PARAPHRASING VS PLAGIARISM – HOW TO DISTINGUISH THEM 

PARAPHRASING VS PLAGIARISM – HOW TO DISTINGUISH THEM 

When summarising the ideas of others or directly quoting them, you need to be confident that you are using your sources accurately because there is so much information available.

In today’s modern writing world, plagiarism and paraphrasing are both commonplace. You need to know what paraphrasing means and how you might end up doing it in order to avoid the unethical and illegal practice of plagiarism. In any conversation involving language, a common practice is to first define the terms being discussed. It is essential to know the definitions of both plagiarism and paraphrasing.

Plagiarism is when someone else’s words or ideas are presented as though they were your own. Paraphrasing, on the other hand, entails restating the ideas or words of another person in your own words while still giving proper credit to the original author. Plagiarism occurs when someone presents information that was taken from another source without giving proper credit.

It’s crucial to avoid it because even minor instances can lead to a failing grade or suspension. To plagiarise is to take someone else’s words, ideas, or entire work and pass them off as your own without properly attributing the source.

It’s important to remember that even unintentional acts of plagiarism, such as poorly paraphrased sentences or poor formatting, can have serious consequences. In other words, even if you properly attributed the original author, your text shouldn’t be flagged as copied if you’ve properly cited them.

Paraphrasing, on the other hand, is defined as a form of equivalence. It’s the skill of rephrasing text so that it escapes detection by any and all plagiarism checkers. Paraphrasing means taking an author’s main points and restating them in your own words.

To differentiate between the two, paraphrasing requires restating the ideas in one’s own words while still giving credit to the original authors in the text and the bibliography.

The act of plagiarism does not give credit where credit is due, such as to the authors of the works used in the research. The ability to paraphrase is one of the most useful skills you can acquire. Using multiple sources, taking extensive notes, and conceptualising the topic in advance all make paraphrasing much simpler.

The degree of similarity between your rewritten text and the source material determines whether or not you have committed plagiarism. Plagiarism can be defined as the unauthorised use of another person’s words. While maintaining the same meaning, paraphrasing avoids repetition. It is an excellent strategy for drawing inspiration from another author’s work without actually plagiarising.

It is common practice to make references to and even paraphrase the work of others when writing a research paper because all research builds on the work of previous scholars. Scholars and students should avoid accusations of plagiarism by making it obvious in their writing when they have paraphrased an idea.

Unfortunately, if authors aren’t careful, the line between plagiarism and paraphrasing can blur. Academics, students, and researchers must be able to distinguish between plagiarism and paraphrasing to avoid the real-world consequences and ethical breaches that can result from the former.

Why, then, is paraphrasing considered plagiarism?

Reading a work in its entirety and then attempting to summarise it in your own words without referring back to the source is the most effective method of paraphrasing. To paraphrase successfully, you must retain the original meaning of the text while rephrasing it.

If you’re using someone else’s ideas and they’re not common knowledge, you need to credit them; if you do not, this form of paraphrasing is considered plagiarism. To avoid accusations of plagiarism, we must properly credit all sources used, whether they are directly quoted or paraphrased.

Paraphrasing involves more than just rewriting an author’s words in your own words. Practice is the only way to perfect your paraphrasing and avoid accusations of plagiarism. Plagiarism in the form of incorrect paraphrasing is widespread. Plagiarism occurs when a person takes a phrase or section from another piece of writing, makes a few minor changes, and then submits it as their own.

The ability to paraphrase effectively is crucial for any writer. Even if you have paraphrased something accurately, you should still give credit where credit is due. The act of rephrasing the words of another does not make the original idea your own.

How can you paraphrase without plagiarising?

Remember, the aim of paraphrasing is to restate the original meaning but using your own words and sentence structure. Proper paraphrasing allows you to show your reader that you comprehended the information you uncovered in your research.

Plagiarism, especially when done on purpose, is a dishonest practice adopted by lazy people looking for a quick fix. Why? Plagiarism is essentially passing off another person’s work as your own. An effective strategy is to zero in on the text’s meaning, which will force you to engage with the piece as a whole and determine its meaning and context for yourself.

Explaining it to someone else is a great way to test how well you understand the topic. With this knowledge in hand, you’ll have an easier time paraphrasing and adjusting the language and structure of a passage, which will be a breeze.

To assist you in paraphrasing, you can carry out these practical steps; read the section again until you grasp its significance, summarise the passage without using any quotations from it, make sure the idea of the original passage is preserved in your summary, include a note card or paper with your summary that documents where you found the information being summarised, insert quotation marks around any direct quotations. Always give proper credit where credit is due, including for paraphrases.

In conclusion, Paraphrasing is one form of plagiarism that can be committed by those who plagiarise. Unfortunately, they either misquote or fail to properly attribute their source. Whatever your perspective, plagiarism is always wrong. Consequently, it is essential to hone paraphrasing skills that will serve you well in school and the workplace.