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How to Avoid Plagiarism

It's not enough to know why plagiarism is taken so seriously in the academic world or to know how to recognize it. You also need to know how to avoid it. The simplest cases of plagiarism to avoid are the intentional ones: If you copy a paper from a classmate, buy a paper from the Internet, copy whole passages from a book, article, or Web site without citing the author, you are plagiarizing. Here's the best advice you'll ever receive about avoiding intentional plagiarism: If you're tempted to borrow someone else's ideas or plagiarize in any way because you're pressed for time, nervous about how you're doing in a class, or confused about the assignment, don't do it . The problems you think you're solving by plagiarizing are really minor compared to the problems you will create for yourself by plagiarizing. In every case, the consequences of plagiarism are much more serious than the consequences of turning in a paper late or turning in a paper you're not satisfied to have written.

"...the consequences of plagiarism are much more serious than the consequences of turning in a paper late..."

The consequences of accidental plagiarism are equally daunting and should be avoided at all costs. Whether or not you intended to plagiarize, you will still be held responsible. As a member of an intellectual community you are expected to respect the ideas of others in the same way that you would respect any other property that didn't belong to you, and this is true whether you plagiarize on purpose or by accident. The best way to make sure you don't plagiarize due to confusion or carelessness is to 1) understand what you're doing when you write a paper and 2) follow a method that is systematic and careful as you do your research . In other words, if you have a clear sense of what question you're trying to answer and what knowledge you're building on, and if you keep careful, clear notes along the way, it's much easier to use sources effectively and responsibly and, most of all, to write a successful paper. If you have questions about plagiarism at any point in your research or writing process, ask. It's always better to ask questions than it is to wait for an instructor to respond to work that you have turned in for a grade. Once you have turned in your final work, you will be held responsible for misuse of sources.

With these principles in mind, here are some guidelines for conducting research responsibly:

Keep track of your sources; print electronic sources

While it's easy enough to keep a stack of books or journal articles on your desk where you can easily refer back to them, it's just as important to keep track of electronic sources. When you save a PDF of a journal article, make sure you put it into a folder on your computer where you'll be able to find it. When you consult a Web site, log the Web address in a separate document from the paper you're writing so that you'll be able to return to the Web site and cite it correctly. You should also print the relevant pages from any Web sites you use, making sure you note the complete URL and the date on which you printed the material. Because electronic sources aren't stable and Web pages can be deleted without notice, beware of directing your readers to sources that might have disappeared. Check when the Web site you're using was last updated and update the URLs as you work and once again right before you submit your essay. If an electronic source disappears before you submit your work, you will need to decide whether or not to keep the source in your paper. If you have printed the source and can turn it in with your paper, you should do so. If you have not printed the source, you should consult your instructor about whether or not to use that source in your paper.

The library has several helpful resources for managing your sources, including RefWorks .

Keep sources in correct context

Whenever you consult a source, you should make sure you understand the context, both of the ideas within a source and of the source itself. You should also be careful to consider the context in which a source was written. For example, a book of essays published by an organization with a political bias might not present an issue with adequate complexity for your project.

The question of context can be more complicated when you're working with Internet sources than with print sources because you may see one Web page as separate from an entire Web site and use or interpret that page without fully understanding or representing its context. For example, a definition of "communism" taken from a Web site with a particular political agenda might provide one interpretation of the meaning of the word—but if you neglect to mention the context for that definition you might use it as though it's unbiased when it isn't. Likewise, some Internet searches will take you to a URL that's just one Web page within a larger Web site; be sure to investigate and take notes on the context of the information you're citing.

Research can often turn out to be more time-consuming that you anticipate. Budget enough time to search for sources, to take notes, and to think about how to use the sources in your essay. Moments of carelessness are more common when you leave your essay until the last minute and are tired or stressed. Honest mistakes can lead to charges of plagiarism just as dishonesty can; be careful when note-taking and when incorporating ideas and language from electronic sources so you always know what language and ideas are yours and what belongs to a source.

Don't cut and paste: File and label your sources

Never cut and paste information from an electronic source straight into your own essay, and never type verbatim sentences from a print source straight into your essay. Instead, open a separate document on your computer for each source so you can file research information carefully. When you type or cut and paste into that document, make sure to include the full citation information for the print source or the full URL and the date you copied the page(s). For Web sources, make sure to cite the page from which you're taking information, which may not necessarily be the home page of the site you're using. Use logical and precise names for the files you create, and add citation information and dates. This allows you to retrieve the files easily, deters you from accidentally deleting files, and helps you keep a log of the order in which your research was conducted. It's a good idea to add a note to each file that describes how you might use the information in that file. Remember: you're entering a conversation with your sources, and accurate file names and notes can help you understand and engage that conversation. And, of course, always remember to back up your files.

Keep your own writing and your sources separate

Work with either the printed copy of your source(s) or (in the case of online sources), the copy you pasted into a separate document—not the online version—as you draft your essay. This precaution not only decreases the risk of plagiarism but also enables you to annotate your sources in various ways that will help you understand and use them most effectively in your essay.

Keep your notes and your draft separate

Be careful to keep your research notes separate from your actual draft at all stages of your writing process. This will ensure that you don't cut language from a source and paste it into your paper without proper attribution. If you work from your notes, you're more likely to keep track of the boundaries between your own ideas and those in a source.

Paraphrase carefully in your notes; acknowledge your sources explicitly when paraphrasing

When you want to paraphrase material, it's a good idea first to paste the actual quotation into your notes (not directly into your draft) and then to paraphrase it (still in your notes). Putting the information in your own words will help you make sure that you've thought about what the source is saying and that you have a good reason for using it in your paper. Remember to use some form of notation in your notes to indicate what you've paraphrased and mention the author's name within the material you paraphrase. You should also include all citation information in your notes.

When you decide to use paraphrased material in your essay, make sure that you avoid gradually rewording the paraphrased material from draft to draft until you lose sight of the fact that it's still a paraphrase. Also, avoid excessive paraphrasing in which your essay simply strings together a series of paraphrases. When the ideas taken from your sources start to blend in deceptively with your own thinking, you will have a more difficult time maintaining the boundaries between your ideas and those drawn from sources. Finally, whenever you paraphrase, make sure you indicate, at each logical progression, that the ideas are taken from an authored source.

Avoid reading a classmate's paper for inspiration

If you're in a course that requires peer review or workshops of student drafts, you are going to read your classmates' work and discuss it. This is a productive way of exchanging ideas and getting feedback on your work. If you find, in the course of this work, that you wish to use someone else's idea at some point in your paper (you should never use someone else's idea as your thesis, but there may be times when a classmate's idea would work as a counterargument or other point in your paper), you must credit that person the same way you would credit any other source. On the other hand, if you find yourself reading someone else's paper because you're stuck on an assignment and don't know how to proceed, you may end up creating a problem for yourself because you might unconsciously copy that person's ideas. When you're stuck, make an appointment with your instructor or go to the Writing Center for advice on how to develop your own ideas.

Don't save your citations for later

Never paraphrase or quote from a source without immediately adding a citation. You should add citations in your notes, in your response papers, in your drafts, and in your revisions. Without them, it's too easy to lose track of where you got a quotation or an idea and to end up inadvertently taking credit for material that's not your own.

Quote your sources properly

Always use quotation marks for directly quoted material, even for short phrases and key terms.

Keep a source trail

As you write and revise your essay, make sure that you keep track of your sources in your notes and in each successive draft of your essay. You should begin this process early, even before you start writing your draft. Even after you've handed in your essay, keep all of your research notes and drafts. You ought to be able to reconstruct the path you took from your sources to your notes and from your notes to your drafts and revision. These careful records and clear boundaries between your writing and your sources will help you avoid plagiarism. And if you are called upon to explain your process to your instructor, you'll be able to retrace the path you took when thinking, researching, and writing, from the essay you submitted back through your drafts and to your sources.

StudentVersity

Ultimate Plagiarism Guide for College Students (24 Quick Q&As)

This is the most comprehensive plagiarism guide for college students who are interested in learning about everything related to plagiarism in college.

In this new guide, you’ll learn everything ranging from what plagiarism is to how to avoid plagiarism as a college student.

(Including lots of answered questions that have never been shared on any website before.)

Let’s dive right in:

Table of Contents

1. What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism (also be referred to as infringement of copyright) is a term that is used to denote when a person presents another person’s words, sounds, images, ideas, or language; whether in print or electronic form, as his/her own without properly acknowledging the real owner of this intellectual property.

2. What is Self-plagiarism?

Self-plagiarism is when a student reuses or resubmits an old research paper, college essay, or college paper that has been previously submitted by him/her as a new research paper, college essay, or college paper in another assignment without properly referencing this old, already submitted paper where the idea, word, sound, image, or language was drawn from.

3. What is Considered Plagiarism in College?

Plagiarism in college usually occurs when a student takes full credit for another person’s work either by simply copying and pasting this person’s work intentionally or unintentionally on a college essay or research paper or by simply buying a paper entirely written by someone else and using this bought paper as their own research or college paper.

4. What is The Punishment For Plagiarism in College?

There are different penal codes put in place for plagiarism policy defaulters in college .

In college, violation of the plagiarism policy can result in an automatic reduction of your grades, failing you with an F in that specific assignment or course, college sanctions for you, as well as a possibility of being temporarily suspended or completely expelled from your college based on the gravity of the offense.

5. Why is Plagiarism An Important Issue in College?

Plagiarism is an important issue in college because of the rising number of plagiarism defaulters. 

Colleges considered it as a breach of academic integrity by offenders who aim to belittle the institution’s scholarly standards that have been put in place, as well as undervalue the degree that is awarded to other students who strive and work hard to earn their degrees fairly and squarely. 

6. How Do Students Commit Plagiarism?

According to Turnitin , there are a couple of ways by which a student can commit plagiarism. Like:

• Copying and pasting a complete article without any change
• Finding and replacing some words within a paper
• Patching together different materials to form a single article
• Self-plagiarising your own work
• A hybrid combination of cited and uncited sources
• A mashup of different disjointed papers to create a paper that lacks flow
• Using false citations that do not exist or correlate with the article
• Using citations without inputting your own original idea

7. How Serious is Plagiarism in College?

Plagiarism is a very serious offense in college thanks to the ever-increasing amount of students who engage in the act whether intentionally or not.

There have also been different rules put in place, with consequences ranging from a mild reprimand to complete student expulsion just to show the level of seriousness at which colleges and institutions now place on plagiarism amongst students in college.

8. How Can College Students Avoid Plagiarism?

As a college student who wishes to avoid plagiarism in your college paper, there are a couple of ways by which you can do this .

To avoid plagiarism as a college student:

• Understand clearly what plagiarism really means for students in your institution
• Properly cite any academic article or sources you use in your college essay or research paper
• Keep uncited information sources for your college paper or assignment securely in a folder for future purpose
• Paraphrase or reword your writing in an original way that is completely different from your research source
• Uniquely present your idea and add new ideas as well
• Quote sources that are written in your college paper or texts which aren’t yours
• Use a plagiarism checker to check for plagiarism after completing your college essay or research paper

9. What Are The Consequences For Plagiarism?

In college, there are serious consequences for plagiarizing another person’s work as your own without properly citing or giving due respect to the original owner of the plagiarized material.

According to Bowdin university , the consequences vary between :

• Failure on the plagiarized assignment
• Grade reduction in the specific course
• Failure on the specific course
• Suspension of the offender
• Complete expulsion and removal of the offender from the student database

10. Which Tool Can You Use To Check For Plagiarism?

As a college student, there are numerous free and paid online tools to help you check for plagiarism in your research paper, college paper, college essay, or assignment.

