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How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources

Published on October 10, 2021 by Tegan George . Revised on November 21, 2023.

Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas without properly crediting the original author. Sometimes plagiarism involves deliberately stealing someone’s work, but more often it happens accidentally, through carelessness or forgetfulness.When you write an academic paper, you build upon the work of others and use various credible sources for information and evidence. To avoid plagiarism, you need to correctly incorporate these sources into your text.

You can avoid plagiarism by :

• Keeping track of the sources you consult in your research
• Paraphrasing or quoting from your sources (by using a paraphrasing tool and adding your own ideas)
• Crediting the original author in an in-text citation and in your reference list
• Using a plagiarism checker before you submit
• Use generative AI tools responsibly (outputs may be detected by an   AI detector )

Even accidental plagiarism can have serious consequences , so take care with how you integrate sources into your writing.

Table of contents

Keeping track of your sources, avoiding plagiarism when quoting, avoiding plagiarism when paraphrasing, citing your sources correctly, using a plagiarism checker, using ai tools responsibly, checklist: plagiarism prevention, free lecture slides, frequently asked questions.

One of the most common ways that students commit plagiarism is by simply forgetting where an idea came from and unintentionally presenting it as their own. You can easily avoid this pitfall by keeping your notes organized and compiling a list of citations as you go.

Clearly label which thoughts are yours and which aren’t in your notes, highlight statements that need citations, and carefully mark any text copied directly from a source with quotation marks.

In the example below, red indicates a claim that requires a source, blue indicates information paraphrased or summarized from a source, and green indicates a direct quotation.

Notes for my paper on global warming

• Greenhouse gas emissions trap heat and raise global temperatures [cite details]
• Causes more severe weather: hurricanes, fires, water scarcity [cite examples]
• Animal habitats across the world are under threat from climate change [cite examples]
• Just this year, 23 species have been declared extinct (BBC News 2021)
• “Animals are changing shape… some are growing bigger wings, some are sprouting longer ears and others are growing larger bills” in order to cool off (Zeldovich 2021)

Managing sources with the Scribbr Citation Generator

To make your life easier later, make sure to write down the full details of every source you consult. That includes not only books and journal articles, but also things like websites, magazine articles, and videos. This makes it easy to go back and check where you found a phrase, fact, or idea that you want to use in your paper.

Scribbr’s Citation Generator allows you to start building and managing your reference list as you go, saving time later. When you’re ready to submit, simply download your reference list!

Generate accurate citations with Scribbr

Prevent plagiarism. run a free check..

Quoting means copying a piece of text word for word. The copied text must be introduced in your own words, enclosed in quotation marks , and correctly attributed to the original author.

In general, quote sparingly. Quotes are appropriate when:

• You’re using an exact definition, introduced by the original author
• It is impossible for you to rephrase the original text without losing its meaning
• You’re analyzing the use of language in the original text
• You want to maintain the authority and style of the author’s words

Long quotations should be formatted as block quotes . But for longer blocks of text, it’s usually better to paraphrase instead.

Paraphrasing means using your own words to explain something from a source.

Paraphrasing does not mean just switching out a few words from a copy-pasted text. To paraphrase properly, you should rewrite the author’s point in your own words to show that you have fully understood it.

Every time you quote or paraphrase, you must include an in-text or footnote citation clearly identifying the original author. Each citation must correspond to a full reference in the reference list or bibliography at the end of your paper.

This acknowledges the source of your information, avoiding plagiarism, and it helps your readers locate the source for themselves if they would like to learn more.

There are many different citation styles, each with its own rules. A few common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago . Your instructor may assign a particular style for you to use, or you may be able to choose. The most important thing is to apply one style consistently throughout the text.

The examples below follow APA Style.

Citing a single source

Citing multiple sources

If you quote multiple sources in one sentence, make sure to cite them separately so that it’s clear which material came from which source.

To create correctly formatted source citations, you can use our free Citation Generator.

APA Citation Generator MLA Citation Generator

And if you’re citing in APA Style, consider using Scribbr’s Citation Checker , a unique tool that scans your citations for errors. It can detect inconsistencies between your in-text citations and your reference list, as well as making sure your citations are flawlessly formatted.

Most universities use plagiarism checkers like Turnitin to detect potential plagiarism. Here’s how plagiarism checkers work : they scan your document, compare it to a database of webpages and publications, and highlight passages that appear similar to other texts.

Consider using a plagiarism checker yourself before submitting your paper. This allows you to identify issues that could constitute accidental plagiarism, such as:

• Forgotten or misplaced citations
• Missing quotation marks
• Paraphrased material that’s too similar to the original text

Then you can easily fix any instances of potential plagiarism.

There are differences in accuracy and safety between plagiarism checkers. To help students choose, we conducted extensive research comparing the best plagiarism checkers .

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can be helpful at different stages of the writing and research process. However, these tools can also be used to plagiarize in various ways (whether intentionally or unintentionally). When using these tools, it’s important to avoid the following:

• AI-assisted plagiarism:   Passing off AI-generated text as your own work (e.g., research papers, homework assignments)
• Plagiarism :   Using the tool to paraphrase content from another source and passing it off as original work
• Self-plagiarism :   Using the tool to rewrite a paper you previously submitted

It’s important to use AI tools responsibly and to be aware that AI-generated outputs may be detected by your university’s AI detector .

When using someone else’s exact words, I have properly formatted them as a quote .

When using someone else’s ideas, I have properly paraphrased , expressing the idea completely in my own words.

I have included an in-text citation every time I use words, ideas, or information from a source.

Every source I cited is included in my reference list or bibliography .

I have consistently followed the rules of my required citation style .

I have not committed self-plagiarism by reusing any part of a previous paper.

I have used a reliable plagiarism checker as a final check.

Your document should be free from plagiarism!

Are you a teacher or professor who would like to educate your students about plagiarism? You can download our free lecture slides, available for Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint.

Open Google Slides Download PowerPoint

Accidental plagiarism is one of the most common examples of plagiarism . Perhaps you forgot to cite a source, or paraphrased something a bit too closely. Maybe you can’t remember where you got an idea from, and aren’t totally sure if it’s original or not.

These all count as plagiarism, even though you didn’t do it on purpose. When in doubt, make sure you’re citing your sources . Also consider running your work through a plagiarism checker tool prior to submission, which work by using advanced database software to scan for matches between your text and existing texts.

Scribbr’s Plagiarism Checker takes less than 10 minutes and can help you turn in your paper with confidence.

To avoid plagiarism when summarizing an article or other source, follow these two rules:

• Write the summary entirely in your own words by paraphrasing the author’s ideas.
• Cite the source with an in-text citation and a full reference so your reader can easily find the original text.

Plagiarism can be detected by your professor or readers if the tone, formatting, or style of your text is different in different parts of your paper, or if they’re familiar with the plagiarized source.

Many universities also use plagiarism detection software like Turnitin’s, which compares your text to a large database of other sources, flagging any similarities that come up.

It can be easier than you think to commit plagiarism by accident. Consider using a plagiarism checker prior to submitting your paper to ensure you haven’t missed any citations.

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.

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. (2023, November 21). How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources. Scribbr. Retrieved August 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism/how-to-avoid-plagiarism/

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

Citing Sources

• How to Avoid Plagiarism
• Introduction
• Reading Citations

Best Practices for Avoiding Plagiarism

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

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

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

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

Plagiarism prevention.

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

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

For more information, go to Turnitin.com .

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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.

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.

Prevent plagiarism, run a free plagiarism check.

• Knowledge Base

How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources

Published on 6 December 2021 by Tegan George . Revised on 3 April 2023.

When you write an academic paper, you build upon the work of others and use various credible sources for information and evidence. To avoid plagiarism, you need to correctly incorporate these sources into your text.

• Keeping track of the sources you consult in your research
• Paraphrasing or quoting from your sources (and adding your own ideas)
• Crediting the original author in an in-text citation and in your reference list
• Using a plagiarism checker before you submit

Even accidental plagiarism can have serious consequences , so take care with how you integrate sources into your writing.

Table of contents

Keeping track of your sources, avoiding plagiarism when quoting, avoiding plagiarism when paraphrasing, citing your sources correctly, using a plagiarism checker, checklist: plagiarism prevention, free lecture slides, frequently asked questions about plagiarism.

One of the most common ways that students commit plagiarism is by simply forgetting where an idea came from and unintentionally presenting it as their own. You can easily avoid this pitfall by keeping your notes organised and compiling a list of citations as you go.

Clearly label which thoughts are yours and which aren’t in your notes, highlight statements that need citations, and carefully mark any text copied directly from a source with quotation marks.

In the example below, red indicates a claim that requires a source, blue indicates information paraphrased or summarised from a source, and green indicates a direct quotation.

Notes for my paper on global warming

• Greenhouse gas emissions trap heat and raise global temperatures [cite details]
• Causes more severe weather: hurricanes, fires, water scarcity [cite examples]
• Animal habitats across the world are under threat from climate change [cite examples]
• Just this year, 23 species have been declared extinct (BBC News 2021)
• ‘Animals are changing shape… some are growing bigger wings, some are sprouting longer ears and others are growing larger bills’ in order to cool off (Zeldovich 2021)

Managing sources with the Scribbr Citation Generator

To make your life easier later, make sure to write down the full details of every source you consult. That includes not only books and journal articles, but also things like websites, magazine articles, and videos. This makes it easy to go back and check where you found a phrase, fact, or idea that you want to use in your paper.

Scribbr’s Citation Generator allows you to start building and managing your reference list as you go, saving time later. When you’re ready to submit, simply download your reference list!

Generate accurate citations with Scribbr

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check..

Quoting means copying a piece of text word for word. The copied text must be introduced in your own words, enclosed in quotation marks , and correctly attributed to the original author.

In general, quote sparingly. Quotes are appropriate when:

• You’re using an exact definition, introduced by the original author
• It is impossible for you to rephrase the original text without losing its meaning
• You’re analyzing the use of language in the original text
• You want to maintain the authority and style of the author’s words

Long quotations should be formatted as block quotes . But for longer blocks of text, it’s usually better to paraphrase instead.

Paraphrasing means using your own words to explain something from a source.

Paraphrasing does not mean just switching out a few words from a copy-pasted text. To paraphrase properly, you should rewrite the author’s point in your own words to show that you have fully understood it.

Every time you quote or paraphrase, you must include an in-text or footnote citation clearly identifying the original author. Each citation must correspond to a full reference in the reference list or bibliography at the end of your paper.

This acknowledges the source of your information, avoiding plagiarism, and it helps your readers locate the source for themselves if they would like to learn more.

There are many different citation styles, each with its own rules. Your instructor may assign a particular style for you to use, or you may be able to choose. The most important thing is to apply one style consistently throughout the text.

The examples below follow APA Style .

Citing a single source

Citing multiple sources

If you quote multiple sources in one sentence, make sure to cite them separately so that it’s clear which material came from which source.

To create correctly formatted source citations, you can use our free Citation Generator.

APA Citation Generator MLA Citation Generator

And if you’re citing in APA Style, consider using Scribbr’s Citation Checker , a unique tool that scans your citations for errors. It can detect inconsistencies between your in-text citations and your reference list, as well as making sure your citations are flawlessly formatted.

Most universities use plagiarism checkers like Turnitin to detect potential plagiarism. Here’s how plagiarism checkers work : they scan your document, compare it to a database of webpages and publications, and highlight passages that appear similar to other texts.

Consider using a plagiarism checker yourself before submitting your paper. This allows you to identify issues that could constitute accidental plagiarism, such as:

• Forgotten or misplaced citations
• Missing quotation marks
• Paraphrased material that’s too similar to the original text

Then you can easily fix any instances of potential plagiarism.

There are differences in accuracy and safety between plagiarism checkers. To help students choose, we conducted extensive research comparing the best plagiarism checkers .

When using someone else’s exact words, I have properly formatted them as a quote .

When using someone else’s ideas, I have properly paraphrased , expressing the idea completely in my own words.

I have included an in-text citation every time I use words, ideas, or information from a source.

Every source I cited is included in my reference list or bibliography .

I have consistently followed the rules of my required citation style .

I have not committed self-plagiarism by reusing any part of a previous paper.

I have used a reliable plagiarism checker as a final check.

Your document should be free from plagiarism!

Are you a teacher or lecturer who would like to educate your students about plagiarism? You can download our free lecture slides, available for Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint.

Open Google Slides Download PowerPoint

Accidental plagiarism is one of the most common examples of plagiarism . Perhaps you forgot to cite a source, or paraphrased something a bit too closely. Maybe you can’t remember where you got an idea from, and aren’t totally sure if it’s original or not.

These all count as plagiarism, even though you didn’t do it on purpose. When in doubt, make sure you’re citing your sources . Also consider running your work through a plagiarism checker tool prior to submission, which work by using advanced database software to scan for matches between your text and existing texts.

Scribbr’s Plagiarism Checker takes less than 10 minutes and can help you turn in your paper with confidence.

