When you use works and ideas that aren’t yours – even when you don’t use the original author’s exact words – it’s important that you give them proper credit, especially when you incorporate them into your paper. Otherwise, you’re committing plagiarism, a serious breech of academic integrity many universities cannot easily overlook.
Today, virtually all educational institutions have a code of academic integrity that prohibits plagiarism. Anyone who gets caught will have to face the consequences, ranging from failing a class or course to being expelled from the university.
You probably already heard about students who have gotten into huge trouble for committing plagiarism. But with piles of schoolwork to finish and easy access to free resources, it’s easier than ever to fall into the plagiarism trap. If you want to avoid that dreaded trip to the dean’s office, consider following these tips to preventing plagiarism:
#1 Know and understand what plagiarism is.
For newbie students, the best starting point is to know all about plagiarism and to test your knowledge of it.
Essentially, you need to put credits on any source you directly quote –and to of course put quotation marks whenever necessary. The same goes for when you’re paraphrasing. However, you don’t need to put quotation marks on paraphrased text. After all, you’re not using the same exact words that was used by the original source.
#2 Properly cite your source materials.
This is one of the most effective – and important – ways to preventing plagiarism. With proper citation, you’re giving credit to the work and its original author.
Also, take note that ideas that aren’t yours should still be cited. A lot of students fail to cite sources because they feel they put their own words based on another author’s ideas. This is paraphrasing and it’s still a form of plagiarism. So if you’re in doubt, it’s better to just provide citation.
Next, make sure to cite your source materials properly, based on your professor’s instructions. Be aware of your university’s guidelines and preferred citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).
Likewise, you need to understand that there are some information that no longer require citation. For instance, you don’t have to cite well-known facts or common knowledge. This includes urban legends and personal experiences.
If you’re not familiar with a certain discipline and you’re not sure which information is common knowledge, it’s better to approach your professor and ask them whether or not the information needs to be cited. Better yet, consult your syllabus or course materials to find your answer.
#3 Keep track of your source materials.
One mistake students often commit is having to spend hours doing research and writing down notes, only to lose track of the source materials they used and where they came from. Save yourself from the hassle and keep track of your sources as you take down notes, right at the very start.
You can keep things organized by using a T-Chart graphic organizer. For example, you can put all your sources in one column, and your notes in another column. This way, you can save yourself from accidentally forgetting to cite a source (and in turn, being accused of plagiarism).
The key to preventing plagiarism is to be as original as possible, and expressing your own thoughts and ideas. That’s because when you look for an easy way out, it usually only ends up in poor-quality writing and wasted time.
So the next time you sit down and write a paper assignment, make sure to follow our handy tips. Sure enough, your paper will be perfectly free of plagiarism!
Top comments (1)
Great post! However, what are your thoughts on the issue of code plagiarism?