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How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources

Published on 6 December 2021 by Tegan George . Revised on 3 April 2023.

When you write an academic paper, you build upon the work of others and use various credible sources for information and evidence. To avoid plagiarism, you need to correctly incorporate these sources into your text.

How to avoid plagiarism?

  • Keeping track of the sources you consult in your research
  • Paraphrasing or quoting from your sources (and adding your own ideas)
  • Crediting the original author in an in-text citation and in your reference list
  • Using a plagiarism checker before you submit

Even accidental plagiarism can have serious consequences , so take care with how you integrate sources into your writing.

Table of contents

Keeping track of your sources, avoiding plagiarism when quoting, avoiding plagiarism when paraphrasing, citing your sources correctly, using a plagiarism checker, checklist: plagiarism prevention, free lecture slides, frequently asked questions about plagiarism.

One of the most common ways that students commit plagiarism is by simply forgetting where an idea came from and unintentionally presenting it as their own. You can easily avoid this pitfall by keeping your notes organised and compiling a list of citations as you go.

Clearly label which thoughts are yours and which aren’t in your notes, highlight statements that need citations, and carefully mark any text copied directly from a source with quotation marks.

In the example below, red indicates a claim that requires a source, blue indicates information paraphrased or summarised from a source, and green indicates a direct quotation.

Notes for my paper on global warming

  • Greenhouse gas emissions trap heat and raise global temperatures [cite details]
  • Causes more severe weather: hurricanes, fires, water scarcity [cite examples]
  • Animal habitats across the world are under threat from climate change [cite examples]
  • Just this year, 23 species have been declared extinct (BBC News 2021)
  • ‘Animals are changing shape… some are growing bigger wings, some are sprouting longer ears and others are growing larger bills’ in order to cool off (Zeldovich 2021)

Managing sources with the Scribbr Citation Generator

To make your life easier later, make sure to write down the full details of every source you consult. That includes not only books and journal articles, but also things like websites, magazine articles, and videos. This makes it easy to go back and check where you found a phrase, fact, or idea that you want to use in your paper.

Scribbr’s Citation Generator allows you to start building and managing your reference list as you go, saving time later. When you’re ready to submit, simply download your reference list!

Generate accurate citations with Scribbr

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check..

Quoting means copying a piece of text word for word. The copied text must be introduced in your own words, enclosed in quotation marks , and correctly attributed to the original author.

In general, quote sparingly. Quotes are appropriate when:

  • You’re using an exact definition, introduced by the original author
  • It is impossible for you to rephrase the original text without losing its meaning
  • You’re analyzing the use of language in the original text
  • You want to maintain the authority and style of the author’s words

Long quotations should be formatted as block quotes . But for longer blocks of text, it’s usually better to paraphrase instead.

Paraphrasing means using your own words to explain something from a source.

Paraphrasing does not mean just switching out a few words from a copy-pasted text. To paraphrase properly, you should rewrite the author’s point in your own words to show that you have fully understood it.

Every time you quote or paraphrase, you must include an in-text or footnote citation clearly identifying the original author. Each citation must correspond to a full reference in the reference list or bibliography at the end of your paper.

This acknowledges the source of your information, avoiding plagiarism, and it helps your readers locate the source for themselves if they would like to learn more.

There are many different citation styles, each with its own rules. Your instructor may assign a particular style for you to use, or you may be able to choose. The most important thing is to apply one style consistently throughout the text.

The examples below follow APA Style .

Citing a single source

Citing multiple sources.

If you quote multiple sources in one sentence, make sure to cite them separately so that it’s clear which material came from which source.

To create correctly formatted source citations, you can use our free Citation Generator.

APA Citation Generator MLA Citation Generator

And if you’re citing in APA Style, consider using Scribbr’s Citation Checker , a unique tool that scans your citations for errors. It can detect inconsistencies between your in-text citations and your reference list, as well as making sure your citations are flawlessly formatted.

Most universities use plagiarism checkers like Turnitin to detect potential plagiarism. Here’s how plagiarism checkers work : they scan your document, compare it to a database of webpages and publications, and highlight passages that appear similar to other texts.

Consider using a plagiarism checker yourself before submitting your paper. This allows you to identify issues that could constitute accidental plagiarism, such as:

  • Forgotten or misplaced citations
  • Missing quotation marks
  • Paraphrased material that’s too similar to the original text

Then you can easily fix any instances of potential plagiarism.

There are differences in accuracy and safety between plagiarism checkers. To help students choose, we conducted extensive research comparing the best plagiarism checkers .

When using someone else’s exact words, I have properly formatted them as a quote .

When using someone else’s ideas, I have properly paraphrased , expressing the idea completely in my own words.

I have included an in-text citation every time I use words, ideas, or information from a source.

Every source I cited is included in my reference list or bibliography .

I have consistently followed the rules of my required citation style .

I have not committed self-plagiarism by reusing any part of a previous paper.

I have used a reliable plagiarism checker as a final check.

Your document should be free from plagiarism!

Are you a teacher or lecturer who would like to educate your students about plagiarism? You can download our free lecture slides, available for Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint.

Open Google Slides Download PowerPoint

Accidental plagiarism is one of the most common examples of plagiarism . Perhaps you forgot to cite a source, or paraphrased something a bit too closely. Maybe you can’t remember where you got an idea from, and aren’t totally sure if it’s original or not.

These all count as plagiarism, even though you didn’t do it on purpose. When in doubt, make sure you’re citing your sources . Also consider running your work through a plagiarism checker tool prior to submission, which work by using advanced database software to scan for matches between your text and existing texts.

Scribbr’s Plagiarism Checker takes less than 10 minutes and can help you turn in your paper with confidence.

To avoid plagiarism when summarising an article or other source, follow these two rules:

  • Write the summary entirely in your own words by   paraphrasing the author’s ideas.
  • Reference the source with an in-text citation and a full reference so your reader can easily find the original text.

Plagiarism can be detected by your professor or readers if the tone, formatting, or style of your text is different in different parts of your paper, or if they’re familiar with the plagiarised source.

Many universities also use   plagiarism detection software like Turnitin’s, which compares your text to a large database of other sources, flagging any similarities that come up.

It can be easier than you think to commit plagiarism by accident. Consider using a   plagiarism checker prior to submitting your essay to ensure you haven’t missed any citations.

Some examples of plagiarism include:

  • Copying and pasting a Wikipedia article into the body of an assignment
  • Quoting a source without including a citation
  • Not paraphrasing a source properly (e.g. maintaining wording too close to the original)
  • Forgetting to cite the source of an idea

The most surefire way to   avoid plagiarism is to always cite your sources . When in doubt, cite!

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

George, T. (2023, April 03). How to Avoid Plagiarism | Tips on Citing Sources. Scribbr. Retrieved 1 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/preventing-plagiarism/avoiding-plagiarism/

Is this article helpful?

Tegan George

Tegan George

Other students also liked, consequences of mild, moderate & severe plagiarism, the 5 types of plagiarism | explanations & examples, what is self-plagiarism | definition & how to avoid it.

As a student, you are expected to write an essay as a part of almost all your courses. When faced with the task of submitting multiple assignments, essays, term papers, etc. you might be tempted to write an essay by copy-pasting someone else’s work.

Copying someone else’s work without giving them due credit constitutes plagiarism. Sometimes due to a lack of experience or knowledge, you might plagiarise someone else’s work. Submitting plagiarised work is unethical and dishonest.

Write an essay

Write an Essay: Plagiarism Free

When you write an essay with plagiarised content you can land into serious trouble at your University. Plagiarism is considered to be a serious offense that can lead to you failing the course or facing a possible suspension. Submitting a plagiarized essay is similar to committing theft. 

When you write an essay you need to ensure that your work is 100% original and wherever you have used information from somewhere its sources are cited correctly. 

Write an essay

Give yourself time

Giving yourself ample time is required to carry out in-depth research and avoid plagiarism of someone else’s work due to lack of time. Before you start to write an essay, you should list out what you intend to add to the essay. This will help you know how much information from other sources you plan to add. 

In-depth research will also increase your interest in the topic making it easier for you to add your own ideas when you write an essay. This way you will be less tempted to copy someone else’s work. 

Keep a track of sources

Before you begin to write an essay, keep a diary or a notebook handy. Note down all the sources you have used along with the name of the author, the title of the book or the paper, year of publication, and the relevant page numbers.

When you are reading multiple books and other reference materials it is easy to get confused in what piece of information was taken from which source. Keeping the details of your sources in one place can help you with referencing at a later stage. 

Proofread your work

Proofreading after you write an essay not only helps in correcting grammatical and typographical errors but can also help in identifying plagiarism. When you proofread your essay you get an option of giving due credit wherever you might have missed out earlier. 

Cite correctly

Accurately citing all sources when you write an essay is very important. Sometimes the same information might be present in different sources, taking out some time to trace the primary source is vital. A correct way to cite is to provide all the necessary information of the primary source i.e. the author.  It is also important to follow the correct citation style.

There are various academically recognized citation styles such as APA, Chicago, MLA, etc. You can find out the one your institution follows or can use one of the standard styles.  Information that is common knowledge indeed not be cited. As facts and common knowledge are not copyrighted.  

Each in-text citation should correspond with the complete bibliography or reference list given at the end of your essay. 

Paraphrase when needed

Paraphrasing involves interpreting the idea and describing it in your own words. Do not repeat the original idea verbatim. After paraphrasing, remember to give credit to the original author for the idea. You can give credit to the author at the beginning of the paragraph and then go on to explain the idea or concept yourself.  An easy way to check this is to make sure that no two words in a row are repeated verbatim. 

Write an essay

Quote appropriately

Any quotes used while you write an essay should be written precisely as it was written by the original author. Try to use shorter quotes and limit the number of quotes you use. Every quote has to be enclosed within quotation marks. Do remember to add a citation after the quotes so that due credit is given to the original author. 

Add your own inputs

Add your own insights and thoughts on the topic. Do not rely completely on other sources for writing an essay. This will demonstrate that you have studied the topic in-depth and will help you score a better grade. Just paraphrasing content from books and the internet will not count as your own work. You have to understand the topic, read the viewpoints of various authors and add your own ideas to it.

Use a plagiarism checker

When you write an essay make sure to run it through a plagiarism checker There is various software available online which can check your essay for potential plagiarism in minutes. You have the option of choosing from paid or free plagiarism checkers. 

Even after using a plagiarism checker, re-read your work to make sure that your essay is 100% original. So if you’re wondering how to check plagiarism just know that it’s simple and you can google it itself.

Avoid self-plagiarism

If you have earlier written an essay or a paper on the same or a similar topic you might feel it is okay to copy from that as it was your own work. But if that work has already been submitted you cannot borrow ideas from it without giving yourself credit. Copying from your own work without giving credit would be considered as self-plagiarism and is not acceptable. 

Take essay writing help

To write an essay that is completely free from plagiarism takes practice and patience. Even after following the above steps if you feel you are unable to write an essay that can pass the plagiarism test you can take help. 

Plagiarism-free essay writing with TutorBin

The essay writing help service at TutorBin can provide you with essays that are 100% original, free from plagiarism. These essays are not only plagiarism-free but also of the highest quality ensuring that you score good grades. 

