In article writing, plagiarism is a serious problem and it can have disastrous consequences. It takes away your credibility and your reputation as a writer. Besides, it can also lead to financial losses and legal hassles. So, it is important to avoid plagiarism as much as possible.
First, understand what plagiarism is and how it can affect your academic career. Plagiarism is the act of reusing other people’s words, ideas and/or phrases without crediting them as the originators.
It is a serious offense and you could be held liable for damages in court. If you have ever received a warning from your instructor or the copyright owner of the material you used, you will appreciate this issue.
Taking good notes is a great way to avoid plagiarism in your work as it allows you to keep track of sources. It’s also helpful for your own revision and drafting stages. You can refer to these notes for cross-checking later on in the process.
You should always cite the source of your information as this will help you to give credit to them for the valuable information you have used in your paper. This will also ensure that your readers can locate the original source for their own research and learning purposes.
The most common way to cite information is to put it in quotation marks. You can also set it off in its own block, depending on the style guide your paper follows. Regardless of the method you use, it is important to include the date the quote was published or accessed and the exact page numbers so that your readers can find the source for themselves.
It is best to cite the source for every piece of information you use in your paper, including pictures, graphs, diagrams or tables. You should also cite each individual word or phrase you use.
Citation styles vary greatly, so you need to choose the correct one for your particular paper. You can ask your instructor for assistance with this, or you can find current style manuals available at the library or online.
Never copy and paste from another person’s work, even if it’s your own previously published material. This is blatant plagiarism and it can lead to disciplinary action against you by your university.
It is also a good idea to include a list of all the sources you used in your paper, at the end of the essay. This will make it easier for your readers to find them and will make you less likely to be accused of plagiarism.
Take note of the author’s name and the specific phrase you’re quoting as well as the source. If you’re using a popular term, you may want to keep it but not all of it.
When citing the source, it is best to use a quotation mark for each phrase you’re quoting and give it its own line in your text. This is a simple and effective way to avoid plagiarism.