Some of these tools include:

1. Grammarly (Score: 5/5)

Best online plagiarism checker for all students

Grammarly is an online writing tool that helps to detect grammar and punctuation errors, plagiarism, writing style, and spelling checks in a college student’s essay or research paper.

• Overall writing function for extensive purposes
• Seamless performance
• Easy to use
• Doesn’t ignore spelling errors in cases of business words or nouns
• Not 100% accurate in grammar correction

Click here to experience Grammarly!

2. Copyleaks (Score: 5/5)

Best proofreading tool for students

Copyleaks is an online plagiarism checker with an extensive database of academic resources which are most times not found on other plagiarism tools.

• Parses PDF files easily
• Intuitive interface
• Good customer service
• Saves scanned documents to its database
• Plagiarism point checkers are expensive to purchase

3. Turnitin (Score: 4/5)

Best for professors and tutors

Turnitin is an online plagiarism tool that is used to check for originality of any text inputted into its broad database.

• Useful for college professors
• Supports a wide variety of files
• Fantastic, feature-rich tools
• Lacks internet access for grading college paper
• Takes a longer period of time to generate similarity report

4. Unicheck (Score: 4/5)

Best plagiarism check for students and professionals

Unicheck is an online tool that scans documents and text against a wide array of other texts on the internet and files in its own database.

• Userfriendly interface
• Thorough scanning of texts
• Only copy-paste option available

11. What Are Some Free Plagiarism Checkers For College Students?

Whether you want to check your research paper, college paper, college essay, or college assignment for plagiarism, there are different free online plagiarism tools for you to use as a college student.

Some of these free plagiarism checking tools include:

• Plagiarisma
• Small SEO tools
• Search engine reports
• Pre-post SEO
• Duplichecker

12. How Do Professors Detect Plagiarism?

College professors have years of experience in the subject they lecture and have pored over thousands of hours worth of information in that specific course.

If a student submits a plagiarized work, most college professors can detect it by simply reading through the paper or assignment. 

For college assignments submitted online, the college’s canvas turn-it-in system already has a built-in text matcher that simply scans through the student’s paper or essay for plagiarism and returns the plagiarism score to the professors if it is a plagiarized work.

13. Can Professors Detect Plagiarism on Hard Copy?

Yes, college professors can detect plagiarism on a student’s college paper or research paper in hard copy.

All the professor has to do is read through the introduction, conclusion, and the body of the college essay or assignment, and if he finds that it sounds like something he has read before, the professor can simply search for a sentence from this paper on Google by including quotation marks in order to check if there’s an article with the exact sentence match on the internet.

14 . How Serious is Self-plagiarism?

While self-plagiarism isn’t as serious as other forms of plagiarism which all tend to focus on you using someone else’s work, it still is a serious matter that has consequences, if the school’s policy isn’t adhered to .

At the University of Oklahoma , if a student is caught self-plagiarizing, such student can be awarded a zero on the assignment, fail the class exam, and/or be forced to take a remedial class on academic integrity.

15. Can You Plagiarize Yourself in College?

Yes, you can plagiarize yourself in college.

This process of plagiarizing yourself in college is what is known as self-plagiarism , and even though it isn’t as severe as other types of plagiarism, it still has its consequences if your professors’ guidelines aren’t adhered to.

16. Do Professors Check For Self-plagiarism?

Yes, professors do check for self-plagiarism.

For assignments or college essays submitted online, most colleges have an online plagiarism detection software for professors like Turnitin that simply checks for any and every form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism of a submitted assignment or college essay.

It is therefore advisable to speak with your college professor if you do have an assignment or college paper that is similar to the current assignment given by your professor, and to properly cite this old material to avoid being penalized for self-plagiarism.

17. Do Professors Always Check For Plagiarism?

Yes, they do. These days, professors spend time checking for plagiarism while grading a student’s research paper, college paper, college essay, or assignment.

Most college professors already understand how to use online plagiarism tools like Turnitin which makes checking for plagiarism easier, and as such, checking for plagiarism with the aid of these online plagiarism-checking tools makes it easier for them to always check for plagiarism.

18. What Do You Do When Your Professor Accuses You of Plagiarism?

If you believe you have been wrongly accused of plagiarism by your college professor, there are a couple of steps you can take to appeal this claim .

Some of the steps to take to appeal your professor’s plagiarism claim include:

• Discussing the issue with your professor and showing the citations of sources you used
• Asking your professor for proof of plagiarism
• Asking for a review of your college paper by another professor
• Appealing to the faculty dean about the issue
• Having a higher authority get involved in the matter
• Follow the formal appeal process of your university

19. How Much Plagiarism is Allowed in College?

In college, copying someone else’s words without giving credit is never allowed, implying that 0% plagiarism isn’t allowed.

However, in cases of similarity reports like in mathematics, computer science, biology, etc., it is impossible not to use calculations, general formulas, or statements and terminologies, hence between a 5%-15% plagiarism score is allowed by some professors.

20. Is It Possible To Accidentally Plagiarize?

Yes, it is possible to accidentally plagiarize your college essay or research paper. This form of plagiarism is called accidental plagiarism .

Accidental plagiarism usually happens as a result of forgetfully not citing a source you used, or due to poor paraphrasing most times.

21 . What Happens If You Accidentally Plagiarize?

If you have no prior history of plagiarization, and you unintentionally or accidentally plagiarize your college essay , college paper, assignment, or research paper, your professor would most likely lower your grade in that specific paper or have you failed in the course.

You will also be expected to attend a plagiarism workshop so you can learn more about plagiarism and how to prevent it in the future.

22. How Can You Save Yourself From Plagiarism?

According to scribbr plagiarism checker , there are four tips to save college students from plagiarism in their college essays, assignments, or research paper.

These tips include:

• Noting down the full details of the sources you used while writing
• Quoting sources you used in your paper properly
• Including proper citations of the sources you used
• Confirming with an online plagiarism checker tool whether or not your paper has any plagiarized source

23. Can Plagiarism Checkers Detect Essays Bought Online?

Yes, online plagiarism tools like Turnitin have successfully devised a way to check and detect essays bought from third-party sources now.

Turnitin has developed a new software, the Turnitin Authorship Attribution software that compares students writing style and patterns on their submitted college paper, research paper, or assignments with their old assignments or prior submitted work. The software then analyses the document and offers a score on the probability of contract cheating by the student.

24. Are Online Plagiarism Checkers Accurate?

No, online plagiarism checkers are not 100% accurate in detecting plagiarism in students’ work, but they however have helped to breach the ever-growing trend of plagiarism across universities around the world.

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May 16, 2024

What Are the Consequences of College Essay Plagiarism?

Plagiarism has always been frowned upon by college admissions committees (and college honor policies!), but with the rise of AI writing softwares, the problem has taken on new proportions. It is  never  okay to pass off someone else’s writing as your own on college applications, but this extends to using AI to write parts or all of an essay , supplement, or portfolio. With these technologies still very new, and regulation still in its infancy, many students do not yet understand the gravity of using AI to write applications or do their assignments for them. We at  Ivy Coach  unequivocally denounce the practice, and we assure any skeptical applicants that risks of using AI far outweigh the supposed benefits. 

Why Students Should Not Turn to Plagiarism (Including AI) to Write Their Essays

Some students turn to plagiarism or AI for a quick and easy fix for their writing woes. While the downside of traditional plagiarism is obvious (one Google search and the plagiarized passages will be revealed), some see AI as an enticing alternative that is less detectable than wholesale copying. But using such softwares brings a whole new caliber of risks. For one thing, AI writing is repetitive, uninspired, and riddled with factual errors. The technology simply does not write with the same fluency as a talented, highly selective college-bound high schooler. Admissions committees read  a lot  of applications in a given cycle, and it’s highly likely that they already have ways to detect the fingerprints of various AI writing styles (which likely use AI themselves!).

All offers of admission are conditional . It’s in the not-so-fine print! Even if colleges don’t notice any plagiarism at first, they will not hesitate to rescind an offer of admission if the truth comes out. Even years after a student has enrolled, getting expelled will still be a possibility for those who plagiarized. For students who need extra help when writing their essays, they should turn to admissions experts for proofreading, editing, and feedback. These traditional methods of perfecting writing are available to all high schoolers and are encouraged by college admissions offices, leaving would-be plagiarizers with no excuse for their actions.

But none of that should even matter, because using AI is unethical. Colleges want to get to know  you , not some robot who does a poor job of parroting you. Even if AI reaches new technological heights, it will never be a substitute for the personal flair that comes through the most well-written essays. At best, these AI-facilitated writing samples will be received poorly for their cookie-cutter approach, but at worst, using AI on an application would be grounds for rejection. Highly selective colleges do not need  any  reason to reject an applicant, but that would surely be a good one!

Ivy Coach Calls on the Common App to Implement AI Detection Software

College admissions offices and the  Common App.  have either  declined to comment or released ambiguous messaging  when it comes to the use of AI-facilitated writing, leaving many high schoolers scrambling for answers. These organizations need to take a stand and clarify their positions before more high schoolers take part in a practice that they do not even realize could put them in hot water with prospective colleges. All emerging technologies go through a process in which their use is regulated, and AI should be no exception.

It’s high time that more regulation be put into place to halt the epidemic of plagiarized and AI-facilitated writing on college applications (and in colleges themselves!). Ivy Coach calls upon The Common App. to implement plagiarism detection software, which includes AI-detection, to screen all applications for foul play and alert prospective colleges. A spot at an elite institution should never be given to a student who has taken the easy way out when there are plenty of hard working, honest high schoolers who submit their own work. 

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How to avoid plagiarism?

Proper citation style.

Avoid plagiarism by always listing the source and formatting it correctly when you are note-taking. Take care of the proper formatting and citation style when using content from outside sources.

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Online Plagiarism Checker For Students

Writing an academic paper can be challenging when you’re not sure if it’s original enough to pass a plagiarism check. Of course, students take information from various sites before writing their own text. Sometimes, it just so happens that certain parts are very similar to your resources, making your professor think that you’ve just copied work from somewhere. That’s why it’s crucial for any modern college or university student to ensure that their work has 100% original content to maintain academic integrity.

Luckily, a free plagiarism checker online can solve this issue quickly and easily. Many cheap essay writing services use a plagiarism checker for research paper. However, students sometimes forget that they should too. But with so many options that pop up when you ask Google to “check my paper for plagiarism”, how do you choose the right one for detection? We’ve got the solution in the form of PapersOwl’s free plagiarism checker tool! Our simple tool makes it convenient to check any writing task without having to spend a dime. It works quickly and highly accurately, ensuring that you get the top grade you deserve. So, if you want to check plagiarism online before turning your task in, head over to our website and get started!

Accurate Check for Plagiarism with Percentage

Many students wishing to produce original content aren’t quite sure how to get an exact percentage of plagiarised text in their work. This percentage is important since many universities have a certain limit of non-unique words you can have in your essay for it to be considered okay. If your plagiarism search doesn’t give you the exact percentage, you can’t be sure if your assignment will go through or not.

When using a free plagiarism tool, it’s essential to have this data provided to you. Only when you have it can you decide which parts to change and which ones to chuck out to achieve your desired results. Plagiarized content is a big issue in modern educational institutions, so getting reliable and trustworthy results is vital. This is the most essential requirement when you check plagiarism.

