Three-step approach for avoiding plagiarism in research paper writing

Research papers are often written by consulting previous research papers, and they play a

significant role in advancing the academic career of researchers. Unfortunately, poor

referencing and verbatim reproduction of parts of published research papers hinder the

publication chances of many research papers, apart from affecting the image of their

authors.

Lifting parts of another person’s research paper or book and claiming ownership of those

parts is termed plagiarism. Such an act committed by a researcher is considered an academic

transgression, and it could lead to the credibility of the researcher being questioned,

rejection of the article by journals, and even dismissal from the research institute/university

where the researcher is employed. Coming down to bookish terms, according to the US

Office of Research Integrity, plagiarism is “the appropriation of another person’s ideas,

processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit.”

Plagiarism can be both intentional and unintentional. Strict deadlines, desire for fame, too

much work pressure, and difficulty in writing a paper in English language are some of the

reasons that push a person to plagiarize. On the other hand, recklessness during the writing

of a manuscript, reliability on limited funds, insufficient knowledge of the subject matter,

and ignorance of the concept of plagiarism and its consequences are unintentional causes for

an individual plagiarizing.

Plagiarism is commonly categorized into two types, and an individual who plagiarizes may

be found guilty for either type:

Plagiarism of ideas

Someone else’s unique ideas are mentioned in your research papers without citing the

source of information, regardless of whether they have been paraphrased. These ideas may

be in the form of data, procedure, study, conclusion, views, and terminologies.

Verbatim plagiarism

When text from someone else’s document is copied word by word, it is termed verbatim plagiarism. If such copying involves text from several sources, then that is called patchwork verbatim plagiarism. Similarly, there are other forms of plagiarism that students commit, and they must be shunned: Duplication of self-work

Duplicating parts of one’s own previously published work or recycling text from one’s own

previously published documents is considered an unethical practice that infringes copyright. Journals usually seek an undertaking from the researcher stating that the paper under submission has not been previously published. Alternative source plagiarism

Citing information from publically available data, blogs, books, speeches, and journals isn’t considered scholarly work. Even when using unpublished data cited by someone else, seeking permission is important. It is advisable to approach research paper editing companies that would check your paper not only for plagiarism but also for English language. Loose paraphrasing

When the method, logical flow of the text, and ideas written are almost identical to those presented in another source, with only slight changes, it is called loose paraphrasing because the part paraphrased is another person’s original work. If required, whenever you paraphrase parts from previously published material, list the authors reference, publication year, and page number for your in-text content. Researchers must adopt ethical practices and avoid plagiarism when writing their research paper, and this can be done using the following three-step plagiarism avoidance approach:

Nevertheless, spend a considerable amount of time when writing for academics, and use

your own words, which enhance the value of your research. After writing, submit the

manuscript to companies/professionals into research paper editing.

When not to cite

1. When detailing your own work and providing new information in the research paper.

2. When listing the information commonly known. An example is the date of a historical

event, which is bound to be the same in various available texts.

When to cite

1. When using verbatim content, ensure that you place the content in quotes and cite

the source. Use verbatim content only when it is too difficult to modify it.

2. When part of another person’s research paper is paraphrased, mention the difference

between your original text and the cited information and acknowledge the source.

3. When you extract parts from your own previous paper or use previously published

images, tables, and figures in your new work.