how to avoid plagiarism in research paper

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Citing Sources

• How to Avoid Plagiarism
• Introduction
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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

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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.

How to Avoid Plagiarism in Research Papers (Part 1)

Writing a research paper poses challenges in gathering literature and providing evidence for making your paper stronger. Drawing upon previously established ideas and values and adding pertinent information in your paper are necessary steps, but these need to be done with caution without falling into the trap of plagiarism . In order to understand how to avoid plagiarism , it is important to know the different types of plagiarism that exist.

What is Plagiarism in Research?

Plagiarism is the unethical practice of using words or ideas (either planned or accidental) of another author/researcher or your own previous works without proper acknowledgment. Considered as a serious academic and intellectual offense, plagiarism can result in highly negative consequences such as paper retractions and loss of author credibility and reputation. It is currently a grave problem in academic publishing and a major reason for paper retractions .

It is thus imperative for researchers to increase their understanding about plagiarism. In some cultures, academic traditions and nuances may not insist on authentication by citing the source of words or ideas. However, this form of validation is a prerequisite in the global academic code of conduct. Non-native English speakers  face a higher challenge of communicating their technical content in English as well as complying with ethical rules. The digital age too affects plagiarism. Researchers have easy access to material and data on the internet which makes it easy to copy and paste information.

Related: Conducting literature survey and wish to learn more about scientific misconduct? Check out this resourceful infographic today!

How Can You Avoid Plagiarism in a Research Paper?

Guard yourself against plagiarism, however accidental it may be. Here are some guidelines to avoid plagiarism.

1. Paraphrase your content

• Do not copy–paste the text verbatim from the reference paper. Instead, restate the idea in your own words.
• Understand the idea(s) of the reference source well in order to paraphrase correctly.
• Examples on good paraphrasing can be found here ( https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_paraphrase.html )

2. Use Quotations

Use quotes to indicate that the text has been taken from another paper. The quotes should be exactly the way they appear in the paper you take them from.

3. Cite your Sources – Identify what does and does not need to be cited

• The best way to avoid the misconduct of plagiarism is by self-checking your documents using plagiarism checker tools.
• Any words or ideas that are not your own but taken from another paper  need to be cited .
• Cite Your Own Material—If you are using content from your previous paper, you must cite yourself. Using material you have published before without citation is called self-plagiarism .
• The scientific evidence you gathered after performing your tests should not be cited.
• Facts or common knowledge need not be cited. If unsure, include a reference.

4. Maintain records of the sources you refer to

• Maintain records of the sources you refer to. Use citation software like EndNote or Reference Manager to manage the citations used for the paper
• Use multiple references for the background information/literature survey. For example, rather than referencing a review, the individual papers should be referred to and cited.

5. Use plagiarism checkers

You can use various plagiarism detection tools such as iThenticate or HelioBLAST (formerly eTBLAST) to see how much of your paper is plagiarised .

Tip: While it is perfectly fine to survey previously published work, it is not alright to paraphrase the same with extensive similarity. Most of the plagiarism occurs in the literature review section of any document (manuscript, thesis, etc.). Therefore, if you read the original work carefully, try to understand the context, take good notes, and then express it to your target audience in your own language (without forgetting to cite the original source), then you will never be accused with plagiarism (at least for the literature review section).

Caution: The above statement is valid only for the literature review section of your document. You should NEVER EVER use someone else’s original results and pass them off as yours!

What strategies do you adopt to maintain content originality? What advice would you share with your peers? Please feel free to comment in the section below.

If you would like to know more about patchwriting, quoting, paraphrasing and more, read the next article in this series!

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• 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 16, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism/examples-of-plagiarism/

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How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: 5a. Avoid Plagiarism

• Get Started
• 1a. Select a Topic
• 1b. Develop Research Questions
• 1c. Identify Keywords
• 1d. Find Background Information
• 1e. Refine a Topic
• 2a. Search Strategies
• 2d. Articles
• 2e. Videos & Images
• 2f. Databases
• 2g. Websites
• 2h. Grey Literature
• 2i. Open Access Materials
• 3a. Evaluate Sources
• 3b. Primary vs. Secondary
• 3c. Types of Periodicals
• 4a. Take Notes
• 4b. Outline the Paper
• 4c. Incorporate Source Material
• 5a. Avoid Plagiarism
• 5b. Zotero & MyBib
• 5c. MLA Formatting
• 5d. MLA Citation Examples
• 5e. APA Formatting
• 5f. APA Citation Examples
• 5g. Annotated Bibliographies

Keys to Avoiding Plagiarism

• Understand what plagiarism is.
• Paraphrase  the original text into your own words.
• Know the difference between quoting directly,   paraphrasing , and summarizing.
• Take clear notes, using quotation marks when copying someone else's words.
• Know when to quote, e.g.: a direct quotation, a paraphrase of another author's argument, a summary of someone else's argument even if it's in your own words.
• Use quotation marks around text that has been taken directly from the original source.
• Note that changing someone else's words around or merely substituting synonyms for their words is still plagiarism.
• Cite  every source of information you use in your paper unless it is common knowledge or the results of your own research.
• Remember to cite Internet sources, the minutes of meetings, speeches, films, TV shows and ads, and anything else that is someone else's work.
• Plan ahead! Many people who plagiarize simply ran out of time when they were up against a deadline.

