With advancements in technology, getting away with plagiarism is impossible. However, not all acts of content theft are alike. You might have committed it unintentionally,due to neglect. But this does not reduce the gravity of the situation. It is crucial to have a clear understanding of what counts as plagiarism. This is the first step towards avoiding it.But how to fix the errors if the project has already been completed?

If you are to submit a paper, follow these hacks to avoid plagiarism.

• Table of Contents

  Toggle

  Use a Plagiarism Detector

Choose the best plagiarism checker tool online to scan your content. These tools are well equipped with advanced technology that allows them to cross check millions of academic sources within seconds. The tools are simple and quick, and deliver comprehensive results. You can upload 100 files at once in multiple unicode languages. You will receive the results with similar words and highlighted passages. This will help you overcomeaccidental plagiarism.

• Fix Your Citations 

Failing to credit the original author or arrange the citation elements correctly can lead to accidental plagiarism. Follow the university guidelines and formats for quotations and citations. There also are ample websites with templates, telling you how to mention the publication date and writer. 

• Paraphrase the Content Well 

Make use of efficient tools online to understand which part of your project has been copied. Next, instead of simply changing the words, try to alter the structure. You have to do this with precision, so that the meaning remains intact. Minor changes in the original work get flagged as theft as well. Therefore, work accordingly and acknowledge the source properly. 

• Incorporate Original Ideas 

Even if you have made the appropriate changes, the content might still appear plagiarized. The best way to fix this is to use your own original idea. Detect the parts that have copyrights on them and eliminate them completely. Substitute them with either common knowledge or personal examples. However, make sure not to recycle your previous works either, unless your publisher has permitted you to do so.

• Add the References 

If you have forgotten to mention the sources of your information, add them at the end. This way, you will be offering due credit to the original authors. It is the safest and smartest way to stay away from plagiarism. Make sure to include each and every link from where you have extracted even the smallest bit of information, otherwise it could turn out to be a violation of the code of conduct in research papers. 

• Avoid Auto Plagiarism 

Self-duplication is a type of plagiarism most people tend to ignore. You might now be allowed to use your previous work without attribution. If you need to include old ideas at all, understand the percentage that is permitted. Publishers or university teachers might allow only a small portion of the work to be reused. Therefore, make changes in your document accordingly. 

If you have encountered accidental plagiarism, do not worry. Separate your own ideas from the rest and avoid including too many citations. These simple tricks and little amendments here and there can make all the difference. 

Edward Bertrand