To avoid plagiarism when summarising an article or other source, follow these two rules:

• Write the summary entirely in your own words by   paraphrasing the author’s ideas.
• Reference the source with an in-text citation and a full reference so your reader can easily find the original text.

Plagiarism can be detected by your professor or readers if the tone, formatting, or style of your text is different in different parts of your paper, or if they’re familiar with the plagiarised source.

Many universities also use   plagiarism detection software like Turnitin’s, which compares your text to a large database of other sources, flagging any similarities that come up.

It can be easier than you think to commit plagiarism by accident. Consider using a   plagiarism checker prior to submitting your essay to ensure you haven’t missed any citations.

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 (e.g. 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!

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 Reference Generator.

George, T. (2023, April 03). How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources. Scribbr. Retrieved 5 August 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/preventing-plagiarism/avoiding-plagiarism/

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Using Information Ethically

• Academic Integrity
• What is Plagiarism?
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Recognizing Academic Misconduct
• Citing Sources
• Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing Strategies
• AI & Academic Integrity
• Using AI Ethically
• Test Your Knowledge

Strategies for Avoiding Plagiarism

• Introduction
• As you are researching
• As you are writing
• When you are finished

Plagiarism and other instances of academic misconduct are often accidental in nature. Habits such as being disorganized with your notes or waiting until the last minute to complete assignments can lead to academic misconduct. However, there are multiple strategies that you can try to help improve your study habits and lower your chances of committing academic misconduct. 

Click on the tabs to read about some strategies you can adopt to better equip yourself against inadvertent plagiarism or academic misconduct throughout your research and writing process.

• Take effective notes  - Write down important information as you come across it and indicate where it comes from. Then when it comes time to use that information in your writing, you'll know how to cite it. You can develop a note-taking style that works for you whether that is in a Google doc with hyperlinks to sources or something as simple as handwritten notecards.  
• Stay organized and ask for help  - It is hard to do your best work when you are stressed out and crunched for time. Do your best to manage your time wisely to avoid having to work on multiple projects at once. Rushed work can result in mistakes.  And remember you can reach out to a librarian for help .  We are here to work with you to find sources, interpret and analyze sources, or to accurately cite sources.  
• Work in drafts  - For larger, more in-depth assignments, working in drafts is the best way to keep a record of your work over time. Drafting helps you map out and revise ideas without the fear of losing work. Also, research never happens in a straight line. You often have to revisit ideas or tasks throughout the research process, and saving drafts helps you keep track of how your research evolved.  
• Name files appropriately  - While it is easily overlooked, developing a file naming system can save you time and help keep your work organized. It will also help prevent you from confusing projects across your various classes.  
• Use reliable, time-saving tools  - Using digital tools, such as reference generators and citation management software , can help you develop accurate citations in seconds.  Summon can help with this by clicking on the quotation mark icon next to a source and choosing the citation style you need, whether MLA, APA, or Chicago.  
• Cite your sources  - It is important to remember that we are always building off the work of others. Providing proper attribution to the sources you referenced in your work is not only the ethical thing to do, but it shows your readers that you've done your research. As you go through your writing, you can ask yourself, "How do I know this?"  If the answer is that you learned it from something you've read, heard, or watched, be sure to give those sources credit.  
• Proofread your work  - Reviewing your work before you submit it can help you catch mistakes like accidently missing an in-text citation. Having someone else read your work can be helpful as a new set of eyes to catch errors you may have missed.  

Did I Plagiarize?

Sometimes it is hard to know if you are accidently committing plagiarism. Use this short checklist below to check before you submit your work.  

      Before you submit that paper, ensure that you have:

Indicated when you have borrowed materials from another person (both for quotes and paraphrases).

Enclosed all quoted words, phrases, and sentences in quotation marks and provided a page number.

Provided a citation for all paraphrased material just as you would a quotation.

Properly used a citation style, such as MLA, APA, or Chicago.

Provided a full reference list that included everything you have cited in your paper.  

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• Last Updated: Aug 9, 2024 3:47 PM
• URL: https://libguides.unco.edu/c.php?g=1409683

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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• Next: 5b. Zotero & MyBib >>
• Last Updated: Jun 26, 2024 1:37 PM
• URL: https://libguides.elmira.edu/research

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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the article is very useful to me as a starter in research…thanks a lot!

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

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• Bibliography

According to USC's Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards , plagiarism is:

• The submission of material authored by another person but represented as the student's own work, whether that material is paraphrased or copied in verbatim or near-verbatim form.
• The submission of material subjected to editorial revision by another person that results in substantive changes in content or major alteration of writing style.
• Improper acknowledgment of sources in essays or papers.

Avoiding Allegations of Plagiarism

An allegation of plagiarism is intent-neutral . In other words, the reader cannot discern whether the absence of a citation was done deliberately or you simply forgot to add a citation or accidentally cited to the wrong source. Therefore, it is important to proofread your paper before you submit it to ensure you have listed all sources used during your research and that every in-text citation relates to a full citation in your list of references. This is also why it is important to keep track of everything you have used during the course of writing your paper so you can easily assess whether all your sources have been cited.

With this in mind, credit must be given when using one of the following in your own research paper:

• Another person's idea, opinion, or theory;
• Any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings, or other non-textual elements used or that you adapted from another source;
• Any pieces of information that are not common knowledge;
• Quotations of another person's actual spoken or written words; or
• Paraphrase of another person's spoken or written words.

To introduce students to the process of citing other people's work, the USC Libraries have created a useful online tutorial on avoiding plagiarism . It describes what constitutes plagiarism and offers helpful advice on how to properly cite sources. In addition, the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards has also published, "Trojan Integrity: A Guide for Avoiding Plagiarism." This guide provides a comprehensive explanation for how to defend yourself against allegations of violating the university's policy on academic integrity.

If you have any doubts about whether to cite a particular source concerning an argument or statement made in your paper, protect yourself by citing the source or sources that helps the reader determine the validity of your work. Note that not citing a source not only raises concerns about the academic integrity of your paper, but, more importantly, it tells the reader that you did not conduct an effective or thorough review of the literature in support of examining the research problem. It also inhibits the reader's ability to review the cited source to obtain further information about what is being discussed in your paper.

Academic Integrity. The Writing Center. University of Kansas; Avoiding Plagiarism. Academic Skills Program, University of Canberra; How and When to Cite Other People's Work. Psychology Writing Center, University of Washington; Proctor, Margaret. "How Not to Plagiarize." University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Plagiarism. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Plagiarism. The Writing Center. Department of English, George Mason University. Avoiding Plagiarism. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University.

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Plagiarism in Research — The Complete Guide [eBook]

Table of Contents

Plagiarism can be described as the not-so-subtle art of stealing an already existing work, violating the principles of academic integrity and fairness. Well, there's no denying that we see further by standing on the shoulders of giants, and when it comes to constructing a research prose, we often need to look at the world through their lens. However, in this process, many students and researchers, knowingly or otherwise, resort to plagiarism.

In many instances, plagiarism is intentional, whether through direct copying or paraphrasing. Unfortunately, there are also times when it happens unintentionally. Regardless of the intent, plagiarism goes against the ethos of the scientific world and is considered a severe moral and disciplinary offense.

The good news is that you can avoid plagiarism and even work around it. So, if you're keen on publishing unplagiarized papers and maintaining academic integrity, you've come to the right place.

With this comprehensive ebook on plagiarism, we intend to help you understand what constitutes plagiarism in research, why it happens, plagiarism concepts and types, how you can prevent it, and much more.

What is plagiarism?

Plagiarism is defined as representing a part of or the entirety of someone else's work as your own. Whether published or unpublished, this could be ideas, text verbatim, infographics, etc. It is no different in the academic writing, either. However, it is not considered plagiarism if most of your work is original and the referred part is diligently cited.

The degree of plagiarism can vary from discipline to discipline. Like in mathematics or engineering, there are times when you have to copy and paste entire equations or proofs, which can take a significant chunk of your paper. Again, that is not constituted plagiarism, provided there's an analysis or rebuttal to it.

That said, there are some objective parameters defining plagiarism. Get to know them, and your life as a researcher will be much smoother.

Common types of plagiarism

Plagiarism often creeps into academic works in various forms, from complete plagiarism to accidental plagiarism.

The types of plagiarism varies depending on the two critical aspects — the writer's intention and the degree to which the prose is plagiarized. These aspects help institutions and publishers define plagiarism types more accurately.

The agreed-upon forms of plagiarism that occur in research writing include:

1. Global or Complete Plagiarism

Global or Complete plagiarism is inarguably the most severe form of plagiarism  — It is as good as stealing. It happens when an author blatantly copies somebody else's work in its entirety and passes it on as their own.

Since complete plagiarism is always committed deliberately and disguises the ownership of the work, it is directly recognized under copyright violation and can lead to intellectual property abuse and legal battles. That, along with irredeemable repercussions like a damaged reputation, getting expelled, or losing your job.

2. Verbatim or Direct Plagiarism

Verbatim or direct plagiarism happens when you copy a part of someone else's work, word-to-word, without providing adequate credits or attributions. The ideas, structure, and diction in your work would match the original author's work. Even if you were to change a few words or the position of sentences here and there, the final result remains the same.

The best way to avoid this is to minimize copy-pasting entire paragraphs and use it only when the situation calls for it. And when you do so, use quotation marks and in-text citations, crediting the original source.

3. Source-based Plagiarism

Source-based plagiarism results from an author trying to mislead or disguise the natural source of their work. Say you write a paper, giving enough citations, but when the editor or peer reviewers try to cross-check your references, they find a dead end or incorrect information. Another instance is when you use both primary and secondary data to support your argument but only cite the former with no reference for the latter.

In both cases, the information provided is either irrelevant or misleading. You may have cited it, but it does not support the text completely.

Similarly, another type of plagiarism is called data manipulation and counterfeiting . Data Manipulation is creating your own data and results. In contrast, data counterfeiting is skipping or adultering the key findings to suit your expected outcomes.

Using misinformed sources in a research study constitutes grave violations and offenses. Particularly in the medical field, it can lead to legal issues such as wrong data presentation. Its interpretation can lead to false clinical trials, which can have grave consequences.

4. Paraphrasing Plagiarism

Paraphrasing plagiarism is one of the more common types of plagiarism. It refers to when an author copies ideas, thoughts, and inferences, rephrases sentences, and then claims ownership.

Compared to verbatim, paraphrasing plagiarism involves changing words, sentences, semantics or translating texts. The general idea or the topic of the thesis, however, remains the same and as clever as it may seem, it is straightforward to detect.

More often authors commit paraphrasing by reading a few sources and writing them in their own words without due citation. This can lead the reader to believe that the idea was the author's own when it wasn’t.

5. Mosaic or Patchwork Plagiarism

One of the more mischievous ways to abstain from writing original work is mosaic plagiarism. Patchwork or mosaic plagiarism occurs when an author stitches together a research paper by lending pieces from multiple sources and weaving them as their creation. Sure, the author can add a few new words and phrases, but the meat of the paper is stolen.

It’s common for authors to refer to various sources during the research. But to patch them together and form a new paper from them is wrong.

Mosaic plagiarism can be difficult to detect, so authors, too confident in themselves, often resort to it. However, these days, there are plenty of online tools like Turnitin, Enago, and EasyBib that identify patchwork and correctly point to the sources from which you have borrowed.

6. Ghostwriting

Outside of the academic world, ghostwriting is entirely acceptable. Leaders do it, politicians do it, and artists do it. In academia, however, ghostwriting is a breach of conduct that tarnishes the integrity of a student or a researcher.

Ghostwriting is the act of using an unacknowledged person’s assistance to complete a paper. This happens in two ways — when an author has their paper’s foundation laid out but pays someone else to write, edit, and proofread. The other is when they pay someone to write the whole article from scratch.

In either case, it’s utterly unacceptable since the whole point of a paper is to exhibit an author's original thoughts presented by them. Ghostwriting, thus, raises a serious question about the academic capabilities of an author.

7. Self-plagiarism

This may surprise many, but rehashing previous works, even if they are your own, is also considered plagiarism. The biggest reason why self-plagiarism is a fallacy is because you’re trying to claim credit for something that you have already received credit for.

Authors often borrow their past data or experiment results, use them in their current work, and present them as brand new. Some may even plagiarize old published works' ideas, cues, or phrases.

The degree to which self-plagiarism is still under debate depends on the volume of work that has been copied. Additionally, many academic and non-academic journals have devised a fixed ratio on what percentage of self-plagiarism is acceptable. Unless you have made a proper declaration through citations and quotation marks about old data usage, it will fall under the scope of self-plagiarism.

8. Accidental Plagiarism

Apart from the intentional forms of plagiarism, there’s also accidental plagiarism. As the name suggests, it happens inadvertently. Unwitting paraphrasing, missing in-text or end-of-text citations, or not using quotation blocks falls under the same criteria.