" Avoiding Plagiarism ," an interactive tutorial from the Greenwood Skills Center, provides additional information about defining plagiarism, quoting, summarizing, paraphrasing, appropriate citing, and tips to avoiding plagiarism.

Plagiarism Tutorials

• You Quote It, You Note It Created by the Vaughan Memorial Library at Acadia University, this tutorial suggests that researching ethically is also researching efficiently. You'll learn how to avoid plagiarism and also pick up some good research tips.

Real World Examples

Think plagiarism is just an issue for college students writing research papers? Think again!  Check out these real world examples of celebrities being accused of plagiarizing.

• Jessica Seinfeld

Plagiarism: Don't Do It

Posted with permission from Lehman College. 

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is a serious form of academic dishonesty, defined as "The action or practice of taking someone else's work, idea, etc., and passing it off as one's own; literary theft." ( Oxford English Dictionary )  Most students can give  a definition of plagiarism, but some still commit plagiarism unintentionally because they're in a hurry, or they don't really understand what constitutes plagiarism and what doesn't. Unintentional plagiarism, however, is still plagiarism.

Follow this link to learn more about Copyright and Plagiarism .

Plagiarism @ EC

Academic dishonesty is a serious violation that is counter to the purposes and aims of Elmira College.

Plagiarism may take many forms:

• copying information directly without providing quotation marks,
• failing to cite sources,
• citing sources incorrectly
• using someone else's idea or work as your own without acknowledgement, or
• submitting the same work for multiple courses.

It does not matter whether you intended to plagiarize or whether the plagiarism occurred unintentionally; it still constitutes academic dishonesty. Ignorance of the rules of correct citation is not an acceptable excuse.

Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty can subject a student to disciplinary action.

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Plagiarism and Academic Honesty

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Plagiarism @ Jefferson College
• 3. Examples of Plagiarism
• Citing Sources Guide This link opens in a new window
• Academic Success Center- OWL This link opens in a new window

Why Students Plagiarize

• Why Do Students Plagiarize? This infographic covers five of the most common reasons that students commit plagiarism.

Test Yourself!

Introduction to plagiarism.

At Jefferson College, academic dishonesty encompasses two things: cheating and plagiarism.  

This guide is to introduce you to the concept of plagiarism : what it is and why it’s something worth caring about. The resources and information provided here are meant to help you avoid plagiarizing (and, therefore, the potentially severe consequences), or if you’ve intentionally or accidentally plagiarized, help give you knowledge and tools to avoid plagiarizing again in the future. 

If you’ve been referred to this course due to intentionally or accidentally plagiarizing, please follow the guide based on the numbered pages on the left. Be sure to read each page thoroughly.

As you work your way through this course, test your understanding by taking the poll on each page. At the end of the guide, you will find the link to take your formal quiz and answers to the polls. 

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is taking the words or ideas of someone else and passing them off as if they are your own. This can include:

• Turning in someone else's work with your name on it
• Copying large pieces of text from a source without proper, or any, citation
• Piecing together text from multiple sources and turning it in as your own
• Copying from a source but changing some words or phrases
• Paraphrasing (rewriting something in your own words) from a number of different sources without citing them
• Buying a paper and turning it in as your own work
• Turning in some of your previous work that you did for another course -- this is self-plagiarism! 

Plagiarism can happen even if you've attempted to cite things properly, too. This can happen if you:

• Mentioned an author or source but didn't provide a bibliographic citation
• Cited a source incorrectly so it's impossible for others to find or verify
• Used a direct quote and cited it, but didn't put quotation marks around the text
• Paraphrased from multiple cited sources, but didn't include any of your own work

Basically, if you’re incorporating anyone else’s words into your own work, you must give them credit and offer your audience a way of finding the original source of the information . The source should be indicated within the content of your work (in-text citations) and also at the end (bibliography, references, notes, etc.)

Why You Want to Avoid Plagiarizing

Getting caught plagiarizing is actually a pretty serious problem. The consequences of plagiarism can be personal, professional, ethical, and even legal. 

Students that commit plagiarism may face:  

• Failure of an assignment or class
• Disciplinary actions like suspension or expulsion
• Being barred from attending other colleges or universities

Professionals that commit plagiarism may face:

• Ruined reputations
• Loss of a job/career
• Legal action
• Financial losses

No one is above getting caught plagiarizing -- not students, academics, journalists, or other successful creators. Consider these famous examples of people whose reputations suffered as a result of being caught plagiarizing:

• Marks Chabedi -- Former academic who plagiarized an entire dissertation by Dr. Kim Lanegran ( read her side of the story here ). He was fired from his professorship at a university in South Africa and his Ph.D. was revoked.
• Alex Haley, author of  Roots: The Saga of an American Family  -- Acclaimed author accused of copying passages from Harold Courlander's book,  The African.  He was sued, settled out of court for $650,000, and released a statement acknowledging that he plagiarized. Read more about that here . 
• Jonah Lehrer -- A (now disgraced) journalist forced to resign from the New Yorker after he was found to have fabricated quotes for a book and self-plagiarized multiple times. Read more here . 

