Universities are always working on ways to combat plagiarism. But what exactly is this? And how can you avoid it in your written work?
Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s words or ideas as your own. This may involve a number of things, but common examples include:
All the above can be seen as ‘stealing’ someone else’s work. A journalist, for example, might use quotes from another source without attribution. Or a student might copy an essay from the internet. And it doesn’t matter whether this is deliberate or accidental. If you use someone else’s words or ideas without acknowledging a source, it will be classed as ‘plagiarism’.
If you are a student, your university will have guidelines about plagiarism. Punishments may include losing marks on an essay or even losing your place on your course. As such, it is vital to check your institution’s guidelines (you can usually find this info online).
Nevertheless, things that usually count as plagiarism in an essay include:
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These examples vary in severity, but you must avoid them all.
To make sure your writing is free from accidental plagiarism, make sure to:
And don’t forget to have your work checked by our specialist student proofreading service. As well as correcting errors, we can highlight issues that could be perceived as plagiarism, such as missing citations. You can then go back over your work and make sure it is perfect before submitting it.
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