PapersOwl’s plagiarism detection tool gives you all the information you need to fix plagiarized content. Whether you’ve fallen victim to accidental plagiarism or have tried to make your life easier by copying some text from different sources, you’ll get an accurate percentage with our plagiarism checker online. If you’re wondering how to check paper for plagiarism, it’s nothing complicated at all! Simply visit our site, paste your whole essay into the relevant text box or upload the text file, click on Check For Plagiarism, and you’ll get accurate plagiarism results in a matter of seconds. You’ll see the problematic parts with plagiarism detected highlighted, with links to where similar content exists. Our service with plagiarism detector will also give you the option to check my essay for plagiarism and then to hire a professional paper writer to fix your task quickly if you're busy with other things!

The Fastest Plagiarism Checker Online

Gaining insight into duplicate content only works if you get your results quickly. There are so many free plagiarism software online that promise to do the job for you. However, a lot of them are clunky, slow, and inaccurate. How can you produce original work without similarity detection you can trust?

PapersOwl stands out in this regard because it will detect plagiarism in seconds. This is a plagiarism scanner that’s able to perform a Swift Check to give you a uniqueness check right there and then. It also conducts a Deep Search, going through millions of sources on the internet to check for plagiarism. A document of about 1500 words takes only about 10 seconds to get processed! You get a clear plagiarism score of how much text is plagiarized and how much is original. All the sources that your essay matches are listed based on how much similarity there is in your academic writing. And on top of that, you get a handy Make It Unique button that’ll take you to an order page where you can ask our expert writers to rewrite your work and make it 100% unique.

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A lot of students make the mistake of considering their papers automatically free from plagiarism. After all, they’ve written it themselves, so how could it be problematic? What they don’t realize is that it’s very easy to borrow some information mistakenly. Turning such a paper in can cause multiple problems, as your professor might think you haven’t done the work at all.

That is why you should always use a plagiarism scanner to test for plagiarized content in your college papers. Our online plagiarism checker for students is designed for this exact purpose. A simple, free plagiarism check could help you check plagiarism, fix any mistakes you see, and submit high-quality text that no one will question.

Our plagiarism detector has a lot going for it. It makes plagiarism detection easier than ever before. Unlike copying and pasting each passage individually into Google, simply upload the whole file into our plagiarism checker free for students, and you don’t have to do anything else. All the matches are highlighted so you know what to change.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, do colleges check for plagiarism in our application essays.

I'm curious, do colleges actually check our application essays for plagiarism? I'm not planning on plagiarizing, but I want to make sure I don't accidentally include anything that might be flagged as plagiarism. How careful should I be when writing my essay?

Yes, colleges do check for plagiarism in application essays. Many colleges use software like Turnitin or other plagiarism detection tools to ensure the originality of the essays submitted. It's essential to submit an original essay, as plagiarism can lead to severe consequences, including rescinded admission offers and damaged reputation.

To avoid accidental plagiarism, it's crucial to be mindful when writing your essay. Here are some tips to help you:

1. Always give proper credit to sources you have used or cited, whether they are quotes, statistics, or ideas. This can be done through in-text citations or footnotes.

2. Paraphrase and summarize carefully. When you rephrase someone else's work, ensure that you maintain the original meaning but use your own words and writing style.

3. Use online tools like Grammarly or Plagscan to check for unintentional plagiarism before submitting your essay. These tools can help you identify any sections that may be flagged as plagiarized and give you the opportunity to revise them.

4. Finally, always proofread your essay and make sure it reflects your own thoughts, experiences, and voice. A well-written, personal essay will most likely be free of plagiarism.

By being diligent with these steps, you should be able to submit an essay that is authentic and original. Best of luck with your application process!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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Plagiarism Overview 

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Plagiarism  is  using  someone else’s ideas or words without giving them proper credit.  Plagiarism can range from unintentional (forgetting to include a source in a bibliography) to intentional (buying a paper online, using another writer’s ideas as your own to make your work sound smarter). Beginning writers and expert writers   alike can all plagiarize.  Understand that plagiarism is a serious charge in academia, but also in professional setting s . 

If you are...

• a student — consequences can include failing grades on assignments or classes, academic probation, and even expulsion.
• a researcher — plagiarism can cause a loss of credibility, legal consequences, and other professional consequences.
• an employee in a corporate or similar setting — you can receive a reprimand or lose your job.

It is important to recognize that standards and conventions for citing sources vary from the classroom to scholarly publishing to the professional sphere, sometimes very widely, but in all  situations  we must attribute other people’s words and ideas to their appropriate source.

Please note:  This resource, which does not reflect any official university policy, is designed to help you develop strategies for knowing how to avoid accidental plagiarism. For instructors seeking a key statement on definitions and avoidance on plagiarism, see  Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism: The WPA Statement on Best Practices .  

In addition, there is a one page handout available that provides an overview of plagiarism with answers to common questions asked about how to avoid it.

Intellectual Challenges in American Academic Writing

There are some intellectual challenges that all students are faced with when writing. Sometimes these challenges can almost seem like contradictions, particularly when addressing them within a single paper.   

For example, American teachers often instruct students to:  

• Develop a topic based on what has already been said and written   BUT write something new and original.  
• Rely on experts’ and authorities’ opinions BUT build upon and/or disagree with those opinions.
• Give credit to previous researchers BUT make your own significant contribution.  
• Improve your English to fit into a discourse community by building upon what you hear and read BUT use your own words and your own voices.  

This may sound confusing, however, something simple to keep in mind when it comes to research is: You are not reinventing the wheel, you are simply contributing in a significant way. For beginners, this can be a challenge, but once you start to see that there is a pattern that is unique to you, you will find that plagiarism is not needed. Remember — your professor or your supervisor want your ideas to build on what is already established or familiar and NOT to simply repurpose someone else’s ideas and calling it your own.   

Why is understanding this so important? Plagiarism is not a victimless crime. Someone, including yourself, will get hurt.   

The Perils of Plagiarizing Your College Application Essay

Kate Sliunkova

AdmitYogi, Stanford MBA & MA in Education

Applying to college can be a daunting task, with many moving parts to keep in mind. Amongst the most critical is an application essay, often viewed as the most personal part of the admissions process. This essay is supposed to give admissions officers an insight into who you are as a person, your passions, and your goals. However, many students make the grave mistake of plagiarizing their application essays, which can have severe consequences. In this article, we'll discuss the perils of plagiarism in college application essays and what you can do to avoid it.

Understanding Plagiarism in College Applications

Before we get started, it's essential to understand what plagiarism is and why it is such a significant issue in college application essays. At its core, plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else's ideas or words as your own, without giving them proper credit. In other words, it's cheating and is taken very seriously in academic settings.

Plagiarism is not only unethical but can also have severe consequences for students. It can lead to a loss of credibility, academic sanctions, and even expulsion from school. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it in your college application essays.

What Constitutes Plagiarism

Plagiarism can take many forms but is most commonly found in the following examples:

• Copying and pasting content from another website or source without proper citation.
• Paraphrasing someone else's words too closely and not giving them credit.
• Using someone else's ideas or arguments without acknowledging them.
• Having someone else write your essay for you and passing it off as your own work.

It is essential to understand that plagiarism is not limited to written content. It can also occur in images, graphs, and other forms of media. Therefore, it is crucial to give proper credit to the original source in all aspects of your college application.

Common Types of Plagiarism in Application Essays

The pressure to create a perfect application can lead to plagiarism in several ways. Some common types of plagiarism found in college application essays include:

• Using essays from other applications or online sources and changing a few words to make it "yours."
• Copying and pasting from your previous work without proper citation.
• Copying from other people's essays or buying essays online and submitting them as your own.

It is crucial to remember that college application essays are an opportunity for you to showcase your unique perspective and personality. Admissions officers want to hear your voice and your story, not someone else's. Therefore, it is essential to avoid plagiarism and write original content that reflects who you are as a person.

Additionally, many colleges now use plagiarism detection software to ensure the authenticity of application essays. Therefore, even if you think you can get away with plagiarism, the risk of getting caught is high, and the consequences can be severe.

In conclusion, plagiarism is a serious issue in college application essays that can have severe consequences for students. It is essential to understand what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it in your writing. Remember, your college application essay is an opportunity to showcase your unique perspective and personality, so be authentic and write from the heart.

The consequences of plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious offense that can have severe consequences, both academically and personally. It is a breach of academic integrity and can lead to numerous negative outcomes.

Rejection from Colleges and Universities

One of the most significant consequences of plagiarism is the rejection of college and university applications. Admissions officers are experienced in identifying copied content, and if they catch you plagiarizing, your application is unlikely to make it past the initial screening process. This can severely impact your academic and career prospects, as you may miss out on the opportunity to attend your desired institution.

Moreover, colleges and universities have strict plagiarism policies, and if caught, you may face disciplinary action, including failing classes or even being expelled from school.

Damage to Academic Reputation

Being caught plagiarizing can damage your academic reputation, and it may also affect your future applications to graduate school or jobs. In academic and professional settings, integrity is highly valued, and being caught plagiarizing can lead to a loss of trust and respect from peers and colleagues. This can have long-term negative impacts on your career prospects and personal life.

Legal and Financial Ramifications

Plagiarism is not only an ethical violation but also an illegal act. It can result in legal action taken against you, including copyright infringement charges. This can lead to financial issues due to loss of scholarships and grants, legal fees, and a tarnished reputation that can impact future employability.

In addition, plagiarism can also have personal consequences, such as guilt, shame, and a loss of self-esteem. It is essential to understand the severity of plagiarism and its potential consequences to avoid making such a mistake.

Therefore, it is crucial to always give credit where credit is due and to use proper citation methods to avoid plagiarism. It is better to put in the extra effort to create original content than to risk the severe consequences of plagiarism.

How Colleges Detect Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious offense in academic writing and can lead to severe consequences, including expulsion from college. As a result, colleges and universities have developed various tools and techniques to detect plagiarism in students' essays and other academic works.

Plagiarism Detection Software

One of the most common tools used by college admission officers to detect plagiarism is plagiarism detection software. These programs, such as Turnitin and SafeAssign, are designed to scan essays and other academic works for any copied content from other sources. The software compares the submitted work against a vast database of existing works to identify any similarities and flag them as potential instances of plagiarism.

While plagiarism detection software is not foolproof and can sometimes produce false positives, it is still an effective tool that has helped colleges and universities to catch many instances of plagiarism.

Expert Admissions Officers

Experienced admissions officers are another valuable resource in detecting plagiarism. These professionals have read countless essays and application materials and can often spot plagiarized content simply by reviewing your application essay alongside other application materials. They have a keen eye for identifying inconsistencies in writing style, language, and tone that may suggest plagiarism.

Additionally, admissions officers may ask follow-up questions during the interview process to clarify any inconsistencies or discrepancies they may have noticed in your application materials. These questions can help them to spot potential instances of plagiarism and ensure that the application materials are entirely original.

Cross-Checking with Other Application Materials

Admissions officers have access to a wealth of information about applicants, including academic transcripts and essays from past coursework. They can use this information to cross-check your current application materials for any similarities in writing style or language that may suggest plagiarism.

For example, if you submit an essay that uses the same sentence structure and vocabulary as an essay you wrote for a previous class, it may raise red flags for the admissions officers. They may investigate further to determine if the content is original or plagiarized.

Overall, colleges and universities take plagiarism very seriously and have developed various tools and techniques to detect it. By using a combination of plagiarism detection software, expert admissions officers, and cross-checking with other application materials, they can ensure that the application materials are entirely original and free from plagiarism.

Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism in Your Essay

Avoiding plagiarism is vital. Here are some tips to help you develop an original and authentic essay:

Start Early and Plan Your Essay

The earlier you start, the better your chances of avoiding plagiarism. Starting early allows you to have enough time to research and gather information from different sources. You can also create an outline, brainstorm, and create a rough draft, which will help you to see what tasks must be done ahead of schedule. This will also give you enough time to review your work and make necessary changes.

Use Your Own Voice and Experiences

Admissions officers are interested in getting to know you as a person. Share experiences and thoughts that have shaped who you are and make it your own. Remember that this essay is your story, and no one can tell it better than you! Use your own words and avoid copying content from other sources. You can also add personal anecdotes and examples to make your essay more engaging.

Properly Cite Sources and Quotations

If you need to include information from other sources, make sure to cite them in your essay properly. Failure to do so is considered plagiarism, even in the case of unintentional plagiarism. Make use of the correct citation format for the source. This not only helps you avoid plagiarism but also shows that you have done thorough research and can back up your arguments with credible sources.

Seek Feedback from Trusted Sources

Before submitting your application essay, ask trusted sources to review your essay for content or plagiarism. Family members, friends, and teachers can provide you with constructive criticism and spot mistakes that you may have missed. You can also seek help from professional editors who can help you polish your essay and ensure that it is free from plagiarism.

Remember that plagiarism is a serious offense that can have severe consequences. It can damage your academic and professional reputation and even lead to legal issues. By following these tips, you can avoid plagiarism and create an original and authentic essay that showcases your skills and personality.

In conclusion, plagiarism is never worth the risk. The consequences can be severe and may damage your academic record for many years. You can avoid plagiarism in your college application essay by starting early, creating a plan, sharing personal experiences, properly citing sources and quotations, and getting feedback from trusted sources. Remember, it's your story, and no one can tell it better than you!

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Jaden Botros

Stanford (+ 22 colleges)

Harvard Student

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What is the EasyBib plagiarism checker? 

Most basic plagiarism checkers review your work and calculate a percentage, meaning how much of your writing is indicative of original work. But, the EasyBib plagiarism checker goes way beyond a simple percentage. Any text that could be categorized as potential plagiarism is highlighted, allowing you time to review each warning and determine how to adjust it or how to cite it correctly.

You’ll even see the sources against which your writing is compared and the actual word for word breakdown. If you determine that a warning is unnecessary, you can waive the plagiarism check suggestion.

Plagiarism is unethical because it doesn’t credit those who created the original work; it violates intellectual property and serves to benefit the perpetrator. It is a severe enough academic offense, that many faculty members use their own plagiarism checking tool for their students’ work. With the EasyBib Plagiarism checker, you can stay one step ahead of your professors and catch citation mistakes and accidental plagiarism before you submit your work for grading.

Why use a plagiarism checker? 

Imagine – it’s finals week and the final research paper of the semester is due in two days. You, being quite familiar with this high-stakes situation, hit the books, and pull together a ten-page, last-minute masterpiece using articles and materials from dozens of different sources.

However, in those late, coffee-fueled hours, are you fully confident that you correctly cited all the different sources you used? Are you sure you didn’t accidentally forget any? Are you confident that your teacher’s plagiarism tool will give your paper a 0% plagiarism score?

That’s where the EasyBib plagiarism checker comes in to save the day. One quick check can help you address all the above questions and put your mind at ease.

What exactly is plagiarism? 

Plagiarism has a number of possible definitions; it involves more than just copying someone else’s work. Improper citing, patchworking, and paraphrasing could all lead to plagiarism in one of your college assignments. Below are some common examples of accidental plagiarism that commonly occur.

Quoting or paraphrasing without citations

Not including in-text citations is another common type of accidental plagiarism. Quoting is taking verbatim text from a source. Paraphrasing is when you’re using another source to take the same idea but put it in your own words. In both cases, it’s important to always cite where those ideas are coming from. The EasyBib plagiarism checker can help alert you to when you need to accurately cite the sources you used.

Patchwork plagiarism

When writing a paper, you’re often sifting through multiple sources and tabs from different search engines. It’s easy to accidentally string together pieces of sentences and phrases into your own paragraphs. You may change a few words here and there, but it’s similar to the original text. Even though it’s accidental, it is still considered plagiarism. It’s important to clearly state when you’re using someone else’s words and work.

Improper citations

Depending on the class, professor, subject, or teacher, there are multiple correct citation styles and preferences. Some examples of common style guides that are followed for citations include MLA, APA, and Chicago style. When citing resources, it’s important to cite them accurately. Incorrect citations could make it impossible for a reader to track down a source and it’s considered plagiarism. There are EasyBib citation tools to help you do this.

Don’t fall victim to plagiarism pitfalls. Most of the time, you don’t even mean to commit plagiarism; rather, you’ve read so many sources from different search engines that it gets difficult to determine an original thought or well-stated fact versus someone else’s work. Or worse, you assume a statement is common knowledge, when in fact, it should be attributed to another author.

When in doubt, cite your source!

Time for a quick plagiarism quiz! 

Which of the following requires a citation?

• A chart or graph from another source
• A paraphrase of an original source
• Several sources’ ideas summarized into your own paragraph
• A direct quote
• All of the above

If you guessed option E than you’d be correct. Correct punctuation and citation of another individual’s ideas, quotes, and graphics are a pillar of good academic writing.

What if you copy your own previous writing?

Resubmitting your own original work for another class’s assignment is a form of self-plagiarism, so don’t cut corners in your writing. Draft an original piece for each class or ask your professor if you can incorporate your previous research.

What features are available with the EasyBib plagiarism checker? 

Along with providing warnings and sources for possible plagiarism, the EasyBib  plagiarism checker works alongside the other EasyBib tools, including a grammar checker  and a spell checker . You’ll receive personalized feedback on your thesis and writing structure too!

The  plagiarism checker compares your writing sample with billions of available sources online so that it detects plagiarism at every level. You’ll be notified of which phrases are too similar to current research and literature, prompting a possible rewrite or additional citation. You’ll also get feedback on your paper’s inconsistencies, such as changes in text, formatting, or style. These small details could suggest possible plagiarism within your assignment.

And speaking of citations, there are also  EasyBib citation tools  available. They help you quickly build your bibliography and avoid accidental plagiarism. Make sure you know which citation format your professor prefers!

Great! How do I start? 

Simply copy and paste or upload your essay into the checker at the top of this page. You’ll receive the first five grammar suggestions for free! To try the plagiarism checker for free, start your EasyBib Plus three-day free trial.* If you love the product and decide to opt for premium services, you’ll have access to unlimited writing suggestions and personalized feedback.

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Visit www.easybib.com for more information on helpful EasyBib writing and citing tools.

For informational guides and on writing and citing, visit the EasyBib guides homepage .

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How you can avoid plagiarizing

Know the different types of plagiarism

There are several types of plagiarism, and it’s essential to understand the differences to avoid making these mistakes and prevent plagiarism in the classroom.

• Direct plagiarism: Using someone else’s exact words and using them as your own with no credit to the source. Eliminating portions of the text still qualifies as direct plagiarism.
• Patchwork plagiarism: Creating new text by combining exact phrases or sentences from multiple sources without acknowledging the original authors or sources.
• Self-plagiarism: Attempting to reuse or recycle your previous work and claiming it as a new piece of work without mentioning the source of original publication.
• Source-based plagiarism: Producing false sources within your writing or omitting one or more references from citations.

Cite your sources

Students often think of citations as a simple means of acknowledging another author's work. While this is their main purpose, there are other benefits as well.

Source citations also show readers where to go to learn more. By providing context around the citation in student papers, such as the source medium and when it was published, readers can locate the information more easily. Giving too little source information or improperly formatting it can result in unintentional plagiarism. These mistakes also make it difficult for readers to locate the original source and verify information.

Quetext's citation generator makes it easy for students to accurately cite their sources without slowing down their writing process. Once a user inputs the text, the software identifies the passages that require a citation and subsequently generates it in the style required — APA, MLA, or Chicago.

Always use a plagiarism checker

The best way to avoid severe plagiarism consequences is to use a plagiarism checker. Often, plagiarism is unintentional and results from poor paraphrasing of material found online. Using a plagiarism checker, the student can avoid accusations of any kind of plagiarism and benefit from a close review of the original material.

Quetext's plagiarism checker provides a speedy, easy process for students to receive accurate results, identifying areas of concern and providing on-page solutions.

Plagiarism Checker for Students FAQ

What are the consequences if a student is caught plagiarizing.

The consequences of plagiarism vary according to the student’s academic institution and grade level. For example, a middle school student who plagiarizes within an essay may receive a stern warning and additional instruction related to the process of citing sources or summarizing one’s thoughts.

However, students in higher education institutions guilty of plagiarism in academic papers face much steeper repercussions, including, but not limited, to failing grades and disciplinary or legal action. Factors such as the assignment itself, the instructor, and whether or not it is your first offense impact the outcome.

Depending on the severity of the situation, plagiarism can also impact a student’s reputation or future career opportunities.

How does a plagiarism checker help students?

A plagiarism checker helps students be proactive in finding instances of plagiarism before an assignment is completed and turned in with no way to correct the errors.

In addition, by identifying the potential conflicts early, students can conduct further research to find alternative sources to understand the material better and revise or rewrite the offending passages.

Plagiarism checkers also help students learn innovative writing techniques, improve their writing skills through better research and experience in summarizing ideas, and preserve academic integrity.

Do teachers use plagiarism checkers?

Many teachers use plagiarism checkers to ensure a student’s submission is 100% original work. With the rise of easy-to-use tools like Quetext, checking for authenticity and text matches is a quick and affordable process to scan millions of online data sources.

Using plagiarism checkers also allows teachers to educate their students on the importance of citing sources and the ethical responsibilities of research and opinion writing.

Plagiarism has always been a source of concern for teachers, but until now, options for manual detection have limited their opportunities to identify the problem efficiently. However, the evolution of technology in this area has made the tools more accessible than ever.

How do teachers check a paper for plagiarism?

Teachers are skilled at detecting plagiarism, especially those who have been teaching for a significant period or who teach in the areas of English or Literature. Some teachers use a simple technique of entering a sentence into a search engine to find instances of duplicate text on web pages.

However, this manner of plagiarism detection is manually intensive and dependent upon unreliable algorithms. Some may use their writer’s intuition by identifying anomalies in sentence structure, inconsistencies in vocabulary or grammar, or a combination of all of these.

Others use more sophisticated and robust plagiarism detection software, like Quetext. Quetext can scour millions of sites using DeepSearch™ technology to identify plagiarism in seconds. These tools also enable instructors to work with students to improve their writing and avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future.

Can students get in trouble for accidental plagiarism?

Yes, students can be penalized for plagiarism, even if it was an accident. Unfortunately, instructors have no way of knowing the intent behind plagiarism. Depending on the type of plagiarism, instructors may allow leeway for students to learn from their mistakes and correct the work without the threat of severe consequences.

However, repeat offenders are less likely to receive this flexibility and may face steeper penalties. Additionally, instructors of college-level courses with clear plagiarism guidelines and policies may be less inclined to let students off the hook and instead enforce severe consequences.

Is there a free plagiarism checker for students?

Yes! Quetext offers both a free and a paid subscription for students to seamlessly verify their writing. Quetext goes beyond traditional plagiarism checkers to provide students with advanced technology that puts content through three layers of evaluation in just a matter of seconds. This level of insight enables students to understand the degree to which the text has been plagiarized and decide whether to rewrite the text or use the citation assistant to cite sources.