More Resources

• Plagiarism FAQ - University of Oxford
• Plagiarism in One Page - Purdue OWL
• Plagiarism Overview - Purdue OWL
• Next: 2. Plagiarism @ Jefferson College >>
• Last Updated: Sep 12, 2024 8:44 AM
• URL: https://libguides.jeffco.edu/plagiarismguide

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Best Practices to Avoid Plagiarism 

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Since plagiarism has serious consequences, there are many safe practices that you can employ in order to avoid plagiarism. Citing sources is the best way to build credibility for yourself to your audience and helps writers to have a better grasp of the information that is relevant to their topic or course of study. Mistakes can happen, especially when plagiarism is unintentional, so follow some of these tips, which will help you improve as a researcher and as a writer.

Reading & Notetaking 

• Take notes with the same citation habits you would use in the paper. Use a signal phrase “According to [source],” at the beginning of your notes on a particular source, include in-text citations with page numbers any time you copy/paste or write a quote in from a source, and include a bibliographic citation immediately after the notes on a source end.
• If you have a lot of online sources such as journal articles in PDF format, use a PDF reader to write your notes on the source directly so they do not get disconnected from the original.
• Use a citation manager like Zotero and keep a copy of your notes associated with the source entry there (helps you cite accurately and also helps you keep your notes together with the correct source).

Interviewing & Conversing

• Take lots of thorough notes; if you have any of your own thoughts as you’re interviewing, mark them clearly. Always make sure in your notebook or computer document you leave a space for your own ideas and not to let it mix with your respondent’s ideas.
• If your subject will allow you to record the conversation or interview (and you have proper clearance to do so through an Institutional Review Board, or IRB) place your recording device in an optimal location between you and the speaker so you can hear clearly when you review the recordings. Test your equipment and bring plenty of backup batteries and equipment.
• If you’re interviewing via email, retain copies of the interview subject’s emails as well as the ones you send in reply. If your email server allows it, create individual folders that you can further organize in order to have easy access if you need to go back.
• Make any additional, clarifying notes immediately after the interview has concluded. For further information, please refer to Conducting Primary Research: Interviewing .

Writing Paraphrases & Summaries 

• Use a statement that makes it clear you are referencing another source (e.g. According to Jonathan Kozol…).
• If you are struggling with a summary, try to paraphrase or summarize the text without looking at the original source material, and simply rely on your memory. What sticks out to you about the original source is what will be important for you to discuss anyways.
• For example: savage inequalities” exist throughout our educational system (Kozol).
• Note which phrase is being quoted and that the author is the one who coined the term, but you want to keep it for your own stylistic reason or because it will be important in your analysis.

Writing Direct Quotations 

• Keep the source author’s name in the same sentence as the quote.
• Mark the quote with quotation marks or set it off from your text in its own block, per the style guide your paper follows.
• Helpful hint: If you need to provide context, you can paraphrase part of that paragraph, which can lead to the quote. But this can lead to moments of citing multiple times, depending on your style guide.
• Do: Kozol claims there are “savage inequalities” in our educational system, which is obvious.
• Do Not: Kozol claims there are “[obvious] savage inequalities” in our educational system.
• Note how the first one includes a part of your analysis that you will explore further explore. In the second one, though, you are suggesting that the original author is stating that it is obvious, when that is not what they meant, even though that is what you believe and will explore further.
• For Example: “None of the national reports I saw made even passing references in inequality or segregation…Booker T. Washington was cited with increasing frequency, Du Bois never, and Martin Luther King only with cautious selectivity” (Kozol 3).
• Note how you are indicating that you have taken out portions that are considered unnecessary and have continued your quote to the end.
• You should use quotes with the most rhetorical, argumentative impact in your paper. The phrase in the previous example, “savage inequalities” makes an argumentative impact because both words have deeper meanings and together can be open to your own interpretation, versus simply only quoting, “Booker T. Washington was cited with increasing frequency” (Kozol 3). Simply stating this is presenting a fact and there is very little that you can do to interpret or analyze the meaning.

Writing About Someone Else's Ideas 

• For example: Kozol shows that a connection between race and the quality of education are connected.
• Parenthetical citations, footnotes, and endnotes are used to refer readers to additional sources about the idea, as necessary. This is why citation is important so that your teachers or classmates are able to find the original source material if they want to.

Revising, Proofreading, and Finalizing Your Paper

Proofread and check your notes and sources to make sure that anything coming from an outside source is acknowledged in the following ways:

• In-text citation, otherwise known as parenthetical citation
• Footnotes and endnotes
• Bibliography, References, or Work Cited Page
• Quotation marks around short quotes; longer quotes set off by themselves, as prescribed by a specific research and citation style guide
• Indirect quotes: citing a source that cities another source

If you have any questions or concerns about citation, ask your instructor well in advance of your paper’s due date, so if you have to make any adjustments to your citations, you have the time to do so. You can also schedule an appointment in the writing lab and let your tutor know specifically that you want to make sure your citations are correct.

How to avoid plagiarism: 10 strategies for your students

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The News Record | Olivia Romick

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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.

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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

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• How to Avoid Plagiarism

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Academic Integrity at Syracuse University

Syracuse University considers plagiarism a serious offense. Refer to the Academic Integrity Office  for current University policies and procedures concerning plagiarism and other violations of academic integrity.