While writing your academic papers, you have to stay cautious to avoid accidental plagiarism. The best way to do this is by going through your article thoroughly. Proofread as if your life depended on it, and check whether you’ve given citations where required.

Why is it important to avoid research plagiarism?

As a scholar, you must be aware that the sole purpose of any article or academic writing is to present an original idea to its readers. When the prose is plagiarized, it removes any credibility from the author, discredits the source, and leaves the reader misinformed which goes against the ethos of academic institutions.

Here are the few reasons why you should avoid research plagiarism:

Critical analysis is important

While writing research papers, an author must dive deep into finding various sources, like scholarly articles, especially peer-reviewed ones. You are expected to examine the sources keenly to understand the gaps in the chosen topic and formulate your research questions.

Crafting critical questions related to the field of study is essential as it displays your understanding and the analysis you employed to decipher the problems in the chosen topic. When you do this, your chances of being published improve, and it’s also good for your long-term career growth.

Streamlined scholarly communication

An extended form of scholarly communication is established when you respond and craft your academic work based on what others have previously done in a particular domain. By appropriately using others' work, i.e., through citations, you acknowledge the tasks done before you and how they helped shape your work. Moreover, citations expand the doorway for readers to learn more about a topic from the beginning to the current state. Plagiarism prevents this.

Credibility in originality

Originality is invaluable in the research community. From your thesis topic and fresh methodology to new data, conclusion, and tone of writing, the more original your paper is, the more people are intrigued by it. And as long as your paper is backed by credible sources, it further solidifies your academic integrity. Plagiarism can hinder these.

How does plagiarism happen?

Even though plagiarism is a cardinal sin and plagiarized academic writing is consistently rejected, it still happens. So the question is, what makes people resort to plagiarism?

Some of the reasons why authors choose the plagiarism include:

• Lack of knowledge about plagiarism
• Accidentally copying a work
• Forgetting to cite a source
• Desire to excel among peers
• A false belief that no one will catch them
• No interest in academic work and just taking that as an assignment
• Using shortcuts in the form of self-plagiarism
• Fear of failing

Whatever the reason an author may have, plagiarism can never be justified. It is seen as an unfair advantage and disrespect to those who have put in the blood, sweat, and tears into doing their due diligence. Additionally, remember that readers, universities, or publishers are only interested in your genuine ideas, and your evaluation, as an author, is done based on that.

Related Article: Citation Machine Alternatives — Top citation tools 2023

Consequences of plagiarism

We have reiterated enough that plagiarism is objectionable and has consequences. But what exactly are the consequences? Well, that depends on who the author is and the type of plagiarism.

For minor offenses like accidental plagiarism or missing citations, a slap on the wrist in the form of feedback from the editor or peers is the norm. For major cases, let’s take a look:

For students

• Poor grades

Even if you are a first-timer, your professor may choose to fail you, which can have a detrimental effect on your scores.

• Failing a course

It is not rare for professors to fail Ph.D. and graduate students when caught plagiarizing. Not only does this hurt your academics, but it also extends the duration of your study by a year.

• Disciplinary action

Every university or academic institution has strict policies and regulations regarding plagiarism. If caught, an author may have to face the academic review committee to decide their future. The results seen in general cases range from poor grades, failure for a year, or being banished from any academic or research-related work.

• Expulsion from the university

A university may resort to expulsion only in the worst of cases, like copyright violation or Intellectual Property theft.

• Tarnished academic reputation

This just might be the most consequential of all scenarios. It takes a lifetime to build a great impression but a few seconds to tarnish it. Many academics lose their peers' trust and find it hard to recover.  Moreover, background checks for future jobs or fellowships become a nightmare.

For universities

A university is built on reputation. Letting plagiarism slide is the quickest way to tarnish its reputation. This leads to lesser interest from top talent and publishers and trouble finding grant money.

Prospective students turning away from a university means losing out on tuition money. This further drives experienced faculty away. And the cycle continues.

For researchers

• Legal battles

Since it falls under copyright infringement, researchers may face legal battles if their academic work is believed to be plagiarized. There is no shortage of case studies, like those of Doris Kearns Goodwin or Mark Chabedi, where authors, without permission, used another person's work and claimed it to be their own. In all these instances, they faced legal issues that led to fines, barred from writing and research, and sometimes, imprisonment even.

• Professional reputation

Publishers and journals will not engage authors with a past of plagiarism to produce content under their brand name. Also, if the author is a professor or a fellow, it can lead to contract termination.

How to avoid plagiarism in research?

The simplest way to avoid plagiarism would be to put in the work. Do original research, collect new data, and derive new conclusions. If you use references, keep track of each and every single one and cite them in your paper.

To ensure that your academic writing or research paper is unique and free from any type of plagiarism, incorporate the following tips:

• Pay adequate attention to your references

Writing a paper requires extraordinary research. So, it’s understandable when researchers sometimes lose track of their references. This often leads to accidental plagiarism.

So, instead of falling into this trap, maintain lists or take notes of your reference while doing your research. This will help you when you’re writing your citations.

• Find credible sources

Always refer to credible sources, whether a paper, a conference proceeding or an infographic.  These will present unbiased evidence and accurate experimentation results with facts backing the evidence presented by your paper.

• Proper use of paraphrasing, quotations, and citations

It’s borderline impossible to avoid using direct references in your paper, especially if you’re providing a critical analysis or a rebuttal to an already existing article. So, to avoid getting prosecuted, use quotation marks when using a text verbatim.

In case you’re paraphrasing, use citations so that everyone knows that it’s not your idea. Credit the original author and a secondary source, if any. Publishers usually have guidelines about how to cite. There are many different styles like APA, MLA, Chicago, etc. Be on top of what your publisher demands.

Usually, it is observed that readers or the audience have a greater inclination towards paraphrasing than the quotes, especially if it is bulky sections. The reason is obvious: paraphrasing displays your understanding of the original work's meaning and interpretation, uniquely suiting the current state of affairs.

• Review and recheck your work multiple times

Before submitting the final, you must subject your work to scrutiny. Multiple times at that. The more you do it, the less your chances of falling under accidental plagiarism.  To ensure that your final work does not constitute any types of plagiarism, ensure that:

• There are no misplaced or missed citations
• The paraphrased text does not closely resemble the original text
• You don’t have any wrongful references
• You’re not missing quotation marks or failing to provide the author's credentials after quotation marks
• You use a plagiarism checker

More on how to avoid plagiarism .

On top of these, read your university or your publisher’s policies. All of them have their sets of rules about what’s acceptable and what’s not. They also define the punishment for any offense, factoring in its degree.

• Use Online Tools

After receiving your article, most universities, publishers, and other institutions will run it through plagiarism checkers, including AI detectors , to detect all types of plagiarism. These plagiarism checkers function based on drawing similarities between your article and previously published works present in their database. If found similar, your paper is deemed plagiarized.

You can always save yourself from embarrassment by staying a step ahead. Use a plagiarism checker before you submit your paper. Using plagiarism checker tools, you can quickly identify if you have committed plagiarism. Then, no one except you will know about it, and you will have a chance to correct yourself.

Best Plagiarism Checkers in 2023

Plagiarism checkers are an incredibly convenient tool for improving academic writing. Therefore, here are some of the best plagiarism checkers for academic writing.

Turnitin's iThenticate

This is one of the best plagiarism checker for your academic paper and a good fit for academic writers, researchers, and scholars.

Turnitin’s iThenticare claims to cross-check your paper against 99 billion+ current and archived web pages, 1.8 billion student papers, and best-in-class scholarly content from top publishers in every major discipline and dozens of languages.

The iThenticate plagiarism checker is now available on SciSpace. ( Instructions on how to use it .)

Grammarly serves as a one-stop solution for better writing. Through Grammarly, you can make your paper have fewer grammatical errors, better clarity, and, yes, be plagiarism-free.

Grammarly's plagiarism checker compares your paper to billions of web pages and existing papers online. It points out all the sentences which need a citation, giving you the original source as well. On top of this, Grammarly also rates your document for an originality score.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is another AI writing assistant that offers a plethora of tools to better your document. One of its paid services include a ProWritingAid Plagiarism Checker that helps authors find out how much of their work is plagiarized.

Once you scan your document, the plagiarism checker gives you details like the percentage of non-original text, how much of that is quoted, and how much is not. It will also give you links so you can cite them as required.

EasyBib Plagiarism Checker

EasyBib Plagiarism Checker compares your writing sample with billions of available sources online to detect plagiarism at every level. You'll be notified which phrases are too similar to current research and literature, prompting a possible rewrite or additional citation.

Moreover, you'll get feedback on your paper's inconsistencies, such as changes in text, formatting, or style. These small details could suggest possible plagiarism within your assignment.

Plagiarism CheckerX

Working on the same principle of scanning and matching against various sources, the critical aspect of Plagiarism CheckerX is that you can download and use it whenever you wish. It is slightly faster than others and never stores your data, so you can stay assured of any data loss.

Compilatio Magister

Compilatio Magister is a plagiarism checker designed explicitly for teaching professionals. It lets you access turnkey educational resources, check for plagiarism against thousands of documents, and seek reliable and accurate analysis reports.

Quick Wrap Up

In the world of academia, the spectre of plagiarism lurks but fear not, for armed with awareness and right plagiarism checkers, you have the power to conquer this foe.

Even though plenty of students or researchers believe they can get away with it, it’s never the case. You owe it to yourself and everyone who has invested time and resources in you to publish original, plagiarism-free research work every time.

Throughout this eBook, we have explored the depths of plagiarism, unraveling its consequences and the importance of originality. Many universities have specific classes and workshops discussing plagiarism to create ample awareness of the subject. Thus, you should continue to be honourable in this regard and write papers from the heart.

Hey there! We encourage you to visit our SciSpace discover page to explore how our suite of products can make research workflows easier and allow you to spend more time advancing science.

With the best-in-class solution, you can manage everything from literature search and discovery to profile management, research writing, and much more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. how to paraphrase without plagiarizing.

• Understand the original text completely.
• Write the idea in your own words without looking at the original text.
• Change the structure of sentences, not just individual words.
• Use synonyms wisely and ensure the context remains the same.
• Lastly, always cite the original source.

Even when paraphrasing, it's important to attribute ideas to the original author.

2. How to avoid plagiarism in research?

• Understand what constitutes plagiarism.
• Always give proper credit to the original authors when quoting or paraphrasing their work.
• Use plagiarism checker tools to ensure your work is original.
• Keep track of your sources throughout your research.
• Quote and paraphrase accurately.

3. Examples of plagiarism?

• Copying and pasting text directly from a source without quotation or citation.
• Paraphrasing someone else's work without correct citation.
• Presenting someone else's work or ideas as your own.
• Recycling or self-plagiarism, where you mention your previous work without citing it.

4. How much plagiarism is allowed in a research paper?

In the academic world, the goal is always to strive for 0% plagiarism. However, sometimes, minor plagiarism can occur unintentionally, such as when common phrases are matched in plagiarism software. Most institutions and publishers will allow a small percentage, typically under 10%, for such instances. Remember, this doesn't mean you can deliberately plagiarize 10% of your work.

5. What are the four types of plagiarism?

• Direct Plagiarism definition: This occurs when one directly copies someone else's work word-for-word without giving credit.
• Mosaic Plagiarism definition: This happens when someone borrows phrases from a source without using quotation marks, or finds synonyms for the author's language while keeping the same general structure and meaning.
• Accidental Plagiarism definition: This happens when a person neglects to cite their sources, or misquotes their sources, or unintentionally paraphrases a source by using similar words, groupings, or phrases without attribution.
• Self-Plagiarism definition: This happens when someone recycles their own work from a previous paper or study and presents it as new content without citing the original.

6. How much copying is considered plagiarism?

Any amount of copying can be considered plagiarism if you're presenting someone else's work as your own without attribution. Even a single sentence copied without proper citation can be seen as plagiarism. The key is to always give credit where it's due.

7. How to check plagiarism in a research paper?

There are numerous online tools and software that you can use to check plagiarism in a research paper. Some popular ones include Grammarly, and Copyscape. These tools compare your paper with millions of other documents on the web and databases to identify any matches. You can also use SciSpace paraphraser to rephrase the content and keep it unique.

You might also like

Plagiarism FAQs: 10 Most Commonly Asked Questions on Plagiarism in Research Answered

3 Common Mistakes in Research Publication, and How to Avoid Them

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• v.50(6); Nov-Dec 2016

What is plagiarism and how to avoid it?

Ish kumar dhammi.

Department of Orthopaedics, UCMS and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, New Delhi, India

Rehan Ul Haq

Writing a manuscript is an art. Any clinician or an academician, has a hidden desire to publish his/her work in an indexed journal. Writing has been made mandatory for promotions in certain departments, so the clinicians are more inclined to publish. Often, we note that we (Indian Journal of Orthopaedics) receive more articles from China, Turkey, and South Korea (abroad) instead of from our own country though the journal is an official publication of Indian Orthopaedic Association. Therefore, we have decided to encourage more and more publications, especially from our own country. For that reason, we have decided to educate our members by publishing an editorial on “How to write a paper?,” which is likely to be published soon. In one of our last editorials, we discussed indexing. In this issue, we will be discussing the plagiarism. In forthcoming issues, we are planning to discuss “Ethics in publication,” How to write Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Referencing, Title, Abstract, and Keywords, and then how to write case report which is acceptable. The editorial team tries to help out our readers, so that their hidden instinct of writing their own work could be made true.

