What Students Should Know to Avoid Plagiarism: Easy Tips

Publication Date: 16 Aug 2018
Author: Alice Miley

How to Avoid Plagiarism in Your Paper

When writing a research paper, you usually have tons of information to be included, proofread and edited. It takes lots of time, so many students just take information from the source and copy it to the main body of the paper not changing anything: this is so easy and quick. However, such tactics could lead to the bad consequences – plagiarism is considered as stealing, it is a serious offense and can result in throwing you out of college. Nobody wants that to happen: luckily for you, there are many ways to use the information avoiding to be accused of plagiarism.

No Plagiarism, No Problems

First of all, you should have enough time for writing – you can do research, not rush and pay attention to the content. If you want to get an excellent grade, before you copy the info to the document, first try to change it. There are a few ways to do it:

1. Correct citation. You can actually copy the info to the document using a citation. When citing the sources you used for writing, check the standards of how it should be done and apply it accurately. After that proofread it to make sure that you cited all the sources;
2. Quotation. When you are quoting a person directly, it can also be a good way to give credit. It takes not much time and in this case, you will not be accused of plagiarism;
3. Providing value. You should not do everything from scratch, but it would be weird if your paper consisted of citations and quotations only. Try to add some valuable information from your side, describe your opinion and share your thoughts on the topic. You can easily do it after extensive research;
4. Including the reference page. If you have one, nobody can say your work is a plagiarism. Just add this list at the end and do it before you start working in order not to miss something important;
5. Checking for plagiarism. Did you know there are many online services where you can check your work for plagiarism for free? They are, and it is one of the best ways to avoid plagiarism.
6. Paraphrasing. You can still use the works of other people just written in your own words. It seems like a good plan!

It would be useful to spend some time with your teacher and check if you follow the deadlines and editing rules. You can ask him what you need to do to avoid plagiarism and be prepared for the task. Another good option is the Internet – if you found something not in the book but on the Internet, you can still cite one of the online sources in your paper. Good luck!