ChatGPT & Other AI Tools

The use of ChatGPT or other AI tools in assignments should be discussed with your instructor. As a general rule, if you are incorporating any information from an AI tool into your research assignments, you must cite the AI tool or the information that the tool is directing you to.

For more information about ChatGPT, please visit the Libraries' ChatGPT Guide .

For faculty/instructors looking for further teaching support and development around ChatGPT, contact CTLE at [email protected] . 

For anyone with questions about ChatGPT and academic integrity, contact CLASS at [email protected] .

Official APA, MLA, and Chicago style guidance on how to cite ChatGPT:

• APA Official Guidance
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Plagiarism Practice Exercise

If you would like to practice identifying plagiarism, then try out this exercise worksheet!

• Plagiarism Practice Worksheet Practice identifying if someone is directly quoting, paraphrasing, or plagiarizing.

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Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition

What Does it Mean to Plagiarize?

We've all heard the warning to not "plagiarize" and we know it is bad, but what does it exactly mean?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines plagiarizing as "to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own; and to use (another's production) without crediting the source," ( Merriam-Webster , 2021).

Research projects require us to find evidence outside of our textbooks to support the arguments we make; however, we cannot just plug in the evidence we find without crediting those who create that evidence. It is important to cite all of the sources you use in your projects - after all, you would not want someone to pass your work off as their own.

Ways to Avoid Plagiarism

• Direct Quotations
• Paraphrasing
• Common Knowledge

You must cite a source when:

• Including information in your project from other sources and using the author's original ideas, opinions, or research
• Using an image or other piece of media, such as a tweet, Instragram post, or TikTok video, that you did not create

When including a source in your project, you have two ways of citing:

• Direct Quoting

You do not need to cite:

• Self-Plagiarism  is using your own work (previously submitted to another course) and passing it off as original work, even if you make changes to some body paragraphs. If you want to submit a paper you already wrote, you need approval from your professor. 
• Common knowledge

What is a direct quote?

Direct quoting is when you quote a piece of information word-for-word from the original author's work.

When do I use a direct quote?

• If using the exact phrasing by the author is the best way to support the claim you are making.
• If you want to disagree with the author's argument.
• If you are analyzing the text itself - this is usually used for literary assignments.
• If paraphrasing the text does not fully capture the meaning of the text you want to convey.

Tips: 

• Direct quotations should be used sparingly in your assignments. Your voice is the important part of the assignment and quotes or evidence from others are to support your voice, not the other way around.
• Do not twist the meaning of the author's original words to fit your narrative. The author's meaning should not change.
• Be sure your direct quotes flow with the rest of your paper. Use transitions to integrate the quotes; do not have the quote stand alone as its own sentence.

How do I properly cite direct quotations?

You must make sure you are following the appropriate citation style. For ENRM 345, you need to use APA, 7th ed. (please refer to the APA tab on this guide).

In general, when you cite with direct quotations, you must:

• Place  quotation marks  around the entire phrase or sentence(s) you are using word-for-word.
• Always provide an in-text citation ! Do not forget this step. Most citations require you to include a page number or paragraph number for direct quotations.
• Check to see if you need to format your citation as a block quote. Usually block quotes are used for direct quotations that are longer than 3 lines.

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is when you explain what you learned from the article in your own words; however, you are still using someone else's original idea that you  cannot  pass off as your own.

When paraphrasing correctly, you need to change the wording and sentence structure from the original work, but  never  the original meaning.

When do you use paraphrasing?

• When the wording from the direct quote is not needed to convey the meaning of the information you are using from a source. 
• When you want to simplify the meaning of information you are using from a source, such as emphasizing the main point from multiple sentences.
• When you want to avoid overusing direct quotations.
• When you report numerical data or statistics (preferred for APA papers).

Reminder:  Do not twist the meaning of the author's original words to fit your narrative. The author's meaning should not change.

How do I properly cite when I paraphrase my sources?

• Include an  in-text citation  appropriate to the citation style you are using. Some citation styles may require you to indicate the page or paragraph number even though you are not directly quoting.

What is common knowledge?

Common knowledge is generally information that the average person would accept as fact and reliable without having to look it up. This is can be a tricky concept when applied to specific fields because what may be common knowledge in the nursing field may not be common in the environmental sciences field.

How do I use common knowledge?

First, you should ask yourself a series of helpful questions:

• Can I find this information in various sources?
• Can I find the information in a general resource, such as a dictionary?
• Can I assume multiple people already know this information?
• Will I be asked where I obtained this information?

In general, a basic rule to keep in mind when using common knowledge is: If you can find the same information, stated in the exact same way in multiple sources (approximately 3-5 sources), then you can consider it to be common knowledge. 

More information about common knowledge:

• What is Common Knowledge?: Academic Integrity at MIT

Turnitin @ SU Libraries

Turnitin at SU Library  is the Library hosted version of Turnitin software whereby students can submit drafts of papers to check for possible instances of plagiarism before they submit final drafts to their course instructors.

Please be aware that Turnitin now includes a feature to detect if any submitted papers are AI generated. This feature will only be viewable for instructors on their course Turninit, and not through the Libraries' version of Turnitin.