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Workshop on Avoiding Plagiarism

In addition to the materials on this page,  you can also sign up for a more in-depth workshop on Avoiding Plagiarism . Workshop attendees receive a badge to indicate they have completed activities related to this instructional workshop.

Knowing what to cite and what you do not need to cite will give you the confidence needed to avoid plagiarism as you write papers and use ideas and materials from journal articles, websites, books, videos, and more. Citing the materials you used to write your paper tells your readers where you found the information and who created, or authored, the materials used to support your topic.

After viewing these short videos, you will be able to:

  • Identify some basic rules about when to cite your sources.
  • Identify examples of "common knowledge".
  • Be able to describe the difference between paraphrasing, summarizing, and direct quotations when citing sources.

For more information you can self-enroll in the online workshop, " Avoiding Plagiarism ."

  • Avoiding Plagiarism: What Do I Need to Cite? Most students understand they need to cite materials they used if it is a direct quote, but the ideas of others need to be cited, too.
  • Plagiarism: You Can't Just Change a Few Words A lot of students do not think examples like these count as plagiarism, but they do.
  • When Should I Cite a Source? This video identifies the conditions under which you need to cite a source when writing an essay or paper.
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13 Surefire Ways to Avoid Plagiarism in Essays

Adela B.

Table of contents

“It was an accident. I did not mean to!” you exclaim, but it is too late. You are found guilty of submitting a plagiarized paper; there is nothing you can do to save yourself.

If these are what your nightmares are made of, you have a valid reason to worry. Plagiarism is considered to be a serious offense in the world of academics. It can result in expulsion and may have legal repercussions while jeopardizing your reputation.

While many think plagiarism only refers to a word-for-word copy of someone else’s work, the truth is there are other kinds of plagiarism, too, such as conveniently rewording another person’s work, not citing sources, or even submitting an already submitted essay to another class.

How to Smartly Avoid Plagiarism in Essays

Well, plagiarism is not always intentional. There are instances when students tend to make an “innocent mistake” just because they don’t know any better.

Intentional or not, plagiarism is certainly a grave matter. So, make sure you don’t find yourself in that situation and follow these 13 innovative ways to write an essay devoid of plagiarism.

1. Understand the topic

We have all been told since school to “understand” what we are studying, and the same holds even today. When you understand the topic you are writing about, you realize that you do not need to look into what someone else has to say about it because you can articulate it in your own words.

Doing this adds value and shows your comprehensive understanding of the concept. So, the next time you are working on an essay or research paper, brainstorm and think of the stand you are taking before clouding your opinion with someone else’s words.

2. Understand the different types of plagiarism

There are different types of plagiarism, each with its consequences. The first step towards avoiding plagiarism as a student is to understand the different types and what you should avoid them.

Here are the seven main types of plagiarism to watch out for when writing your essays:

a. Direct plagiarism

Direct plagiarism is the most blatant form of plagiarism. It occurs when you copy and paste another person's words from a website or a document verbatim without giving them credit. The consequences of direct plagiarism can be severe– a failing grade, suspension, or expulsion.

To avoid direct plagiarism, make sure to put quotation marks around any direct quotes and include a citation at the end of the quote.

b. Complete plagiarism

Complete plagiarism is where you submit someone else’s essay and claim it to be your own. For instance, submit an essay that was written by your sister, who took the same class before you.

This type of plagiarism is often considered stealing and attracts heavy penalties, including expulsion from the college. To avoid committing complete plagiarism, always spare enough time to research and write your essays, no matter how hard it seems.

c. Paraphrasing plagiarism

Paraphrasing plagiarism is when you take someone else's ideas or words and rephrase them in your own words without giving credit to the original author.

Even if you don't copy the exact words, if you don't give credit where it's due, it's still considered plagiarism. This type of plagiarism is often more difficult to detect because it's not an exact copy, but it's still just as serious as direct plagiarism.

To avoid paraphrasing plagiarism, always take note of your sources when you're researching. That way, if you need to paraphrase something later, you'll be able to give credit where it's due.

d. Self-plagiarism

Self-plagiarism occurs when you reuse your previously published work without citing yourself as the source.

For instance, last semester, you wrote a paper about the American Revolution for your History 101 class. When this semester came around, your professor assigned a paper on the same topic for History 102. So, instead of doing new research and writing a fresh paper, you copy last semester’s paper and hand it in again.

While this may look like saving time, it's still considered plagiarism even if you wrote the original paper. If you're going to reuse your work, make sure to cite yourself accordingly to avoid any potential penalties.

How to avoid self-plagiarism?

Self-plagiarism is when you reuse your previously published work without citing yourself as the source. To avoid self-plagiarism, make sure you cite your previous work when using it in a new context.

e. Patchwork plagiarism

Patchwork plagiarism is similar to direct plagiarism, but instead of copying and pasting entire paragraphs or sections, you put together sentences from multiple sources to create your paragraphs. In the end, you don't put any quotation marks or cite the sources.

Always acknowledge each source of information you use and either enclose direct words in quotation marks or rewrite them in your own words.

f. Source-based plagiarism

Source-based plagiarism is when you use someone else's ideas but don't include a reference list or bibliography at the end of your paper. This might seem like an innocent oversight, but it's a form of academic dishonesty since you're not giving proper credit to your sources.

Always include a list of references or bibliography at the end of your essay to avoid source-based plagiarism.

g. Accidental plagiarism

Accidental plagiarism occurs when you accidentally forget to cite a source or misquote a source without meaning to. This type of plagiarism is usually less serious but can still lead to disciplinary action.

To avoid accidental plagiarism, double-check your work before turning it in to ensure all your sources are correctly cited and referenced.

3. Spend enough time on research

One common reason students plagiarize is that they don't spend enough time on research and try to make up for the lost time by copying someone else's work.  When you don't research enough, you’ll be short of ideas when writing and can easily copy-paste or self-plagiarise.

To avoid plagiarism in essays, spare enough time to research and collect all the relevant reference information you need. It’s always better to have too much information than too little.

Therefore, try to spend an extra day or two on research and have your original information (together with the citations) in place before you start writing.

4. Keep track of your sources

One of the simplest ways to avoid plagiarism in essays is to keep track of your sources while conducting your research. Always note where you find each piece of information you intend to write in your essay. This includes direct quotes or ideas and concepts you intend to borrow and paraphrase.

Keeping track of your sources can be as simple as bookmarking the source websites or taking short notes on where you found which information. You can also use note-taking apps to help you track your sources.

Having all your sources in order will save you a lot of time since you can quickly go back and add citations and a bibliography once you finish writing the essay.

5. Plan your work before your start writing

Failing to plan your work before you start writing can easily lead to writer’s block and, in turn, the temptation to plagiarize. That’s why it’s always essential to plan your essay before you start writing.

Planning your essay means brainstorming ideas, doing additional research if necessary, and organizing your thoughts into brief notes. You should also come up with a clear thesis statement and an outline so that you know exactly what points you need to make and where they belong in your paper.

Having a plan will help keep you focused while writing and lower your chances of accidentally copying someone else's work.

6. Paraphrase effectively

There are times when the meaning of the original source of work is more important than the exact wording. In such cases, it is best to paraphrase so that you don’t crowd your essay with quotes.

Now, paraphrasing is a delicate matter and, if not done effectively, can result in plagiarism. So, how do you paraphrase without plagiarizing? The trick is to read the original work and get a thorough understanding of it such that you can write it entirely in your own words. The essence should be the same, but the words need to be original.

You might also want to add citations wherever necessary while paraphrasing.

Is paraphrasing plagiarizing?

No, paraphrasing is not plagiarizing. Paraphrasing is when you take someone else's idea and rewrite it in your own words. As long as you give credit to the original author through proper citation, paraphrasing is not plagiarism.

Can paraphrasing be detected?

Yes, plagiarism checkers can easily detect when someone has paraphrased text without giving credit to the original author. That's why it's always important to cite the source of the information you're paraphrasing properly.

How to rewrite a paragraph to avoid plagiarism?

One way to rewrite a paragraph without plagiarism is to first read the source material, note down the main points, and then express the ideas in your own words without looking at the source again.

You can also add your own analysis or interpretation of the information to make it more original. However, don’t forget to cite the original source when doing this.

7. Use quotes

Sometimes including a direct quote makes for a strong piece of evidence and strengthens the claim you are making in your essay. It is during such times that you need to use quotations which refers to using the exact words of the author.

While quoting, use quotation marks and preferably a different font to imply that those are the author’s words and ensure the inserted quote is in context. If you are quoting a long quote, only stick to retaining the parts that are relevant to your essay and add value to your argument/claim.

8. Add your insights and perspectives

Another way to avoid plagiarism is to make your essay original by adding your insights and perspectives. While it’s true that you’ll get most of your information from already published sources, you don't just need to regurgitate someone else's ideas and submit them in your essays.

You can always add value to existing content by including your own opinions, analyses, or opposing points of view about the subject matter. This will show the professor you’ve understood and brainstormed about the topic. It will also keep you from the temptation to copy-paste or simply rewrite other people’s content in your essay.

9. Cite sources correctly

Many students make the mistake of leaving citations for the eleventh hour, which results in haphazard, last-minute work and mistakes. The inability to cite sources correctly can be risky and may result in accidental plagiarism.

By citing sources, you are acknowledging and giving due credit to the original source/author. Citing information includes the name of the author, date of publication, and title of the journal/book.

To avoid citing incorrectly, it is important to make notes while doing research and maintain a list of references that you can include in your work in the form of in-text citations and a bibliography in the format required.

10. Always add a references page

As a college student, you know that all your essays should have a references page or bibliography at the end. This is a list of all the relevant sources you used in your essay and will show your professor that you gave credit where it was due.

Your references may include books, articles, websites, journals, or any other credible sources from which you got information.

Including a reference page is one of the best ways to avoid plagiarism since it shows that you've done your research and acknowledged your sources. Additionally, it will prevent you from committing accidental plagiarism, which occurs when you forget to cite a reference source.

Always ensure that the citations on the reference page are in sync with your in-text citations.

11. Use plagiarism checkers

While this is a no-brainer, not many take the help of plagiarism checkers when they are done writing their essays. A crucial step, this makes you doubly sure that you are submitting an essay devoid of plagiarism.

So, once you are done proofreading, make it a practice to use a plagiarism checker such as PlagScan and submit your essay with complete peace of mind. Most plagiarism checkers share a comprehensive report which you can consider submitting with your essay to prove that your work is completely original.

12. Proofread and revise your essays

Finally, always spare time to carefully revise your essays once you've finished writing. This will help you catch any accidental instances of plagiarism. If you're unsure how to proofread your work, plenty of resources available online can help you identify errors.

Some of them include Grammarly and the Hemingway Editor. Alternatively, you can always ask a friend or a classmate to help you proofread your essays.

A few quick proofreads will not only help you identify and remove plagiarism but will also ensure that your essay is free of typos and grammatical errors.

13. Work with reliable writing services

Whether you find yourself stuck while writing an essay or are struggling to begin due to your busy schedule, there are times when the best solution is to get help from essay writing services.

While there are several writing services in the market, what’s important is to work with one you can trust. The last thing you want is to outsource your assignment to a writing service that delivers plagiarized work.

So, assess your options and work with only reliable essay writing services . Writers Per Hour is one such service. With strict policies against plagiarism, we guarantee to deliver only 100% plagiarism-free essays that are authentic and written from scratch. We also provide a free plagiarism report with your order!

