How Do You Avoid Plagiarism In A Research Paper?
Plagiarism is a serious academic crime that could get you expelled from school. It’s also easy to commit by accident if you’re not careful. Cite a source any time you state an idea that you yourself didn’t originate. Give sources for quotations, and be sure to quote any string of three or more words that comes from a given source. Paraphrase with care. Since copyright law protects the expression of an idea, you may be accused of plagiarism if your rewritten version is too similar to the original. Cite when in doubt. The overall idea is to cover your bases, leaving no question about which ideas came from you and which came from others. Contact your teacher or professor if you’re struggling with your paper. Work out a solution together instead of taking the plagiarism shortcut.