Warning:  Automated plagiarism detection systems like Turnitin offer some accuracy in comparing the percentage of your content against other sources in order to arrive at a determination at originality. Academic writing that is loaded with text copied from other sources is easily detected using systems like Turnitin. However, such systems do not evaluate the extent and quality of your use of academic citation formats, proper attribution and referencing techniques, etc. Sloppy practice in that area can also lead to accusations of plagiarism. In addition, such automated systems do not cross-check against millions of pages of content held in hundreds of library subscription databases, nor do they cross-check against millions of pages of off-line books, manuscripts, etc. Some have also raised privacy and copyright concerns regarding Turnitin to the extent student papers are saved in the Turnitin system.  Papers submitted to Turnitin via the SU Library Turnitin Blackboard space  are not  saved in the more global Turnitin database.

Plagiarism Overview & Tutorials

Have additional questions about plagiarism and how to avoid it?

Browse the following resources from Purdue OWL to help:

• Plagiarism: Overview
• Plagiarism FAQs

Below is Cornell University's tutorial regarding plagiarism, including written and video explanations, and practice exercises:

• Cornell University's College of Arts and Science's Recognizing and Avoiding Plagiarism Tutorial
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Knowing and Avoiding Plagiarism During Scientific Writing

P mohan kumar.

Department of Periodontics, St. Joseph Dental College, Duggirala, Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, India

N Swapna Priya

1 Department of Dental Surgery, S.V Medical College, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India

SVVS Musalaiah

Plagiarism has become more common in both dental and medical communities. Most of the writers do not know that plagiarism is a serious problem. Plagiarism can range from simple dishonesty (minor copy paste/any discrepancy) to a more serious problem (major discrepancy/duplication of manuscript) when the authors do cut-copy-paste from the original source without giving adequate credit to the main source. When we search databases like PubMed/MedLine there is a lot of information regarding plagiarism. However, it is still a current topic of interest to all the researchers to know how to avoid plagiarism. It's time to every young researcher to know ethical guidelines while writing any scientific publications. By using one's own ideas, we can write the paper completely without looking at the original source. Specific words from the source can be added by using quotations and citing them which can help in not only supporting your work and amplifying ideas but also avoids plagiarism. It is compulsory to all the authors, reviewers and editors of all the scientific journals to know about the plagiarism and how to avoid it by following ethical guidelines and use of plagiarism detection software while scientific writing.

Introduction

Medical and dental writing includes presentation of different scientific documents that consists research related topics, case presentations, and review articles, which help in educating and promoting health related information to the general public. Hence, all the medical and dental writers along with language skills and the ability to interpret the data, they should also be familiar in searching literature, understanding and presenting ones ideas or thoughts in the form of articles submitted to the number of available scientific journals.[ 1 , 2 ]

Due to the lack of education on plagiarism among the educational institutions and the members of journal holders we are allowing some types of plagiarized articles to publish.

In simple words, plagiarism is the use of others ideas or work without any credit to the original authors. In other words, taking credit for others work whether intentionally or unintentionally.[ 3 ]

Main route cause of plagiarism among dental and medical writers is the competitive stress among them and the availability of any information of others in the electronic media.[ 4 , 5 , 6 ] As the plagiarism is an unethical publication practice, it has to be avoided at the first stage itself.[ 7 ]

When the dental/medical writers want to publish a scientific paper, they have to be very specific, accurate and honest about the concept of the research. First, the author has to take sufficient time to read and understand thoroughly the main source of the article, and then he can organize into his own ideas or thoughts. Before submitting their ideas or manuscript to the journal office, the author has to rewrite the article in his own words without seeing from the original source and in doubt, takes help of the guide/instructor.[ 4 , 7 , 8 ]

This article reviews plagiarism at different levels, consequences, guidelines to avoid plagiarism and benefits from avoiding plagiarism.

Plagiarism Definition

The word plagiarism is derived from Latin. “Plagiare means to kidnap.”[ 3 ]

Office of research integrity definition

The Office of Research Integrity describes plagiarism as “theft or misappropriation of intellectual property and the substantial unattributed textual copying of another's work. It does not include authorship or credit disputes. The theft or misappropriation of intellectual property includes the unauthorized use of ideas or unique methods obtained by a privileged communication, such as a grant or manuscript review. Substantial unattributed textual copying of another's work means the unattributed verbatim or nearly verbatim copying of sentences and paragraphs which materially mislead the ordinary reader regarding the contributions of the author.”

Committee on publication ethics definition

In 1999, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) defined plagiarism as, “plagiarism ranges from the unreferenced use of others’ published and unpublished ideas, including research grant applications to submission under “new” authorship of a complete paper, sometimes in a different language. It may occur at any stage of planning, research, writing, or publication: It applies to print and electronic versions.”

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Plagiarism is defined as - “the action or practice of taking someone else's work, idea, etc., and passing it off as one's own; literary theft.”

The World Association of Medical Editors defines plagiarism as - “the use of others published and unpublished ideas or words (or other intellectual property) without attribution or permission, and presenting them as new and original rather than derived from and existing source.”[ 3 , 4 ]

Plagiarism is defined as the appropriation or imitation of the language, ideas and thoughts of another author and representation of them as one's original work. (The Random House Dictionary of the English Language - unabridged).