It’s essential to be highly attentive while writing and ensure everything you include is your own or cited adequately. Don’t let your years of hard work go waste and fall into the trap of plagiarism – knowingly or unknowingly. Abide by these 13 intelligent tips while writing your essay, and you are sure to keep plagiarism at bay!

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Writing Essay without Plagiarism: 9 ways to avoid plagiarism

how do you write an essay without plagiarizing

Simple Ways on How to Write Your Essay Without Plagiarism

As a student, almost every course requires you to create non-plagiarized essays. Plagiarism is taking credit for someone else’s work without giving them due credit. It is copying or taking someone else’s original ideas, thoughts, ideas, or expressions as your own.

Plagiarism is considered stealing and a breach of academic integrity and journalistic ethics.

how do you write an essay without plagiarizing

Whether it is deliberate or unintentional, it is unethical and dishonest. Plagiarism is defined differently in educational situations depending on the institution.

The details of your institution’s plagiarism policy, and plagiarism examples, are usually in your code of conduct. Thus, if you have any questions, ask your instructor.

How to Write Essays without Plagiarism

Do your homework, think critically, write in your own words, and credit your sources correctly. You will be able to write essays without plagiarism if you do so.

essay writing without plagiarism

The bottom line is to:

1. Paraphrase

Paraphrasing is all about interpreting and articulating a concept in your own words. Don’t simply restate the original concept. Use your own words to convey the essential points.

Remember to acknowledge the original author for the concept when you’ve finished paraphrasing.

You can thank the author at the start of the paragraph. After which, you can discuss the concept or idea yourself. An effective approach to confirm is making sure no two words in a row are repeated verbatim.

So, rephrase other authors’ ideas using a rich vocabulary while retaining the same meaning.

Many internet paraphrase tools can avoid plagiarism. If you need to replace the wording while keeping the original meaning. Choose one of them to find an appropriate synonym.

Analyze the text and uniquely present the processed material.

2. Research

You must allow yourself enough time to conduct an in-depth study to get a clear understanding of what the essay is about. It prevents you from plagiarizing someone else’s work owing to a lack of time. You should make a list of what you want to include in your essay before you begin writing it.

Before you start, double-check all unfamiliar words and phrases.

It ensures that you are using another author’s research in the proper context. It will assist you in determining how much information from other sources you intend to incorporate. In-depth research will also pique your interest in the subject.

It makes it easier to incorporate your thoughts when writing an essay. You will be less likely to plagiarize someone else’s work if you do it this way.

To avoid plagiarism, list all the information sources you used when writing your paper. Whenever you use other authors’ ideas, you must refer to the sources.

Provide a list of the works cited so your teacher knows you didn’t steal anyone’s ideas and just duplicated them to indicate that well-known experts agree with you.

3. Track your Sources

Get a diary or a notebook before you start writing an essay. Make a list of all the sources you have used. Include the author’s name and the title of the book or paper, the year it was published, and the appropriate page numbers.

When reading many books and other reference materials, it’s easy to lose track of the source of each piece of information. Having all your sources’ information in one location can make referencing easier later.

4. Follow the steps

Make a plan and an outline for your essay. Essays require an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion a.

Make a quick list of what you want to address in each body paragraph ahead of time and stick to it to avoid repeating yourself or going around in circles.

example of citation

When writing an essay, it is critical to cite your sources correctly. When the same information appears in multiple sources, it is critical to take the time to track down the source.

A proper citation includes all of the source’s information, including the author’s name. It is also critical to adhere to the correct citation format.

Many academically accepted citation formats exist, such as MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.

You can pick one of the common styles or find out which one your institution prefers. It is not appropriate to quote information that is widely known.

Facts and common knowledge are not copyrighted and are free to use. Each in-text citation should match the bibliography or reference list after your paper.

6. Use a plagiarism checker

It is one of the most effective methods for preventing and detecting plagiarism immediately. You can see which paragraphs need improving by using plagiarism checkers.

7. Proofread your work

After writing an essay, proofreading can help you uncover plagiarism and correct typographical and grammatical issues.

When you proofread your essay, you can give credit where it is due and where you may have overlooked anything previously.

8. Hire an essay writer

There is a technique to make your life easier if college assignments seem overwhelming. Online, a professional essay writer service is available that offers numerous advantages.

essay writing services

They provide plagiarism-free essays. It is also a simple approach to getting high-quality work quickly. Hiring writers is the best way to write an essay without involving yourself in writing and getting the grade hassle-free.

You also save money by not purchasing pricey textbooks from campus bookstores. And you save time by not spending hours researching academic essay ideas at home.

It allows you to devote more time to the tasks that will help you achieve academically. It includes catching up on past assignments or preparing harder for impending tests.

The essays done by professionals are legal.

9. Spin the text

Article spinning is a technique that replaces words or phrases with synonyms to create new material that appears to be unique. The rewriting tools can help you to rewrite text to avoid plagiarism.

Why is Plagiarism Bad?

Plagiarism is a form of stealing that obstructs the learning process by disguising the sources of your ideas. It also results in poor writing in most cases. Even if you get away with it, plagiarism is detrimental to your learning.

plagiarism is stealing

There are several compelling reasons for you and your institutions to take it seriously, including:

  • Impairs learning: If you steal words and ideas from others, your creativity lacks challenge, and you are not learning.
  • Bad writing: Regardless of the quality of the work you plagiarize, a paper made up of a patchwork of unknown sources is usually a disaster.
  • It harms the author; even you wouldn’t want your work stolen and passed off as someone else’s.
  • Is deceitful: Plagiarism, when done on purpose, suggests that the individual responsible is not truthful about their work, which is an issue in any situation.

Consequences of Plagiarism in Essays

Plagiarism has a slew of long-term implications. A student found guilty of plagiarizing may be barred from applying to another college or university in the future. No school will admit a student who has a history of academic dishonesty.

Most institutions feel that education encompasses more than academics and that character and integrity are equally vital.

It is essential to realize that university placement is competitive. So, having a poor academic record will make it more difficult to be accepted. Plagiarism charges can lead to failure on an assignment, grade reduction, or an obligation to attend a workshop on plagiarism.

If it is a repeat offense, the student can also face suspension or expulsion, sullying their reputation.

James Lotta

James Lotta

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Can I Write An Essay Without Plagiarizing?

Doing your own work is essential when it comes to academic writing. But, how can you be sure that you’re not plagiarizing someone else’s work? Writing an original essay requires careful research and practice if you are unsure of how to ensure that your work is free of plagiarism. If you are asking yourself how can I do my essay “Can I write an essay without plagiarizing?” Then the answer is yes. In this article, we will discuss the steps necessary to write an essay without plagiarizing, including understanding what plagiarism is, properly citing sources, and avoiding common mistakes students make.

how do you write an essay without plagiarizing

Table of Contents

Importance of Writing Original Essays

If you are a student you must have thought once in your life how to do my essay originally? Writing original essays is an essential skill that every student should possess. An original essay is a piece of writing that is created entirely by the writer, and it is not copied or plagiarized from any other source. In today’s academic and professional world, originality is highly valued, and it is essential to understand the importance of writing original essays. Here are some reasons why writing original essays is important:

1.     Demonstrating Creativity and Original Thinking:

Writing an original essay requires creative thinking, and it allows students to showcase their originality and creativity. By writing original essays, students demonstrate their ability to think critically, analyze information, and create something new.

2.     Developing Research Skills:

Writing an original essay requires extensive research, which is an essential skill in the academic and professional world. By researching and writing original essays, students learn to locate and analyze sources, identify relevant information, and use critical thinking to evaluate the quality of the information they find.

3.     Building Academic Integrity:

Academic integrity is essential in the academic world, and it is crucial to avoid plagiarism. Writing original essays helps students build academic integrity and avoid plagiarism by ensuring that they do not copy or reproduce the work of others without giving proper credit.

4.     Enhancing Communication Skills:

Writing original essays is an excellent way to enhance communication skills. By organizing thoughts, analyzing information, and presenting ideas coherently, students develop strong writing and communication skills that will serve them well in their academic and professional careers.

5.     Fostering A Sense Of Ownership And Pride:

Writing an original essay is a reflection of a student’s unique perspective and voice. It allows students to take ownership of their work and feel a sense of pride in their accomplishments.

Writing original essays is a critical skill that students need to develop. By writing original essays, students can demonstrate creativity, develop research skills, build academic integrity, enhance communication skills, and foster a sense of ownership and pride in their work. It is essential to avoid plagiarism and ensure that all work is original, as it is highly valued in the academic and professional world.

Related: Can Someone Steal Your College Essay

how do you write an essay without plagiarizing

Explanation of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s work or ideas without giving proper credit. In the context of a college essay, plagiarism can occur when someone copies all or part of an essay and presents it as their own work. This is considered academic dishonesty and can result in serious consequences, including failing the assignment, being expelled from school, or facing legal action.

Types Of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s work without giving them credit. It can be intentional or unintentional, but it is a serious offense in academia and the professional world. Plagiarism can take many forms, from copying and pasting entire paragraphs to paraphrasing a source too closely. Here are some common types of plagiarism you should know about:

1.   Direct Plagiarism :

This occurs when someone copies an entire essay or a significant portion of it word-for-word without giving proper credit.

2.   Self-Plagiarism:

This occurs when someone submits work that they have previously submitted in another class or for another assignment without permission.

3.   Mosaic Plagiarism:

This occurs when someone copies several different sources and pieces them together without giving proper credit.

4.     Accidental Plagiarism:

This occurs when someone unintentionally plagiarizes because they do not understand the rules of citation or fail to properly cite their sources.

How Plagiarism Is Detected

If you are worried about how to do my essay plagiarism free? As we discussed before, Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s work or ideas without proper attribution or permission. Plagiarism detection is the process of identifying instances of plagiarism in written work. With the increasing availability of digital content, it has become easier for individuals to plagiarize content from various sources. As a result, several methods have been developed to detect plagiarism. In this response, we will discuss in detail how plagiarism is detected.

how do you write an essay without plagiarizing

1.     Manual Detection:

This involves reading through the written work to check for any instances of plagiarism. This method is time-consuming and requires a good understanding of the content being checked.

2.     Plagiarism Detection Software:

This is a popular method of detecting plagiarism. There are several plagiarism detection software tools available online that can scan a document and compare it against a database of published works, as well as previously submitted work. Examples of such software include Turnitin, PlagiarismCheckerX, and Grammarly. These software tools use algorithms to compare the text in a document against a vast database of published works, online content, and previously submitted student work to identify any instances of plagiarism.

3.     Google Search:

This is a simple method of detecting plagiarism that involves copying and pasting a section of the text into a search engine like Google. If the text appears in multiple search results, it is an indication that it has been copied from an existing source.

4.     Cross-Checking With Other Documents:

This involves comparing the written work against other sources to identify any instances of plagiarism. This method is often used by professors or editors who are familiar with the topic being written about.

5.     Style Analysis:

This method involves analyzing the style and tone of the written work to identify any inconsistencies that may indicate plagiarism. This method is often used by editors who are familiar with the author’s writing style.

