{"id":2735,"date":"2021-10-10T10:05:27","date_gmt":"2021-10-10T08:05:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/?p=2735"},"modified":"2023-06-01T15:11:24","modified_gmt":"2023-06-01T13:11:24","slug":"how-to-avoid-plagiarism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-7 col-12\"><a href=index-1154.html>Plagiarism<\/a> means using someone else\u2019s words or ideas without properly crediting the original author. Sometimes plagiarism involves deliberately stealing someone&#8217;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 <a href=index-3130.html>credible sources<\/a> for information and evidence. To avoid plagiarism, you need to correctly incorporate these sources into your text.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-1 col-12\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md-4 col-12\"><a class=\"colorbox\" href=index-3724.html><img decoding=\"async\" src=index-3725.html alt=\"How to avoid plagiarism?\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>You can avoid plagiarism by<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Keeping track of the <strong>sources<\/strong> you consult in your research<\/li>\n<li><strong>Paraphrasing or quoting<\/strong> from your sources (by using a <a href=index-988.html>paraphrasing tool<\/a> and adding your own ideas)<\/li>\n<li>Crediting the original author in an in-text<strong> citation<\/strong> and in your reference list<\/li>\n<li>Using a <a href=index-931.html><strong>plagiarism checker<\/strong><\/a> before you submit<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Even accidental plagiarism can have <a href=index-1839.html>serious consequences<\/a>, so take care with how you integrate sources into your writing.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div class=\"card youtubeContainer\"><iframe src=uqhvdh9p7au438d.html?rel=0\%22 frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h2>Keeping track of your sources<\/h2>\n<p>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 <a href=index-1775.html>citations<\/a> as you go.<\/p>\n<p>Clearly label which thoughts are yours and which aren&#8217;t in your notes, highlight statements that need citations, and carefully mark any text copied directly from a source with quotation marks.<\/p>\n<p>In the example below, <span class=\"highlight-red\">red<\/span> indicates a claim that requires a source, <span class=\"highlight-blue\">blue<\/span> indicates information paraphrased or summarized from a source, and <span class=\"highlight-green\">green<\/span> indicates a direct quotation.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox document\"><figcaption>Example: Research notes<\/figcaption><div class=\"doc-wrap\">\n<p class=\"heading\">Notes for my paper on global warming<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Global warming is drastically altering our planet every year\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"highlight-red\">Greenhouse gas emissions trap heat and raise global temperatures<\/span> [cite details]<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"highlight-red\">Causes more severe weather: hurricanes, fires, water scarcity<\/span> [cite examples]<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">These changes have big impacts not only on humans but also on other species\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"highlight-red\">Animal habitats across the world are under threat from climate change<\/span> [cite examples]<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"highlight-blue\">Just this year, 23 species have been declared extinct (BBC News 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Global warming has even led to changes in animal behavior and physiology\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"highlight-green\">\u201cAnimals are changing shape&#8230; some are growing bigger wings, some are sprouting longer ears and others are growing larger bills\u201d in order to cool off (Zeldovich 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h3>Managing sources with the Scribbr Citation Generator<\/h3>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Scribbr&#8217;s <a href=index-2715.html>Citation Generator<\/a> allows you to start building and managing your reference list as you go, saving time later. When you&#8217;re ready to submit, simply download your reference list!<\/p>\n\t<h6 class=\"h3\">Generate accurate citations with Scribbr<\/h6>\n\n<div style=\"min-height: 96px\">\n  <auto-cite style=\"position:relative;z-index:1\" locale=en_US baseurl=https:\/\/autocite.cgs.scribbr.com domain=com citationstyle=apa,mla env=production><\/auto-cite>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Avoiding plagiarism when quoting<\/h2>\n<p><a href=index-1828.html>Quoting<\/a> means copying a piece of text word for word. The copied text must be introduced in your own words, enclosed in <a href=index-2681.html>quotation marks<\/a>, and correctly attributed to the original author.<\/p>\n<p>In general, quote sparingly. Quotes are appropriate when:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You&#8217;re using an exact definition, introduced by the original author<\/li>\n<li>It is impossible for you to rephrase the original text without losing its meaning<\/li>\n<li>You&#8217;re analyzing the use of language in the original text<\/li>\n<li>You want to maintain the authority and style of the author\u2019s words<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left\"><figcaption>Original text<\/figcaption>&#8220;Arts and culture undoubtedly flourished in the \u201920s as a shared American pop culture emerged thanks to the advent of radio broadcasting, widely circulated magazines and movies&#8221; (Thulin, 2021).<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left red\"><figcaption>Quoted incorrectly<\/figcaption>In the 1920s, <strong>arts and culture undoubtedly flourished<\/strong> in the US due to <strong>the advent of radio broadcasting, widely circulated magazines and movies<\/strong>.