Types of plagiarism | 5 Tips to Avoid Plagiarism in research

In this post, we have described how to avoid plagiarism in research. In addition, we have provided information like what is plagiarism, types of plagiarism, common reasons for plagiarism, 5 ways to avoid plagiarism, consequences of plagiarism, and plagiarism checker software programs.

30 MCQs with answers on plagiarism

About Plagiarism

Plagiarism in research is a method of copying others’ work without proper citation. It is considered illegal.

Nowadays, researchers feel challenging to write a research paper. These papers are considered valued when they contain authentic research data. The research data is usually collected by performing experiments or through surveys. But to publish more papers, researchers are stealing and copying others’ research data.

Moreover, Researchers are not properly citing and quoting the authors. This is the time when writers become victims of plagiarism. Plagiaries is a Latin word meaning kidnapper. The use of others’ work without their permission and proper citation results in plagiarism. It is considered unethical which can cause copyright issues. Therefore, it is important to know the ways to avoid plagiarism in research. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional.

Types of Plagiarism

Following are the different forms of plagiarism:

1. Verbatim Plagiarism

Copying the original content as it is and pasting it into one’s own article is called Verbatim. Here, usually, the source is not cited. In addition, the copied text is not quoted. This form of plagiarism can be easily detected. Verbatim Plagiarism is commonly found in the first and last parts of the article.

Example of Verbatim:

A)The stealing of ideas is a copyright violation. Irrespective of whether the original idea is being published or not.

B) The copying of an idea is a copyright violation. Whether the original idea is published or not.

In the above sentences, the same set of words is used. If “A” is considered to be the original source, then “B” is considered to have verbatim plagiarism.

2. Paraphrasing Plagiarism

In this type of plagiarism, the writer uses important ideas from the original source directly. After rephrasing the sentences with similar words, the researchers present them as if it is their own data. It is also known as Mosaic plagiarism. Example of paraphrasing plagiarism:

 A: The construction of the building is done through cement, bricks, and water.

 B: The making of buildings is done through steel, cement, and bricks.

In the above sentences, similar kinds of phrases are used. Some words are included or removed from the original source and copied into a new one. These types of techniques are often used in research papers to avoid plagiarism.

3. Self-plagiarism

It is a form of plagiarism where one’s already published work is reused. The work that is published doesn’t add to the research work. It is further subdivided into other four forms of plagiarism.

Augmented form

Here, the author modifies his/her previously published data by changing results. The researcher adds only a few additional data to the original research data.

Duplicate form

Here, the author submits the same kind of articles for publication but to different publishers. Duplicate Plagiarism is commonly practiced in all countries.

Segmented form

In this form, segments of original work are taken and rewritten into new ones. Generally, both the segments and the original research work are written by the same author.

Recycling of text

In this type of Plagiarism, the researchers use the same ideas from the original research article in another article. Since the same ideas and meaning is reflected, it is called recycling.

Examples of self-plagiarism include as follows:

An author writes an article on “Self Education” and submits his work to two different publishers. This will cause plagiarism as the same work is published two times.

4. Accidental form of plagiarism

 This form of plagiarism occurs when the authors forget to cite the original source in his/her paper. An accidental form of plagiarism is usually considered unintentional. as the author may not have knowledge of the citation. Here, the authors are unaware of the ethical practices of writing a research paper.

Example of the accidental form

If the author cites the content picked from another source but doesn’t quote it. This becomes accidental plagiarism.

It becomes necessary to have adequate knowledge of plagiarism before writing a research paper. The data like code, pictures, tables, and illustrations taken from others’ papers should be acknowledged. If not, it can cause a serious offense. It can cause the blacklisting of authors, losing their income, and rejection of their papers. Hence plagiarism should be avoided at any cost.

Common Reasons for Plagiarism in research

1. Academic Pressure: Academic stress of performance and multiple submissions of multiple files in small-time.
2. Poor Writing Skills: Students also lack writing skills and eventually copy the available material.
3. Fear of Failure: Fear of failure is a common reason and the result is plagiarism.
4. Time Management: Sometimes students who lack time management skills while handling large research projects resort to plagiarism.
5. Ignorance of citation styles in many cases leads to unintentional plagiarism.
6. Internet Plagiarism: Easy access and availability of ICT tools also encourage plagiarism amongst students who find it easy to transpose text.

5 ways to avoid Plagiarism in research

One can avoid plagiarism by working on the following tips:

Usage of citation

It is essential to cite the references that the author has used in his/her paper. This can be done by using a specific citation style. Before employing this, an author should consult his editor. The citation style preferred by the editor or guide should be used in the research paper. The commonly used citation styles are APA, MLA, and CSE.

All the sources used in a research paper should be cited according to the latest guidelines. The sources include text, graphics, films, manuals, figures, books, websites, specific chapters of a book, etc. At the end of the paper, all the citations should be compiled and presented. All the citation styles include information about the authors, the title, the date, and the place of publication.

It is an important way to prevent plagiarism.

Avoiding Pasting

In order to avoid plagiarism, the researchers should avoid copying from other sources Without editing, this copied information cannot be used as it is. This can be done in two ways. Firstly, the copied content should be rewritten and then the original paper should be cited. Secondly, if the author copies the exact same lines and uses them in his paper, they should be quoted and cited.

Paraphrasing

When an author uses previous works to strengthen his paper, he should follow the below steps:

1. Altering the style of sentence construction.
2. Using synonyms for the original words.
3. Changing the tone of writing.
4. Citing the manuscript.

Summarization

An author can use the condensed form of the original one. He/She can summarize important points without copying the entire text. Each source should be credited to avoid plagiarism.

Creation of original content

The research paper should only be written by the researcher. He/she should not take any help from friends. Permission from publishers and co-authors should be taken if an author uses his previous work. Citations of other authors should not be copied.

It is important to avoid it as it limits our knowledge. Plagiarism should be avoided as much as possible. It is completely against research ethics. The research papers should be unique and creative. It should help in enhancing our academic skills. So it is necessary to acknowledge the sources if we want to use them in our paper.

Plagiarism Prevention Software

Software	Web Link
Turnitin	http://turnitin.com
Urkund	www.urkund.com
PlagTracker	www.plagtracker.com
PlagScan	www.plagscan.com
Viber Plagiarism Scanner	http://www.scanmyessay.com
Duplichecker	www.duplichecker.com
Plagium	www.plagium.com
plagiarism checker	www.plagiarismchecker.com
CopyLeaks	www.copyleaks.com

Consequences of Plagiarism

• Warning to deregistration
• Deduction of Marks
• Failure or withdrawal from the degree
• Verbal or written warning
• Disqualification to receive any kind of grant
• Suspension or expulsion from services
• Permanent or time-bound rustication

Frequently Asked Questions

More posts to read

• Types of research articles
• Know the difference between Scopus and WoS
• Tips to write a research paper
• Steps to identify fake journals

We hope that the article will help you to prevent (avoid) plagiarism in research.