This document provides guidance on avoiding plagiarism when writing papers. It addresses several issues Turnitin may flag, such as using short common phrases, copying and pasting text without citation, poor paraphrasing, and reusing old papers. The recommendations include writing in your own words, only quoting text that would change meaning if paraphrased, and citing all sources using the proper citation style. Writers should take care to avoid direct copying from sources and instead present ideas and information in their own original writing.

1. Digital Tools You Can Use

2. Turnit in results

3. Think like a human, not a machine.

4. Is this plagiarism?

5. No.
 TurnItIn is bound to detect short phrases that are
commonly used and do not constitute plagiarism.
 Commonly used phrases are OK.
 BUT– IF you didn’t write it, quote it!
 AND – if it’s not your idea, cite it!

7. Copied & pasted (without citation)

8. The fix?
 Write it in your own words.
 Quote only information that will be altered in
meaning through paraphrasing.
 Add MLA in-text citation(s) at end of each color so
that you’re citing the appropriate source.

9. Copied & pasted (without quotes)

10. The fix?
 Add quotes, but...
 Quote only information that will be altered in
meaning through paraphrasing.
 Leave the MLA in-text citation at end.

11. Poor Paraphrasing

12. The fix?
 When paraphrasing the new sentences need to be
entirely original, both words and syntax.
 In addition to changing the words of another source,
also alter the sentence structure.
 Pretend you’re explaining what you’ve read to someone
else. Look away from the original words once you’ve
read them, and then, restate them.

13. Copy & Paste Collages

14. The fix?
A computer can detect plagiarism even when the writer
takes time to blend the sources. This writer spent just
as much time plagiarizing as s/he would have writing.
 Give credit to the source! And,
 write it in your own words.
 use quotes when the words are not your own.

15. Reusing a Paper

16. The fix?
 Umm… do your own work. Looks like you’ll be busy
writing your own paper.
 You can’t turn in an assignment twice. And, don’t turn
in someone else’s paper either.