Plagiarism can be detected through a combination of manual detection, plagiarism detection software, Google searches, cross-checking with other documents, and style analysis. By using these methods, it is possible to identify instances of plagiarism and take appropriate action to ensure that the work is original and properly attributed. It is important to note that plagiarism is a serious offense and can lead to severe consequences, including loss of reputation, legal action, and academic penalties.

Related: Is Essay Writer Illegal

Importance of Avoiding Plagiarism in Academic Writing

Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own. It is a serious offence in academic writing, and it can lead to severe consequences. Why is it important to  do my essay free of plagiarism The importance of avoiding plagiarism in academic writing cannot be overstated, and here are some reasons why:

1.     Maintaining Academic Integrity:

Academic integrity is the cornerstone of academic writing, and plagiarism undermines this integrity. It is essential to avoid plagiarism to maintain academic honesty and ensure that work is original and authentic.

2.     Avoiding Academic Penalties:

Plagiarism is a serious academic offense that can result in penalties such as failing the assignment or the entire course, suspension, or even expulsion from school. These penalties can have long-lasting consequences that can negatively affect academic and professional careers.

3.     Demonstrating Critical Thinking and Originality:

Avoiding plagiarism requires critical thinking and originality, which are essential skills in academic writing. By writing original work, students can demonstrate their ability to think critically, analyze information, and present their ideas in a unique and innovative way.

4.     Developing Research Skills:

Avoiding plagiarism requires extensive research, which is an essential skill in academic writing. By conducting research and citing sources properly, students develop research skills and learn to identify reliable sources.

5.     Building Professional Integrity:

In the professional world, integrity is highly valued, and plagiarism can damage professional integrity. By avoiding plagiarism in academic writing, students build a foundation for their professional careers and demonstrate their commitment to ethical behavior.

Avoiding plagiarism in academic writing is crucial for maintaining academic and professional integrity, avoiding academic penalties, demonstrating critical thinking and originality, developing research skills, and building professional integrity. It is essential to understand the consequences of plagiarism and to take steps to avoid it, such as proper citation and referencing of sources, paraphrasing, and using plagiarism detection software.

Related: Can you get caught using essay writing services

Strategies for writing plagiarism free Essays

Writing an essay that is free from plagiarism is essential for academic integrity, maintaining credibility and upholding ethical standards. Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s work or ideas without proper attribution or permission. What are the strategies to do my essay free of plagiarism?  In academic writing, it is important to give credit where credit is due, and to avoid passing off someone else’s work as your own. In this response, we will discuss several strategies for writing plagiarism-free essays:

1.     Understand The Concept Of Plagiarism:

Before writing an essay, it is essential to understand what constitutes plagiarism. This includes direct copying of someone else’s work, paraphrasing without giving proper credit, and using someone else’s ideas without attribution. Understanding the different types of plagiarism and how to avoid them is the first step in writing a plagiarism-free essay.

2.     Use Plagiarism-Checking Tools:

There are several plagiarism-checking tools available online that can help you identify if your essay contains any instances of plagiarism. Some examples include Turnitin, Grammarly, and PlagiarismCheckerX. These tools can help you to identify any instances of plagiarism and make corrections before submitting your work.

3.     Take Good Notes:

When conducting research for your essay, be sure to take detailed notes and keep track of where you found each piece of information. This will help you to properly attribute any quotes or ideas you use in your essay.

4.     Paraphrase Correctly:

If you need to use someone else’s ideas in your essay, it is essential to paraphrase the information correctly. This means rephrasing the information in your own words and giving credit to the original source. A good rule of thumb is to change the sentence structure and use synonyms for key terms.

5.     Cite Your Sources:

Whenever you use information from an external source, be sure to cite it properly. This includes direct quotes, paraphrased information, and even ideas that are not your own. There are several citation styles to choose from, including APA, MLA, and Chicago, so be sure to use the appropriate style for your discipline.

6.     Proofread Carefully:

Once you have completed your essay, be sure to proofread it carefully to ensure that it is free from plagiarism. Look for any instances where you may have inadvertently used someone else’s work without attribution and make corrections as necessary.

Writing a plagiarism-free essay requires a combination of understanding the concept of plagiarism, using plagiarism-checking tools, taking good notes, paraphrasing correctly, citing your sources, and proofreading carefully. By following these strategies, you can ensure that your essay is original and properly attributed, maintaining academic integrity and ethical standards.

Is Essay Writer Illegal?

As a writer, you might have encountered the question “ Is essay writing illegal ?” at some point. The answer is simple – No, it is not. However, plagiarism is illegal and can lead to severe consequences. As such, when writing an essay or any other paper, it is crucial to ensure that you do not plagiarize.

But how can you write an essay without plagiarizing? One way of doing so is by using your own words to express ideas and thoughts. Additionally, citing sources accurately can go a long way in avoiding plagiarism. Ensure that you understand the formatting of different citation styles such as APA or MLA and use them appropriately in your work.

Another useful tip for avoiding plagiarism when writing essays is to conduct thorough research before drafting your paper. This will help you gain a deeper understanding of the topic while also preventing unintentional plagiarism.

Related: How Long Is An Essay

Common Misconceptions about Plagiarism

How to do my essay without plagiarism? Plagiarism is a serious offense that can have severe consequences, including legal action, academic penalties, and damage to one’s reputation. However, there are several common misconceptions about plagiarism that can lead to unintentional plagiarism or a lack of awareness of the seriousness of the offense. In this response, we will discuss in detail three common misconceptions about plagiarism.

1.     I Can Use Someone Else’s Work As Long As I Change Some Words

This is one of the most common misconceptions about plagiarism. Changing a few words or paraphrasing someone else’s work is not enough to avoid plagiarism. It is essential to understand that plagiarism is not only about copying and pasting someone else’s work but also about using their ideas without proper attribution. If someone else’s work inspires your writing, you must properly cite it in your work.

2.     I Don’t Need To Cite Common Knowledge

Many people believe that they do not need to cite common knowledge, such as historical events or well-known facts. However, what is considered common knowledge can vary depending on the audience, discipline, and context. It is always safer to cite your sources if you are unsure whether a piece of information is common knowledge or not. Additionally, some forms of common knowledge, such as statistics, require citation.

3.     I can’t be accused of plagiarism if I didn’t mean to do it

This is a common misconception that can lead to unintentional plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense, regardless of whether it is intentional or unintentional. If someone uses someone else’s work without proper attribution, they are still plagiarizing, even if they did not intend to do so. It is essential to take the necessary steps to avoid plagiarism, such as properly citing your sources, paraphrasing correctly, and proofreading carefully.

Understanding the common misconceptions about plagiarism is essential to avoid unintentional plagiarism and to maintain academic integrity. It is essential to recognize that plagiarism is not only about copying and pasting someone else’s work, but also about using their ideas without proper attribution. Additionally, citing common knowledge and being aware of the seriousness of plagiarism can help writers avoid plagiarism and uphold ethical standards.

Final Thoughts:

Writing an essay without plagiarizing is possible with the right approach and tools. It is essential to understand the concept of plagiarism and the different types of plagiarism to avoid unintentional plagiarism. Additionally, using plagiarism-checking tools, taking good notes, paraphrasing correctly, citing sources, and proofreading carefully are effective strategies for writing a plagiarism-free essay. By following these guidelines, writers can maintain academic integrity, uphold ethical standards, and ensure that their work is original and properly attributed. Ultimately, writing an essay without plagiarizing requires discipline, diligence, and a commitment to producing original work. Visit Edu jungles for more tips and essay writing related queries.

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How to Get ChatGPT to Write an Essay: Prompts, Outlines, & More

Last Updated: March 31, 2024 Fact Checked

Getting ChatGPT to Write the Essay

Using ai to help you write, expert interview.

This article was written by Bryce Warwick, JD and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA . Bryce Warwick is currently the President of Warwick Strategies, an organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area offering premium, personalized private tutoring for the GMAT, LSAT and GRE. Bryce has a JD from the George Washington University Law School. 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 44,328 times.

Are you curious about using ChatGPT to write an essay? While most instructors have tools that make it easy to detect AI-written essays, there are ways you can use OpenAI's ChatGPT to write papers without worrying about plagiarism or getting caught. In addition to writing essays for you, ChatGPT can also help you come up with topics, write outlines, find sources, check your grammar, and even format your citations. This wikiHow article will teach you the best ways to use ChatGPT to write essays, including helpful example prompts that will generate impressive papers.

Things You Should Know

  • To have ChatGPT write an essay, tell it your topic, word count, type of essay, and facts or viewpoints to include.
  • ChatGPT is also useful for generating essay topics, writing outlines, and checking grammar.
  • Because ChatGPT can make mistakes and trigger AI-detection alarms, it's better to use AI to assist with writing than have it do the writing.

Step 1 Create an account with ChatGPT.

  • Before using the OpenAI's ChatGPT to write your essay, make sure you understand your instructor's policies on AI tools. Using ChatGPT may be against the rules, and it's easy for instructors to detect AI-written essays.
  • While you can use ChatGPT to write a polished-looking essay, there are drawbacks. Most importantly, ChatGPT cannot verify facts or provide references. This means that essays created by ChatGPT may contain made-up facts and biased content. [1] X Research source It's best to use ChatGPT for inspiration and examples instead of having it write the essay for you.

Step 2 Gather your notes.

  • The topic you want to write about.
  • Essay length, such as word or page count. Whether you're writing an essay for a class, college application, or even a cover letter , you'll want to tell ChatGPT how much to write.
  • Other assignment details, such as type of essay (e.g., personal, book report, etc.) and points to mention.
  • If you're writing an argumentative or persuasive essay , know the stance you want to take so ChatGPT can argue your point.
  • If you have notes on the topic that you want to include, you can also provide those to ChatGPT.
  • When you plan an essay, think of a thesis, a topic sentence, a body paragraph, and the examples you expect to present in each paragraph.
  • It can be like an outline and not an extensive sentence-by-sentence structure. It should be a good overview of how the points relate.

Step 3 Ask ChatGPT to write the essay.

  • "Write a 2000-word college essay that covers different approaches to gun violence prevention in the United States. Include facts about gun laws and give ideas on how to improve them."
  • This prompt not only tells ChatGPT the topic, length, and grade level, but also that the essay is personal. ChatGPT will write the essay in the first-person point of view.
  • "Write a 4-page college application essay about an obstacle I have overcome. I am applying to the Geography program and want to be a cartographer. The obstacle is that I have dyslexia. Explain that I have always loved maps, and that having dyslexia makes me better at making them."

Step 4 Add to or change the essay.

  • In our essay about gun control, ChatGPT did not mention school shootings. If we want to discuss this topic in the essay, we can use the prompt, "Discuss school shootings in the essay."
  • Let's say we review our college entrance essay and realize that we forgot to mention that we grew up without parents. Add to the essay by saying, "Mention that my parents died when I was young."
  • In the Israel-Palestine essay, ChatGPT explored two options for peace: A 2-state solution and a bi-state solution. If you'd rather the essay focus on a single option, ask ChatGPT to remove one. For example, "Change my essay so that it focuses on a bi-state solution."

Step 5 Ask for sources.

  • "Give me ideas for an essay about the Israel-Palestine conflict."
  • "Ideas for a persuasive essay about a current event."
  • "Give me a list of argumentative essay topics about COVID-19 for a Political Science 101 class."

Step 2 Create an outline.