D EFINITION OF P LAGIARISM

Plagiarism is derived from Latin word “ plagiarius ” which means “kidnapper,” who abducts the child. 1 The word plagiarism entered the Oxford English dictionary in 1621. Plagiarism has been defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica as “the act of taking the writings of another person and passing them off as ones own.” 2 It is an act of forgery, piracy, and fraud and is stated to be a serious crime of academia. 3 It is also a violation of copyright laws. Honesty in scientific practice and in publication is necessary. The World Association of Medical Editors 4 (WAME) 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 an existing source.”

In 1999, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) 5 , 6 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 complex 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.”

F ORMS OF P LAGIARISM

• Verbatim plagiarism: When one submits someone else's words verbatim in his/her own name without even acknowledging him publically. Copy and paste from a published article without referencing is a common form of verbatim plagiarism. Most commonly, it is seen in introduction and discussion part of manuscript 2 , 7
• Mosaic plagiarism: In this type of plagiarism each word is not copied but it involves mixing ones own words in someone else's ideas and opinions. This is copying and pasting in patchy manner 2
• Paraphrasing: If one rewrites any part/paragraph of manuscript in his/her own words it is called paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is a restatement in your own words, of someone else's ideas. Changing a few words of the original sentences does not make it your writing. Just changing words cannot make it the property of borrower; hence, this should be properly referenced. If it is not referenced, it will amount to plagiarism
• Duplicate publication: When an author submits identical or almost identical manuscript (same data, results, and discussion) to two different journals, it is considered as duplicate (redundant) publication. 9 As per COPE guidelines, this is an offense and editor can take an action as per the COPE flowchart
• Augmented publication: If the author adds additional data to his/her previously published work and changes title, modifies aim of the study, and recalculates results, it amounts to augmented publication. Plagiarism detection software usually do not pick it because it is not same by verbatim. This self plagiarism is as such technical plagiarism and is not considered with same strictness as plagiarism. The editor may consider it for publication in the following three situations: If author refers to his/her previous work; if ’methods’ cannot be written in any other form; and if author clearly states that new manuscript contains data from previous publication 10
• Segmented publication: Also called “Salami-Sliced” publication. In this case, two or more papers are derived from the same experimental/research/original work. Salami-sliced papers are difficult to detect and usually are pointed out by reviewers or readers. The decision regarding such manuscript is again on editor's shoulder. The author must be asked to refer to his/her previously published work and explain reasonably the connection of the segmented paper to his/her previously published work
• Text recycling: If the author uses large portions of his/her own already published text in his/her new manuscript, it is called text recycling. It can be detected by plagiarism software. It can be handled as per the COPE guidelines.
• Cyber plagiarism: “Copying or downloading in part or in their entirety articles or research papers and ideas from the internet and not giving proper attribution is unethical and falls in the range of cyber plagiarism” 2
• Image plagiarism: Using an image or video without receiving proper permission or providing appropriate citation is plagiarism. 7 “Images can be tampered on support findings, promote a specific technique over another to strengthen the correctness of poorly visualized findings, remove the defects of an image and to misrepresent an image from what it really is”? 11

H OW TO D ETECT P LAGIARISM ?

It is generally difficult to detect plagiarism, but information technology has made available few websites which can detect/catch plagiarism. Few of them are www.ithentical.com , www.turnitin.com , www.plagiarism.org , etc. 12

Besides this, learned and watchful reviewers and readers can detect it due to his/her familiarity with published material in his/her area of interest.

H OW TO A VOID P LAGIARISM ?

Practice the ethical writing honestly. Keep honesty in all scientific writings. Crediting all the original sources. When you fail to cite your sources or when you cite them inadequately, you commit plagiarism, an offense that is taken extremely seriously in academic world and is a misconduct. Some simple dos and don’ts 5 are outlined in Table 1 .

Dos and don’ts of plagiarism

In the following situation, permission is required to use published work from publisher to avoid plagiarism. 8

• Directly quoting significant portion of a published work. How much text may be used without approaching publisher for permission is not specified. The best approach is whenever in doubt, ask for permission
• Reproducing a table
• Reproducing a figure/image.

H OW TO D EAL W ITH P LAGIARISM

Plagiarism is considered academic dishonesty and breach of ethics. Plagiarism is not in itself a crime but can constitute copyright infringement. 7 In academia, it is a serious ethical offense. Plagiarism is not punished by law but rather by institutions. Professional associations, educational institutions, and publishing companies can pose penalties, suspensions, and even expulsions of authors. 7

As per the COPE guidelines, “If editors suspect misconduct by authors, reviewer's editorial staff or other editors then they have a duty to take action. This duty extends to both published and unpublished papers. Editors first see a response from those accused. If the editors are not satisfied with the response, they should ask the employers of the authors, reviewers, or editors or some other appropriate body to investigate and take appropriate action.” 6

If the editor is satisfied that the act of plagiarism has taken place, minimum he should do is “reject” the manuscript if it is in different stage of editorial process and “retract” if it is already published.

To conclude, we must increase awareness about plagiarism and ethical issues among our scientists and authors. We must be honest in our work and should not violate copyright law. There should be serious steps against authors, which should bring disrespect to author and even loss of his academic position.

We will end it by quote of Albert Einstein “Many people say that it is the intellect which makes a great scientist, they are wrong, it is the character.”

R EFERENCES

Citation Guides

What is plagiarism, sbu policies on plagiarism, detecting plagiarism.

• Preventing Plagiarism
• Citation Tools

The difference between quoting and paraphrasing

When you write a paper, you read a lot of material about the topic. This helps you to examine the various aspects of a topic to understand it. By the time you have thoroughly researched what has been written, you will start to form ideas of your own, see patterns, and be able to think about the topic in your own words.

Along the way, you probably took a lot of notes, copied articles, and searched the Web looking for information. The material you find and include in your paper is what you have to list (or reference) in your bibliography.

Quoting What is quoting? To state what someone else has written, word for word, using their words.

Sometimes something you read is exactly the point you want to make, and is written so well you want to use it directly. You can do so legally by quoting. Anything you directly quote must be put in quotation marks and referenced.

Paraphrasing What is paraphrasing? To paraphrase is to say the same thing, but in your own words.

Sometimes you like the content of a paragraph or section of something you read, and want to paraphrase, or restate it in your own words for your paper. Although it is not illegal, paraphrasing in scholarly papers must be cited as a professional courtesy. You need not use quotation marks unless the statement is word-for-word as it appears in your source, but if you paraphrase in papers required for school, you must acknowledge you are doing so with a footnote/endnote or parenthetical (see page 8 of this unit for more information on how to do these).

How do you avoid plagiarizing?

• Give the author of the material credit by " documenting" or " citing" your sources (terms which mean you credit your source).
• Give credit whenever you use a direct quote by placing it in quotation marks and giving the author credit.
• Give credit whenever you paraphrase (state/write in a different way) a thought, idea, or words within the research paper and at the end of the paper in the bibliography
• Give credit within a research paper through footnotes or parenthetical remarks.
• Give credit at the end of a research paper in the bibliography.

-From  "Plagiarism: What it is and how to avoid it"

Check out this video from the Paul Robeson Library at Rutgers University. 

For more information (and to see the other two parts of the series) visit their website .

WARNING: This clip is very loud!  Be prepared to turn down the volume!!

You can learn more about the policies and procedures involving plagiarism at SBU from the Office of Academic Integrity.

SBU Academic Integrity Policy

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How to Avoid Plagiarism in Research Papers and Essays

In our digital age, plagiarism has become an increasingly significant issue in academia, particularly with how easy it now is to copy content and the rise of AI tool availability. These advancements, while useful to authors and creators, have also made it much easier for students and researchers to unintentionally (or intentionally) plagiarize in their submitted documents.

Because it is such a timely topic, there are now thousands of monthly internet searches on “ways to avoid plagiarism.” To maintain academic integrity and originality in one’s work, it is critical to apply effective strategies to avoid plagiarism. This article will detail various methods, from proper citation practices to using plagiarism detection software, ensuring that your research papers and essays remain authentic and credible.

What is plagiarism in academic writing?

Plagiarism is the act of applying someone else's work or ideas without proper acknowledgment and presenting them as one's own. In the context of academic writing and class essays, this can include copying text verbatim, paraphrasing without credit, or failing to cite sources correctly. Understanding what plagiarism includes is the first step towards avoiding plagiarism. This involves recognizing the importance of giving credit to original authors and adhering to proper citation guidelines. By doing so, students can avoid plagiarism and ensure their work is both ethical and authentic.

Reasons to Avoid Plagiarism in Your Writing

Plagiarism can bring severe repercussions, both in academic and professional settings. Understanding these consequences highlights the importance of finding effective ways to prevent plagiarism.

Some common consequences of plagiarizing the work of another author include:

• Strict academic penalties: Students caught plagiarizing often face severe disciplinary actions, including receiving a failing grade, suspension from school, or even expulsion from college or university.
• Reputational damage: Both students and researchers risk damaging their reputations, leading to a loss of trust and respect within the academic community, which can impact one’s potential for publishing academic research or other work.
• Legal repercussions: Plagiarizing can also bring legal action from the original authors or publishers, which could result in fines or other legal ramifications.
• Fewer opportunities to learn: Plagiarizing deprives students of the chance to strengthen their critical thinking and writing skills, which undermines their educational growth.

By understanding the potential outcomes and identifying various ways to avoid plagiarism–such as applying proper citation and using plagiarism detection tools–researchers and students can maintain their integrity and credibility while improving their writing and reasoning skills.

The takeaway message is: DON’T PLAGIARIZE FOR ANY REASON!

Ways to Avoid Plagiarism in Research Writing and Essays

The following sections detail how to avoid plagiarism in research, class essays, admissions documents, and any other submitted work that will be reviewed or published. Bear in mind that none of these tips for avoiding plagiarism should be used alone and that plagiarism is not always done on purpose. This means that writers should be vigilant and do their best to avoid passing off the work of another as one’s own. In the end, only YOU can avoid plagiarism in your writing.

1. Organize all your academic sources with a bibliography

One essential step in ensuring academic integrity is to create a comprehensive bibliography that lists all the published text you might have used to inform your work. Academic plagiarism can be avoided by carefully documenting all of the sources you used in your research papers and essays. A meticulous bibliography not only credits the original authors but also offers a clear paper trail of your research process.

By diligently organizing your sources and including a complete bibliography, you demonstrate your commitment to ethical research practices and significantly reduce the risk of plagiarism. See annotated bibliography examples for real references on how to construct your bibliography.

2. Cite your sources in text

Citing your sources in text is a crucial practice to get rid of plagiarism. Proper in-text citations give credit to the original authors and allow readers to verify the sources of your information. There are a few common citation styles used in academic writing, such as APA Style , MLA Style , and Chicago Style , each with its own set of guidelines.

Citing sources in popular academic styles

• APA Style: Include the author's last name and the year of publication in parentheses.

Example: (Smith, 2020)

• MLA Style: Include the author's last name and the page number in parentheses.

Example: (Smith 23)

• Chicago Style: Use footnotes or endnotes with full citation details at the bottom of the page.

Example: Smith, John. Title of the Book. Publisher, 2020.

By consistently applying citations where you have borrowed from external sources, you ensure your work is free of plagiarism and maintains academic integrity. When in doubt, use a citation generator to construct your citations.

Using parenthetical citations

Parenthetical citations are used to attribute sources directly within your text. By including brief references in parentheses, you can clearly indicate the origins of your information. Reviewing parenthetical citations in published journal articles is a good way to learn just how you can avoid plagiarism when writing academic documents.

Cite sources using parenthetical citations

• APA Style: Include the author's last name and the year of publication.

Example: Research indicates a significant increase in data breaches (Smith, 2020).

• MLA Style: Include the author's last name and the page number.

Example: The novel's themes are explored in depth (Doe 45).

• Chicago Style: Typically includes the author's last name and publication year, or uses footnotes.

Example: Studies show a positive trend in the data (Johnson 2018).

By using parenthetical citations that follow the guidelines of your given formatting style, you can provide clear and concise references to ensure your research papers and academic essays are free from plagiarism.

Use quotations in your text

Using quotations is another way to stop potential plagiarism before it happens. By directly quoting a source, you can clearly distinguish your ideas from those of others, ensuring proper credit is given to the original authors. To apply quotations effectively, always enclose the quoted text in quotation marks and provide an in-text citation.