Quetext also offers a detailed report students can use to document their editing efforts and present as proof of a plagiarism-free, 100% original content document.

Quetext's plagiarism tool also offers flexible pricing for its Pro features which facilitates the citation of online sources, attributions, and real-time feedback for writing improvement.

How can a student check for plagiarism?

Anyone can enter the text from a research paper into a search engine and find potential matches that identify instances of plagiarized content or duplicate content. However, this method is largely ineffective and does not identify every area of concern.

Students can use Quetext's free online plagiarism checker by creating an account, copying and pasting the text in question into the plagiarism checker, and receiving a comprehensive analysis with color-coded feedback, a plagiarism percentage score, and options for editing the text.

Quetext is one of the best plagiarism checkers available with high-quality insights and accurate results.

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Buying College Essays Is Now Easier Than Ever. But Buyer Beware

Tovia Smith

Concern is growing about a burgeoning online market for essays that students can buy and turn in as their own work. And schools are trying new tools to catch it. Angela Hsieh/NPR hide caption

Concern is growing about a burgeoning online market for essays that students can buy and turn in as their own work. And schools are trying new tools to catch it.

As the recent college admissions scandal is shedding light on how parents are cheating and bribing their children's way into college, schools are also focusing on how some students may be cheating their way through college. Concern is growing about a burgeoning online market that makes it easier than ever for students to buy essays written by others to turn in as their own work. And schools are trying new tools to catch it.

It's not hard to understand the temptation for students. The pressure is enormous, the stakes are high and, for some, writing at a college level is a huge leap.

"We didn't really have a format to follow, so I was kind of lost on what to do," says one college freshman, who struggled recently with an English assignment. One night, when she was feeling particularly overwhelmed, she tweeted her frustration.

"It was like, 'Someone, please help me write my essay!' " she recalls. She ended her tweet with a crying emoji. Within a few minutes, she had a half-dozen offers of help.

"I can write it for you," they tweeted back. "Send us the prompt!"

The student, who asked that her name not be used for fear of repercussions at school, chose one that asked for $10 per page, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"For me, it was just that the work was piling up," she explains. "As soon as I finish some big assignment, I get assigned more things, more homework for math, more homework for English. Some papers have to be six or 10 pages long. ... And even though I do my best to manage, the deadlines come closer and closer, and it's just ... the pressure."

In the cat-and-mouse game of academic cheating, students these days know that if they plagiarize, they're likely to get caught by computer programs that automatically compare essays against a massive database of other writings. So now, buying an original essay can seem like a good workaround.

"Technically, I don't think it's cheating," the student says. "Because you're paying someone to write an essay, which they don't plagiarize, and they write everything on their own."

Her logic, of course, ignores the question of whether she's plagiarizing. When pressed, she begins to stammer.

"That's just a difficult question to answer," she says. "I don't know how to feel about that. It's kind of like a gray area. It's maybe on the edge, kind of?"

Besides she adds, she probably won't use all of it.

Other students justify essay buying as the only way to keep up. They figure that everyone is doing it one way or another — whether they're purchasing help online or getting it from family or friends.

"Oh yeah, collaboration at its finest," cracks Boston University freshman Grace Saathoff. While she says she would never do it herself, she's not really fazed by others doing it. She agrees with her friends that it has pretty much become socially acceptable.

"I have a friend who writes essays and sells them," says Danielle Delafuente, another Boston University freshman. "And my other friend buys them. He's just like, 'I can't handle it. I have five papers at once. I need her to do two of them, and I'll do the other three.' It's a time management thing."

The war on contract cheating

"It breaks my heart that this is where we're at," sighs Ashley Finley, senior adviser to the president for the Association of American Colleges and Universities. She says campuses are abuzz about how to curb the rise in what they call contract cheating. Obviously, students buying essays is not new, but Finley says that what used to be mostly limited to small-scale side hustles has mushroomed on the internet to become a global industry of so-called essay mills. Hard numbers are difficult to come by, but research suggests that up to 16 percent of students have paid someone to do their work and that the number is rising.

"Definitely, this is really getting more and more serious," Finley says. "It's part of the brave new world for sure."

The essay mills market aggressively online, with slickly produced videos inviting students to "Get instant help with your assignment" and imploring them: "Don't lag behind," "Join the majority" and "Don't worry, be happy."

"They're very crafty," says Tricia Bertram Gallant, director of the Academic Integrity Office at the University of California in San Diego and a board member of the International Center for Academic Integrity.

The companies are equally brazen offline — leafleting on campuses, posting flyers in toilet stalls and flying banners over Florida beaches during spring break. Companies have also been known to bait students with emails that look like they're from official college help centers. And they pay social media influencers to sing the praises of their services, and they post testimonials from people they say are happy customers.

"I hired a service to write my paper and I got a 90 on it!" gloats one. "Save your time, and have extra time to party!" advises another.

"It's very much a seduction," says Bertram Gallant. "So you can maybe see why students could get drawn into the contract cheating world."

YouTube has been cracking down on essay mills; it says it has pulled thousands of videos that violate its policies against promoting dishonest behavior.

But new videos constantly pop up, and their hard sell flies in the face of their small-print warnings that their essays should be used only as a guide, not a final product.

Several essay mills declined or didn't respond to requests to be interviewed by NPR. But one answered questions by email and offered up one of its writers to explain her role in the company, called EduBirdie.

"Yes, just like the little birdie that's there to help you in your education," explains April Short, a former grade school teacher from Australia who's now based in Philadelphia. She has been writing for a year and a half for the company, which bills itself as a "professional essay writing service for students who can't even."

Some students just want some "foundational research" to get started or a little "polish" to finish up, Short says. But the idea that many others may be taking a paper written completely by her and turning it in as their own doesn't keep her up at night.

"These kids are so time poor," she says, and they're "missing out on opportunities of travel and internships because they're studying and writing papers." Relieving students of some of that burden, she figures, allows them to become more "well-rounded."

"I don't necessarily think that being able to create an essay is going to be a defining factor in a very long career, so it's not something that bothers me," says Short. Indeed, she thinks students who hire writers are demonstrating resourcefulness and creativity. "I actually applaud students that look for options to get the job done and get it done well," she says.

"This just shows you the extent of our ability to rationalize all kinds of bad things we do," sighs Dan Ariely, professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University. The rise in contract cheating is especially worrisome, he says, because when it comes to dishonest behavior, more begets more. As he puts it, it's not just about "a few bad apples."

Felicity Huffman And 12 Other Parents To Plead Guilty In College Cheating Scandal

"Instead, what we have is a lot ... of blemished apples, and we take our cues for our behavior from the social world around us," he says. "We know officially what is right and what's wrong. But really what's driving our behavior is what we see others around us doing" or, Ariely adds, what we perceive them to be doing. So even the proliferation of advertising for essays mills can have a pernicious effect, he says, by fueling the perception that "everyone's doing it."

A few nations have recently proposed or passed laws outlawing essay mills, and more than a dozen U.S. states have laws on the books against them. But prosecuting essay mills, which are often based overseas in Pakistan, Kenya and Ukraine, for example, is complicated. And most educators are loath to criminalize students' behavior.

"Yes, they're serious mistakes. They're egregious mistakes," says Cath Ellis, an associate dean and integrity officer at the University of New South Wales, where students were among the hundreds alleged to have bought essays in a massive scandal in Australia in 2014.

"But we're educational institutions," she adds. "We've got to give students the opportunity to learn from these mistakes. That's our responsibility. And that's better in our hands than in the hands of the police and the courts."

Staying one step ahead

In the war on contract cheating, some schools see new technology as their best weapon and their best shot to stay one step ahead of unscrupulous students. The company that makes the Turnitin plagiarism detection software has just upped its game with a new program called Authorship Investigate.

The software first inspects a document's metadata, like when it was created, by whom it was created and how many times it was reopened and re-edited. Turnitin's vice president for product management, Bill Loller, says sometimes it's as simple as looking at the document's name. Essay mills typically name their documents something like "Order Number 123," and students have been known to actually submit it that way. "You would be amazed at how frequently that happens," says Loller.

Using cutting-edge linguistic forensics, the software also evaluates the level of writing and its style.

"Think of it as a writing fingerprint," Loller says. The software looks at hundreds of telltale characteristics of an essay, like whether the author double spaces after a period or writes with Oxford commas or semicolons. It all gets instantly compared against a student's other work, and, Loller says, suspicions can be confirmed — or alleviated — in minutes.

"At the end of the day, you get to a really good determination on whether the student wrote what they submitted or not," he says, "and you get it really quickly."

Coventry University in the U.K. has been testing out a beta version of the software, and Irene Glendinning, the school's academic manager for student experience, agrees that the software has the potential to give schools a leg up on cheating students. After the software is officially adopted, "we'll see a spike in the number of cases we find, and we'll have a very hard few years," she says. "But then the message will get through to students that we've got the tools now to find these things out." Then, Glendinning hopes, students might consider contract cheating to be as risky as plagiarizing.

In the meantime, schools are trying to spread the word that buying essays is risky in other ways as well.

Professor Ariely says that when he posed as a student and ordered papers from several companies, much of it was "gibberish" and about a third of it was actually plagiarized.

Even worse, when he complained to the company and demanded his money back, they resorted to blackmail. Still believing him to be a student, the company threatened to tell his school he was cheating. Others say companies have also attempted to shake down students for more money, threatening to rat them out if they didn't pay up.

The lesson, Ariely says, is "buyer beware."

But ultimately, experts say, many desperate students may not be deterred by the risks — whether from shady businesses or from new technology.

Bertram Gallant, of UC San Diego, says the right way to dissuade students from buying essays is to remind them why it's wrong.

"If we engage in a technological arms race with the students, we won't win," she says. "What are we going to do when Google glasses start to look like regular glasses and a student wears them into an exam? Are we going to tell them they can't wear their glasses because we're afraid they might be sending the exam out to someone else who is sending them back the answers?"

The solution, Bertram Gallant says, has to be about "creating a culture where integrity and ethics matter" and where education is valued more than grades. Only then will students believe that cheating on essays is only cheating themselves.

Essay Rewriter Tool for Students

The Essay Rewriter tool is easy to use. Follow these steps to obtain a perfectly paraphrased text.

• Copy the original that you need to rewrite.
• Paste it into the tool, checking if the text length doesn’t exceed the limit.
• Select the required paraphrasing rate.
• Press the “Rewrite” button.
• Copy the result for further use.

Wondering how to avoid plagiarism in a paper or article? You are welcome to use the essay rewriter tool above. It was designed for academic purposes. Easily paraphrase texts in no time!

• ✅ The Benefits of the Tool
• ✍️ Avoiding Plagiarism with a Rewriter

🆚 Quoting vs. Rewriting vs. Plagiarism

🔗 references, ✅ essay rewriter: 5 key benefits.

• It helps to avoid plagiarism. Not all plagiarism happens intendedly. Essay Rewriter eliminates the human factor in paraphrasing. It provides you with a text that contains a preset quantity of original words.
• It is specially designed for students. The rephrasing is neither too academic nor conversational. The style of the resulting text perfectly fits all educational requirements.
• It is simple to use. It would be strange to waste your time exploring a tool that should save it. Essay Rewriter is intuitively clear. You can open the web page and use it straight away.
• It has an adjustable percentage of paraphrased words. Sometimes you need to preserve some part of the original. Try various rates to choose the best result.
• It is equally functional on computers and mobile devices. You can use the tool at home or college from your smartphone. All the features will be available in the mobile version.

✍️ Rewriter Tool: An Easy Way to Avoid Plagiarism

Want to know when rewriting means plagiarizing?

