how do i write an article without plagiarizing

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How to Avoid Plagiarism

Last Updated: January 20, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 587,896 times.

Plagiarism can range from copying someone else's words directly to referencing or paraphrasing someone's work, ideas, or analysis without giving them credit. Plagiarism can even be unintentional if you reference someone's work but forget to credit them. The best way to avoid plagiarism is to plan your writing carefully, make sure you understand your source materials, and acknowledge where your own ideas have come from. Follow citation-style rules throughout your text and be vigilant about citing all of your sources.

Things You Should Know

• Cite your sources. Always follow quotes or references to someone else's ideas with a citation.
• Write things in your own words. Don't use someone else's exact words and pass them off as your own.
• Never let someone else write your assignment for you. Using someone else's work as your own is plagiarism.

Using a Citation System

• MLA (Modern Language Association) style, which is mostly used in texts surrounding literature, languages, and art. [2] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
• APA (American Psychological Association) style, which is mostly used in texts about social and behavioral sciences. [3] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
• Chicago style, frequently used in historical writing. [4] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
• CSE (Council of Science Editors) style, sometimes used in science-based texts. [5] X Research source

• Specific chapters of a book
• Journal articles
• Instructor’s lectures
• Online books
• Historical documents

• The author’s first and last name, or the full names of all contributors to a work with multiple authors
• The title of the material cited.
• The date of publication, in full or just the year.
• The physical or online place of publication.

Featuring Citations Properly

• For instance, write: "As Smith said in his 1996 book, The Environment and Our Youth :'The habits of young people will dictate hope our planet fares in the future.'"

• The author’s name and page number of the material quoted, in parentheses after you refer to it.
• The author’s name and the date that the work was published.
• Superscript numbers next to the idea that was paraphrased, summarized, or quoted.

• The way the sentences are constructed in the source text.
• The source's vocabulary, by swapping as many words as possible with synonyms.
• The tone of the writing so that it is clear that you are writing in your own words.

• Do not use quotation marks to summarize source material.

• For example, if you state something like, “environmental studies is arguably the most pressing subject for young students to learn about”, you should cite an article you read about that topic the week before which makes the same argument.

• Citing sources right away will remove the stress of having to organize your references at the end of your writing process, which may make it stressful to meet your deadline.

Creating Original Content

• In an academic setting, you will usually have to write your own work without collaborating with other students.

• Never re-submit or re-purpose a full text for a new writing assignment.

• For example, if you quote a writer who refers to a Freudian concept, do not copy their in-text citation for the Freud publication or include Freud in your “works cited” list.

• Free and paid plagiarism-check software is available online.
• Using this type of software may give writers a false sense of security, making them more prone to plagiarize inadvertently.

• ↑ https://pitt.libguides.com/citationhelp
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/chicago_manual_of_style_17th_edition.html
• ↑ https://www.tru.ca/library/pdf/csecitationstyle.pdf
• ↑ https://www.plagiarism.org/article/how-do-i-cite-sources
• ↑ https://integrity.mit.edu/handbook/academic-writing/avoiding-plagiarism-paraphrasing
• ↑ https://www.plagiarism.org/article/preventing-plagiarism-when-writing
• ↑ https://guides.library.ucla.edu/citing/plagiarism/avoid
• ↑ https://libguides.uwf.edu/c.php?g=215155&p=4377167
• ↑ https://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/support/helps/self-help-resources/referencing-and-plagiarism/am-i-plagiarising
• ↑ https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrpeerreview/For_Authors/Writing_your_manuscript/Plagiarism_and_copyright_infringement/
• ↑ https://louisville.edu/english/composition/policy-against-the-use-of-plagiarism-detection-software.html

Expert Q&A

• Always aim to formulate your own arguments and opinions in your assignments rather than relying on someone else. This reduces your risk of plagiarism and leaves you with a more compelling finished project. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Talk to your teacher or professor about what sources are appropriate for your project. If you're supposed to be providing your own analysis, referencing other analyses written on your subject, such as those provided by SparkNotes, may not fulfill your assignment even if they are cited properly. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Irrefutable facts, such as historical dates, do not need to be cited in your writing. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

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About This Article

To avoid plagiarism, never copy anything written without giving the author credit. You can summarize information and even direct quotes, but make sure to include a citation showing where you found your information. You can mention a source within your writing by saying “According to..” Otherwise, use footnotes and include a bibliography at the end of your paper to make sure you're properly citing the information. For help understanding which things should and shouldn’t be cited, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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