Examples of applying quotes in text:

• APA Style example: As Smith (2020) stated, "Effective management is crucial for organizational success" (p. 15).
• MLA Style example: According to Doe, "The significance of early education cannot be overstated" (23).
• Chicago Style example: Johnson emphasizes, "The data reveals a consistent pattern over the past decade" (2018, 45).

By quoting your source material, you not only stop plagiarism but also enhance the rigor of your work by interweaving your arguments with direct quotation of foundational literature.

3. Avoiding plagiarism when paraphrasing in your text

Paraphrasing involves rephrasing information from a source using your own words.But paraphrasing means more than simply changing a few words from the original text. Changing a few words or rearranging the text still counts as plagiarism. Proper paraphrasing requires you to rewrite the author’s ideas in your own words to demonstrate your understanding.

Original text

"Deforestation has numerous negative effects on the environment. It leads to habitat loss for many species, contributes to climate change by increasing carbon dioxide levels, and disrupts water cycles" (Smith, 2022).

Paraphrased incorrectly

Cutting down forests has many harmful impacts on nature. It causes many species to lose their homes, increases carbon dioxide levels which contributes to climate change, and affects water cycles.

Paraphrased well

Smith (2022) explains that deforestation negatively impacts the environment in several ways, including destroying habitats for wildlife, elevating carbon dioxide levels which worsen climate change, and interfering with natural water cycles.

4. Apply your own ideas and arguments

Integrating your own ideas and arguments into your research papers is an effective way to remove plagiarism and enhance the authenticity of your work. By developing original insights and perspectives, you demonstrate to readers a true understanding of the subject matter while contributing your unique perspective to the academic conversation.

The following are some ways you can apply your own positions in your research writing:

• Critical analysis: Evaluate and interpret the information from your sources, rather than just summarizing. Offer your viewpoint on the data presented.
• Personal insight: Draw connections between your research and your personal experiences or prior knowledge, providing a fresh perspective.
• Original arguments: Construct arguments that are supported by your analysis and synthesis of the information, rather than repeating existing arguments.

Rather than remove plagiarism after drafting, apply your own ideas and arguments instead. This will also make your research paper more engaging and credible, reflecting your intellectual contribution.

5. Use AI writing tools responsibly

While AI writing tools have become a valuable tool for idea generation and drafting, writers must use them responsibly to avoid plagiarism and maintain academic credibility.

While it is perfectly legitimate to use these tools suggest improvements (such as with an AI proofreader or AI paraphraser ), and correct grammar (using an AI grammar checker ), over-reliance on these artificial intelligence tools can lead to unintentional plagiarism and accusations of misconduct. Use AI revision tools as a supplement rather than a substitute in your research writing.

Tips for responsible AI tool use:

• Originality: Ensure that the majority of your work is your own. Use AI tools to enhance your writing, not to replace your own thoughts and analysis.
• Proper attribution: If you use ideas or text generated by AI, treat them as you would any other source by properly citing them to avoid plagiarism.
• Maintain academic standards: By using AI tools responsibly, you demonstrate your commitment to academic integrity and uphold the credibility of your research.

Use a plagiarism checker on your paper or essay

Running your paper through a plagiarism checker is a proactive way to begin the process of removing plagiarism from your research paper or essay. These tools can scan your document against a vast database of sources, detecting any potentially plagiarized content. By identifying areas where text may be too similar to existing works, plagiarism checkers help you get rid of plagiarism before submitting it to journals or professors.

Plagiarism checker benefits:

• Detection: Spot accidental similarities with published texts, which can be easily overlooked.
• Highlight problem areas: Clearly indicate sections that need rewriting or proper citation.

It is important to remember that while a plagiarism checker can detect potential instances of plagiarism, it is ultimately up to the author to address and fix any flagged content.

How to Remove Plagiarism from a Paper or Essay

There are several effective strategies to remove plagiarism and identify any instances of unintentional copying. Start by scanning your document with a reliable plagiarism checker to identify any problematic sections. Once identified, you can employ the methods described above to address these issues.

Steps to remove plagiarism:

• Paraphrase properly: Rewrite the flagged text in your own words, ensuring you fully understand the original material.
• Use quotations: For direct quotes, enclose the text in quotation marks and provide appropriate citations.
• Cite all sources: Ensure every idea, quote, or data point that isn’t your original thought is properly cited.

Again, to get rid of plagiarism before it happens, apply your own arguments and opinions. These can always be enhanced with the help of a professional paper proofreading service.

Get Professional Proofreading Before or After a Plagiarism Check

Getting a review from a professional proofreading service can significantly enhance the quality and integrity of your research paper or essay. Experienced academic editors can provide valuable feedback, catching errors and ensuring your work adheres to academic standards.

Before a plagiarism check:

• Paper Editing: Academic editing can refine your writing, improving clarity, coherence, and overall flow, making it easier to spot any unintentional plagiarism.
• Essay Editing: Essay editing can ensure proper citation and formatting, reducing the risk of plagiarism by ensuring all sources are appropriately acknowledged.

After a plagiarism check:

• Final proofreading: After using a plagiarism checker , a professional proofreading service can help you address any flagged sections, ensuring that revisions are accurate and effectively remove any instances of plagiarism.

By seeking out essay and paper editing services , you can make your work more precise and compelling while ensuring that it is free of plagiarism, making the journal manuscript submission process that much easier.

Common Questions About Avoiding Plagiarism

Here are some commonly asked questions about how you can avoid plagiarism, remove plagiarism, and what else you should watch out for.

Is paraphrasing plagiarism or not?

Paraphrasing can help in preventing plagiarism, but it must be done correctly. Paraphrasing involves rephrasing the original text in your own words, which demonstrates your understanding of the material. However, simply reorganizing or changing a few words from the original text without proper citation is still considered plagiarism.

Learn more tips for paraphrasing in research , including examples of paraphrasing without plagiarizing in documents.

Is it possible to plagiarize my own work?

Yes, it is possible to plagiarize your own work, a practice known as self-plagiarism . This happens when you reuse your published or previously submitted work without using proper attribution. Even though the work was written by you (the same author), presenting it as new or original in a different context without citation is considered dishonest.

Self-plagiarism can lead to the same penalties as other forms of plagiarism, including disciplinary action from academic institutions. By acknowledging and citing your prior work, you ensure academic integrity and avoid the pitfalls of self-plagiarism. Remember this simple rule: DON’T PLAGIARIZE ANY TEXT!

Do I have to cite sources for every fact I use?

In essays and research papers, it is essential to understand when to cite sources to maintain academic integrity. Generally, you should cite sources for any facts, data, or evidence that are not common knowledge or are derived from someone else's work.

Follow these rules for citing sources:

• Common knowledge: Information that is widely known and undisputed, such as "The Earth orbits the sun," does not require citation.
• Specific facts: Unique data, statistics, or findings from a particular study must be cited.
• Direct quotes and paraphrases: Always cite the source when directly quoting or paraphrasing someone else's work.

Does it matter how much text was copied?

Yes, the amount of copied or unattributed text you use matters when it comes to avoiding plagiarism. Plagiarism rules apply regardless of whether you have copied a single sentence or an entire paragraph.

Because even a small amount of copied text can be considered plagiarism if not properly attributed, remember to play it safe whenever you are referencing another source or its content, even if you aren’t directly copying the text.

What are the punishments for plagiarism?

As we note above, plagiarism can have severe consequences across various fields, including academia, research, and professional writing. Understanding these repercussions highlights the importance of adhering to ethical standards and using tips to avoid plagiarism.

Here are some potential consequences of plagiarizing in various domains:

• Academic penalties: In educational institutions, plagiarism can lead to failing grades, suspension, or even expulsion.
• Professional repercussions: In the workplace, plagiarism can result in job termination and damage to one's professional reputation.
• Legal consequences: Plagiarizing published books, articles, or professional blogs can lead to lawsuits, fines, and other legal actions.
• Research impact: In the academic and scientific communities, plagiarism can result in retraction of published papers, loss of credibility, and being barred from future research opportunities.

Using proper citation methods, paraphrasing correctly, and employing plagiarism detection tools are essential ways to prevent plagiarism and any related punishments.

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Quoting is when you use someone else’s exact words in your paper. It requires that quotation marks go around that author’s words, and the quotation is followed by an in-text citation.

Good Reasons to Quote

• A quote exactly reinforces a point I want to make, and I want to emphasize the authority of the expert with her or his own voice.
• The language is unique or unusual. If I rewrote it in my own words, it would lose this quality.

How Does Quoting Work?

• Key Rules of Quoting
• Sample Quotation (APA Style)
• Step-by-Step Quoting

• The exact words of the author are in quotation marks
• The quote is introduced so the reader is alerted that these are not the words of the student
• The quote is properly cited in the text and the reference list

Explore the other tabs to see a sample quote and learn the steps of recording a quote properly. 

Author’s original text

Business communication is increasingly taking place internationally – in all countries, among all peoples, and across all cultures. An awareness of other cultures – of their languages, customs, experiences and perceptions – as well as an awareness of the way in which other people conduct their business, are now essential ingredients of business communication. 

Example quotation that could be added to a paper

 As business communication spans the globe, “an awareness of other cultures – of their languages, customs, experiences and perceptions – as well as an awareness of the way in which other people conduct their business, are now essential ingredients of business communication” (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

• Find a portion of a book, journal, or website that you would like to use in your paper. Copy the words you plan to use.
• Put quotation marks at the beginning and end of the copied text.
• Add an in-text citation at the end of the quoted text (outside the quotation mark).
• Write (in your own words) to give context or introduce the quoted text.
• Add the sentence with your own words, the quote, and the in-text citation to your paper.
• Add the full citation to your reference list at the end of your paper.

How Much to Quote?

No matter what the source or style, you need to cite it both in-text and at the end of the paper with a full citation! Write down or record all the needed pieces of information when researching to ensure you avoid plagiarism.

 Lester, J.D. (1976). Writing Research Papers (2nd ed.). Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman. 

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In-Text Citations

In scholarly writing, it is essential to acknowledge how others contributed to your work. By following the principles of proper citation, writers ensure that readers understand their contribution in the context of the existing literature—how they are building on, critically examining, or otherwise engaging the work that has come before.

APA Style provides guidelines to help writers determine the appropriate level of citation and how to avoid plagiarism and self-plagiarism.

We also provide specific guidance for in-text citation, including formats for interviews, classroom and intranet sources, and personal communications; in-text citations in general; and paraphrases and direct quotations.

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Recognizing & Avoiding Plagiarism in Your Research Paper

• Posted on January 26, 2024 January 26, 2024

Recognizing and Avoiding Plagiarism in Your Research Paper

Plagiarism in research is unfortunately still a serious problem today. Research papers with plagiarism contain unauthorized quoting from other authors; the writer may even try to pass off others’ work as their own. This damages the individual’s reputation, but also the entire class, school, or field, because one can never fully trust that writer’s work is genuine. Naturally, you don’t want to contribute to that problem.

Unfortunately, plagiarism doesn’t have to be intentional to be damaging. College students and even professionals often fail to properly cite their sources for anything that isn’t common knowledge. While accidental plagiarism is more innocent, it is not less dangerous as it can still get you in a great deal of academic trouble.

The good news is, as long as you put research integrity first, and do your plagiarism due diligence, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

Ready to learn all about research paper citation rules, and how to avoid getting caught in this trap? Let’s take a look.

What is Plagiarism in Research?

Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s work or intellectual property without acknowledging what you’re doing. Before you can truly understand plagiarism rules, it’s critical to know what plagiarism is in academic writing. In a nutshell, work is considered plagiarized if it is not your own original work and is also not cited as someone else’s.

Plagiarism is unethical because it takes the blood, sweat, and tears of other writers and passes it off as yours, without real effort on your part. This can dilute someone else’s standing or lead to confusion down the line about where credit is due. If readers can’t tell whose work led to certain academic papers, data sets, or theories, the science and art worlds suffer.

Science writers, journalists, marketing experts, medical and dental researchers, and students, among others, have all been stung by misunderstanding these rules. Even a simple copy and paste without attribution or referencing the original author is enough to signal professional and/or academic dishonesty.

The bottom line is, if you’re using someone else’s text word-for-word, you absolutely must note where that work came from. This protects the ideas of others and upholds publication ethics for all of us. That means, of course, you need to spot any plagiarism red flags from the get-go.

What Types of Plagiarism Can Occur in a Research Paper?

Some of the most common forms of plagiarism that occur in research papers and other forms of academic writing are:

• In-text citations, in parentheses, without a corresponding citation in a bibliography or works cited page, which means people have trouble finding the true source
• Citing work incorrectly
• Not following the prescribed citation style, whether that’s APA, MLA, or Chicago, making it difficult or impossible for others to find the source
• Paraphrasing someone else’s work too closely without citing the source
• Using data or statistics from someone else without a proper citation
• Following the format of someone else’s work in a section or in the paper as a whole
• Attributing research to the wrong person, such as cutting and pasting someone else’s quote and attributing it either to an incorrect author, or simply not providing attribution at all
• Relying too heavily on just a few sources, meaning you are taking their ideas wholesale

The truth is, most of this plagiarism isn’t even on purpose. Indeed, unintentional plagiarism is a major source of confusion in academia, where you yourself don’t realize that you have committed it. Self-plagiarism poses a problem too and is when you reuse your own work without citing it. This is definitely considered plagiarism even though you are the original author. Although re-using your old work is allowed with citations, doing so without them passes off old work as original, which has two drawbacks:

• You are not obeying the spirit of the assignment, which is to put in the time to create something new with your own ideas.
• You create downstream confusion when people are searching for your work, which conflicts with the entire goal of citing sources.