It is easy.

When you use someone else’s intellectual property, pretending it’s your own, you plagiarize. When you reword a text that another person wrote without referencing the original, it is plagiarism.

Unfortunately, even if you unwillingly copy someone’s text, it is also punishable . The consequences range from lowered marks and reprimanding to expulsion from the educational institution or research community. Nobody likes plagiarizers. People perceive them as thieves.

Still, every researcher resorts to paraphrasing. What is the recipe for the balance between rewriting and plagiarism? The short answer is, always mention the original . There are more nuances, like retelling the text with your own words rather than using synonyms here and there. But whichever method or app you use, give credit to the author.

When you wish to use someone else’s words as a part of your writing, you insert a quote . In this case, you are supposed to enclose the phrase or sentence in quotation marks to signal that you are quoting. After that, include a citation with page number and author’s name.

When should you quote?

There is a general rule that if more than four words in a row match the source, you should enclose them in quotation marks.

But if the sentence or paragraph you wish to use is too long, it is better to paraphrase it. In such a case, quotation marks are unnecessary. Still, paraphrases also require citations at the end of the rewritten text and in the list of references. Make sure to modify the words and their order to avoid plagiarism.

You can consult the examples of quoting, rewriting, and plagiarism examples below. Compare them to find out the difference and never have problems using someone else’s text in your research article or essay.

Quoting: Example

The quote from a book by Oliver Sacks below contains quotation marks and a reference to the original according to APA citation style.

“The scientific study of the relationship between brain and mind began in 1861, when Broca, in France, found that specific difficulties in the expressive use of speech, aphasia, consistently followed damage to a particular portion of the left hemisphere of the brain. This opened the way to cerebral neurology, which made it possible, over the decades, to ‘map’ the human brain, ascribing specific powers — linguistic, intellectual, perceptual, etc. — to equally specific ‘centers’ in the brain. Toward the end of the century it became evident to more acute observers that this sort of mapping was too simple, that all mental performances had an intricate internal structure, and must have an equally complex physiological basis.” (Sacks, 1998, p. 5)

Rewriting: Example

The rewriting sample below contains all the essential features. All the grammatical structures of the sentences have been modified. Most words have been replaced with synonyms, and most importantly, it contains a reference to the original . You can use this example as a good one.

In “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: And Other Clinical Tales,” Sacks (1998) describes the beginning of the research on brain and mind. In particular, Broca was the first to discover the relationship between aphasia and the damaged section of the left hemisphere. This finding started a breakthrough in cerebral neurology. In some decades, people described the brain’s structure with respect to its functions and the centers responsible for them. Later, researchers found that this approach overly simplified mental processes. On the contrary, the human brain has a complicated psychological structure, and its functioning is much more intricate.

Plagiarism: Example

This plagiarism sample does not change the sentence structure and frequently uses the same word order. Deleting the subordinate parts of sentences and changing some words with synonyms does not suffice for a good rewriting. Plagiarism checkers will recognize this passage as the original . But if your poor rewriting is revealed, you will be punished. Its main drawback is the absence of credit to the original.

The study of the brain and mind began in 1861 when Broca found that specific difficulties in the expressive use of speech usually followed damage to the left hemisphere of the brain. This gave impetus to the development of cerebral neurology, which made it possible to ‘map’ the human brain. Scientists ascribed specific powers — intellectual, linguistic, perceptual, etc. — to some particular areas in the brain. At the end of the century, it became evident that such mapping was too simple. Therefore, all mental activities had a complicated internal structure, and they must have an equally intricate physiological basis.

Hope the tips and examples above are useful for you. By the way, summarizing the sources you use is another way to avoid plagiarism – in case you mention the author, of course. If you need to summarize anything, use our free tool !

❓ Essay Rewriter Tool: FAQ

Rewrite means paraphrasing the original writing to obtain a new text. The level of plagiarism defines the quality of rewriting, i.e., the lower, the better. Currently, there are hundreds of free online rewriting tools, including Essay Rewriter, that can transform any text into an original with zero plagiarism.

• Read the source, making notes of the essentials.
• Start each sentence from a different point, as compared to the original.
• Rewrite only the most significant parts, leaving out the less critical ones.
• Skip all the previous issues and automatize the process with Essay Rewriter.

Essay Rewriter is the best online tool to rewrite an article. It allows choosing the paraphrasing level, depending on your needs. The entire process requires a couple of clicks. Its primary benefit is that it is absolutely free and simple to use.

Article rewriting is legal as long as you include a proper reference to the source and paraphrase it sufficiently to look original. Otherwise, the copyright holder may reveal your infringement. It can entail legal, financial, or reputational consequences. But the use of shared knowledge does not require any credit to the original. For example, the names of capitals, presidents, or nationalities are common knowledge.

Updated: Jun 28th, 2024

• 6 Ways to Rewrite Someone Else's Short Story - wikiHow
• How to Avoid Plagiarism: 5 Easy Methods | Grammarly
• Plagiarism | University of Oxford
• Quoting and Paraphrasing - UW-Madison Writing Center
• Paraphrase: Write It in Your Own Words - Purdue OWL
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Need to rephrase your text without wasting much time on the task? IvyPanda's free essay rewriter tool will make paraphrasing much quicker and easier. Just paste your text, choose the paraphrasing rate, and get a unique result within a few seconds!

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Avoiding plagiarism.

• Useful Databases at CSN Libraries
• Choosing a Research Topic
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• Citing in MLA

The entire section below came from a research guide from Iowa State University.  To avoid plagiarism, one must provide a reference to that source to indicate where the original information came from (see the "Source:" section below).

"There are many ways to avoid plagiarism, including developing good research habits, good time management, and taking responsibility for your own learning. Here are some specific tips:

• Don't procrastinate with your research and assignments. Good research takes time. Procrastinating makes it likely you'll run out of time or be unduly pressured to finish. This sort of pressure can often lead to sloppy research habits and bad decisions. Plan your research well in advance, and seek help when needed from your professor, from librarians and other campus support staff.
• Commit to doing your own work. If you don't understand an assignment, talk with your professor. Don't take the "easy way" out by asking your roommate or friends for copies of old assignments. A different aspect of this is group work. Group projects are very popular in some classes on campus, but not all. Make sure you clearly understand when your professor says it's okay to work with others on assignments and submit group work on assignments, versus when assignments and papers need to represent your  own  work.
•  Be 100% scrupulous   in your note taking. As you prepare your paper or research, and as you begin drafting your paper. One good practice is to clearly label in your notes your own ideas (write "ME" in parentheses) and ideas and words from others (write "SMITH, 2005" or something to indicate author, source, source date). Keep good records of the sources you consult, and the ideas you take from them. If you're writing a paper, you'll need this information for your bibliographies or references cited list anyway, so you'll benefit from good organization from the beginning.
• Cite your sources scrupulously. Always cite other people's work, words, ideas and phrases that you use directly or indirectly in your paper. Regardless of whether you found the information in a book, article, or website, and whether it's text, a graphic, an illustration, chart or table, you need to cite it. When you use words or phrases from other sources, these need to be in quotes. Current style manuals are available at most reference desks and online. They may also give further advice on avoiding plagiarism.
• Understand good paraphrasing. Simply using synonyms or scrambling an author's words and phrases and then using these "rewrites" uncredited in your work is plagiarism, plain and simple. Good paraphrasing requires that you genuinely understand the original source, that you are genuinely using your own words to summarize a point or concept, and that you insert in quotes any unique words or phrases you use from the original source.  Good paraphrasing also requires that you cite the original source.  Anything less and you veer into the dangerous territory of plagiarism."

Source: Vega García, S.A. (2012). Understanding plagiarism: Information literacy guide. Iowa State University. Retrieved from  http://instr.iastate.libguides.com/content.php?pid=10314 . [Accessed January 3, 2017]

• Preventing Plagiarism when Writing This is a link to further information on "Avoiding Plagiarism." Along with the information provided above, you can look here to check for plagiarism in your own papers.
• << Previous: Citing in MLA
• Last Updated: Aug 30, 2024 11:18 AM
• URL: https://libguides.csn.edu/c.php?g=1421365

AI for College Students

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• Media Generation
• AI and Plagiarism
• Ethical Use of AI in Academic Work
• Ethical Considerations and Concerns with AI
• Uses for AI
• Selected Books on AI

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else's work, ideas, or expressions as one's own without proper attribution. This includes:

• Copying text verbatim without quotation marks and citations
• Paraphrasing without citation
• Using ideas, concepts, or structures without acknowledging the source

Types of Plagiarism

• Global plagiarism:  passing off an entire text by someone else as your own work. Example: Taking a friend's paper, changing the name at the top to your own, and turning it in.
• Verbatim plagiarism:  directly copying someone else’s words. Example: Copying paragraphs, or even sentences, from an article and pasting them into your paper without including a citation.
• Paraphrasing plagiarism:  rephrasing someone else’s ideas to present them as your own. Example: Taking a unique concept from a book, building an argument around that concept, and using that as part of your paper.
• Patchwork plagiarism:  stitching together parts of different sources to create your text. Example: Taking part of a sentence from source A and part of a sentence from source B, making those two parts fit together into a new sentence and not giving credit to either source.
• Self-plagiarism:  recycling your own past work. Example: Using any part of anything you have written before for a new project. If you reuse any of your work, you must cite yourself.

How AI can lead to unintentional plagiarism

• Overreliance on AI-generated content without critical evaluation
• Difficulty in determining the originality of AI-generated text
• Blurred lines between assistance and authorship when using AI tools
• << Previous: Media Generation
• Next: Ethical Use of AI in Academic Work >>
• Last Updated: Aug 30, 2024 3:27 PM
• URL: https://libguides.marian.edu/ai-students

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Free plagiarism checker for students

If you are a college or university student, it can be easy to accidentally include borrowed information in your academic papers, even if you wrote it from scratch. To ensure that your work is completely original, using a plagiarism checker is recommended. Our free online plagiarism checker for students is a quick and easy tool that can help you avoid unintentional plagiarism and ensure that your work is unique.

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Using our plagiarism checker is simple and free, so you don't have to waste time manually checking your work or worry about paying for a service. With just a few clicks, you can have peace of mind knowing that your work is completely original and that you won't be penalized for any unintentional plagiarism.

Additionally, using a plagiarism checker can help you avoid paraphrasing errors that can also result in plagiarism. Our tool can help ensure that you are using your sources correctly and can save you from potential academic consequences.

In summary, our plagiarism checker for students is a convenient and reliable tool that can help you achieve academic success by ensuring the originality of your work. Don't risk unintentional plagiarism - use our free tool today and feel confident in the uniqueness of your academic papers.

Why choose our online plagiarism checker?

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We use the latest and best software to provide an advanced check that helps you receive high-quality papers. You can be sure that our checker will detect even the slightest similarity in your text.

Our plagiarism checker is user-friendly and easy to use. You can check your work in a few clicks, without wasting time or effort.

Many students have already confirmed that our free tool is a great and convenient feature that has helped them detect and fix errors that could have led to failure. With our checker, you will no longer need to search for another scanner.

In conclusion, our plagiarism checker is the best option for students who want to ensure the originality and quality of their work. Our tool is fast, safe, user-friendly, and free, making it the perfect choice for any student who wants to submit a unique and high-quality paper.

Are there consequences for using free plagiarism checkers?

Plagiarism is the act of copying someone else's work without proper attribution, whether intentional or not. Failing to acknowledge the author's work or presenting it as one's own is considered plagiarism. Even minor paraphrasing can result in lower grades and other severe consequences, such as expulsion from school or even damaging one's professional reputation.