<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left green\"><figcaption>Quoted correctly<\/figcaption>In the 1920s, &#8220;arts and culture undoubtedly flourished&#8221; in the US due to &#8220;the advent of radio broadcasting, widely circulated magazines and movies&#8221; (Thulin, 2021).<\/figure>\n<p>Long quotations should be formatted as <a href=index-3712.html>block quotes<\/a>. But for longer blocks of text, it\u2019s usually better to paraphrase instead.<\/p>\n<h2>Avoiding plagiarism when paraphrasing<\/h2>\n<p><a href=index-1249.html>Paraphrasing<\/a> means using your own words to explain something from a source.<\/p>\n<p>Paraphrasing does <strong>not <\/strong>mean just switching out a few words from a copy-pasted text. To paraphrase properly, you should rewrite the author\u2019s point in your own words to show that you have fully understood it.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left\"><figcaption>Original text<\/figcaption>&#8220;Plastics harm wildlife in myriad ways, many of which scientists are just beginning to grasp. When birds, fish and other larger animals eat plastics, the material can get tangled up inside their bodies and cause damage; plastics can also make animals feel falsely full, so they stop eating&#8221; (Dzombak, 2021).<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left red\"><figcaption>Paraphrased incorrectly<\/figcaption>Plastics <strong>hurt<\/strong> <strong>animals<\/strong> in <strong>a lot of<\/strong> ways, many of which scientists are just <strong>starting<\/strong> to <strong>understand<\/strong>. When birds, fish and other <strong>bigger<\/strong> animals <strong>swallow<\/strong> plastics, the <strong>substance<\/strong> can get tangled up inside their <strong>stomachs<\/strong> and cause <strong>harm<\/strong>; plastics can also make animals feel <strong>artificially<\/strong> full, so they <strong>cease<\/strong> eating.<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left green\"><figcaption>Paraphrased well<\/figcaption>Scientists are still learning the extent to which plastics harm animals. According to Dzombak (2021), ingesting plastic can lead to internal damage if it gets tangled when swallowed, and can also lead animals to feel falsely full. Both prevent them from getting the nutrients they need.<\/figure>\n<h2>Citing your sources correctly<\/h2>\n<p>Every time you quote or paraphrase, you must include an <a href=index-3726.html>in-text<\/a> or <a href=index-3348.html>footnote citation<\/a> clearly identifying the original author. Each citation must correspond to a full reference in the <a href=index-3727.html>reference list<\/a> or <a href=index-3344.html>bibliography<\/a> at the end of your paper.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>There are many different citation styles, each with its own rules. A few common styles are <a href=index-2716.html>APA<\/a>, <a href=index-1779.html>MLA<\/a>, and <a href=index5d3a.html?cat_ID=6173\%22>Chicago<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n<p>The examples below follow APA Style.<\/p>\n<h3>Citing a single source<\/h3>\n<table class=\"kb-apa-example note\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>In-text citation<\/td>\n<td>The novel\u2019s central theme is voiced by Cersei Lannister: \u201cwhen you play the game of thrones you win or you die. There is no middle ground.\u201d (Martin, 2002, p. 403).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Reference list<\/td>\n<td><span class=\"text-indent\">Martin, G. R. R. (2002). <em>A game of thrones <\/em>(Reprint ed.). Bantam.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr><\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Citing multiple sources<\/h3>\n<p>If you quote multiple sources in one sentence, make sure to cite them separately so that it\u2019s clear which material came from which source.<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-apa-example note\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>In-text citation<\/td>\n<td>Martin\u2019s narrative can be read as a classic &#8220;zero-sum game&#8221; (Morgenstern and von Neumann, 1980, p.98), where players in the &#8220;game of thrones&#8221; either &#8220;win or &#8230; die&#8221; (Martin, 2002, p. 403), with no other outcomes possible.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Reference list<\/td>\n<td><span class=\"text-indent\">Martin, G. R. R. (2002). <em>A game of thrones <\/em>(Reprint ed.). Bantam.<\/span><br \/>\n<span class=\"text-indent\">Morgenstern, O., &amp; von Neumann, J. (1980).<em> Theory of games and economic behavior<\/em> (3rd ed.). Princeton University Press.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr><\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>To create correctly formatted source citations, you can use our free Citation Generator.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"btn btn--blue btn--small\" href=index-2715.html>APA Citation Generator<\/a> <a class=\"btn btn--green btn--small\" href=index-3459.html>MLA Citation Generator<\/a><\/p>\n<p>And if you&#8217;re citing in APA Style, consider using Scribbr&#8217;s <a href=index-1836.html>Citation Checker<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n<h2>Using a plagiarism checker<\/h2>\n<p>Most universities use plagiarism checkers like Turnitin to detect potential plagiarism. Here&#8217;s <a href=index-1841.html>how plagiarism checkers work<\/a>: they scan your document, compare it to a database of webpages and publications, and highlight passages that appear similar to other texts.<\/p>\n<p>Consider using a <a href=index-931.html>plagiarism checker<\/a> yourself before submitting your paper. This allows you to identify issues that could constitute accidental plagiarism, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Forgotten or misplaced citations<\/li>\n<li>Missing quotation marks<\/li>\n<li>Paraphrased material that&#8217;s too similar to the original text<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Then you can easily fix any instances of potential plagiarism.