How to avoid plagiarism in academic writing

Summary

In this video, the speaker discusses common mistakes people make when it comes to plagiarism and how to avoid them. These include not paraphrasing correctly, using a thesaurus to change just a few words, and altering the original meaning of a source. The speaker then offers actionable strategies to avoid plagiarism, such as improving understanding of the topic, keeping track of sources, citing as you write, and using plagiarism checkers. The video emphasizes the importance of proper citation and understanding to avoid unintentional plagiarism.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Understand common plagiarism mistakes, including incorrect paraphrasing even with citations.
• 📖 Avoid only reading a small section of text when paraphrasing; increase your understanding of the entire topic.
• 📝 Don't just change a few words using a thesaurus to avoid plagiarism; the whole sentence structure must be altered.
• ⚠️ Changing the original meaning of a source to fit your needs is also considered plagiarism.
• 🧠 Improving your understanding of the material helps you paraphrase effectively and avoid plagiarism.
• 📚 Keep track of your sources while researching to avoid misattributing citations and committing plagiarism.
• ✍️ Use the 'cite as you write' method to integrate citations as you draft your paper, saving time later.
• 🧰 Using plagiarism checkers can help ensure your paper's originality, keeping the plagiarism score low.
• 🔍 Aim for a plagiarism score in the single digits to avoid penalties from professors or grading systems.
• 👍 Use YouTube's features to support content creators, like the 'thanks' button, for feedback and suggestions.

Q & A

What is the most common mistake students make when paraphrasing?

The most common mistake is not paraphrasing correctly but including an in-text citation, which students think will protect them from plagiarism.

Why is paraphrasing incorrectly a problem even if a citation is included?

If the paraphrasing is not done correctly, even with a citation, the material can still be considered plagiarized because the text hasn’t been sufficiently rewritten or transformed into the student’s own words.

What mistake do students make when they only read a small portion of a source?

Students sometimes only read the immediate passage they want to paraphrase without understanding the broader context, which leads to poor paraphrasing because they don't fully grasp the subject.

Why is using a thesaurus to change a few words not enough to avoid plagiarism?

Using a thesaurus to just change a few words doesn’t alter the structure or meaning of the sentence enough, so it’s still considered plagiarism as the material remains too close to the original.

What happens if a student changes the original meaning of a source while paraphrasing?

Changing the original meaning of a source is also a mistake. Even though you're paraphrasing, you cannot modify the essence or the message of the original content, as this could lead to misrepresentation of information.

What is the key to paraphrasing correctly, according to the speaker?

The key to paraphrasing correctly is to fully understand the topic before attempting to paraphrase it. If a student struggles, it’s often because they don't grasp the subject well enough.

What strategy does the speaker recommend to avoid unintentional plagiarism?

The speaker recommends keeping track of your sources as you research, which ensures you cite correctly later and don’t mix up which information came from which source.

What does 'cite as you write' mean, and why is it useful?

'Cite as you write' means adding citations as you are writing your paper, instead of waiting until the end. This method helps save time and reduces the chances of plagiarism.

How does the speaker suggest using plagiarism checkers?

The speaker suggests using plagiarism checkers to see if your work scores too high on the plagiarism scale. Keeping the score in single digits is recommended to avoid problems.

What plagiarism score should you aim for on a plagiarism checker?

You should aim to keep your plagiarism score in the single digits (below 10%). If your score is 10% or higher, you need to revise your work to reduce instances of plagiarism.