It is crucial to understand the principles of academic integrity and honesty and to always check your work for plagiarism. This is especially important for students working on dissertations, theses, or other significant academic projects that require original research.

In addition to the ethical considerations, there are legal consequences for plagiarism. In some cases, it may even lead to litigation. Therefore, it is essential to be mindful of plagiarism and avoid it at all costs.

To avoid unintentional plagiarism, one should learn how to properly cite and reference sources, paraphrase effectively, and avoid copying and pasting. It is also important to use plagiarism checker tools to ensure the originality and uniqueness of one's work.

In summary, plagiarism is a serious offense that can have far-reaching consequences. It is crucial to understand its implications, adhere to academic integrity principles, and always check your work for plagiarism to avoid any negative consequences.

To further ensure your academic integrity, familiarizing yourself with different ways to avoid plagiarism can significantly enhance the originality of your work.

How does the online plagiarism checker function?

3-step plagiarism checker

Copy your documents and paste them into the free plagiarism checker

To check for plagiarism in a completed text, simply copy and paste it into the designated box on a plagiarism tool or website, select appropriate settings (if needed), and click "check for plagiarism". The process is quick and easy, taking only a few moments.

Wait for the scan

After clicking on "check for plagiarism", the system will scan your text and compare it with various sources to detect similarities. Typically, the time required depends on the length of the text. It only takes five minutes or less for our plagiarism checker to deliver percentage-based results.

Get the results within seconds

After the system completes the analysis, you will be directed to the reporting page. Here you will receive the general report on your work, including the uniqueness percentage and a list of sources where similarities were detected. On top of that, it also highlights any overlaps found.

Get your paper crafted from the ground up

Frequently asked questions, is it possible to check my paper for plagiarism for free, is it possible to identify plagiarism without using a plagiarism checker, can plagiarism be punished, is it possible to use the online plagiarism checker without paying, can you check my essay for plagiarism for free as i'm a student, is using a plagiarism checker safe, is the free online plagiarism checker same as the one that's used by my uni, what to expect from your essay checker for plagiarism with percentage.

• Essay Editor

How to End a College Essay: Strategies and Examples

Writing a college essay takes skill, but making a strong college essay conclusion is often the most important part. A great ending can make a big impact on your readers and bring your main ideas together. This guide will walk you through four strategies that will help you create impactful conclusions that resonate with your audience.

1. Writing a Memorable College Essay Conclusion

The conclusion of your essay is your last chance to strengthen your main points and leave a lasting impression. A well-written ending can make your whole essay better and more memorable.

Successful Essay Ending Examples

Here are some great ways to end an essay:

• Share a thoughtful idea that connects to your main point, giving a sense of closure and understanding.
• Quickly go over your main points, showing them in a new way.
• Discuss why your topic matters beyond just your essay.
• Link back to your introduction, making your writing feel complete.

Example: 

"When I started looking into how music affects the brain, I didn't know I'd find a connection to my grandmother's struggle with Alzheimer's. I learned that songs people know well can often bring back memories for patients, even when they have trouble talking. This discovery changed how I see music's power and gave me a new way to connect with my grandmother. When we hum her favorite songs together, I see hints of recognition in her eyes, reminding me that sometimes, big scientific ideas can have very personal effects."

Common Mistakes in Ending an Essay

Avoid these problems when writing your college essay conclusion:

• Adding new ideas: Your conclusion should bring together existing points, not introduce new information.
• Just repeating your main point: While it's important to remind readers of your main idea, simply saying it again word-for-word doesn't work well.
• Using overused phrases: Don't use expressions like "In conclusion" or "To sum up."
• Stopping too suddenly: Make sure your conclusion gives a feeling of completion and doesn't leave readers hanging.

Aithor's advanced language model can help you write compelling conclusions that avoid these common mistakes and enhance the overall impact of your essay.

2. Thought-Provoking Questions: A Powerful Way to End an Essay

Ending an essay with a question that makes people think can get your readers interested and encourage them to keep thinking about your topic. This approach leaves a strong impression and can make your essay more memorable.

"After looking at how social media changes how we see ourselves, we're left with an important question: Can we find a way to share our lives online while still living them fully offline? Maybe the answer isn't choosing between the online and real worlds, but learning how to connect well in both."

When using this method, make sure your question is:

• Related to your essay's main topic
• Open-ended, encouraging deeper thought
• Not easy to answer with just "yes" or "no"

3. How to End Your College Essay with a Call to Action

A call to action (CTA) in your conclusion can encourage your readers to do something based on the ideas you've talked about. This works well for essays about social issues, environmental problems, or personal growth topics.

"In this essay, we've looked at the problem of plastic in our oceans. Now, it's time to help fix it. Start by replacing one single-use plastic item you use every day with something you can use again. It could be as simple as using a reusable water bottle or bringing your own bags to the store. Tell your friends and family what you're doing. By taking these small steps, we're not just making less waste; we're starting a chain reaction that can lead to cleaner oceans and a healthier planet."

When writing a CTA for your college essay conclusion, make sure it's:

• Clear and easy to write
• Directly related to your essay's main points
• Something your readers can actually do

Aithor can assist you in writing perfect calls to action that connect with your readers and fit well with your essay's content.

4. Personal Anecdotes: An Engaging Essay Ending

Ending an essay with a personal story can help your readers feel connected to you and strengthen your main message. This approach makes your writing more relatable and human.

"Last summer, I helped at a local animal shelter. One day, they brought in an older, scruffy dog named Max. For weeks, people passed him by, always choosing younger, cuter puppies instead. I started spending extra time with Max, and slowly, his playful side came out. When a family finally took him home, the happiness on their faces – and Max's wagging tail – showed me how important it is to give every living thing a chance. This taught me more about patience, unfair judgments, and the power of second chances than any book ever could."

When using a personal story to end your college essay:

• Make sure it relates to your main topic
• Keep it short and powerful
• Use clear language to paint a picture for your readers

Tips on How to End a College Essay

To write a strong conclusion, think about these extra tips on how to end a college essay:

• Wrap up your main points clearly while suggesting how they might apply to other things or future ideas to keep your readers thinking.
• Make sure your conclusion sounds like the rest of your essay for a smooth, polished finish.
• Don't weaken your arguments by sounding unsure in your conclusion.
• Be extra careful with grammar and punctuation in your conclusion, as it's the last thing your readers will remember.
• Write your conclusion to connect with your specific readers, whether they're college admissions staff, teachers, or other students.
• Write a short and powerful conclusion that drives your main points home without repeating too much or using too many words.

Remember, your conclusion is your last chance to make a strong impression. Take your time to write it carefully, making sure it ties together your main points and shows why your essay matters.

For those wondering how to end a reflection paper, Aithor can help you improve your college essay conclusion, making sure it's polished, powerful, and fits your specific needs. This top writing tool can help you refine your essay ending examples and give you guidance on how to end a reflection paper or any other type of school writing.

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Referencing for your subject

This guide will help you understand why you need to reference. It also has a guide on how to use Harvard or Vancouver style referencing for a variety of different resources you might use for your academic work,  including books, journals, conference proceedings, websites, social media and more.

Citing references and avoiding plagiarism - online training

• Online tutorial: referencing and avoiding plagiarism This tutorial explains what plagiarism is and how to avoid it, why you should acknowledge your sources, an introduction to how to cite your references and to reference management software.
• Guide to references, citations and avoiding plagiarism This guide covers the role of referencing in academic writing and practice, and how to reference sources appropriately.

Referencing and avoiding plagiarism resources

• Referencing and avoiding plagiarism tutorial This tutorial explains what plagiarism is and how to avoid it and why and how you should acknowledge your sources,

• Guide to references, citations and avoiding plagiarism This guide will help you understand the importance of referencing and includes guides to a variety of referencing styles so you can pick the one used by your department.

Reference management software

Reference management software packages can help you:

• Create a personal database of references relevant to you, along with associated files.
• Insert references into a Word document and format them automatically in a referencing style of your choice.
• De-duplicate references retrieved from multiple sources.
• Share references with others.

There is a range of different software available; UCL Library Services provides support and guidance for EndNote, Zotero and Mendeley. These are all available to download for free or under UCL licences.

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• College essay

How to Write a College Essay | A Complete Guide & Examples

The college essay can make or break your application. It’s your chance to provide personal context, communicate your values and qualities, and set yourself apart from other students.

A standout essay has a few key ingredients:

• A unique, personal topic
• A compelling, well-structured narrative
• A clear, creative writing style
• Evidence of self-reflection and insight

To achieve this, it’s crucial to give yourself enough time for brainstorming, writing, revision, and feedback.

In this comprehensive guide, we walk you through every step in the process of writing a college admissions essay.

Table of contents

Why do you need a standout essay, start organizing early, choose a unique topic, outline your essay, start with a memorable introduction, write like an artist, craft a strong conclusion, revise and receive feedback, frequently asked questions.

While most of your application lists your academic achievements, your college admissions essay is your opportunity to share who you are and why you’d be a good addition to the university.

Your college admissions essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s total weight一and may account for even more with some colleges making the SAT and ACT tests optional. The college admissions essay may be the deciding factor in your application, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

What do colleges look for in an essay?

Admissions officers want to understand your background, personality, and values to get a fuller picture of you beyond your test scores and grades. Here’s what colleges look for in an essay :

• Demonstrated values and qualities
• Vulnerability and authenticity
• Self-reflection and insight
• Creative, clear, and concise writing skills

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

It’s a good idea to start organizing your college application timeline in the summer of your junior year to make your application process easier. This will give you ample time for essay brainstorming, writing, revision, and feedback.

While timelines will vary for each student, aim to spend at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing your first draft and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Remember to leave enough time for breaks in between each writing and editing stage.

Create an essay tracker sheet

If you’re applying to multiple schools, you will have to juggle writing several essays for each one. We recommend using an essay tracker spreadsheet to help you visualize and organize the following:

• Deadlines and number of essays needed
• Prompt overlap, allowing you to write one essay for similar prompts

You can build your own essay tracker using our free Google Sheets template.

College essay tracker template

Ideally, you should start brainstorming college essay topics the summer before your senior year. Keep in mind that it’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic.

If you want to write about a common essay topic, such as a sports injury or volunteer work overseas, think carefully about how you can make it unique and personal. You’ll need to demonstrate deep insight and write your story in an original way to differentiate it from similar essays.

What makes a good topic?

• Meaningful and personal to you
• Uncommon or has an unusual angle
• Reveals something different from the rest of your application

Brainstorming questions

You should do a comprehensive brainstorm before choosing your topic. Here are a few questions to get started:

• What are your top five values? What lived experiences demonstrate these values?
• What adjectives would your friends and family use to describe you?
• What challenges or failures have you faced and overcome? What lessons did you learn from them?
• What makes you different from your classmates?
• What are some objects that represent your identity, your community, your relationships, your passions, or your goals?
• Whom do you admire most? Why?
• What three people have significantly impacted your life? How did they influence you?

How to identify your topic

Here are two strategies for identifying a topic that demonstrates your values:

• Start with your qualities : First, identify positive qualities about yourself; then, brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities.
• Start with a story : Brainstorm a list of memorable life moments; then, identify a value shown in each story.

After choosing your topic, organize your ideas in an essay outline , which will help keep you focused while writing. Unlike a five-paragraph academic essay, there’s no set structure for a college admissions essay. You can take a more creative approach, using storytelling techniques to shape your essay.

Two common approaches are to structure your essay as a series of vignettes or as a single narrative.

