Most of the students have a lot in their to-do list (like the researches they have to do, people they must meet, articles they should write, books they must read, etc.) but they don’t have enough time. Some students are not able to do these things on their own, so they ask others for ideas and help. As we know plagiarism has a negative effect on the person’s character and profession. Also as is expected, academic work should reflect academic ethics and responsible behavior.
Therefore, how is it possible to avoid plagiarism?
Researchers can avoid plagiarism through proper preparation. To do so they need to know the subject of their study thoroughly and do research on it and in order to avoid plagiarism they have to mention the source of the quotes (cite references). Before the start of the research try to answer these questions:
1. Do I have a good understanding of the subject of my study?
When you have a good understanding of the subject, you use less of other’s words and ideas. Before starting to write you should choose the subject of your study with an open mind and lots of searches. Gather books, journals, films, articles and other resources as much as possible. Referring to different resources not only expands your knowledge, but it also reduces the chance of inadvertent copying and plagiarism, while dependence on a single reference increases the possibility of using its words or ideas.
2. Do I have a new word on the subject?
See if you have new ideas on the subject of your study or you are just making a summary or a paraphrase of other people’s works. According to T. S Eliot “Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different.”
3. Are my notes comprehensive?
Take notes but keep the used sources intact. Keep information such as Bibliography of the used books, authors, page numbers, website addresses. Always preserve the source of your information. Never trust other’s footnotes. Making use of Zamen Salamati’s plagiarism service, inspect the possibility of plagiarism in the text and change it if required.
4. Ask yourself if the idea or argument belongs to you?
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between your ideas and the works done by others. When you base your ideas on other people’s references, make sure to bring them distinctively. In some cases, it is possible to commit plagiarism by giving ambiguous references . The readers should know which ideas are your own. Inspect your work for any chance of plagiarism and avoid it.
Webster dictionary defines plagiarism as “to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own”. As a general maxim make sure you do not copy more than two words together.
5. Should I cite this?
When using direct quotes, you have to refer to the main source for rewriting other people’s ideas. This includes tables, charts, diagrams and data. Owning your article gives credit to your article and boosts it. This way you can process ideas and add to them. Don’t forget to mention the source of your quotes.
6. Have I come so far to avoid plagiarism?
Making use of plagiarism service of DoNotEdit gives you the chance to review your article before submitting it to the journal and make sure of the lack of plagiarism. In conclusion, you should be noticed that whether your article is to be read by thousands of people all around the world or just by your professor, colleague or the members of your family, you should cite your sources correctly. There is a narrow but distinct line between innovation and plagiarism. Avoiding plagiarism is simple. It is better to start researches soon, introduce information with quotations in your manuscript and learn different approaches to citation. Taking responsibility, preventing plagiarism and promoting the ethical writing is very simple. Don’t forget that observing these recommendations will advance your profession.