Direct plagiarism also occurs; however, direct plagiarism is intentional. Intentional thievery is even worse because it is often disguised by the person committing it and therefore more harmful to the original author. Again, this leads to severe moral and ethical problems, as it dilutes the hard work of others. Considering the fact that it’s generally quite easy to detect direct plagiarism, it’s worthwhile for students to realize that committing plagiarism intentionally is never worth it.

In summary, there are many examples of plagiarism of which to be aware. All of these can lead to serious trouble if you’re not continually wary of the plagiarism research paper traps. Students should know that Blackboard and other online academic portals check for plagiarism . Professionals should know that serious plagiarizing can cost them licenses, grants, and standing among their peers.

In other words, it’s no joke. To avoid potential consequences, keep an eye out for the following plagiarism research paper warning signs.

Warning Signs of Plagiarism in a Research Paper

To avoid plagiarism, research papers must be free of uncited work that uses the ideas of others. That means indicating the original source every single time you use one, with a proper citation, in the correct style as dictated by your professor or industry.

While unintentional plagiarism can happen to anyone, knowing its signs can help students and professional authors realize when they need to rewrite or add a citation to their writing. That will help you stay on the good side of academia, respect others’ work and ensure your own work is always improving. When reviewing your paper, look for the following signs that you may have failed to cite sources properly.

Infrequent Use of Citations

If you simply don’t have very many citations in a long research paper, you are likely using the ideas of others without proper credit. Most well-researched papers use dozens of sources for a 10-page paper. That indicates that you are weaving together others’ work to express your own ideas.

However, if your work contains close to five or six citations, chances are you are relying too heavily on ideas that are not your own. This indicates that you need to search more carefully for ideas that belong to others in your writing and cite them. As another suggestion, you should probably seek additional different sources to support your argument.

Using Words That You Don’t Normally Use

Any section of your paper that contains a smattering of words that don’t fit into your existing vocabulary hints you’ve likely nabbed them from somewhere else. While it’s fine (and good!) to build your word bank, inserting non-typical words into your text is a good indication that you are also inserting the ideas of others without credit. Comb over such sections carefully to ensure you have properly accredited the original writer.

Changes in Tone and Sentence Structure

As with words you don’t use, tone and sentence structure that is alien to your writing should be a red flag. Look carefully at these sections, asking yourself:

• Are any of these sentences just reconstructions of someone else’s writing?
• If I rewrote this idea from the ground up, would it sound different?
• Is this the tone I’m even going for in this paper?

Changes in Font

Changes in the font used in your research paper is a dead giveaway. It indicates clearly that you have copied and pasted something into your paper, be that from an outside source or your own previous work. If you spot such a section, you should either rewrite it or source it accurately, and be sure to change the font to match the rest of your paper.

Tips to Avoid Plagiarizing

Avoiding plagiarism is truly easy. Simply provide citations for all research and ideas that you didn’t create yourself, in the correct styles. These styles include APA, most common for science and medical writing; MLA, common for the arts; and Chicago Style, usually used for publishing. You can also use the following tips for beating a plagiarism checker :

• Paraphrase the thoughts of others in your own words instead of copying their work verbatim. This reduces the chances that your work will pull up in a search ahead of theirs, which is the fair thing to do. Make sure that you don’t confuse paraphrasing with complete freedom to forego citations, though, as both are important together.
• Link your own ideas together using the ideas of others, but rely most heavily on your original work. Others’ thoughts and words should be used to support yours, not vice versa. Before you turn to sources for your paper, outline your own approach thoroughly. This will minimize the chances of unintended theft and maximize the impact of your contributions.
• Always use quotation marks if you are using someone’s ideas word for word. Depending on the citation style you are using, you may instead use blocked and indented text to indicate a quote from someone else. Be sure to format your paper correctly, according to the style that has been assigned to you by a professor or superior.
• Never use words you’re not familiar with. Not only can that lead to you expressing your ideas incorrectly, but it can also trigger plagiarism checkers if you haven’t made ideas your own.
• Provide a full works-cited or bibliography page with every assignment you submit. Again, adhere to the citation style that was given to you, which will allow others to easily locate the sources you used. Make sure to properly cite sources in the text, footnotes, and at the end of your paper, as dictated by your style guide.
• Be honest with professors or bosses. If you truly cannot finish something in time and are motivated to act unethically, resist the urge and take your concerns to the proper authority figure. Even turning in a botched assignment is far better for your reputation and your own ethics than using someone else’s work without the proper citations.
• Use a citation checker to ensure that you haven’t ripped off someone else’s work without meaning it. This protects them, protects you, and protects academics as a whole.

Remember, as long as you go into an assignment with the intention to create something original that reflects your honest opinion, you will likely be fine. However, you do yourself a huge disservice if you don’t take that extra step and check your sources with a plagiarism checker.

Using Quetext To Avoid Plagiarizing in Research Papers

A citation generator can help professionals, researchers, and university students alike cite web pages, journal articles, books, newspapers, and more. With proper citation, you’ll never have to worry about accusations of plagiarism again.

Using the Quetext plagiarism checker before submitting the assignment can provide reassurance that no unauthorized quoting is taking place in your research paper. It will help you by flagging any spots in your paper that still require citations, such as a missing attribution for a book or original source.

Quetext is not only reliable, but it is also easy to use. If plagiarism of any kind is detected, the tool automatically generates the proper citation, in the required citation style, right inside the text. The citation generator will create the citations your paper needs in APA, MLA, or Chicago Style. All you have to do is enter the citation components, and voilà: your works cited page, bibliography, footnotes, and the paper as a whole will appear in the proper style.

The tool works whether the source is private or published, personal, academic, professional, or anything else. Now you can be sure to honor others’ work and avoid any negative consequences from plagiarised work. This will keep you in good standing with academic institutions and free you from any shadow of scientific misconduct.

As long as you make the effort to do your own work, respect your school’s academic integrity and use a plagiarism checker, you should have nothing to worry about. Don’t wait any longer to get peace of mind … start today.

Sign Up for Quetext Today!

Click below to find a pricing plan that fits your needs.

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Veterinary Social Work

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APA Citation Style

Avoiding plagiarism, writing center.

• 7th Edition APA Style Quick Reference Guide
• APA Formatting & Style Guide - 7th edition Online Writing Lab at Purdue University (OWL)
• APA Sample Paper An example of a paper written in APA style.
• APA Citation Guide (Santa Fe College) Another great APA guide with citation templates and examples.
• Zbib Citation Generator Be sure to select APA style from the drop-down menu under "Bibliography."

Websites and webpages are often difficult to cite! Follow these steps to do the best you can:

• Copy and paste the URL into  Zbib .
• Webpage on a website
• Whole website references
• How to cite ChatGPT and other AI tools Check with your instructor for guidance on appropriate AI use.

Definition of Plagiarism :

"... using the ideas or writings of another in a paper or report and claiming them as your own.  This includes but is not limited to the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the work of another person without full and clear acknowledgement."  - CSU Code of Student Conduct

Write and cite responsibly!

• Cite your source for any idea that is not common knowledge.
• Paraphrasing means integrating your research into your writing. Read thoroughly and filter information through your own understanding. Put it into your own words and include a citation to acknowledge your source.
• Put quotation marks around direct quotes. 
• Need help? Check out the citation style guides on this page or make an appointment with the Writing Center at 216-687-6981 .

What about AI?

• Make sure you understand your instructor's guidance regarding AI use.
• Verify the accuracy of the AI-generated content.
• Avoid using AI for tasks or writings that have been assigned to assess your knowledge or understanding.
• Document exactly how you used AI in the introduction, methods, or another appropriate section of your paper as defined by your instructor. Consider including a copy of the AI output as an appendix.
• APA Reference: OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (April 26 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
• In-text citation: (OpenAI, 2024)
• Using Generative AI Tools for Research: A Guide for Students (Michael Schwartz Library, CSU)

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Located in the library learning commons.

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REL 100 The Way of Jesus (Barton)

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• Citing Sources

What is Plagiarism?

How to avoid plagiarism, copyright & plagiarism, just because you put it in your own words ... (video).

Video from Lehman College Library. (2014). Just Because You Put It Into Your Own Words ...

Research and Instruction Librarian

Plagiarism is presenting another's words, analysis, interpretation or other work as your own. It is intellectual theft, academically dishonest, compromises your reputation and jeopardizes your college career. 

Plagiarism is not the same thing as copyright violation. Violating copyright is a legal concept, plagiarism is an ethical concept; you can commit plagiarism without violating copyright and, you can violate copyright without committing plagiarism. 

Forms of Plagiarism

• Quoting without attribution
• Paraphrasing or rephrasing without attribution
• Presenting an interpretation, ideas or opinions without attribution
• Using graphs, statistics, art, music that are not considered to be common knowledge without attribution
• Self plagiarism, including reusing the same paper for multiple classes.

Ideas:  

• Plagiarized idea: If you take away all other forms of government people will natural create a democracy.
• Attributed: According to Thomas Paine, in the absence of any other form of government people would create a democracy.

Quotations:

• Plagiarized quote: Thomas Paine said that he offered simple fact, plain arguments and common sense. 
• Attributed:  Thomas Paine said that he "offered simple fact, plain arguments and common sense."

Paraphrasing:

• Original text: "Europe is too thickly planted with kingdoms to be long at peace, and whenever a war breaks out between England and any foreign power, the trade of America goes to ruin, because of her connection to England." (Source, Thomas Paine's  Common Sense )  
• Plagiarism through paraphrase:  Because Europe has so many kingdoms when England is at war with one of them American trade is ruined because of her connection with England.  

Interpretation: 

• Plagiarized interpretation: The first modern journalist was Thomas Paine because of the way he used media.
• Attributed: According to Katz, Thomas Paine can be considered the first modern journalist because of his effective use of media (print) against a power structure (monarchy).  Jon Katz  The Age of Paine  Wired 3.05 May 1995 

Self-Plagiarism

Reuse of your own content such as text, charts or graphs, without attribution. This is considered plagiarism because it does not credit the original source and misleads readers into believing this new, original, content.

Source: "What Is Plagiarism," University of Notre Dame Libraries,  https://libguides.library.nd.edu/plagiarism

Digital content makes it easy to accidently plagiarize by using copy/paste then forgetting to provide attribution. Organizing your research will not only help you complete your assignments, it will help you avoid plagiarism. 

• Use a citation manager such as RefWorks or Zotero so you know what sources you've consulted and plan to use.
• Keep copies of the articles you plan to cite in a folder (electronic or paper) and make a note of how this article relates to your research such as 'supports my position that chocolate is culturally associated with women' or 'I have to refute this article's position that chocolate should be banned in public schools.' 
• Start a rough outline and include quotes AS quotes along with a note on why that quote is important to your argument.
• DO NOT copy and paste large chunks of text as a start to your paper.  

Adapted from "Avoiding Plagiarism," University of Notre Dame Libraries,  https://libguides.library.nd.edu/plagiarism

It can be easy to confuse copyright infringement with plagiarism. Both are serious offenses that should be avoided, but they are not the same thing.

Sometimes these offenses overlap: if you claim authorship of a copyrighted work, you have committed both copyright infringement AND plagiarism! However, not all copyright infringement involves plagiarism and not all plagiarism involves copyright infringement.

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Harvard Guide to Using Sources 

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• What Constitutes Plagiarism?

In academic writing, it is considered plagiarism to draw any idea or any language from someone else without adequately crediting that source in your paper. It doesn't matter whether the source is a published author, another student, a website without clear authorship, a website that sells academic papers, or any other person: Taking credit for anyone else's work is stealing, and it is unacceptable in all academic situations, whether you do it intentionally or by accident.

The ease with which you can find information of all kinds online means that you need to be extra vigilant about keeping track of where you are getting information and ideas and about giving proper credit to the authors of the sources you use. If you cut and paste from an electronic document into your notes and forget to clearly label the document in your notes, or if you draw information from a series of websites without taking careful notes, you may end up taking credit for ideas that aren't yours, whether you mean to or not.

It's important to remember that every website is a document with an author, and therefore every website must be cited properly in your paper. For example, while it may seem obvious to you that an idea drawn from Professor Steven Pinker's book The Language Instinct should only appear in your paper if you include a clear citation, it might be less clear that information you glean about language acquisition from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy website warrants a similar citation. Even though the authorship of this encyclopedia entry is less obvious than it might be if it were a print article (you need to scroll down the page to see the author's name, and if you don't do so you might mistakenly think an author isn't listed), you are still responsible for citing this material correctly. Similarly, if you consult a website that has no clear authorship, you are still responsible for citing the website as a source for your paper. The kind of source you use, or the absence of an author linked to that source, does not change the fact that you always need to cite your sources (see Evaluating Web Sources ).