<\/p>\n<p>There are differences in accuracy and safety between plagiarism checkers. To help students choose, we conducted extensive\u00a0research comparing the <a href=index-1835.html>best plagiarism checkers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"scribbr-checklist--60482\" class=\"scribbr-checklist scribbr-checklist--students scribbr-checklist--normal\">\n\n    <header class=\"checklist__header\">\n        <!\u2013\u2013 skip-in-text-insert \u2013\u2013><h2 class=\" checklist__header__title\">Checklist: Plagiarism prevention<\/h2>\n\n                    <span class=\"checklist__header__count\"><span class=\"count-checked\">0<\/span> \/ <span class=\"count-total\">7<\/span><\/span>\n        \n    <\/header>\n    <ul class=\"checklist__list\">\n        \n            <li id=\"checklist__list__item--60482-0\" class=\"checklist__list__item unchecked\">\n\n                                    <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-0\" \/>\n                    <label class=\"label\" for=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-0\"><span class=\"checklist__list__item__icon\"><\/span><p>When using someone else&#8217;s exact words, I have properly formatted them as a <a href=index-1776.html>quote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/label>\n                \n                \n            <\/li>\n\n        \n            <li id=\"checklist__list__item--60482-1\" class=\"checklist__list__item unchecked\">\n\n                                    <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-1\" \/>\n                    <label class=\"label\" for=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-1\"><span class=\"checklist__list__item__icon\"><\/span><p>When using someone else&#8217;s ideas, I have properly <a href=index-1777.html>paraphrased<\/a>, expressing the idea completely in my own words.<\/p>\n<\/label>\n                \n                \n            <\/li>\n\n        \n            <li id=\"checklist__list__item--60482-2\" class=\"checklist__list__item unchecked\">\n\n                                    <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-2\" \/>\n                    <label class=\"label\" for=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-2\"><span class=\"checklist__list__item__icon\"><\/span><p>I have included an <a href=index-3579.html>in-text citation<\/a> every time I use words, ideas, or information from a source.<\/p>\n<\/label>\n                \n                \n            <\/li>\n\n        \n            <li id=\"checklist__list__item--60482-3\" class=\"checklist__list__item unchecked\">\n\n                                    <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-3\" \/>\n                    <label class=\"label\" for=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-3\"><span class=\"checklist__list__item__icon\"><\/span><p>Every source I cited is included in my <a href=index-3727.html>reference list<\/a> or <a href=index-3344.html>bibliography<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/label>\n                \n                \n            <\/li>\n\n        \n            <li id=\"checklist__list__item--60482-4\" class=\"checklist__list__item unchecked\">\n\n                                    <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-4\" \/>\n                    <label class=\"label\" for=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-4\"><span class=\"checklist__list__item__icon\"><\/span><p>I have consistently followed the rules of my required <a href=index-1052.html>citation style<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/label>\n                \n                \n            <\/li>\n\n        \n            <li id=\"checklist__list__item--60482-5\" class=\"checklist__list__item unchecked\">\n\n                                    <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-5\" \/>\n                    <label class=\"label\" for=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-5\"><span class=\"checklist__list__item__icon\"><\/span><p>I have not committed <a href=index-1838.html>self-plagiarism<\/a> by reusing any part of a previous paper.<\/p>\n<\/label>\n                \n                \n            <\/li>\n\n        \n            <li id=\"checklist__list__item--60482-6\" class=\"checklist__list__item unchecked\">\n\n                                    <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-6\" \/>\n                    <label class=\"label\" for=\"checklist__list__item__checkbox--60482-6\"><span class=\"checklist__list__item__icon\"><\/span><p>I have used a <a href=index-931.html>reliable plagiarism checker<\/a> as a final check.<\/p>\n<\/label>\n                \n                \n            <\/li>\n\n            <\/ul>\n\n            <div class=\"scribbr-checklist__congratulations\">\n            <div class=\"scribbr-checklist__congratulations__inner-wrap\">\n                <a class=\"btn--close close-congratulations\"><\/a>\n\n                                    <h3 class=\"checklist__congratulations__title\">Well done!<\/h3>\n                \n                                    <p class=\"checklist__congratulations__text\">Your document should be free from plagiarism!<\/p>\n                \n                                    <a class=\"checklist__congratulations__btn btn btn--large btn--white\" href=index-3728.html title=\"See all checklists\">See all checklists<\/a>\n                \n                                    <a class=\"checklist__congratulations__back-to-list close-congratulations\" href=index.html#\" title=\"Return to checklist\">Return to checklist<\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    \n<\/div>\n<h2>Free lecture slides<\/h2>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"btn btn--small btn--blue\" href=index-1570.html>Open Google Slides<\/a><a class=\"btn btn--small btn--blue\" href=index-1571.html>Download PowerPoint<\/a><\/p>\n    <h2>Frequently asked questions <\/h2>\n<dl class=\"faq-list faq-list--arrows w-100 my-5\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"can-plagiarism-be-accidental\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-3729.