STUDENT SUCCESS

3 Useful Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism

There are many reasons why students fall into the plagiarism trap.

Maybe they feel overwhelmed by school, work, and family responsibilities, and need to complete an assignment quickly.

Maybe they don’t understand how to complete the assignment…and are too afraid to ask clarifying questions.

Maybe they cut and paste quotes into their notes and later forget to cite them.

Maybe they don’t trust their abilities.

Or maybe they don’t fully understand what is (and isn’t) plagiarism.

Whatever the reasons for plagiarism, the long-term costs are greater than any potential short-term gains: submitting a plagiarized paper could result in failing classes, being put on academic probation, or even facing legal consequences.

What’s more, plagiarism deprives learners of the opportunity to cultivate research and writing skills, develop ideas, and realize that their own work conveys those ideas more clearly than anyone else’s could.

Here are three tips to maintain academic integrity and avoid plagiarism.

Tip #1: Gain clarity

Asking questions is one of the easiest things students can do to help avoid plagiarism.

Don’t understand the assignment? Ask the instructor.

Unsure which resources to use? Find potential sources by talking to a librarian or using AI as a virtual research assistant.

Worried about self-plagiarism? When in doubt, cite your source (even when your source is yourself!). That’s also a great question to run by a teacher, professor, or tutor.

Ask any and all questions to gain greater understanding of the assignment and topic. (No need to be shy!)

Tip #2: Seek expert guidance

Teachers and tutors are an invaluable resource—even if students just need help understanding assignment instructions.

This tip ties into the first: Got questions? Don’t hesitate to ask them!

By understanding a topic, learners are able to think critically about it. And this critical thinking is key to sharing ideas in unique ways.

If you’re a student whose institution partners with Tutor.com, find the icon in your student portal or visit the designated URL to connect with a tutor on demand.

You can also click the Start Free Trial button here to try 30 minutes of our paid Homework Help tutoring at no cost.

Tip #3: Start with references

Write out a list of sources, and then keep notes for each source under its citation. Organized notetaking is critical to avoiding plagiarism.

By writing a references list first, students can cite sources as they go along and are less likely to forget.

Interested in more information and tips on AI and academic integrity? Check out the webinar below.