  • "Create an outline for an argumentative essay called "The Impact of COVID-19 on the Economy."
  • "Write an outline for an essay about positive uses of AI chatbots in schools."
  • "Create an outline for a short 2-page essay on disinformation in the 2016 election."

Step 3 Find sources.

  • "Find peer-reviewed sources for advances in using MRNA vaccines for cancer."
  • "Give me a list of sources from academic journals about Black feminism in the movie Black Panther."
  • "Give me sources for an essay on current efforts to ban children's books in US libraries."

Step 4 Create a sample essay.

  • "Write a 4-page college paper about how global warming is changing the automotive industry in the United States."
  • "Write a 750-word personal college entrance essay about how my experience with homelessness as a child has made me more resilient."
  • You can even refer to the outline you created with ChatGPT, as the AI bot can reference up to 3000 words from the current conversation. [3] X Research source For example: "Write a 1000 word argumentative essay called 'The Impact of COVID-19 on the United States Economy' using the outline you provided. Argue that the government should take more action to support businesses affected by the pandemic."

Step 5 Use ChatGPT to proofread and tighten grammar.

  • One way to do this is to paste a list of the sources you've used, including URLs, book titles, authors, pages, publishers, and other details, into ChatGPT along with the instruction "Create an MLA Works Cited page for these sources."
  • You can also ask ChatGPT to provide a list of sources, and then build a Works Cited or References page that includes those sources. You can then replace sources you didn't use with the sources you did use.

Expert Q&A

  • Because it's easy for teachers, hiring managers, and college admissions offices to spot AI-written essays, it's best to use your ChatGPT-written essay as a guide to write your own essay. Using the structure and ideas from ChatGPT, write an essay in the same format, but using your own words. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Always double-check the facts in your essay, and make sure facts are backed up with legitimate sources. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • If you see an error that says ChatGPT is at capacity , wait a few moments and try again. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

how do you write an essay without plagiarizing

  • Using ChatGPT to write or assist with your essay may be against your instructor's rules. Make sure you understand the consequences of using ChatGPT to write or assist with your essay. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • ChatGPT-written essays may include factual inaccuracies, outdated information, and inadequate detail. [4] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about completing school assignments, check out our in-depth interview with Bryce Warwick, JD .

  • ↑ https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6783457-what-is-chatgpt
  • ↑ https://platform.openai.com/examples/default-essay-outline
  • ↑ https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6787051-does-chatgpt-remember-what-happened-earlier-in-the-conversation
  • ↑ https://www.ipl.org/div/chatgpt/

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How to Write an Essay Without Plagiarism? Effective Ways to Avoid It

Know How to Write an Essay Without Plagiarism

Table of Contents

What Comes Under Academic Plagiarism?

How to avoid plagiarism in an essay, how much plagiarism is allowed in academic essays, how our experts can draft plagiarism-free essay.

Are you able to draft an essay by yourself but fear that it might contain plagiarism? If yes, then you are among many students who are scared of this thought. Moreover, writing an essay is an indispensable part of any academic course that you cannot avoid. But what you can stay away from is plagiarism. Now, the query might arise: "How do I write an essay without plagiarism?" Thus, this blog will guide you for the same.

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There are several things that can be counted as plagiarism in your academic essays. These things can be thoughts, sentences, phrases, characters, themes, and situations used by someone else in their content. Thus, to understand it better, you must perceive the types of plagiarism:

When you copy something as it is or word to word without using quotation marks, it comes under direct plagiarism.

These are the types of plagiarism you can include in your content and face consequences later on. So, read ahead to know how you can avoid them.

If you are also thinking about how you can draft a unique essay that does not meet the criteria of plagiarism, this section will guide you in the right direction.

Correctly Cite Sources

Citing the sources you have used to gather information is the best way to ensure a plagiarism free essay. Thus, you must include a reference list or a bibliography at the end of your document, where you will be citing all the resources you have considered. Doing this will help you acknowledge your sources by avoiding copying any content. In addition, it will help your readers locate the resource if they want to learn more. Furthermore, there are several citation styles, but you need to check the guidelines provided by your professor. These are:

Paraphrase as per Rules

Shuffling one or two words in a copy-pasted text does not mean paraphrasing. Moreover, when you grab the gist of the original written text and present it in your own words, it comes under paraphrasing. Most students are baffled by paraphrasing and plagiarism and look for professional essay help services. However, while doing this, you must not forget to credit the author of the source you are using. It is so because the idea you are presenting was not originally yours. Thus, consider this rule while you are paraphrasing any information.

Include Necessary Quotations

Using quotations in your content is the best way to ensure plagiarism-free content. It is the best and easiest way to avoid plagiarism. In other words, quoting means using someone's words as they are in your content but putting them in double quotes. Using quotation marks is necessary because it gives credit to the author. Besides this, it will also save you from plagiarising the content. Although, this is something that students miss or struggle with and think, "Who can write my essay ?" So, the experts in the field are there to help.

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Use Plagiarism Checker Tools

You might not know that there is something like unintentional plagiarism can be present in your content. But there is no leniency for this as well. Therefore, you have to consider this before you submit the final document. You must be wondering how you can identify this, right? So, to do this, you can use plagiarism checker tools available online for free. Using them will help you rectify any type of plagiarism in your content. These tools will run your content and identify plagiarism, and show you the sources too.

Include a Personal Touch

Personal touch includes the writing style that makes your content unique. It means that you do not have to list the ideas present in the source; rather, you must include your thoughts in it too. To do this, you have to think about the topic you are working on and know your perspective on it. Once you know this, you can mould it and present it in a way that connects your readers with your opinion. Sometimes, it might be challenging, but with the help of experts, you can ace it smoothly.

These are the ways through which you can avoid plagiarism in your essays. Now, you must be wondering, to what extent you can plagiarise, right? So, the next section will equip you with this.

Although there is no permission given to students for plagiarism in academics, that means there should be 100 percent original content. However, sometimes you can be permitted 0-3 percent plagiarism in your academic write-ups. Moreover, this comes with the condition that this percentage must only be generic. It means that you can be forgiven for the generalised sentences only.

Apart from this, there are different guidelines for plagiarism laid by several universities. So, you have to consider them a priority before you submit your final draft of the essay. Although generic plagiarism is a constant struggle for students, they often think to buy essay online from professionals. But how can they help? The following section will equip you with this.

Also Read:  How to Write an Admission Essay for Your Dream University?

Experts at Assignment Desk can help you draft a 100 percent original essay that does not meet the criteria of plagiarism. It is possible due to the expertise and experience they have in the field. Furthermore, they start working on an essay from scratch to ensure there is no trace of plagiarism. To do this, they conduct a thorough research process and gather data from various sources. Besides this, if they use some information, they cite it accurately in the end. Also, they do not stick to the information available in these sources; instead, they brainstorm to include personal points of view to draft an essay.

Other than this, we will also provide you with a plagiarism report to ensure the originality of the document you have received from us. In addition, they also have essay editing service that will help you to resolve other issues in the document as well. So, why are you still in two minds? Grab the opportunity before it is too late to even regret it.

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Home — Essay Samples — Law, Crime & Punishment — Copyright Law — How to Write an Article Without Plagiarizing

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How to Write an Article Without Plagiarizing

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Published: Dec 3, 2020

Words: 2225 | Pages: 5 | 12 min read

  • Louw, H. h. (2017). DEFINING PLAGIARISM: STUDENT AND STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF A GREY CONCEPT. South African Journal of Higher Education, 31(5), 118. doi:10.28535/31-5-580
  • Melania Trump plagiarism row: Staffer admit role in speech. (2016, July 20). BBC News. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36850215 [Accessed 21 Jan. 2018].
  • Palmquist. (2009). The Bedford Researcher with 2009 MLA and 2010 APA Updates, 3rd Edition. [Bookshelf Online]. Retrieved from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781457600838/ p.88-91, 97.
  • Plagiarism. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2018, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarism
  • US reporter ‘lied to readers’. 2003, May 11) BBC News. [online] Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3018505.stm [Accessed 21 Jan. 2018].
  • White Paper The Ethics Of Self Plagiarism. (2011) iParadigms LLC.

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how do you write an essay without plagiarizing

Frequently asked questions

How can i summarize a source without plagiarizing.

To avoid plagiarism when summarizing an article or other source, follow these two rules:

  • Write the summary entirely in your own words by paraphrasing the author’s ideas.
  • Cite the source with an in-text citation and a full reference so your reader can easily find the original text.

Frequently asked questions: Working with sources

Synthesizing sources means comparing and contrasting the work of other scholars to provide new insights.

It involves analyzing and interpreting the points of agreement and disagreement among sources.

You might synthesize sources in your literature review to give an overview of the field of research or throughout your paper when you want to contribute something new to existing research.

You can find sources online using databases and search engines like Google Scholar . Use Boolean operators or advanced search functions to narrow or expand your search.

For print sources, you can use your institution’s library database. This will allow you to explore the library’s catalog and to search relevant keywords.

Lateral reading is the act of evaluating the credibility of a source by comparing it with other sources. This allows you to:

  • Verify evidence
  • Contextualize information
  • Find potential weaknesses

As you cannot possibly read every source related to your topic, it’s important to evaluate sources to assess their relevance. Use preliminary evaluation to determine whether a source is worth examining in more depth.

This involves:

  • Reading abstracts , prefaces, introductions , and conclusions
  • Looking at the table of contents to determine the scope of the work
  • Consulting the index for key terms or the names of important scholars

An abstract concisely explains all the key points of an academic text such as a thesis , dissertation or journal article. It should summarize the whole text, not just introduce it.

An abstract is a type of summary , but summaries are also written elsewhere in academic writing . For example, you might summarize a source in a paper , in a literature review , or as a standalone assignment.

All can be done within seconds with our free text summarizer .

You might have to write a summary of a source:

  • As a stand-alone assignment to prove you understand the material
  • For your own use, to keep notes on your reading
  • To provide an overview of other researchers’ work in a literature review
  • In a paper , to summarize or introduce a relevant study

You can assess information and arguments critically by asking certain questions about the source. You can use the CRAAP test , focusing on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

Ask questions such as:

  • Who is the author? Are they an expert?
  • Why did the author publish it? What is their motivation?
  • How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence?

Critical thinking skills include the ability to:

  • Identify credible sources
  • Evaluate and respond to arguments
  • Assess alternative viewpoints
  • Test hypotheses against relevant criteria

Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

It is important to find credible sources and use those that you can be sure are sufficiently scholarly .

  • Consult your institute’s library to find out what books, journals, research databases, and other types of sources they provide access to.
  • Look for books published by respected academic publishing houses and university presses, as these are typically considered trustworthy sources.
  • Look for journals that use a peer review process. This means that experts in the field assess the quality and credibility of an article before it is published.

In academic writing, the sources you cite should be credible and scholarly. Some of the main types of sources used are:

  • Academic journals: These are the most up-to-date sources in academia. They are published more frequently than books and provide cutting-edge research.
  • Books: These are great sources to use, as they are typically written by experts and provide an extensive overview and analysis of a specific topic.

Scholarly sources are written by experts in their field and are typically subjected to peer review . They are intended for a scholarly audience, include a full bibliography, and use scholarly or technical language. For these reasons, they are typically considered credible sources .