Academic dishonesty has reached from students in the classroom to the presenters in the scientific sessions and even to the reviewers and editors of unauthorized journal offices.[ 9 , 10 ]

The following are some of the common possible causes for the increase in plagiarism. For example: Due to the increased competition or laziness among students while writing dissertation and professional over ambition, competition or publish or perish attitude for promotion among young authors could be the result of plagiarism. Reviewers and editors of different scientific journals are also responsible to avoid plagiarism by using plagiarism detecting software before publishing the research.[ 2 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]

Source and Method of Data Collection

Availability of internet facilities and free online journals are the main sources of today's plagiarism among the students, faculty and researchers of any profession.[ 5 , 6 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]

Advancement in technology in conversion of text format into the electronic version, rise in competition levels and “publish or perish” attitude are the some important factors prone to plagiarism among the students/staff/researchers of educational institutions.[ 15 , 16 , 17 ]

Data collection

An online search on “plagiarism” was performed using PubMed/MedLine databases. In the MedLine each reference to the medical literature is indexed under a controlled vocabulary called medical subject headings (MeSH). These MeSH terms acts as a key to search the medical and dental literature. Thus MedLine/PubMed databases are used to search for literature which is available online throughout the world. Initially, 1121 references are obtained in PubMed/MedLine databases on the term “plagiarism” until date. A total of 893 articles are published on plagiarism under MeSH.

After filtering and based on the selection criteria, 35 articles were included in this review. The articles which are related to the dental and medical scientific writing were included in this review. It has taken 6 months for searching, filtering and selecting all the articles to include in this review. The sequence of data collection is demonstrated in Chart 1 .

A flow chart diagram showing the steps used for selecting the articles included in this review

As there is no sufficient literature on this subject (topic), it is the time to educate all the professions on how to avoid plagiarism through the journals and educational institutions in order to prevent publishing diluted researches.

Common Types of Plagiarism

Plagiarism can be of various types. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional.

Intentional plagiarism

“Buying or borrowing or cut-copy-paste” or using some others work partly or completely without giving adequate credit to the original author results in intentional plagiarism.[ 7 , 8 , 9 ]

Unintentional plagiarism

Using some others work with wrong paraphrasing or improper citation refers to unintentional plagiarism.[ 1 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]

According to the COPE various types of plagiarism can be distinguished based on factors like: Extent (minor or major plagiarism), originality of copied material, type of material plagiarized, sources referenced or not, authors intention. The following are the most common forms of plagiarism seen in medical and dental publications:

• Plagiarism of ideas: When the author “uses the ideas or thoughts of some others and presents as his own”[ 3 ] without giving adequate credit to the original authors results in plagiarism of ideas. For example, using the ideas from the previously published articles by postgraduate students while doing their dissertation work.
• Plagiarism of text/direct plagiarism/word-for-word plagiarism: According to Roig this kind of plagiarism is defined as “copying a portion of text from another source without giving credit to its author and without enclosing the borrowed text in quotation marks.”[ 1 , 3 , 9 ] For example, most of the young authors do not know how to write and give a credit to the original work from where they have chosen. They just cut and paste from the original source and create an article without giving sufficient credit to the authors who has done the original work.
• Mosaic plagiarism (patchwork plagiarism): When the author fails to write in his own words and “uses the same words or phrases or paragraphs of the original source” without giving adequate credit results in mosaic plagiarism.[ 3 , 7 ] For example, when the authors borrow words/sentences from the original source and do patchwork to his article results in patchwork or mosaic plagiarism.
• Self-plagiarism: “Stealing or borrowing some amount of work” from his or her previously published articles refers to self-plagiarism.[ 1 , 3 , 7 , 8 ] For example, using one's own work partly and publishes the article in different journals results in self-plagiarism.

Penalties for Plagiarism

Since plagiarism can range from simple dishonesty to a serious problem, penalty depends on the severity of plagiarism. It ranges from formal disciplinary action (apology letters, retraction of the published article) to criminal charges (suspension and prosecution of authors).[ 1 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]

Example: “A practicing psychiatrist and radio and television broadcaster in London had to step down as director of the Center for Public Engagement in Mental Sciences in the institute where he was employed and was suspended from practice for 3 months by the General Medical Council.”[ 22 , 23 ]

Detection of Plagiarism

All the medical and dental ethical writers must check for the text duplication unintentionally by using plagiarism detection software before submitting to any journal office. Reviewers also should use plagiarism detection tools in order to avoid false publication practice by both intentional and unintentional authors. When the manuscript passes from the reviewers to the editors without identifying the copied text or ideas, the editor of the journal should finalize the fate of the article based on the extent of plagiarism by using powerful plagiarism detection software. The following are few plagiarism detection software which helps in screening for matching text in the article submitted by the authors.[ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]

• Cross Check™
• http://www.ithenticate.com
• https://turnitin.com/static/index
• Viper ( http://www.scanmyessay.com/plagiarism - free software)
• Software like eTBLAST
• SafeAssign™
• WCopyFind™
• http://www.checkforplagiarism.net
• http://www.grammarly.com
• Sometimes simple Google Search also helps in detecting plagiarism.

