Plagiarism is an unacceptable way of completing a written assignment. It is taking the credit of another author or fellow student. Plagiarism occurs when a freelance writer or scholar uses external material in a written document but fails to appropriately document the sources.
The act of taking undue credit for someone else’s work is plagiarism. Plagiarism is divided into two categories, unintentional plagiarism, and deliberate plagiarism.
Intentional plagiarism reveals the manipulative stance of the writer. It is unethical and can also result in a legal case. It is prudent to avoid such problems and lawsuits related to copyrighted works.
However, the manual correction might not be enough to eliminate all the errors. Hence, it is intelligent to check for plagiarism in a dissertation by scanning the document with a duplicate content checker.
Know how to cite sources on the works cited page
Submitting a plagiarized paper is wrong, but there is a misconception that copying or paraphrasing text from sources without crediting those properly causes plagiarism. But even minor errors in the works cited page of a paper can lead to plagiarism. The majority of errors in the citations are part of unintentional plagiarism.
However, writers sometimes add fabricated entries in the works cited page to give extensive research. But mostly, lack of attention to detail results in errors in the works cited page. It is wise to follow a methodical approach while researching to keep errors at bay. The following steps help avoid inaccuracies in the citations of a paper.
Proper identification of the resources
Error in citations can result in plagiarism because a wrong citation implies that the source is wrongly accredited. Therefore, the correct author and text are not credited in the paper. The citations’ mistake can be unintentional, but that doesn’t imply that it is tolerable in the academic world.
The writer is required to review the paper for errors before submitting it thoroughly. If the examiner finds mistakes in the citations, then the penalty will be given as per the gravity of the paper’s errors.
Such disreputable situations can be avoided by following the proper citation format for the resources. But before citing the resource, it is mandatory to check the validity of the reference. It is especially true in the case of online resources. The dependence on the virtual platform for information is quite palpable.
From researchers to freelance writers, almost everyone browses the internet for information. The internet is suitable for browsing information from a variety of sources. But with time, the internet has become a brewing ground of fake information. Thus, it is significant to check the authenticity of the paper’s resources for reference purposes.
A scholar needs to check the site’s authenticity and the resource before using it in the paper. Several sites aren’t suitable for acquiring information for academic work. People have to be careful regarding such sites. If any confusion is there regarding the source’s veracity, it is suitable to consult with the supervisor before taking any information from that site.
In general, information acquired from university websites and established peer-reviewed journal articles are acceptable. These sources have to be appropriately documented. Before working on the works cited page, one should record each resource on a separate page. The habit of noting the references also helps in avoiding plagiarism in the paper.
Correct citations of the references
Writers might note all the paper resources correctly, but a minor error in the citation can change the complete reference. Wrong attributions are considered plagiarism; therefore, mistakes in the citations show the writer’s lack of interest.
Following an incorrect format for citing the source or following multiple citation styles in a paper also reveals the lack of awareness and focus. Hence, it is significant to acquire complete information regarding the citation style from the supervisor.
Most papers are written in the MLA format. Apart from that, there are several other citation styles like APA, Chicago, and others. The writer has to follow one style for the paper. It is true that all citation styles are somewhat similar and are used for providing information on the references used in a research article. But there are some differences in the format.
For instance, APA citations are slightly different compared to MLA citations. Therefore, it is essential to follow the prescribed citation format to maintain the paper’s citations’ uniformity.
Parenthetical citations or in-text citations are equally influential. It is vital to let the examiner know the details of the resource used in the document. These citations appear right after the quoted or paraphrased text. These citations are mainly inserted to separate the ideas of the author from the writer.
As there are several citation styles, it is not unusual to commit errors while citing references. Therefore, it is wise to download a copy of the citation style guide from the internet to avoid using the wrong citation style. There are rules separate regarding the citation of online sources. Since virtual sources are copiously used in academic papers and articles, it is sensible to use the correct citation format for online sources in the paper.
The proper way to enlist references
The references should be listed correctly. The works cited page contains the formatted citations but maintaining a separate copy of the references in a chronological format is essential. According to the paper’s page numbers, enlisting the resources helps maintain a correct record of the quoted resources.
Accurate use of notes in a paper
In an academic paper, the writer can either use footnotes or endnotes. The instructor can direct the students regarding the use of either footnotes or endnotes in a paper. Footnotes are the references used in a page of the paper, described at the bottom of that page.
The endnotes are inserted after the paper’s concluding page, and an explanation regarding different paraphrased ideas is included in the endnotes. Writers have to use either footnotes or endnotes for a dissertation.
Conclusion:
The author of the written text bears the responsibility when plagiarism is detected in an article. Both intentional and unintentional plagiarism is unacceptable. Hence, it is sensible to check for plagiarism with anti-plagiarism software before submitting it for review.
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