Popular sources like magazines and news articles are typically written by journalists. These types of sources usually don’t include a bibliography and are written for a popular, rather than academic, audience. They are not always reliable and may be written from a biased or uninformed perspective, but they can still be cited in some contexts.

There are many types of sources commonly used in research. These include:

  • Journal articles
  • Encyclopedias

You’ll likely use a variety of these sources throughout the research process , and the kinds of sources you use will depend on your research topic and goals.

You usually shouldn’t cite tertiary sources as evidence in your research paper, but you can use them in the beginning stages of the research process to:

  • Establish background information
  • Identify relevant keywords and terms
  • Familiarize yourself with current debates in your field

Use tertiary sources in your preliminary research to find relevant primary and secondary sources that you will engage with in more depth during the writing process .

What constitutes a tertiary source depends on your research question and how you use the source.

To determine whether a source is tertiary, ask:

  • Am I examining the source itself, or am I using it for background information?
  • Does the source provide original information ( primary ) or analyze information from other sources ( secondary )? Or does it consolidate information from other sources (tertiary)?

Primary sources provide direct evidence about your research topic (photographs, personal letters, etc.).

Secondary sources interpret and comment on information from primary sources (academic books, journal articles, etc.).

Tertiary sources are reference works that identify and provide background information on primary and secondary sources . They do not provide original insights or analysis.

A tertiary source may list, summarize , or index primary and secondary sources or provide general information from a variety of sources. But it does not provide original interpretations or analysis.

Some examples of tertiary sources include:

  • Bibliographies
  • Dictionaries

It can sometimes be hard to distinguish accurate from inaccurate sources , especially online. Published articles are not always credible and can reflect a biased viewpoint without providing evidence to support their conclusions.

Information literacy is important because it helps you to be aware of such unreliable content and to evaluate sources effectively, both in an academic context and more generally.

Information literacy refers to a broad range of skills, including the ability to find, evaluate, and use sources of information effectively.

Being information literate means that you:

  • Know how to find credible sources
  • Use relevant sources to inform your research
  • Understand what constitutes plagiarism
  • Know how to cite your sources correctly

When searching for sources in databases, think of specific keywords that are relevant to your topic , and consider variations on them or synonyms that might be relevant.

Once you have a clear idea of your research parameters and key terms, choose a database that is relevant to your research (e.g., Medline, JSTOR, Project MUSE).

Find out if the database has a “subject search” option. This can help to refine your search. Use Boolean operators to combine your keywords, exclude specific search terms, and search exact phrases to find the most relevant sources.

Proximity operators are specific words used alongside your chosen keywords that let you specify the proximity of one keyword in relation to another.

The most common proximity operators include NEAR ( N x ), WITHIN ( W x ), and SENTENCE .

Each proximity operator has a unique function. For example, N x allows you to find sources that contain the specified keywords within a set number of words ( x ) of each other.

Boolean operators are specific words and symbols that you can use to expand or narrow your search parameters when using a database or search engine.

The most common Boolean operators are AND , OR , NOT or AND NOT , quotation marks “” , parentheses () , and asterisks * .

Each Boolean operator has a unique function. For example, the Boolean operator AND will provide search results containing both/all of your keywords.

A Boolean search uses specific words and symbols known as Boolean operators (e.g., AND , OR ) alongside keywords to limit or expand search results. Boolean searches allow you to:

  • Prioritize keywords
  • Exclude keywords
  • Search exact keywords
  • Search variations of your keywords

The CRAAP test is an acronym to help you evaluate the credibility of a source you are considering using. It is an important component of information literacy .

The CRAAP test has five main components:

  • Currency: Is the source up to date?
  • Relevance: Is the source relevant to your research?
  • Authority: Where is the source published? Who is the author? Are they considered reputable and trustworthy in their field?
  • Accuracy: Is the source supported by evidence? Are the claims cited correctly?
  • Purpose: What was the motive behind publishing this source?

A summary is always much shorter than the original text. The length of a summary can range from just a few sentences to several paragraphs; it depends on the length of the article you’re summarizing, and on the purpose of the summary.

A summary is a short overview of the main points of an article or other source, written entirely in your own words. Want to make your life super easy? Try our free text summarizer today!

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The Scribbr Citation Generator is developed using the open-source Citation Style Language (CSL) project and Frank Bennett’s citeproc-js . It’s the same technology used by dozens of other popular citation tools, including Mendeley and Zotero.

You can find all the citation styles and locales used in the Scribbr Citation Generator in our publicly accessible repository on Github .

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Harvard Guide to Using Sources 

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  • How to Avoid Plagiarism

It's not enough to know why plagiarism is taken so seriously in the academic world or to know how to recognize it. You also need to know how to avoid it.

The simplest cases of plagiarism to avoid are the intentional ones: If you copy a paper from a classmate, buy a paper from the Internet, copy material from a book, article, podcast, video, or website without citing the author, you are plagiarizing. Here's the best advice you'll ever receive about avoiding intentional plagiarism: If you're tempted to borrow someone else's ideas or plagiarize in any way because you're pressed for time, nervous about how you're doing in a class, or confused about the assignment, don't do it . The problems you think you're solving by plagiarizing are really minor compared to the problems you will create for yourself by plagiarizing. In every case, the consequences of plagiarism are much more serious than the consequences of turning in a paper late or turning in a paper you're not satisfied to have written.

The consequences of accidental plagiarism are equally daunting and should be avoided at all costs. As a member of an intellectual community you are expected to respect the ideas of others in the same way that you would respect any other property that didn't belong to you, and this is true whether you plagiarize on purpose or by accident. The best way to make sure you don't plagiarize due to confusion or carelessness is to 1) understand what you're doing when you write a paper and 2) follow a method that is systematic and careful as you do your research . In other words, if you have a clear sense of what question you're trying to answer and what knowledge you're building on, and if you keep careful, clear notes along the way, it's much easier to use sources effectively and responsibly and, most of all, to write a successful paper.

If you have questions about plagiarism at any point in your research or writing process, ask. It's always better to ask questions than it is to wait for an instructor to respond to work that you have turned in for a grade. Once you have turned in your final work, you will be held responsible for misuse of sources.

Keep Track of Your Sources; Save PDFs or Print Electronic Source

While it's easy enough to keep a stack of books or journal articles on your desk where you can easily refer back to them, it's just as important to keep track of electronic sources. When you save a PDF of a journal article, make sure you put it into a folder on your computer where you'll be able to find it. When you consult a website, log the URL in a separate document from the paper you're writing so that you'll be able to return to the website and cite it correctly. You should also print or save to PDF the relevant pages from any websites you use, making sure you note the complete URL and the date on which you printed the material. Because electronic sources aren't stable and websites can disappear without notice, beware of directing your readers to sources that might have disappeared. Check when the website you're using was last updated and update the URLs as you work and once again right before you submit your essay. If an electronic source disappears before you submit your work, you will need to decide whether or not to keep the source in your paper. If you have saved the source and can turn it in with your paper, you should do so. If you have not saved the source, you should consult your instructor about whether or not to use that source in your paper.

Keep Sources in Correct Context

Whenever you consult a source, you should make sure you understand the context, both of the ideas within a source and of the source itself. You should also be careful to consider the context in which a source was written. For example, a book of essays published by an organization with a political bias might not present an issue with adequate complexity for your project. You can learn more about how to understand a source’s context in the Evaluating Sources section of this guide.

The question of context can be more complicated when you're working with Internet sources than with print sources because you may see one article or post as separate from an entire website and use or interpret that page without fully understanding or representing its context. For example, a definition of "communism" taken from a website with a particular political agenda might provide one interpretation of the meaning of the word—but if you neglect to mention the context for that definition, you might use it as though it's unbiased when it isn't. If your web search takes you to a URL that’s part of a larger website, make sure to investigate and take notes on the context of the information you're citing.

Research can often turn out to be more time-consuming than you anticipate. Budget enough time to search for sources, to take notes, and to think about how to use the sources in your essay. Moments of carelessness are more common when you leave your essay until the last minute— and when you are tired or stressed. Honest mistakes can lead to charges of plagiarism just as dishonesty can; be careful when taking notes and when incorporating ideas and language from sources so you always know what language and ideas are yours and what belongs to a source.

Don't Cut and Paste: File and Label Your Sources

Keep your own writing and your sources separate.

Work with either the printed copy of your source(s) or (in the case of online sources) the copy you downloaded—not the online version—as you draft your essay. This precaution not only decreases the risk of plagiarism but also enables you to annotate your sources. Those annotations are an essential step both in understanding the sources and in distinguishing your own ideas from those of the sources.

Keep Your Notes and Your Draft Separate

Paraphrase carefully in your notes; acknowledge your sources explicitly when paraphrasing.

When you want to paraphrase material, it's a good idea first to paste the actual quotation into your notes (not directly into your draft) and then to paraphrase it (still in your notes). Putting the information in your own words will help you make sure that you've thought about what the source is saying and that you have a good reason for using it in your paper. Remember to use some form of notation in your notes to indicate what you've paraphrased and mention the author's name within the material you paraphrase. You should also include all citation information in your notes.

Avoid Reading a Classmate's Paper for Inspiration

If you're in a course that requires peer review or workshops of student drafts, you are going to read your classmates' work and discuss it. This is a productive way of exchanging ideas and getting feedback on your work. If you find, in the course of this work, that you wish to use someone else's idea at some point in your paper (you should never use someone else's idea as your thesis, but there may be times when a classmate's idea would work as a counterargument or other point in your paper), you must credit that person the same way you would credit any other source.

If you find yourself reading someone else's paper because you're stuck on an assignment and don't know how to proceed, you may end up creating a problem for yourself because you might unconsciously copy that person's ideas. When you're stuck, make an appointment with your instructor or go to the Writing Center for advice on how to develop your own ideas.

Don't Save Your Citations for Later

Never paraphrase or quote from a source without immediately adding a citation. You should add citations in your notes, in your response papers, in your drafts, and in your revisions. Without them, it's too easy to lose track of where you got a quotation or an idea and to end up inadvertently taking credit for material that's not your own.

Quote Your Sources Properly

Always use quotation marks for directly quoted material, even for short phrases and key terms.

Keep a Source Trail

As you write and revise your essay, make sure that you keep track of your sources in your notes and in each successive draft of your essay. You should begin this process early, even before you start writing your draft. Even after you've handed in your essay, keep all of your research notes and drafts. You ought to be able to reconstruct the path you took from your sources to your notes and from your notes to your drafts and revision. These careful records and clear boundaries between your writing and your sources will help you avoid plagiarism. And if you are called upon to explain your process to your instructor, you'll be able to retrace the path you took when thinking, researching, and writing, from the essay you submitted back through your drafts and to your sources.

  • What Constitutes Plagiarism?
  • The Exception: Common Knowledge
  • Other Scenarios to Avoid
  • Why Does it Matter if You Plagiarize?
  • Harvard University Plagiarism Policy

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Should I Use ChatGPT to Write My Essays?

Everything high school and college students need to know about using — and not using — ChatGPT for writing essays.

Jessica A. Kent

ChatGPT is one of the most buzzworthy technologies today.

In addition to other generative artificial intelligence (AI) models, it is expected to change the world. In academia, students and professors are preparing for the ways that ChatGPT will shape education, and especially how it will impact a fundamental element of any course: the academic essay.