Verbatim Plagiarism

If you copy language word for word from another source and use that language in your paper, you are plagiarizing verbatim . Even if you write down your own ideas in your own words and place them around text that you've drawn directly from a source, you must give credit to the author of the source material, either by placing the source material in quotation marks and providing a clear citation, or by paraphrasing the source material and providing a clear citation.

The passage below comes from Ellora Derenoncourt’s article, “Can You Move to Opportunity? Evidence from the Great Migration.”

Here is the article citation in APA style:

Derenoncourt, E. (2022). Can you move to opportunity? Evidence from the Great Migration. The American Economic Review , 112(2), 369–408. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20200002

Source material

Why did urban Black populations in the North increase so dramatically between 1940 and 1970? After a period of reduced mobility during the Great Depression, Black out-migration from the South resumed at an accelerated pace after 1940. Wartime jobs in the defense industry and in naval shipyards led to substantial Black migration to California and other Pacific states for the first time since the Migration began. Migration continued apace to midwestern cities in the 1950s and1960s, as the booming automobile industry attracted millions more Black southerners to the North, particularly to cities like Detroit or Cleveland. Of the six million Black migrants who left the South during the Great Migration, four million of them migrated between 1940 and 1970 alone.

Plagiarized version

While this student has written her own sentence introducing the topic, she has copied the italicized sentences directly from the source material. She has left out two sentences from Derenoncourt’s paragraph, but has reproduced the rest verbatim:

But things changed mid-century. After a period of reduced mobility during the Great Depression, Black out-migration from the South resumed at an accelerated pace after 1940. Wartime jobs in the defense industry and in naval shipyards led to substantial Black migration to California and other Pacific states for the first time since the Migration began. Migration continued apace to midwestern cities in the 1950s and1960s, as the booming automobile industry attracted millions more Black southerners to the North, particularly to cities like Detroit or Cleveland.

Acceptable version #1: Paraphrase with citation

In this version the student has paraphrased Derenoncourt’s passage, making it clear that these ideas come from a source by introducing the section with a clear signal phrase ("as Derenoncourt explains…") and citing the publication date, as APA style requires.

But things changed mid-century. In fact, as Derenoncourt (2022) explains, the wartime increase in jobs in both defense and naval shipyards marked the first time during the Great Migration that Black southerners went to California and other west coast states. After the war, the increase in jobs in the car industry led to Black southerners choosing cities in the midwest, including Detroit and Cleveland.

Acceptable version #2 : Direct quotation with citation or direct quotation and paraphrase with citation

If you quote directly from an author and cite the quoted material, you are giving credit to the author. But you should keep in mind that quoting long passages of text is only the best option if the particular language used by the author is important to your paper. Social scientists and STEM scholars rarely quote in their writing, paraphrasing their sources instead. If you are writing in the humanities, you should make sure that you only quote directly when you think it is important for your readers to see the original language.

In the example below, the student quotes part of the passage and paraphrases the rest.

But things changed mid-century. In fact, as Derenoncourt (2022) explains, “after a period of reduced mobility during the Great Depression, Black out-migration from the South resumed at an accelerated pace after 1940” (p. 379). Derenoncourt notes that after the war, the increase in jobs in the car industry led to Black southerners choosing cities in the midwest, including Detroit and Cleveland.

Mosaic Plagiarism

If you copy bits and pieces from a source (or several sources), changing a few words here and there without either adequately paraphrasing or quoting directly, the result is mosaic plagiarism . Even if you don't intend to copy the source, you may end up with this type of plagiarism as a result of careless note-taking and confusion over where your source's ideas end and your own ideas begin. You may think that you've paraphrased sufficiently or quoted relevant passages, but if you haven't taken careful notes along the way, or if you've cut and pasted from your sources, you can lose track of the boundaries between your own ideas and those of your sources. It's not enough to have good intentions and to cite some of the material you use. You are responsible for making clear distinctions between your ideas and the ideas of the scholars who have informed your work. If you keep track of the ideas that come from your sources and have a clear understanding of how your own ideas differ from those ideas, and you follow the correct citation style, you will avoid mosaic plagiarism.

Indeed, of the more than 3500 hours of instruction during medical school, an average of less than 60 hours are devoted to all of bioethics, health law and health economics combined . Most of the instruction is during the preclinical courses, leaving very little instructional time when students are experiencing bioethical or legal challenges during their hands-on, clinical training. More than 60 percent of the instructors in bioethics, health law, and health economics have not published since 1990 on the topic they are teaching.

--Persad, G.C., Elder, L., Sedig,L., Flores, L., & Emanuel, E. (2008). The current state of medical school education in bioethics, health law, and health economics. Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics 36 , 89-94.

Students can absorb the educational messages in medical dramas when they view them for entertainment. In fact, even though they were not created specifically for education, these programs can be seen as an entertainment-education tool [43, 44]. In entertainment-education shows, viewers are exposed to educational content in entertainment contexts, using visual language that is easy to understand and triggers emotional engagement [45]. The enhanced emotional engagement and cognitive development [5] and moral imagination make students more sensitive to training [22].

--Cambra-Badii, I., Moyano, E., Ortega, I., Josep-E Baños, & Sentí, M. (2021). TV medical dramas: Health sciences students’ viewing habits and potential for teaching issues related to bioethics and professionalism. BMC Medical Education, 21 , 1-11. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02947-7

Paragraph #1.

All of the ideas in this paragraph after the first sentence are drawn directly from Persad. But because the student has placed the citation mid-paragraph, the final two sentences wrongly appear to be the student’s own idea:

In order to advocate for the use of medical television shows in the medical education system, it is also important to look at the current bioethical curriculum. In the more than 3500 hours of training that students undergo in medical school, only about 60 hours are focused on bioethics, health law, and health economics (Persad et al, 2008). It is also problematic that students receive this training before they actually have spent time treating patients in the clinical setting. Most of these hours are taught by instructors without current publications in the field.

Paragraph #2.

All of the italicized ideas in this paragraph are either paraphrased or taken verbatim from Cambra-Badii, et al., but the student does not cite the source at all. As a result, readers will assume that the student has come up with these ideas himself:

Students can absorb the educational messages in medical dramas when they view them for entertainment. It doesn’t matter if the shows were designed for medical students; they can still be a tool for education. In these hybrid entertainment-education shows, viewers are exposed to educational content that triggers an emotional reaction. By allowing for this emotional, cognitive, and moral engagement, the shows make students more sensitive to training . There may be further applications to this type of education: the role of entertainment as a way of encouraging students to consider ethical situations could be extended to other professions, including law or even education.

The student has come up with the final idea in the paragraph (that this type of ethical training could apply to other professions), but because nothing in the paragraph is cited, it reads as if it is part of a whole paragraph of his own ideas, rather than the point that he is building to after using the ideas from the article without crediting the authors.

Acceptable version

In the first paragraph, the student uses signal phrases in nearly every sentence to reference the authors (“According to Persad et al.,” “As the researchers argue,” “They also note”), which makes it clear throughout the paragraph that all of the paragraph’s information has been drawn from Persad et al. The student also uses a clear APA in-text citation to point the reader to the original article. In the second paragraph, the student paraphrases and cites the source’s ideas and creates a clear boundary behind those ideas and his own, which appear in the final paragraph.

In order to advocate for the use of medical television shows in the medical education system, it is also important to look at the current bioethical curriculum. According to Persad et al. (2008), only about one percent of teaching time throughout the four years of medical school is spent on ethics. As the researchers argue, this presents a problem because the students are being taught about ethical issues before they have a chance to experience those issues themselves. They also note that more than sixty percent of instructors teaching bioethics to medical students have no recent publications in the subject.

The research suggests that medical dramas may be a promising source for discussions of medical ethics. Cambra-Badii et al. (2021) explain that even when watched for entertainment, medical shows can help viewers engage emotionally with the characters and may prime them to be more receptive to training in medical ethics. There may be further applications to this type of education: the role of entertainment as a way of encouraging students to consider ethical situations could be extended to other professions, including law or even education.

Inadequate Paraphrase

When you paraphrase, your task is to distill the source's ideas in your own words. It's not enough to change a few words here and there and leave the rest; instead, you must completely restate the ideas in the passage in your own words. If your own language is too close to the original, then you are plagiarizing, even if you do provide a citation.

In order to make sure that you are using your own words, it's a good idea to put away the source material while you write your paraphrase of it. This way, you will force yourself to distill the point you think the author is making and articulate it in a new way. Once you have done this, you should look back at the original and make sure that you have represented the source’s ideas accurately and that you have not used the same words or sentence structure. If you do want to use some of the author's words for emphasis or clarity, you must put those words in quotation marks and provide a citation.

The passage below comes from Michael Sandel’s article, “The Case Against Perfection.” Here’s the article citation in MLA style:

Sandel, Michael. “The Case Against Perfection.” The Atlantic , April 2004, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/04/the-case-against-pe... .

Though there is much to be said for this argument, I do not think the main problem with enhancement and genetic engineering is that they undermine effort and erode human agency. The deeper danger is that they represent a kind of hyperagency—a Promethean aspiration to remake nature, including human nature, to serve our purposes and satisfy our desires. The problem is not the drift to mechanism but the drive to mastery. And what the drive to mastery misses and may even destroy is an appreciation of the gifted character of human powers and achievements.

The version below is an inadequate paraphrase because the student has only cut or replaced a few words: “I do not think the main problem” became “the main problem is not”; “deeper danger” became “bigger problem”; “aspiration” became “desire”; “the gifted character of human powers and achievements” became “the gifts that make our achievements possible.”

The main problem with enhancement and genetic engineering is not that they undermine effort and erode human agency. The bigger problem is that they represent a kind of hyperagency—a Promethean desire to remake nature, including human nature, to serve our purposes and satisfy our desires. The problem is not the drift to mechanism but the drive to mastery. And what the drive to mastery misses and may even destroy is an appreciation of the gifts that make our achievements possible (Sandel).

Acceptable version #1: Adequate paraphrase with citation

In this version, the student communicates Sandel’s ideas but does not borrow language from Sandel. Because the student uses Sandel’s name in the first sentence and has consulted an online version of the article without page numbers, there is no need for a parenthetical citation.

Michael Sandel disagrees with the argument that genetic engineering is a problem because it replaces the need for humans to work hard and make their own choices. Instead, he argues that we should be more concerned that the decision to use genetic enhancement is motivated by a desire to take control of nature and bend it to our will instead of appreciating its gifts.

Acceptable version #2: Direct quotation with citation

In this version, the student uses Sandel’s words in quotation marks and provides a clear MLA in-text citation. In cases where you are going to talk about the exact language that an author uses, it is acceptable to quote longer passages of text. If you are not going to discuss the exact language, you should paraphrase rather than quoting extensively.

The author argues that “the main problem with enhancement and genetic engineering is not that they undermine effort and erode human agency,” but, rather that “they represent a kind of hyperagency—a Promethean desire to remake nature, including human nature, to serve our purposes and satisfy our desires. The problem is not the drift to mechanism but the drive to mastery. And what the drive to mastery misses and may even destroy is an appreciation of the gifts that make our achievements possible” (Sandel).

Uncited Paraphrase

When you use your own language to describe someone else's idea, that idea still belongs to the author of the original material. Therefore, it's not enough to paraphrase the source material responsibly; you also need to cite the source, even if you have changed the wording significantly. As with quoting, when you paraphrase you are offering your reader a glimpse of someone else's work on your chosen topic, and you should also provide enough information for your reader to trace that work back to its original form. The rule of thumb here is simple: Whenever you use ideas that you did not think up yourself, you need to give credit to the source in which you found them, whether you quote directly from that material or provide a responsible paraphrase.

The passage below comes from C. Thi Nguyen’s article, “Echo Chambers and Epistemic Bubbles.”

Here’s the citation for the article, in APA style:

Nguyen, C. (2020). Echo chambers and epistemic bubbles. Episteme, 17 (2), 141-161. doi:10.1017/epi.2018.32

Epistemic bubbles can easily form accidentally. But the most plausible explanation for the particular features of echo chambers is something more malicious. Echo chambers are excellent tools to maintain, reinforce, and expand power through epistemic control. Thus, it is likely (though not necessary) that echo chambers are set up intentionally, or at least maintained, for this functionality (Nguyen, 2020).

The student who wrote the paraphrase below has drawn these ideas directly from Nguyen’s article but has not credited the author. Although she paraphrased adequately, she is still responsible for citing Nguyen as the source of this information.

Echo chambers and epistemic bubbles have different origins. While epistemic bubbles can be created organically, it’s more likely that echo chambers will be formed by those who wish to keep or even grow their control over the information that people hear and understand.

