do not copy verbatim more than two words in a row from the text you have found. If you do use more than two words together, you will have to use quotation marks. We will get into quoting properly soon.

Citing is one of the effective ways to avoid plagiarism. Follow the document formatting guidelines (i.e. APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) used by your educational institution or the institution that issued the research request. This usually entails the addition of the author(s) and the date of the publication or similar information. Citing is really that simple. Not citing properly can constitute plagiarism.

When quoting a source, use the quote exactly the way it appears. No one wants to be misquoted. Most institutions of higher learning frown on “block quotes” or quotes of 40 words or more. A scholar should be able to effectively paraphrase most material. This process takes time, but the effort pays off! Quoting must be done correctly to avoid plagiarism allegations.

Citing a quote can be different than citing paraphrased material. This practice usually involves the addition of a page number, or a paragraph number in the case of web content.

If some of the material you are using for your research paper was used by you in your current class, a previous one, or anywhere else you must cite yourself. Treat the text the same as you would if someone else wrote it. It may sound odd, but using material you have used before is called self-plagiarism, and it is not acceptable.

One of the most important ways to avoid plagiarism is including a reference page or page of works cited at the end of your research paper. Again, this page must meet the document formatting guidelines used by your educational institution. This information is very specific and includes the author(s), date of publication, title, and source. Follow the directions for this page carefully. You will want to get the references right.