Students can use ChatGPT to generate full essays based on a few simple prompts. But can AI actually produce high quality work, or is the technology just not there yet to deliver on its promise? Students may also be asking themselves if they should use AI to write their essays for them and what they might be losing out on if they did.

AI is here to stay, and it can either be a help or a hindrance depending on how you use it. Read on to become better informed about what ChatGPT can and can’t do, how to use it responsibly to support your academic assignments, and the benefits of writing your own essays.

What is Generative AI?

Artificial intelligence isn’t a twenty-first century invention. Beginning in the 1950s, data scientists started programming computers to solve problems and understand spoken language. AI’s capabilities grew as computer speeds increased and today we use AI for data analysis, finding patterns, and providing insights on the data it collects.

But why the sudden popularity in recent applications like ChatGPT? This new generation of AI goes further than just data analysis. Instead, generative AI creates new content. It does this by analyzing large amounts of data — GPT-3 was trained on 45 terabytes of data, or a quarter of the Library of Congress — and then generating new content based on the patterns it sees in the original data.

It’s like the predictive text feature on your phone; as you start typing a new message, predictive text makes suggestions of what should come next based on data from past conversations. Similarly, ChatGPT creates new text based on past data. With the right prompts, ChatGPT can write marketing content, code, business forecasts, and even entire academic essays on any subject within seconds.

But is generative AI as revolutionary as people think it is, or is it lacking in real intelligence?

The Drawbacks of Generative AI

It seems simple. You’ve been assigned an essay to write for class. You go to ChatGPT and ask it to write a five-paragraph academic essay on the topic you’ve been assigned. You wait a few seconds and it generates the essay for you!

But ChatGPT is still in its early stages of development, and that essay is likely not as accurate or well-written as you’d expect it to be. Be aware of the drawbacks of having ChatGPT complete your assignments.

It’s not intelligence, it’s statistics

One of the misconceptions about AI is that it has a degree of human intelligence. However, its intelligence is actually statistical analysis, as it can only generate “original” content based on the patterns it sees in already existing data and work.

It “hallucinates”

Generative AI models often provide false information — so much so that there’s a term for it: “AI hallucination.” OpenAI even has a warning on its home screen , saying that “ChatGPT may produce inaccurate information about people, places, or facts.” This may be due to gaps in its data, or because it lacks the ability to verify what it’s generating. 

It doesn’t do research  

If you ask ChatGPT to find and cite sources for you, it will do so, but they could be inaccurate or even made up.

This is because AI doesn’t know how to look for relevant research that can be applied to your thesis. Instead, it generates content based on past content, so if a number of papers cite certain sources, it will generate new content that sounds like it’s a credible source — except it likely may not be.

There are data privacy concerns

When you input your data into a public generative AI model like ChatGPT, where does that data go and who has access to it? 

Prompting ChatGPT with original research should be a cause for concern — especially if you’re inputting study participants’ personal information into the third-party, public application. 

JPMorgan has restricted use of ChatGPT due to privacy concerns, Italy temporarily blocked ChatGPT in March 2023 after a data breach, and Security Intelligence advises that “if [a user’s] notes include sensitive data … it enters the chatbot library. The user no longer has control over the information.”

It is important to be aware of these issues and take steps to ensure that you’re using the technology responsibly and ethically. 

It skirts the plagiarism issue

AI creates content by drawing on a large library of information that’s already been created, but is it plagiarizing? Could there be instances where ChatGPT “borrows” from previous work and places it into your work without citing it? Schools and universities today are wrestling with this question of what’s plagiarism and what’s not when it comes to AI-generated work.

To demonstrate this, one Elon University professor gave his class an assignment: Ask ChatGPT to write an essay for you, and then grade it yourself. 

“Many students expressed shock and dismay upon learning the AI could fabricate bogus information,” he writes, adding that he expected some essays to contain errors, but all of them did. 

His students were disappointed that “major tech companies had pushed out AI technology without ensuring that the general population understands its drawbacks” and were concerned about how many embraced such a flawed tool.

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How to Use AI as a Tool to Support Your Work

As more students are discovering, generative AI models like ChatGPT just aren’t as advanced or intelligent as they may believe. While AI may be a poor option for writing your essay, it can be a great tool to support your work.

Generate ideas for essays

Have ChatGPT help you come up with ideas for essays. For example, input specific prompts, such as, “Please give me five ideas for essays I can write on topics related to WWII,” or “Please give me five ideas for essays I can write comparing characters in twentieth century novels.” Then, use what it provides as a starting point for your original research.

Generate outlines

You can also use ChatGPT to help you create an outline for an essay. Ask it, “Can you create an outline for a five paragraph essay based on the following topic” and it will create an outline with an introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion, and a suggested thesis statement. Then, you can expand upon the outline with your own research and original thought.

Generate titles for your essays

Titles should draw a reader into your essay, yet they’re often hard to get right. Have ChatGPT help you by prompting it with, “Can you suggest five titles that would be good for a college essay about [topic]?”

The Benefits of Writing Your Essays Yourself

Asking a robot to write your essays for you may seem like an easy way to get ahead in your studies or save some time on assignments. But, outsourcing your work to ChatGPT can negatively impact not just your grades, but your ability to communicate and think critically as well. It’s always the best approach to write your essays yourself.

Create your own ideas

Writing an essay yourself means that you’re developing your own thoughts, opinions, and questions about the subject matter, then testing, proving, and defending those thoughts. 

When you complete school and start your career, projects aren’t simply about getting a good grade or checking a box, but can instead affect the company you’re working for — or even impact society. Being able to think for yourself is necessary to create change and not just cross work off your to-do list.

Building a foundation of original thinking and ideas now will help you carve your unique career path in the future.

Develop your critical thinking and analysis skills

In order to test or examine your opinions or questions about a subject matter, you need to analyze a problem or text, and then use your critical thinking skills to determine the argument you want to make to support your thesis. Critical thinking and analysis skills aren’t just necessary in school — they’re skills you’ll apply throughout your career and your life.

Improve your research skills

Writing your own essays will train you in how to conduct research, including where to find sources, how to determine if they’re credible, and their relevance in supporting or refuting your argument. Knowing how to do research is another key skill required throughout a wide variety of professional fields.

Learn to be a great communicator

Writing an essay involves communicating an idea clearly to your audience, structuring an argument that a reader can follow, and making a conclusion that challenges them to think differently about a subject. Effective and clear communication is necessary in every industry.

Be impacted by what you’re learning about : 

Engaging with the topic, conducting your own research, and developing original arguments allows you to really learn about a subject you may not have encountered before. Maybe a simple essay assignment around a work of literature, historical time period, or scientific study will spark a passion that can lead you to a new major or career.

Resources to Improve Your Essay Writing Skills

While there are many rewards to writing your essays yourself, the act of writing an essay can still be challenging, and the process may come easier for some students than others. But essay writing is a skill that you can hone, and students at Harvard Summer School have access to a number of on-campus and online resources to assist them.

Students can start with the Harvard Summer School Writing Center , where writing tutors can offer you help and guidance on any writing assignment in one-on-one meetings. Tutors can help you strengthen your argument, clarify your ideas, improve the essay’s structure, and lead you through revisions. 

The Harvard libraries are a great place to conduct your research, and its librarians can help you define your essay topic, plan and execute a research strategy, and locate sources. 

Finally, review the “ The Harvard Guide to Using Sources ,” which can guide you on what to cite in your essay and how to do it. Be sure to review the “Tips For Avoiding Plagiarism” on the “ Resources to Support Academic Integrity ” webpage as well to help ensure your success.

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The Future of AI in the Classroom

ChatGPT and other generative AI models are here to stay, so it’s worthwhile to learn how you can leverage the technology responsibly and wisely so that it can be a tool to support your academic pursuits. However, nothing can replace the experience and achievement gained from communicating your own ideas and research in your own academic essays.

About the Author

Jessica A. Kent is a freelance writer based in Boston, Mass. and a Harvard Extension School alum. Her digital marketing content has been featured on Fast Company, Forbes, Nasdaq, and other industry websites; her essays and short stories have been featured in North American Review, Emerson Review, Writer’s Bone, and others.

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Last Updated: Apr 01, 2024 Views: 2

What is an outline.

An outline is a brainstorming method that you can use to organize your writing. It helps you group your paper's main ideas with their supporting points, and put them all in a logical order. Many students find that creating an outline before they write their paper helps keep them on track and makes the writing process a little easier. 

How do I Format an Outline?

Neither APA nor MLA have specific formats for outlines, so please check with your instructor for a preferred format if you are doing an outline for an assignment. There are a few different common kinds of outlines, but a common one is an alphanumeric outline using Roman numerals and letters - see below for an example!

Example Outline - Alphanumeric

Thesis: (Thesis Statement)

  • Detail about that idea
  • Detail about that second idea

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  • Writing Process This link opens in a new window - includes outline and prewriting information (SNHU Academic Support)
  • Tips for Organizing Your Essay (Harvard University) This link opens in a new window
  • Four Main Components for Effective Outlines (Purdue OWL) This link opens in a new window

Further Help

Campus students.

To access academic support, visit your Brightspace course and select “Tutoring and Mentoring” from the Academic Support pulldown menu.

Online Students

To access help with citation and more, visit Academic Support via modules in Brightspace:

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How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing

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Whether you're a student, a journalist, or a business professional, knowing how to do high-quality research and writing using trustworthy data and sources, without giving in to the temptation of AI or ChatGPT , is a skill worth developing.

As I detail in my book Writing That Gets Noticed , locating credible databases and sources and accurately vetting information can be the difference between turning a story around quickly or getting stuck with outdated information.

For example, several years ago the editor of Parents.com asked for a hot-take reaction to country singer Carrie Underwood saying that, because she was 35, she had missed her chance at having another baby. Since I had written about getting pregnant in my forties, I knew that as long as I updated my facts and figures, and included supportive and relevant peer-reviewed research, I could pull off this story. And I did.

The story ran later that day , and it led to other assignments. Here are some tips I’ve learned that you should consider mastering before you turn to automated tools like generative AI to handle your writing work for you.

Identify experts, peer-reviewed research study authors, and sources who can speak with authority—and ideally, offer easily understood sound bites or statistics on the topic of your work. Great sources include professors at major universities and media spokespeople at associations and organizations.

For example, writer and author William Dameron pinned his recent essay in HuffPost Personal around a statistic from the American Heart Association on how LGBTQ people experience higher rates of heart disease based on discrimination. Although he first found the link in a secondary source (an article in The New York Times ), he made sure that he checked the primary source: the original study that the American Heart Association gleaned the statistic from. He verified the information, as should any writer, because anytime a statistic is cited in a secondary source, errors can be introduced.

Jen Malia, author of  The Infinity Rainbow Club  series of children’s books (whom I recently interviewed on my podcast ), recently wrote a piece about dinosaur-bone hunting for Business Insider , which she covers in her book Violet and the Jurassic Land Exhibit.

After a visit to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Malia, whose books are set in Philadelphia, found multiple resources online and on the museum site that gave her the history of the Bone Wars , information on the exhibits she saw, and the scientific names of the dinosaurs she was inspired by. She also used the Library of Congress’ website, which offers digital collections and links to the Library of Congress Newspaper Collection.