Guidelines to Publish a Quality Paper without Plagiarism

Many of the students and authors still do not know the proper way of citing the sources. In order to produce a quality paper every author should follow the following guidelines.[ 3 , 22 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]

Few good rules to avoid a charge of plagiarism are:

• Take sufficient time to complete your work
• Understand the whole concept and write the new ideas in your own words
• Avoid “copy-paste”
• Always use few appropriate and accurate sources as possible
• Learn how and when to quote and also avoid patchwork
• Always cite new and in doubt, not common language
• Follow the author's guidelines according to the biomedical journals
• Cite references accurately
• Always acknowledge and give sufficient credit to the original sources
• Avoid writing several articles of the same type and submitting to different journals at the same time
• Consult with a translator or native speaker before sending the final proof of the manuscript to the scientific journals
• Use anti-plagiarism tools to detect any accidental plagiarism. For example, plagiarism detection software like Cross Check
• Enclose the covering letter to the editor regarding for any overlap unintentionally.

Benefits of Avoiding Plagiarism

When writing a good scientific paper one should diagnose for any plagiarized material which helps in avoiding misrepresentation of any hypothesis or scientific misconduct. Table 1 enumerates the key messages given by the authors on knowing and avoiding plagiarism during scientific writing. Thus, every young author tries to learn how to write or present an article or research work in his own words by following the rules of good scientific writing. With the help of anti-plagiarism tools one can avoid duplicate manuscripts at journal office. Thus, it gives immense respect and truthfulness toward science and gives the way for quality papers to publish. Lastly, by rejecting plagiarized articles at journal office by the editor, it also helps every author to think for newer concepts.[ 23 , 26 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]

Summarize the key message given by all the authors on plagiarism in different articles which are included in this review

Summary and Conclusion

In order to publish a good scientific paper, one has to make an honest effort to read the original sources thoroughly and then put down one's own ideas or thoughts in his own words with proper paraphrasing, citation and by using quotation marks where ever necessary to avoid plagiarism.

With the advancement of technological field, even the dental and medical writers need to think new for ideas, concepts, techniques or for any hypothesis which further helps in the advancement of dental and medical field.

Source of Support: Nil.

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > How to Avoid Plagiarism in Research

How to Avoid Plagiarism in Research

The first step toward avoiding plagiarism is to understand what it is. Learn what plagiarism is, what it isn’t, and how to spot it and correct it—and, ideally, avoid it.

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is presenting another’s work or thoughts as your own. Some students believe that plagiarism only occurs when one intends to plagiarize—it’s only stealing if you know you’re stealing, right? But making a mistake using sources when researching a paper —not citing correctly or often enough, paraphrasing incompletely, etc.—is still plagiarism. Inadvertent plagiarism is still plagiarism. Ignorance of the rules of how to use and cite sources doesn’t mean those rules don’t apply to you.

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Improve your spelling and grammar anywhere you write.

Plagiarism is more than purposefully or accidentally copying someone else’s work. Be warry of plagiarizing yourself, too. Reusing your own work across projects—unless explicitly allowed—is also plagiarism, even though it’s your own work. Like other kinds of plagiarism, self-plagiarism is both lazy and unethical.

Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism

Here are some tried-and-true approaches to preventing yourself from inadvertently plagiarizing one of your sources while writing a research paper: 1 , 2

Cite early, cite often.

Any idea that isn’t yours that you include in a research paper must be cited. Direct quotes—even those that you introduce by naming the source—need to be cited, and so do paraphrased passages and summaries of research. Every. Single. Time. Different kinds of research papers may require that you follow one of several style guides. Consult the style guide required by your course to see how cite everything from speeches to websites to social media posts correctly.

Paraphrase properly.

Changing one or two words of a source’s sentence or fact is not paraphrasing. Proper paraphrasing requires you understand the source material well enough to explain it in your own words, then that you rewrite the source material’s sentence or fact completely—new words, new sentence structure—without changing the meaning of the content. Paraphrasing also requires that you cite your source material just as you would a direct quote.

Double-check your work.

Check your citations every time you add to your work and during each new draft. Some schools and teachers choose to subscribe to web-based plagiarism checkers or suggest students use free versions. But there’s a powerful anti-plagiarism tool is built right into Word 365 : the similarity checker . Take advantage of it to ensure you’re citing your sources correctly before you turn in your work.

Share your point of view.

Conducting research and writing a paper is about more than collecting facts and figures and repeating them. It’s about presenting your original thoughts on the topic and supporting your thesis statement. (Which is included at the end of your research paper’s introduction —right?) Including your original thoughts and unique point of view—based up your research—in your paper is not only appropriate and expected, it’s a surefire way to steer clear of plagiarism.

Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarizing—What They Are & How to Use Each

Understanding the three ways to incorporate research into research papers is key to avoiding inadvertent plagiarism: 3

When you quote a source, you’re reproducing the source material word-for-word. And, yes, that word-for-word reproduction goes inside quotation marks.

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is rewriting a passage or fact from a source in your own words instead of quoting directly. Rewriting actually does mean rewriting—not just reordering the words in a sentence and getting creative with punctuation. Everything except the meaning of what’s being paraphrased needs to be changed.

Summarizing

Summarizing is condensing a passage, fact, or a collection of either or both from a source down to their main points and writing them in your own words. All summarizing is paraphrasing, but not all paraphrasing is summarizing.

Each of these approaches require citation—and again, how sources are cited in any given paper depends on the style guide being used in your course. Citing thoroughly, combined with appropriate paraphrasing and including your unique perspective on the research topic will help prevent inadvertent plagiarism—and the academic consequences that would result.