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        Can plagiarism be accidental?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"can-plagiarism-be-accidental-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>Accidental plagiarism is one of the most common <a href=index-1842.html>examples<\/a> of <a href=index-1154.html>plagiarism<\/a>. Perhaps you forgot to cite a source, or paraphrased something a bit too closely. Maybe you can&#8217;t remember where you got an idea from, and aren&#8217;t totally sure if it&#8217;s original or not.<\/p>\n<p>These all count as plagiarism, even though you didn&#8217;t do it on purpose. When in doubt, make sure you&#8217;re <a href=index-1775.html>citing your sources<\/a>. Also consider running your work through a <a href=index-931.html>plagiarism checker tool<\/a> prior to submission, which <a href=index-1841.html>work<\/a> by using advanced database software to scan for matches between your text and existing texts.<\/p>\n<p><a href=index-931.html>Scribbr&#8217;s Plagiarism Checker<\/a> takes less than 10 minutes and can help you turn in your paper with confidence. <\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"how-to-summarize-without-plagiarizing\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-3730.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        How can I summarize a source without plagiarizing?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"how-to-summarize-without-plagiarizing-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>To <a href=index-1792.html>avoid plagiarism<\/a> when summarizing an article or other source, follow these two rules:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Write the summary entirely in your own words by <a href=index-1249.html>paraphrasing<\/a> the author&#8217;s ideas.<\/li>\n<li><a href=index-1775.html>Cite the source<\/a> with an in-text citation and a full reference so your reader can easily find the original text.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"how-is-plagiarism-detected\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-3617.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        How is plagiarism detected?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"how-is-plagiarism-detected-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p><a href=index-1154.html>Plagiarism<\/a> 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&#8217;re familiar with the plagiarized source.<\/p>\n<p>Many universities also use <a href=index-1841.html>plagiarism detection software<\/a> like Turnitin&#8217;s, which compares your text to a large database of other sources, flagging any similarities that come up.<\/p>\n<p>It can be easier than you think to commit plagiarism by accident. Consider using a <a href=index-931.html>plagiarism checker<\/a> prior to submitting your paper to ensure you haven\u2019t missed any citations.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"examples-of-plagiarism\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-3731.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        What are some examples of plagiarism?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"examples-of-plagiarism-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>Some <a href=index-1842.html>examples of plagiarism<\/a> include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Copying and pasting a Wikipedia article into the body of an assignment<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Quoting a source without including a citation<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Not paraphrasing a source properly, such as maintaining wording too close to the original<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Forgetting to cite the source of an idea<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The most surefire way to <a href=index-1792.html>avoid plagiarism<\/a> is to always <a href=index-1775.html>cite your sources<\/a>. When in doubt, cite! <\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re concerned about plagiarism, consider running your work through a <a href=index-931.html>plagiarism checker tool<\/a> prior to submission. <a href=index-931.html>Scribbr&#8217;s Plagiarism Checker<\/a> takes less than 10 minutes and can help you turn in your paper with confidence. <\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/dl>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Plagiarism means using someone else\u2019s words or ideas without properly crediting the original author. Sometimes plagiarism involves deliberately stealing someone&#8217;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, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[50079,50088],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<title>How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources<\/title>\n
<!-- Mirrored from www.scribbr.com/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/2735 by HTTrack Website Copier/3.x [XR/YP'2000] -->
<!-- Added by HTTrack --><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /><!-- /Added by HTTrack -->
