How to Avoid Plagiarism
Plagiarism occurs when ideas or words that you advance as your own have actually been taken from other people.
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You Will Need
- An original text source
- Notebook or note paper
Steps
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Step 1
Use quotation marks
Place quotation marks around any phrases or words you borrow directly from another source.
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Step 2
Paraphrase
Attribute any ideas you take from other sources to their originators. Rephrase in your own words, but mention where they came from.
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Although plagiarism is a violation of professional ethics, most examples fall short of copyright infringement, a legal offense.
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Step 3
Keep notes
Keep your own ideas separate from those of others by taking notes as you read.
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Did you know? Plagiarism comes from the Latin plagiarius, which means "kidnapper."
