You would be surprised how many people plagiarize without even realizing what they’re doing. Our brains have the ability to store a seemingly endless amount of information, but they don’t always keep track of where the information came from. Sometimes it’s best to stay on the safe side, no matter how sure you are that you haven’t done anything wrong. You can never be too careful. Here are some tips as to what to look out for when doing research.
Make an outline of what you want to say before you start your research.
Before you even start looking up sources, jot down some ideas and create a picture as clear as possible of what point you want to make. This way you get to examine ideas that are entirely yours, before you’re tainted by all of the information you find during your research. You may (and probably will) stray from this outside, but at the very least, you have a starting point for your project.
Cite all of your sources.
This just makes everything so much easier. Keep a working bibliography of all of the sources you use and turn it in with your finished product. Most teachers or publishers will ask for this anyway. It’s important to include all sources that you researched, even those you may not think you used. This may keep you out of any hot water if you’re accused of plagiarism.
Use quotes.
The best way to strengthen your article is often to use the findings of much more qualified researchers. So, you want to make sure that you namedrop them throughout your work. It will keep you from stealing anyone’s ideas without giving them credit, and it will also validate your argument by using someone who is experienced in the field. This should go without saying, but make sure you use quotation marks and keep the words exactly as they were said.
Have a works cited page.
We touched on this earlier, but by repeating it, you will hopefully understand how important it is. Familiarize yourself with whichever formatting style is expected of you (MLA, Chicago, APA, etc.) and follow the rules. Make sure you have all of the necessary information, and that it’s correct. In many formats, sources found online need to include the date you found them. It’s best to add to an ongoing list, rather than scramble to create this document the night before your due date.
Paraphrase.
Any paper that’s too quote-heavy is almost unreadable. It’s your job as the writer to spice things up. Put things into your own words so the project has a natural rhythm to it. This will keep your reader turning pages and ensure that you don’t accidentally present someone else’s words as your own.