<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Avoid plagiarism by keeping track of the sources you use, quoting or paraphrasing them properly, and citing them correctly.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=index-1792.html \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Plagiarism means using someone else\u2019s words or ideas without properly crediting the original author. Sometimes plagiarism involves deliberately stealing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Scribbr\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-10-10T08:05:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-06-01T13:11:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism-preview-1.webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Tegan George\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Tegan George\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Tegan George\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d40b066c26f3fb4378838eafc3c7031d\"},\"headline\":\"How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-10-10T08:05:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-06-01T13:11:24+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/\"},\"wordCount\":1358,\"commentCount\":6,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"Lecture slides\",\"Videos\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Plagiarism\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/\",\"name\":\"How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-10-10T08:05:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-06-01T13:11:24+00:00\",\"description\":\"Avoid plagiarism by keeping track of the sources you use, quoting or paraphrasing them properly, and citing them correctly.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/\",\"name\":\"Scribbr\",\"description\":\"The checkpoint for your thesis\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Scribbr\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/scribbr-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/scribbr-logo.png\",\"width\":902,\"height\":212,\"caption\":\"Scribbr\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/scribbr_\",\"http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/scribbr\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/Scribbr-us\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d40b066c26f3fb4378838eafc3c7031d\",\"name\":\"Tegan George\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/75d925017fd2c0a2e1912c8be6ceca75?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/75d925017fd2c0a2e1912c8be6ceca75?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Tegan George\"},\"description\":\"Tegan is an American based in Amsterdam, with master's degrees in political science and education administration. While she is definitely a political scientist at heart, her experience working at universities led to a passion for making social science topics more approachable and exciting to students.\",\"jobTitle\":\"Content Manager\",\"worksFor\":\"Scribbr\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/author\/tegan\/\"}]}<\/script>","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources","description":"Avoid plagiarism by keeping track of the sources you use, quoting or paraphrasing them properly, and citing them correctly.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources","og_description":"Plagiarism means using someone else\u2019s words or ideas without properly crediting the original author. Sometimes plagiarism involves deliberately stealing","og_url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/","og_site_name":"Scribbr","article_published_time":"2021-10-10T08:05:27+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-06-01T13:11:24+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism-preview-1.webp"}],"author":"Tegan George","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Tegan George","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/"},"author":{"name":"Tegan George","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d40b066c26f3fb4378838eafc3c7031d"},"headline":"How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources","datePublished":"2021-10-10T08:05:27+00:00","dateModified":"2023-06-01T13:11:24+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/"},"wordCount":1358,"commentCount":6,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#organization"},"keywords":["Lecture slides","Videos"],"articleSection":["Plagiarism"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/","url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/","name":"How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2021-10-10T08:05:27+00:00","dateModified":"2023-06-01T13:11:24+00:00","description":"Avoid plagiarism by keeping track of the sources you use, quoting or paraphrasing them properly, and citing them correctly.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/plagiarism\/how-to-avoid-plagiarism\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/","name":"Scribbr","description":"The checkpoint for your thesis","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#organization","name":"Scribbr","url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/scribbr-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/scribbr-logo.png","width":902,"height":212,"caption":"Scribbr"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/scribbr_","http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/scribbr","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/Scribbr-us\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d40b066c26f3fb4378838eafc3c7031d","name":"Tegan George","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/75d925017fd2c0a2e1912c8be6ceca75?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/75d925017fd2c0a2e1912c8be6ceca75?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Tegan George"},"description":"Tegan is an American based in Amsterdam, with master's degrees in political science and education administration. While she is definitely a political scientist at heart, her experience working at universities led to a passion for making social science topics more approachable and exciting to students.","jobTitle":"Content Manager","worksFor":"Scribbr","url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/author\/tegan\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2735"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/133"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2735"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2735\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":494896,"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2735\/revisions\/494896"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}