How to avoid plagiarism?

1. Techniques to avoid Plagiarism?
11 March, 2017
Zakir Hossain
Teacher-Librarian

2. How to avoid plagiarism?
Quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing ar
e three main ways of integrating others’ ideas
in your own academic work.

3. Quoting
Quoting is reproducing words from another
source using exactly the same wording,
spelling, punctuation, capitalisation and
paragraphing.
I should quote when I need to add emphasis or
focus to an argument. T/F
I should quote all the time - so that I can show that
I have done my research thoroughly. T/F
Quotations should be used rarely and
selectively T/F
I should quote to incorporate an idea that would
lose its effectiveness if paraphrased or
summarised. T/F
If I use a relevant well-placed quotation it will add
weight to my argument. T/F

4. How should you integrate a
quote?
 To integrate a quote correctly you should:
 Use a signal phrase such as “According to Smith (2008) …”, “Smith (2008)
reports …”
 Demonstrate the relevance of the quote to your writing by using an introductory
phrase or by providing commentary on the quote.
 Include quotation marks.
 Incorporate a short quote into a paragraph or indent a longer quote.
 Include the number of the page or paragraph where you found the quote.
 Demonstrate any changes you have made to the quote, such as shortening it by
omitting sections.
 Cite and reference it.
© The University of
Auckland

5. What is paraphrasing?
Paraphrasing is introducing ideas from another
source in your own words.
Your “voice” is predominant in a paraphrase and
shows your understanding and interpretation of
someone else’s thoughts in relation to the topic.
I should paraphrase if I want to change the organisation of
another author’s words or ideas for emphasis. T/F
I should paraphrase to change the original meaning of
another author’s words, ideas and thoughts. T/F
I should paraphrase to simplify and clarify the original
material. T/F
I should paraphrase to back up, support or prove my
ideas. T/F
I should paraphrase to make it clear I understand the
author’s point of view. T/F

6. How should you integrate a
paraphrase?
 Underline key points in the original
source.
 List the main ideas or concepts.
 Come up with alternative phrases and
synonyms to describe the ideas.
 Rewrite and reorder these ideas in your
own words.
 Use a signal phrase where necessary
to embed the author’s name, eg “Smith
(1996) states…”, “As indicated by
Townsend and Parks (2013)….”
 Cite and reference.

7. What is summarising?
 Summarising is a short and concise
representation of the key ideas of source
material, in your own words.
 A summary is shorter than the original text
and provides an overview of the subject
matter.
 To summarise correctly, you will include only
the key ideas and omit the details.
 Summaries need to be referenced, just like
paraphrases and quotations.
© The University of
Auckland

8. When should you summarise?
 I should summarise when I want to
change the meaning of the original
text. T/F
 I should summarise when I want to
condense large amounts of
information accurately into the
smallest number of words possible.
T/F
 I should summarise when I want to
present the key ideas of the original
source in brief. T/F

9. How should you
summarise?
 Identify the key ideas in the original
source.
 Write down the key ideas in your own
words or use quote marks if replicating
original text for emphasis.
 Do not add your own reflections on
the original text, summarise only.
 Remind the reader that someone else
has written the original piece of writing
throughout your summary: Smith (2009)
states…, She further indicates…
 Cite and reference the original source.
© The University of
Auckland

10. WHEN DO I NEED TO CITE?
 Whenever you borrow words or ideas
 whenever you use quotes
 whenever you paraphrase
 whenever you use an idea that someone
else has already expressed
 whenever you make specific reference to
the work of another
 whenever someone else's work has been
critical in developing your own ideas.

11. • Ideally, no more than 25 percent of
your paper should be direct
quotations..
• Paraphrase as much as you can..
• Use direct quotations when citing a
statistic or original theory..
• Use author's words if they capture a
point exactly..
Quick tips

12. MLA Citation Style
 In-text or Parenthetical Citations
 Bibliographical references/ Cited works (The
first word of your citation match the
corresponding entry on your Works Cited
page!)

13. In-Text or Parenthetical Citations
…a system in which you give your source
in parentheses immediately after you
give the information.

14. In-Text Citation – Author & Page No.
(Keeling 125)
Notice there is no “p” and no comma.
The struggle for identity is common during
puberty (Keeling 125).

15. In-Text Citations – Title & Page No.
• Double agents are still widely in use (“Spies”
12-15, 17).
• With prices of energy at new highs, bikes
have been increasingly used (“Alternative
Transportation” 89).
*Often, articles, editorials, pamphlets, and other materials have
no author listed; thus, give the first distinctive word of the title
followed by page #
*You add the full title only if it is short. If it is a long title, you only
use the first one or two words.

16. In-Text Citations – Page No. Only
• If you have already mentioned the author’s
name, put a page number only:
Keeling states that Plath’s work stands in stark
to other confessional poets (58).
Facial transplants pose significant risk to the
autoimmune system (American Medical
12-43).

17. In-Text Citation – Organization as Author
Often, an organization serves as the
author:
Facial transplants pose significant risk to the
autoimmune system (American Medical
Association 12-43).
OR
As noted by the American Medical
Association, facial transplants pose
significant risk to the autoimmune system
(12-43).

18. Citating a direct quotation
When directly quoting a source, place
the parenthetical citation after the
quote.
Example:
Sanders explains that economic woes
are due to “the mortgage crisis and poor
risk assessment” (20).

19. Citing a long quotes
The use of nuclear weapons in today’s society
is strikingly alarming. Though the United
States is the only country to employ it in the
past, they are at the same time the country
that condemns its use the most. While this
may seem hypocritical, is it the most proper
action for the United States to make as the
global leader. (Taparia 9)

20. Citing an online sources
 Generally, follow the same principals
of parenthetical citations to cite online
sources.
Examples
 The economy will rebound with the
new monetary policies (Smith).
 Solar power will become the primary
source of energy (Williams 2).

21. Online sources with no author
 If there is no author, use the title that
begins the citation, either the article or
website title.
Example
 Elephants are thought to be one of the
smartest mammals (“Smart
Elephants”).
 Nineteen men and women were
convicted (Salem Witchcraft Trials).

22. Citing authors with same last
names
If two or more authors have the same
last name, provide both authors' first
initials..
Although some medical ethicists claim
that cloning will lead to designer
children (R. Miller 12), others note that
the advantages for medical research
outweigh this consideration (A. Miller
46).

23. Multiple works by the same
author
 If you cite more than one work by a particular
author, include a shortened title for the particular
work from which you are quoting to distinguish it
from the others.
 Example
Lightenor has argued that computers are not useful
tools for small children ("Too Soon" 38), though he
has acknowledged elsewhere that early exposure to
computer games does lead to better small motor skill
development in a child's second and third year
("Hand-Eye Development" 17).

24. Other forms of In-Text
Citations
1. Two authors:
(Johnson and Rodriguez 221)
2. Three or more authors:
(Johnson et al. 75)  “et al.” means “and others”
3. A work with no page numbers (like a webpage):
(Hartford)
Example- Hartford suggests the Internet provides more
distractions than it does information.

25. Cited works
 “Plagiarism and Citation Basic”. Aceess on 2 Nov
2015
http://www.slideshare.net/caitlingillmett/plagiarism-
and-citation-basics
 “Trinity College Library”. MLA Citation. Access on
11 Oct 2015
http://www.slideshare.net/caitlingillmett/plagiarism-
and-citation-basics
 University of Auckland MOOC. Access on 10 Mar
2017
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/academic-
integrity/10/todo/8324