To avoid plagiarism, it is essential to properly attribute and credit the original sources of information and ideas. Here are some key practices to help you avoid plagiarism.
Understand plagiarism: Familiarize yourself with what constitutes plagiarism and the different forms it can take. Understand the importance of academic integrity and the consequences of plagiarism in your specific academic or professional context.
Take effective notes: When conducting research, take careful and organized notes. Clearly distinguish between your own thoughts and ideas and the information you are gathering from sources. Include all necessary citation information for each source.
Use quotation marks and citations: When directly quoting a source, use quotation marks and provide a proper citation, including the author's name, the title of the work, publication information, and page numbers. This applies to both written and spoken material.
Paraphrase and summarize properly: If you are paraphrasing or summarizing someone else's ideas, ensure that you express them in your own words and provide proper citation to acknowledge the original source. Be cautious not to retain the original structure or wording too closely.
Attribute ideas and concepts: When using ideas or concepts from others that are not common knowledge, give credit to the original source. Even if you are not directly quoting or paraphrasing, it is important to acknowledge the influence of other works on your own ideas.
Use proper citation styles: Follow the specific citation style guidelines provided by your institution, such as APA, MLA, Chicago, or Harvard. Understand how to format in-text citations, bibliographies, and reference lists correctly.
Utilize plagiarism detection tools: Take advantage of plagiarism detection software, such as CheckForPlag plagiarism detection software, to check your work before submission. These tools can help you identify any potential instances of plagiarism and make necessary revisions.
Seek permission for copyrighted material: If you need to include copyrighted material (e.g., images, diagrams, tables) in your work, obtain proper permission and provide appropriate attribution as per the copyright holder's guidelines.
Seek guidance and ask questions: If you are unsure about how to properly cite sources or have questions about plagiarism, consult your instructors, librarians, or academic support services. They can provide guidance and clarify any uncertainties. The papers can be added in Shodhganga reservoir.
Remember, avoiding plagiarism is not just about avoiding punishment—it is about upholding academic integrity, respecting the intellectual contributions of others, and developing your own skills as a researcher or writer. By practicing proper citation and attribution, you contribute to the academic community and ensure the credibility and authenticity of your work.
Indicate precisely and truthfully when you have used information provided by someone else, i.e. referencing must be done in harmony with a documented system.
Indicate whether you have used information from the Internet. Never use someone else’s electronic storage media, graphics, audio, images or visuals as if it were your own.
Never allow other students to use or copy from your work and present it as their own.
Never copy directly without crediting the source.
Do not translate without crediting the source.
Do not paraphrase someone else’s work without crediting the source.
Do not piece together sections of the work of others into a new whole.
Do not resubmit your own or another’s previously graded work.
Do not commit complicity (unauthorized collaboration, presenting work as one’s own independent work, when it has been produced in whole or in part in conjunction with other people).
Ghost-writing – you should not make use of ghostwriters or professional agencies in the production of your work, or submit material which has been written on your behalf.
it is important to recognize that paraphrased material must be credited.
Put quotation marks around direct quotes, the information that you have copied word-for-word from the source. You can also use a highlight color or some other code that identifies exact copy material.
It is better to copy your sources exact words than closely paraphrase or slightly alter the author’s words. It is difficult to safely use closely paraphrasing material at a later time when you are actually writing your paper. You run the risk of plagiarizing if you don’t remember which words were the author’s and which were yours.
Words that are an exact copy of the original should always be identified by quotation marks or, for longer quotes, set-off in an indented paragraph. The requirement to put quotation marks around material that has been exactly copied in the form of acknowledgment with which most people are familiar. However, while proper quotation will avoid plagiarism, it does not necessarily result in a good paper.
If you are not sure, assume that an idea is not common knowledge and cite the source. It is much easier to remove a citation than it is to hunt down a citation and try to add it later. Finally, when in doubt, check with your professor.
Any material you use in a paper from an online source, including information from the Web, should be acknowledged just as it would be if it came from a traditional print publication. Being in the electronic environment does not change the rules.