In this version, the student eliminates any possible ambiguity about the source of the ideas in the paragraph. By using a signal phrase to name the author whenever the source of the ideas could be unclear, the student clearly attributes these ideas to Nguyen.

According to Nguyen (2020), echo chambers and epistemic bubbles have different origins. Nguyen argues that while epistemic bubbles can be created organically, it’s more likely that echo chambers will be formed by those who wish to keep or even grow their control over the information that people hear and understand.

Uncited Quotation

When you put source material in quotation marks in your essay, you are telling your reader that you have drawn that material from somewhere else. But it's not enough to indicate that the material in quotation marks is not the product of your own thinking or experimentation: You must also credit the author of that material and provide a trail for your reader to follow back to the original document. This way, your reader will know who did the original work and will also be able to go back and consult that work if they are interested in learning more about the topic. Citations should always go directly after quotations.

The passage below comes from Deirdre Mask’s nonfiction book, The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power.

Here is the MLA citation for the book:

Mask, Deirdre. The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2021.

In New York, even addresses are for sale. The city allows a developer, for the bargain price of $11,000 (as of 2019), to apply to change the street address to something more attractive.

It’s not enough for the student to indicate that these words come from a source; the source must be cited:

After all, “in New York, even addresses are for sale. The city allows a developer, for the bargain price of $11,000 (as of 2019), to apply to change the street address to something more attractive.”

Here, the student has cited the source of the quotation using an MLA in-text citation:

After all, “in New York, even addresses are for sale. The city allows a developer, for the bargain price of $11,000 (as of 2019), to apply to change the street address to something more attractive” (Mask 229).

Using Material from Another Student's Work

In some courses you will be allowed or encouraged to form study groups, to work together in class generating ideas, or to collaborate on your thinking in other ways. Even in those cases, it's imperative that you understand whether all of your writing must be done independently, or whether group authorship is permitted. Most often, even in courses that allow some collaborative discussion, the writing or calculations that you do must be your own. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't collect feedback on your writing from a classmate or a writing tutor; rather, it means that the argument you make (and the ideas you rely on to make it) should either be your own or you should give credit to the source of those ideas.

So what does this mean for the ideas that emerge from class discussion or peer review exercises? Unlike the ideas that your professor offers in lecture (you should always cite these), ideas that come up in the course of class discussion or peer review are collaborative, and often not just the product of one individual's thinking. If, however, you see a clear moment in discussion when a particular student comes up with an idea, you should cite that student. In any case, when your work is informed by class discussions, it's courteous and collegial to include a discursive footnote in your paper that lets your readers know about that discussion. So, for example, if you were writing a paper about the narrator in Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried and you came up with your idea during a discussion in class, you might place a footnote in your paper that states the following: "I am indebted to the members of my Expos 20 section for sparking my thoughts about the role of the narrator as Greek Chorus in Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried ."

It is important to note that collaboration policies can vary by course, even within the same department, and you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with each course's expectation about collaboration. Collaboration policies are often stated in the syllabus, but if you are not sure whether it is appropriate to collaborate on work for any course, you should always consult your instructor.

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

PDFs for This Section

• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Online Library and Citation Tools

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• NEWS FEATURE
• 30 July 2024

AI is complicating plagiarism. How should scientists respond?

• Diana Kwon 0

Diana Kwon is a freelance science journalist based in Berlin.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Illustration by Piotr Kowalczyk

From accusations that led Harvard University’s president to resign in January , to revelations in February of plagiarized text in peer-review reports , the academic world has been roiled by cases of plagiarism this year.

But a bigger problem looms in scholarly writing. The rapid uptake of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools — which create text in response to prompts — has raised questions about whether this constitutes plagiarism and under what circumstances it should be allowed. “There’s a whole spectrum of AI use, from completely human-written to completely AI-written — and in the middle, there’s this vast wasteland of confusion,” says Jonathan Bailey, a copyright and plagiarism consultant based in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, which are based on algorithms known as large language models (LLMs), can save time, improve clarity and reduce language barriers. Many researchers now argue that they are permissible in some circumstances and that their use should be fully disclosed.

But such tools complicate an already fraught debate around the improper use of others’ work. LLMs are trained to generate text by digesting vast amounts of previously published writing. As a result, their use could result in something akin to plagiarism — if a researcher passes off the work of a machine as their own, for instance, or if a machine generates text that is very close to a person’s work without attributing the source. The tools can also be used to disguise deliberately plagiarized text, and any use of them is hard to spot. “Defining what we actually mean by academic dishonesty or plagiarism, and where the boundaries are, is going to be very, very difficult,” says Pete Cotton, an ecologist at the University of Plymouth, UK.

In a 2023 survey of 1,600 researchers , 68% of respondents said that AI will make plagiarism easier and harder to detect. “Everybody’s worried about everybody else using these systems, and they’re worried about themselves not using them when they should,” says Debora Weber-Wulff, a plagiarism specialist at the University of Applied Sciences Berlin. “Everybody’s kind of in a tizzy about this.”

Plagiarism meets AI

Plagiarism, which the US Office of Research Integrity defines as “the appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit”, is a familiar problem. A 2015 study estimated that 1.7% of scientists had admitted to plagiarism and that 30% knew colleagues who had committed it 1 .

LLMs could make things worse. Intentional plagiarism of human-written text can easily be disguised if someone asks an LLM to paraphrase the wording first. The tools can be prompted to paraphrase in sophisticated ways, such as in the style of an academic journal, says Muhammad Abdul-Mageed, a computer scientist and linguist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

A central question is whether using unattributed content written entirely by a machine — rather than by a human — counts as plagiarism. Not necessarily, say many researchers. For example, the European Network for Academic Integrity, which includes universities and individuals, defines the prohibited or undeclared use of AI tools for writing as “unauthorized content generation” rather than as plagiarism as such 2 . “Plagiarism, for me, would have things that are attributable to another, identifiable person,” says Weber-Wulff. Although there have been instances of generative AI producing text that looks almost identical to existing, human-written content, it is usually not close enough to be considered plagiarism, she adds.

Plagiarism in peer-review reports could be the ‘tip of the iceberg’

However, some people argue that generative AI tools are infringing copyright. Both plagiarism and copyright infringement are the improper use of someone else’s work, and whereas plagiarism is a breach of academic ethics, unauthorized use of copyrighted work can be a breach of the law. “These AI systems are built on the work of millions or hundreds of millions of people,” says Rada Mihalcea, a computer scientist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Some media companies and authors have protested against what they see as copyright breaches by AI. In December 2023, The New York Times launched a copyright lawsuit against the tech giant Microsoft and OpenAI, the US company behind the LLM GPT-4, which powers the chatbot ChatGPT. The lawsuit claims that the two firms copied and used millions of the newspaper’s articles to train LLMs, which now compete with the publication’s content. The lawsuit includes instances in which prompts caused GPT-4 to reproduce several paragraphs of the newspaper’s articles almost word for word.

In February, OpenAI filed a motion in federal court to dismiss parts of the lawsuit, arguing that “ChatGPT is not in any way a substitute for a subscription” to The New York Times . A spokesperson for Microsoft says that “lawfully developed AI-powered tools should be allowed to advance responsibly”, and “they are also not a substitute for the vital role that journalists play”.

If a court rules that training an AI on text without permission is indeed copyright infringement, “that’s going to be a huge shake up for AI companies”, says Bailey. Without extensive training sets, tools such as ChatGPT “can’t exist”, he says.

AI explosion

Whether it’s called plagiarism or not, the use of AI in academic writing has exploded since ChatGPT was released in November 2022.

In a preprint updated in July 3 , researchers estimated that at least 10% of abstracts in biomedical papers in the first six months of 2024 had used LLMs for writing — equivalent to 150,000 papers per year. The authors, led by data scientist Dmitry Kobak at the University of Tübingen in Germany, analysed 14 million abstracts in the academic database PubMed that had been published between 2010 and June 2024. They showed that the arrival of LLMs was associated with the increased use of stylistic words — such as ‘delves’, ‘showcasing’ and ‘underscores’ — and then used these unusual word patterns to estimate the proportion of abstracts that had been processed using AI (see ‘AI in academic papers’). “The appearance of LLM-based writing assistants has had an unprecedented impact in the scientific literature,” they wrote.

Source: Ref. 3

Kobak and his colleagues found that papers from countries including China and South Korea showed signs of heavier LLM use than did those from countries where English is the dominant language. However, says Kobak, authors in this latter group of countries might be using these tools just as often, but in ways that are more difficult to spot. Use of LLMs “will certainly continue to increase”, Kobak predicts, and will “probably get harder to detect”.

The undisclosed use of software in academic writing is not new. Since 2015, Guillaume Cabanac, a computer scientist at the University of Toulouse, France, and his colleagues have been uncovering gibberish papers made by software called SCIgen, and ones containing ‘ tortured phrases ’ that were created by automated software that translates or paraphrases text. “Even before generative AI, people had tools to fly under the radar,” Cabanac says.

And some use of AI in academic writing has value. Researchers say that it can make text and concepts clearer, reduce language barriers and free up time for experiments and thought. Hend Al-Khalifa, an information-technology researcher at King Saud University in Riyadh, says that before generative AI tools became available, many of her colleagues for whom English is a second language would struggle to write papers. “Now, they are focusing on the research and removing the hassle of writing with these tools,” she says.

But confusion reigns about when the use of AI constitutes plagiarism or contravenes ethics. Soheil Feizi, a computer scientist at the University of Maryland, College Park, says that using LLMs to paraphrase content from existing papers is clearly plagiarism. But using an LLM to help express ideas — either by generating text based on a detailed prompt, or by editing a draft — should not be penalized if it is done transparently. “We should allow people to leverage large language models to be able to express their ideas effortlessly and in a clearer manner,” Feizi says.

Many journals now have policies that allow some level of LLM use. After originally banning text generated by ChatGPT, Science updated its policy in November 2023 to say that use of AI technologies in writing a manuscript should be disclosed in full — including the system and prompts used. Authors are accountable for accuracy and “ensuring that there is no plagiarism”, it says. Nature , too, says authors of research manuscripts should use the methods section to document any LLM use . ( Nature ’s news and features team is editorially independent of its journals team.)

‘Obviously ChatGPT’ — how reviewers accused me of scientific fraud

An analysis of 100 large academic publishers and 100 highly ranked journals found that by October 2023, 24% of publishers and 87% of journals had guidelines on the use of generative AI 4 . Almost all of those that provided guidance said that an AI tool could not be included as an author, but policies differed on the types of AI use allowed and the level of disclosure required. Clearer guidelines on AI use in academic writing are urgently needed, says Weber-Wulff.

For now, the rampant use of LLMs for writing scientific papers is curbed by their limitations, says Abdul-Mageed. Users need to create detailed prompts describing the audience, the style of language and the subfield of research. “It’s actually very difficult for a language model to give you exactly what you want,” he says.

But developers are building applications that will make it easier for researchers to generate specialized scientific content, says Abdul-Mageed. Rather than having to write a detailed prompt, a user could in future simply pick from a drop-down menu of options and push a button to produce an entire paper from scratch, he says.

Detective work

The rapid adoption of LLMs to write text has been accompanied by a flurry of tools that aim to detect it. Although many boast high rates of accuracy — more than 90%, in some cases — research has suggested that most do not live up to their claims. In a study published last December 5 , Weber-Wulff and her colleagues assessed 14 AI-detection tools that are widely used in academia. Only 5 accurately identified 70% or more of texts as AI- or human-written, and none scored above 80%.

The detectors’ accuracy dropped below 50%, on average, when spotting AI-generated text that someone had lightly edited by replacing synonyms and reordering sentences. Such text is “almost undetectable by current tools”, the authors wrote. Other studies have shown that asking an AI to paraphrase text multiple times drastically reduces the accuracy of the detectors 6 .

AI and science: what 1,600 researchers think

There are other problems with AI detectors. One study showed that they are more likely to misclassify English writing as AI-generated if it was penned by people for whom English is not a first language 7 . Feizi says the detectors cannot reliably distinguish between text written entirely by AI and cases in which an author used AI-based services that polish text by helping with grammar and sentence clarity. “Differentiating between these cases would be quite difficult and unreliable — and could lead to a huge rate of false positives,” he says. Being falsely accused of using AI, he adds, can be “quite damaging to the reputation of those scholars or students”.

The boundary between legitimate and illegitimate use of AI is likely to blur further. In March 2023, Microsoft started to incorporate generative AI tools into its applications, including Word, PowerPoint and Outlook. Some versions of its AI assistant, called Copilot, can draft or edit content. In June, Google also began integrating its generative AI model, Gemini, into tools such as Docs and Gmail.

“AI is becoming so embedded in everything we use, I think it’ll become increasingly difficult to know whether something you’ve done has been influenced by AI,” says Debby Cotton, a specialist in higher education at Plymouth Marjon University, UK. “I think it’ll carry on evolving more rapidly than we can keep pace with.”

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Wuhan, Hubei, China

School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

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