What is Plagiarism and How Can I Avoid It?

Plagiarism is a serious offense that comes with significant consequences. Worst of all, most students who plagiarize don’t realize they’re doing anything wrong. It’s heartbreaking to put in hours of time and effort only to find out that your hard work has resulted in a plagiarized paper and the reputation of being a cheater. The best way to avoid this difficult situation is to understand what constitutes plagiarism and to develop strong research skills.

Don’t let plagiarism get in the way of your academic future! Check out these videos to find out what you need to know about plagiarism and how you can avoid it.

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is taking credit for someone else’s work without giving proper credit. Most students know better than to copy from a book or internet source or to pay someone else to write an assignment, but did you know that even paraphrases of research materials must be properly cited? Educate yourself so that you can protect your academic reputation against the perils of plagiarism.

How To Avoid Plagiarism?

Paraphrasing plagiarism is the most common form of plagiarism, and most of the time, students don’t realize they’re committing a form of academic dishonesty. Once you understand exactly what it is, you can develop research and writing processes that will help you avoid paraphrasing plagiarism. Watch the video to see a guided demonstration of how to collect research notes and convert them into a piece of writing that is completely original. By following these simple processes, you can avoid plagiarism and keep your academic reputation intact.

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Kristy Robins

Kristy Robins is a resource teacher at Essentials in Writing. During her twenty-year Texas public school career, she taught high school English at almost every grade and ability level, including remedial, pre-AP, and AP. Kristy was also a co-author of the Living History Curriculum featured on the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument webpage, for which she was honored in 2017 with the presentation of the President’s Meritorious Achievement Award by the officers of the Vietnam Veterans of America Texas State Council. Kristy is certified to teach middle school language arts and high school English and is passionate about helping students grow in their abilities to communicate effectively through writing. She lives in Austin, TX, with her husband, Buford, and her two young daughters.