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Acknowledging the use of generative AI and referencing generative AI

This guidance presents UCL's general approach to acknowledging the use of generative AI and referencing generative AI. Generative AI (GenAI) is evolving rapidly and there is not yet general consensus on how to acknowledge and reference it. This guidance will therefore continue to be reviewed and updated.

Considerations for using generative AI in academic work

Acknowledging the use of generative ai in academic work.

• In-text citations and inclusion of AI generated output in a reference list

Use of standardised referencing styles

Before using GenAI, you should ensure that:

• You know whether or not it is permitted (or required) for your assignment / research.
• You understand the limitations and risks of using GenAI.
• Your assignment / research remains your own work.

GenAI can be a useful starting point to gather background information on a topic, but be aware that:

• GenAI produces information that may be inaccurate, biased, or outdated.
• GenAI is not an original source of information: it reproduces information from sources which are often unidentified.
• GenAI may fabricate quotations and citations.
• It is always best to refer to original and credible sources of information.

If you do choose to use GenAI tools, you must always:

• Critically evaluate any output it produces.
• Carefully check any quotations or citations it creates.
• Correctly document your use of the tools so that it can be appropriately acknowledged.
• Retain drafts of your work so you can evidence your process.

The use of GenAI must be acknowledged in an ‘Appendix’ or 'Methods' section of any piece of academic work where it has been used as a functional tool to assist in the process of creating academic work.

Minimum requirement to include in acknowledgement:

• Name and version of the GenAI system used; e.g. Microsoft Copilot (version GPT-4); ChatGPT-3.5
• Publisher (company that made the |GenAI system); e.g. Microsoft; OpenAI
• URL of the GenAI system.
• Brief description (single sentence) of context in which the tool was used.

For example: 

I acknowledge the use of Microsoft Copilot (version GPT-4, Microsoft, https://copilot.microsoft.com/) to summarise my initial notes and to proofread my final draft.

Further requirements may be stipulated by a department, academic programme or individual teaching staff, or for a particular assignment, and must be made clear to students when an assignment is set. Additional requirements may include expanded description in an ‘Appendix’ or ‘Methods’ section, such as:

• If relevant, the prompt(s) used to generate a response in the GenAI system.
• The date the output was generated.
• The output obtained (e.g. a ‘link to chat’ if ChatGPT, or a compilation of all output generated as an appendix).
• How the output was changed for use or incorporation into a piece of work (e.g. a tracked-changes document or a descriptive paragraph).

These acknowledgements as an appendix should not be included in the word count of a piece of work, unless stipulated otherwise for a particular assignment or by a particular academic programme or department. The appendix should either be placed at the beginning or end of the document.

In-text citations and inclusion of AI-generated output in a reference list

Some referencing styles suggest that GenAI systems should be cited in a similar way to other sources, most notably personal communications, but there are issues with citing GenAI systems:

• A GenAI tool cannot be classed as an author – it cannot take responsibility for its work, nor does it generate original ideas but reproduces ideas found elsewhere.
• A primary function of a reference list is so the reader can refer to the original source, which is not possible with AI generated content.

This proposal therefore favours the approach of most academic publishers (1-3), which stipulates GenAI systems should not be cited as an author nor included as a source in the reference list.

There may be cases where it is appropriate or necessary for a student or researcher to refer to AI-generated output within a piece of work and / or include it in a reference list, e.g. where the piece of work addresses the topic of GenAI and discussion around outputs, where there is reference to a formally published output generated by AI, where it is required by the academic department, or where a student has not identified a primary source of the information despite the issues with relying on GenAI as a secondary source of information (which may be considered poor academic practice). Students are advised to check with their department.

In such cases, the output should be treated as a work with no author, unless specified otherwise by departmental guidelines or the standardised referencing style you are using.

Where a student or researcher is required to use a standard referencing style which has specific rules for citing and referencing GenAI, the rules of the citation style should be followed, in addition to acknowledging the use of GenAI as outlined above. This may require the use of in-text citations and reference list entries where the GenAI tool is listed as an author. E.g. APA, Chicago.

Reference List

• Stokel-Walker C. Chatgpt Listed as Author on Research Papers. Nature .  2023;613(7945):620-621. Available from:  https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00107-z
• Ganjavi C, Eppler MB, Pekcan A, Biedermann B, Abreu A, Collins GS, Gill IS and Cacciamani GE. Publishers’ and journals’ instructions to authors on use of generative artificial intelligence in academic and scientific publishing: bibliometric analysis. BMJ .  2024;384:e077192. Available from: <doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-077192 >

Hosseini M, Resnik DB and Holmes K. The ethics of disclosing the use of artificial intelligence tools in writing scholarly manuscripts. Research Ethics .  2023;19(4):449-465. Available from: <doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/17470161231180449 >

Related resources

• Generative AI Hub UCL guidance: hub bringing together all the latest information, resources and guidance on using Artificial Intelligence in education.
• Engaging with AI in your education and assessment UCL student guidance on how you might engage with Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your assessments, effectively and ethically.
• Generative AI as a source of information LibrarySkills@UCL guidance on using generative AI as a source of information, including limitations, suggested tools and potential assistive uses in the search process.
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• Last Updated: Sep 17, 2024 3:54 PM
• URL: https://library-guides.ucl.ac.uk/referencing-plagiarism