Key points on avoiding plagiarism when you are paraphrasing.

1. Paraphrasing & Avoiding Plagiarism

2. Paraphrasing Correctly
• Paraphrasing is a skill that takes practice
• The statement must be in your own words & style
• It must be significantly different from the original
• do not just replace some words with synonyms
• do not just change the order of clauses
• Do not use online paraphrase generators; submitting work that is
not your own is plagiarism

3. Tips for Paraphrasing
• Keep track of all your sources right from the start
• Take point-form notes from the source in your own words
• Focus on key information needed for your purpose
• Record yourself explaining the concept without looking at your notes
• Transcribe what you said and base your writing on it
• Experiment with sentence structure to find different ways of weaving
in source material and your own thoughts

4. TurnItIn Software​
• Is available for student use​ as a pro-active, proof-reading tool​
• Shows where your paraphrasing is too close to the original
• You can make your own individual account
• not attached to any one course
• Instructions on Library website:
• Academic Integrity​ & Tutorial pages

5. Turnitin Self-Directed
•Identifies possible instances of plagiarism
•Allows you to easily compare your writing to the original source
•Don’t focus on the percentage
•You must assess and decide what to do with each instance it flags
•Plan out the time needed for this important step

6. Citing in Paraphrased Paragraphs
Frogs are excellent indicator species to measure wetland health. They are very sensitive to
changes in pH caused by acid rain, and they are also very sensitive to different types
of pollution (Willemssen, 2010). When frog populations in a wetland plummet, one can be sure
that something is going wrong in the wetland (Willemssen, 2010). In addition, when oddities in
frog morphology appear, like frogs with five legs or two heads, one can also assume something
is going wrong in the wetland environment (Willemssen, 2010).
Though correct, this can feel awkward and repetitive.
For more flexibility in citing your sources, consider using signal phrases:
If you are paraphrasing a longer piece from one source, you must include in-text citations
throughout the paragraph. It is not enough to just insert a citation at the end.

7. Signal Phrases
A signal phrase can introduce a paraphrase or quotation and provide context
throughout the paragraph. This also gives prominence to the author or
source, signaling its importance.
Examples
• Health Canada (2022) confirmed that eating more fibre lowers your risk of cancer.
• Frogs are sensitive to pH imbalances and pollution, as noted by Willemssen (2010).
• A study by Smith and Jones (2016) shows the benefits of library outreach for the elderly.
• Wetland conservation donations have increased, according to The Nature Conservancy of
Canada (2021).

8. Frogs are excellent indicator species to measure wetland health. Willemssen (2010) recently conducted
research in Wisconsin that shows that frogs are very sensitive to changes in pH caused by acid rain, and to
different types of pollution. Willemssen's research indicates that when frog populations in a wetland plummet,
one can be sure that something is going wrong in the wetland. One very telling quote
from Willemssen's research is that "87% of wetlands where two-headed frogs are found have high
levels of environmental contamination" (p. 341).
Frogs are excellent indicator species to measure wetland health. According to a recent
study by Willemssen (2010), frogs are very sensitive to changes in pH caused by acid rain, and to
different types of pollution. The study notes that when frog populations in a wetland plummet, one can
be sure that something is going wrong in the wetland. In addition, when oddities in frog
morphology appear, like frogs with five legs or two heads, one can also assume something is
going wrong in the wetland environment (Willemssen, 2010).
Signal phrases & in-text citation
throughout a paragraph

9. Helpful Resources
• Tutoring & Academic Skills
• Drop-In Writing Help
• Booked appointments with Communications Tutors
• Library
• Tutorial pages
• Workshops
• Drop-in
• The Learning Portal
• Writing & Communication Hub