Malia is a fan of searching for additional resources and citable documents with Google Scholar . “If I find that a secondary source mentions a newspaper article, I’m going to go to the original newspaper article, instead of just stopping there and quoting,” she says.

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Your local public library is a great source of free information, journals, and databases (even ones that generally require a subscription and include embargoed research). For example, your search should include everything from health databases ( Sage Journals , Scopus , PubMed) to databases for academic sources and journalism ( American Periodical Series Online , Statista , Academic Search Premier ) and databases for news, trends, market research, and polls (t he Harris Poll , Pew Research Center , Newsbank , ProPublica ).

Even if you find a study or paper that you can’t access in one of those databases, consider reaching out to the study’s lead author or researcher. In many cases, they’re happy to discuss their work and may even share the study with you directly and offer to talk about their research.

For journalist Paulette Perhach’s article on ADHD in The New York Times, she used Epic Research to see “dual team studies.” That's when two independent teams address the same topic or question, and ideally come to the same conclusions. She recommends locating research and experts via key associations for your topic. She also likes searching via Google Scholar but advises filtering it for studies and research in recent years to avoid using old data. She suggests keeping your links and research organized. “Always be ready to be peer-reviewed yourself,” Perhach says.

When you are looking for information for a story or project, you might be inclined to start with a regular Google search. But keep in mind that the internet is full of false information, and websites that look trustworthy can sometimes turn out to be businesses or companies with a vested interest in you taking their word as objective fact without additional scrutiny. Regardless of your writing project, unreliable or biased sources are a great way to torpedo your work—and any hope of future work.

Author Bobbi Rebell researched her book Launching Financial Grownups using the IRS’ website . “I might say that you can contribute a certain amount to a 401K, but it might be outdated because those numbers are always changing, and it’s important to be accurate,” she says. “AI and ChatGPT can be great for idea generation,” says Rebell, “but you have to be careful. If you are using an article someone was quoted in, you don’t know if they were misquoted or quoted out of context.”

If you use AI and ChatGPT for sourcing, you not only risk introducing errors, you risk introducing plagiarism—there is a reason OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is being sued for downloading information from all those books.

Audrey Clare Farley, who writes historical nonfiction, has used a plethora of sites for historical research, including Women Also Know History , which allows searches by expertise or area of study, and JSTOR , a digital library database that offers a number of free downloads a month. She also uses Chronicling America , a project from the Library of Congress which gathers old newspapers to show how a historical event was reported, and Newspapers.com (which you can access via free trial but requires a subscription after seven days).

When it comes to finding experts, Farley cautions against choosing the loudest voices on social media platforms. “They might not necessarily be the most authoritative. I vet them by checking if they have a history of publication on the topic, and/or educational credentials.”

When vetting an expert, look for these red flags:

  • You can’t find their work published or cited anywhere.
  • They were published in an obscure journal.
  • Their research is funded by a company, not a university, or they are the spokesperson for the company they are doing research for. (This makes them a public relations vehicle and not an appropriate source for journalism.)

And finally, the best endings for virtually any writing, whether it’s an essay, a research paper, an academic report, or a piece of investigative journalism, circle back to the beginning of the piece, and show your reader the transformation or the journey the piece has presented in perspective.

As always, your goal should be strong writing supported by research that makes an impact without cutting corners. Only then can you explore tools that might make the job a little easier, for instance by generating subheads or discovering a concept you might be missing—because then you'll have the experience and skills to see whether it's harming or helping your work.

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Avoid Plagiarism

    To avoid plagiarism, you need to correctly incorporate these sources into your text. You can avoid plagiarism by: Keeping track of the sources you consult in your research. Paraphrasing or quoting from your sources (by using a paraphrasing tool and adding your own ideas) Crediting the original author in an in-text citation and in your reference ...

  2. How to Avoid Plagiarism: 5 Easy Methods

    2 Include quotations. If you insert a source's words into your writing, verbatim, one of the most simple yet obvious ways to avoid plagiarism is by using quotation marks around the text to denote that the words aren't your own. A direct quote should also cite the source so that readers know who the quote is from.

  3. How to Avoid Plagiarism

    How to Avoid Plagiarism. It's not enough to know why plagiarism is taken so seriously in the academic world or to know how to recognize it. You also need to know how to avoid it. The simplest cases of plagiarism to avoid are the intentional ones: If you copy a paper from a classmate, buy a paper from the Internet, copy whole passages from a ...

  4. PDF 7th Edition Avoiding Plagiarism Guide

    To avoid idea plagiarism, use (a) signal phrases (e.g., "I believe that") to designate your own idea, or (b) include an in-text citation to a source to signal someone else's idea. Most important, always search the literature to find a source for any ideas, facts, or findings that you put in your paper. See Chapter 8 of the Publication ...

  5. How to Avoid Plagiarism

    Plagiarism can become an issue at various stages of the writing process. You can avoid plagiarism by: Keeping track of the sources you consult in your research. Paraphrasing or quoting from your sources (and adding your own ideas) Crediting the original author in an in-text citation and in your reference list.

  6. How to write an essay without plagiarism: Top 10 Tips

    Add your own insights and thoughts on the topic. Do not rely completely on other sources for writing an essay. This will demonstrate that you have studied the topic in-depth and will help you score a better grade. Just paraphrasing content from books and the internet will not count as your own work.

  7. How to really avoid plagiarism in essay writing

    First, if you take your work to an editor and they make substantial changes to it, this can often be seen as plagiarism. This is because the original work has now been altered to a point where it is not your original thoughts, and so this can get you in trouble. As for grammar, the rules seem a bit more unclear.

  8. LibGuides: Library Skills for All Students: Avoiding Plagiarism

    Citing the materials you used to write your paper tells your readers where you found the information and who created, or authored, the materials used to support your topic. After viewing these short videos, you will be able to: Identify some basic rules about when to cite your sources. Identify examples of "common knowledge".

  9. 13 Surefire Ways to Avoid Plagiarism in Essays

    6. Paraphrase effectively. There are times when the meaning of the original source of work is more important than the exact wording. In such cases, it is best to paraphrase so that you don't crowd your essay with quotes. Now, paraphrasing is a delicate matter and, if not done effectively, can result in plagiarism.

  10. Writing Essay without Plagiarism: 9 ways to avoid plagiarism

    How to Write Essays without Plagiarism. Do your homework, think critically, write in your own words, and credit your sources correctly. ... You will be able to write essays without plagiarism if you do so. The bottom line is to: 1. Paraphrase. Paraphrasing is all about interpreting and articulating a concept in your own words. Don't simply ...

  11. How to Paraphrase (Without Plagiarizing a Thing)

    1 Use synonyms. Replace the essential words of an original passage with other words that mean the same thing, such as using "scientist" for "researcher," or "seniors" for "the elderly.". This is a common approach to paraphrasing, but it's not sufficient on its own. Combine this strategy with some of the others below to make ...

  12. Plagiarism Checker

    Grammarly Plagiarism Checker is a powerful tool that can help you avoid plagiarism and improve your writing. It scans your essays and documents for similarities with billions of web pages and academic papers, and gives you feedback on grammar, vocabulary, and style. Try it for free today and see the difference.

  13. Can I Write An Essay Without Plagiarizing

    Then the answer is yes. In this article, we will discuss the steps necessary to write an essay without plagiarizing, including understanding what plagiarism is, properly citing sources, and avoiding common mistakes students make. Related: Importance of Writing Original Essays. 1.

  14. How to write an A+ essay without plagiarising

    3. Plan, plan, plan. Plan and organise your essay. All essay structures include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Make a quick note of what things you want to cover in each body paragraph in advance and stick to that so that you avoid repeating yourself or circling back and around the topic. 4.

  15. How to Use OpenAI to Write Essays: ChatGPT Tips for Students

    3. Ask ChatGPT to write the essay. To get the best essay from ChatGPT, create a prompt that contains the topic, type of essay, and the other details you've gathered. In these examples, we'll show you prompts to get ChatGPT to write an essay based on your topic, length requirements, and a few specific requests:

  16. Here's How to Write an Essay Without Plagiarism: Expert's Tips

    These are the types of plagiarism you can include in your content and face consequences later on. So, read ahead to know how you can avoid them. How to Avoid Plagiarism in an Essay? If you are also thinking about how you can draft a unique essay that does not meet the criteria of plagiarism, this section will guide you in the right direction.

  17. How to Write Historical Research Without Plagiarism: 6 Tips

    6 Develop your own voice. The sixth step to avoid plagiarism is to develop your own voice. Your voice is your unique way of expressing your thoughts, opinions, and arguments in your historical ...

  18. How to Write an Article Without Plagiarizing

    Plagiarism is defined by Merriam-Webster as "an act of copying the ideas or words of another person without giving credit to that person". This means that if the definition had been taken word for word and presents it as the writers own personal definition, the writer would have committed an act of plagiarism.

  19. How can I summarize a source without plagiarizing?

    To avoid plagiarism when summarizing an article or other source, follow these two rules: Write the summary entirely in your own words by paraphrasing the author's ideas. Cite the source with an in-text citation and a full reference so your reader can easily find the original text.

  20. How to Avoid Plagiarism

    Even after you've handed in your essay, keep all of your research notes and drafts. You ought to be able to reconstruct the path you took from your sources to your notes and from your notes to your drafts and revision. These careful records and clear boundaries between your writing and your sources will help you avoid plagiarism. And if you are ...

  21. Should I Use ChatGPT to Write My Essays?

    Generate ideas for essays. Have ChatGPT help you come up with ideas for essays. For example, input specific prompts, such as, "Please give me five ideas for essays I can write on topics related to WWII," or "Please give me five ideas for essays I can write comparing characters in twentieth century novels."

  22. How To Write An Essay Without Plagiarizing

    Plagiarism in College Work Essay example. Plagiarism takes various forms. A student may cheat doing something as extreme as purchasing a paper, hiring someone to write a paper or turning in a paper freely provided by a friend. Many students unknowingly commit Plagiarism by failing to properly cite their sources crediting the authors.

  23. How to Summarize an Essay: Proven Strategies and Tips

    Dos and don'ts of essay summarization. When you're writing an essay summary, stick to the following best practices: Be objective. No matter what kind of essay you're summarizing, the correct tone is a neutral, academic one. Cite your sources. With an academic essay, it's likely you'll mention academic sources in your summary.

  24. I Tested Three AI Essay-writing Tools, and Here's What I Found

    Even if you do use an AI tool to generate a whole paragraph or more, try to write it in your own voice and think of it more as a way to study and learn about your topic than have the writing done ...

  25. FAQ: How do I write an outline?

    An outline is a brainstorming method that you can use to organize your writing. It helps you group your paper's main ideas with their supporting points, and put them all in a logical order. Many students find that creating an outline before they write their paper helps keep them on track and makes the writing process a little easier.

  26. How to Resist the Temptation of AI When Writing

    Whether you're a student, a journalist, or a business professional, knowing how to do high-quality research and writing using trustworthy data and sources, without giving in to the temptation of ...

  27. How to Start an Evaluation Essay: Tips & Steps

    There are several critical steps you should take when completing an essay. Below, we've outlined a detailed roadmap to assist you in creating a well-structured and insightful paper. Step 1. Topic selection. Choosing a suitable topic is a pivotal initial step when you decide to write my essay for me. While your professor may assign a topic, if ...