Vignettes structure

The vignette, or montage, structure weaves together several stories united by a common theme. Each story should demonstrate one of your values or qualities and conclude with an insight or future outlook.

This structure gives the admissions officer glimpses into your personality, background, and identity, and shows how your qualities appear in different areas of your life.

Topic: Museum with a “five senses” exhibit of my experiences

• Introduction: Tour guide introduces my museum and my “Making Sense of My Heritage” exhibit
• Story: Racial discrimination with my eyes
• Lesson: Using my writing to document truth
• Story: Broadway musical interests
• Lesson: Finding my voice
• Story: Smells from family dinner table
• Lesson: Appreciating home and family
• Story: Washing dishes
• Lesson: Finding moments of peace in busy schedule
• Story: Biking with Ava
• Lesson: Finding pleasure in job well done
• Conclusion: Tour guide concludes tour, invites guest to come back for “fall College Collection,” featuring my search for identity and learning.

Single story structure

The single story, or narrative, structure uses a chronological narrative to show a student’s character development over time. Some narrative essays detail moments in a relatively brief event, while others narrate a longer journey spanning months or years.

Single story essays are effective if you have overcome a significant challenge or want to demonstrate personal development.

Topic: Sports injury helps me learn to be a better student and person

• Situation: Football injury
• Challenge: Friends distant, teachers don’t know how to help, football is gone for me
• Turning point: Starting to like learning in Ms. Brady’s history class; meeting Christina and her friends
• My reactions: Reading poetry; finding shared interest in poetry with Christina; spending more time studying and with people different from me
• Insight: They taught me compassion and opened my eyes to a different lifestyle; even though I still can’t play football, I’m starting a new game

Brainstorm creative insights or story arcs

Regardless of your essay’s structure, try to craft a surprising story arc or original insights, especially if you’re writing about a common topic.

Never exaggerate or fabricate facts about yourself to seem interesting. However, try finding connections in your life that deviate from cliché storylines and lessons.

Admissions officers read thousands of essays each year, and they typically spend only a few minutes reading each one. To get your message across, your introduction , or hook, needs to grab the reader’s attention and compel them to read more..

Avoid starting your introduction with a famous quote, cliché, or reference to the essay itself (“While I sat down to write this essay…”).

While you can sometimes use dialogue or a meaningful quotation from a close family member or friend, make sure it encapsulates your essay’s overall theme.

Find an original, creative way of starting your essay using the following two methods.

Option 1: Start with an intriguing hook

Begin your essay with an unexpected statement to pique the reader’s curiosity and compel them to carefully read your essay. A mysterious introduction disarms the reader’s expectations and introduces questions that can only be answered by reading more.

Option 2: Start with vivid imagery

Illustrate a clear, detailed image to immediately transport your reader into your memory. You can start in the middle of an important scene or describe an object that conveys your essay’s theme.

A college application essay allows you to be creative in your style and tone. As you draft your essay, try to use interesting language to enliven your story and stand out .

Show, don’t tell

“Tell” in writing means to simply state a fact: “I am a basketball player.” “ Show ” in writing means to use details, examples, and vivid imagery to help the reader easily visualize your memory: “My heart races as I set up to shoot一two seconds, one second一and score a three-pointer!”

First, reflect on every detail of a specific image or scene to recall the most memorable aspects.

• What are the most prominent images?
• Are there any particular sounds, smells, or tastes associated with this memory?
• What emotion or physical feeling did you have at that time?

Be vulnerable to create an emotional response

You don’t have to share a huge secret or traumatic story, but you should dig deep to express your honest feelings, thoughts, and experiences to evoke an emotional response. Showing vulnerability demonstrates humility and maturity. However, don’t exaggerate to gain sympathy.

Use appropriate style and tone

Make sure your essay has the right style and tone by following these guidelines:

• Use a conversational yet respectful tone: less formal than academic writing, but more formal than texting your friends.
• Prioritize using “I” statements to highlight your perspective.
• Write within your vocabulary range to maintain an authentic voice.
• Write concisely, and use the active voice to keep a fast pace.
• Follow grammar rules (unless you have valid stylistic reasons for breaking them).

You should end your college essay with a deep insight or creative ending to leave the reader with a strong final impression. Your college admissions essay should avoid the following:

• Summarizing what you already wrote
• Stating your hope of being accepted to the school
• Mentioning character traits that should have been illustrated in the essay, such as “I’m a hard worker”

Here are two strategies to craft a strong conclusion.

Option 1: Full circle, sandwich structure

The full circle, or sandwich, structure concludes the essay with an image, idea, or story mentioned in the introduction. This strategy gives the reader a strong sense of closure.

In the example below, the essay concludes by returning to the “museum” metaphor that the writer opened with.

Option 2: Revealing your insight

You can use the conclusion to show the insight you gained as a result of the experiences you’ve described. Revealing your main message at the end creates suspense and keeps the takeaway at the forefront of your reader’s mind.

Revise your essay before submitting it to check its content, style, and grammar. Get feedback from no more than two or three people.

It’s normal to go through several rounds of revision, but take breaks between each editing stage.

Also check out our college essay examples to see what does and doesn’t work in an essay and the kinds of changes you can make to improve yours.

Respect the word count

Most schools specify a word count for each essay , and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit.

Remain under the specified word count limit to show you can write concisely and follow directions. However, don’t write too little, which may imply that you are unwilling or unable to write a thoughtful and developed essay.

Check your content, style, and grammar

• First, check big-picture issues of message, flow, and clarity.
• Then, check for style and tone issues.
• Finally, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

Get feedback

Get feedback from 2–3 people who know you well, have good writing skills, and are familiar with college essays.

• Teachers and guidance counselors can help you check your content, language, and tone.
• Friends and family can check for authenticity.
• An essay coach or editor has specialized knowledge of college admissions essays and can give objective expert feedback.

The checklist below helps you make sure your essay ticks all the boxes.

College admissions essay checklist

I’ve organized my essay prompts and created an essay writing schedule.

I’ve done a comprehensive brainstorm for essay topics.

I’ve selected a topic that’s meaningful to me and reveals something different from the rest of my application.

I’ve created an outline to guide my structure.

I’ve crafted an introduction containing vivid imagery or an intriguing hook that grabs the reader’s attention.

I’ve written my essay in a way that shows instead of telling.

I’ve shown positive traits and values in my essay.

I’ve demonstrated self-reflection and insight in my essay.

I’ve used appropriate style and tone .

I’ve concluded with an insight or a creative ending.

I’ve revised my essay , checking my overall message, flow, clarity, and grammar.

I’ve respected the word count , remaining within 10% of the upper word limit.

Congratulations!

It looks like your essay ticks all the boxes. A second pair of eyes can help you take it to the next level – Scribbr's essay coaches can help.

Colleges want to be able to differentiate students who seem similar on paper. In the college application essay , they’re looking for a way to understand each applicant’s unique personality and experiences.

Your college essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s weight. It may be the deciding factor in whether you’re accepted, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurricular track records.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

• A unique, personally meaningful topic
• A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
• Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
• Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
• Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
• A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

While timelines will differ depending on the student, plan on spending at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing the first draft of your college admissions essay , and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Don’t forget to save enough time for breaks between each writing and editing stage.

You should already begin thinking about your essay the summer before your senior year so that you have plenty of time to try out different topics and get feedback on what works.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

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• Open access
• Published: 23 August 2024

Knowledge and practices of plagiarism among journal editors of Nepal

• Krishna Subedi   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5409-1751 1 ,
• Nuwadatta Subedi 2 &
• Rebicca Ranjit 3  

Research Integrity and Peer Review volume  9 , Article number:  9 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

160 Accesses

8 Altmetric

Metrics details

This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and ongoing practices of plagiarism among the journal editors of Nepal.

This web-based questionnaire analytical cross-sectional was conducted among journal editors working across various journals in Nepal. All journal editors from NepJOL-indexed journals in Nepal who provided e-consent were included in the study using a convenience sampling technique.

A final set of questionnaires was prepared using Google Forms, including six knowledge questions, three practice questions (with subsets) for authors, and four (with subsets) for editors. These were distributed to journal editors in Nepal via email, Facebook Messenger, Viber, and WhatsApp. Reminders were sent weekly, up to three times.

Data analysis was done in R software. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for the demographic variables, correct responses regarding knowledge, and practices related to plagiarism. Independent t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare mean knowledge with demographic variables. For all tests, statistical significance was set at p  < 0.05.

A total of 147 participants completed the survey.The mean age of the participants was found to be 43.61 ± 8.91 years. Nearly all participants were aware of plagiarism, and most had heard of both Turnitin and iThenticate. Slightly more than three-fourths correctly identified that citation and referencing can avoid plagiarism. The overall mean knowledge score was 5.32 ± 0.99, with no significant differences across demographic variables.

As authors, 4% admitted to copying sections of others' work without acknowledgment and reusing their own published work without proper citations. Just over one-fifth did not use plagiarism detection software when writing research articles. Fewer than half reported that their journals used authentic plagiarism detection software.

Four-fifths of them suspected plagiarism in the manuscripts assigned through their journal. Three out of every five participants reported the plagiarism used in the manuscript to the respective authors. Nearly all participants believe every journal must have plagiarism-detection software.

Conclusions

Although journal editors' knowledge and practices regarding plagiarism appear to be high, they are still not satisfactory. It is strongly recommended to use authentic plagiarism detection software by the journals and editors should be adequately trained and update their knowledge about it.

Peer Review reports

Introduction

With the rise in the number of publications, misconduct in research is increasing which is a global threat to evidence-based research [ 1 ]. The National Academy of Sciences in the United States (US) in 1992 defined misconduct in science as “fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism, in proposing, performing, or reporting research” [ 2 ]. Plagiarism is possibly the most serious and widely recognized violations of ethical standards [ 3 ].

World Association of Medical Editors has defined plagiarism as the “use of others' published and unpublished ideas or words (or other intellectual property) without attribution or permission, and presenting them as new and original rather than derived from an existing source” [ 4 ]. The US Office of Research Integrity (ORI) defined plagiarism as “both the theft or misappropriation of intellectual property and the substantial unattributed textual copying of another's work. This does not pertain to authorship or credit disputes ” [ 5 ]. Self-plagiarism occurs when an author reuses sections of their previous writings on the same subject in another publication without providing proper citation using quotation marks [ 4 ].

Poor quality of the journal and lack of education regarding plagiarism are the two reasons besides many other reasons for plagiarism [ 6 ]. To overcome this problem, software (iThenticate, Turnitin, Grammarly, PlagScan, Plagiarism Scanner, etc.) has been developed to detect plagiarism [ 7 , 8 ].

Though the exact prevalence of plagiarism in Nepal is not known, several incidents related to plagiarism across universities have been reported [ 9 ]. Seven researchers, including professors and PhD students, were penalized after plagiarism was detected in Nepal [ 10 ].

Till date, there are no any published literature available regarding the knowledge and practices of editors regarding plagiarism in Nepal. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the knowledge and ongoing practices of plagiarism among the journal editors of Nepal.

Study design, setting, and participants

This was a web-based analytical cross-sectional questionnaire-based study conducted among journal editors working across various journals in Nepal. The data collection was done from 1st December 2023 to 30th April 2024.

All Nepali journals listed in Nepal Journal Online (NepJOL) with available Email IDs of the editorial team on their website and journals that have updated their website after 2020 were included. All journal editors from NepJOL-indexed journals in Nepal who provided e-consent were included in the study using a convenience sampling technique.

Data collection technique

Demographic characteristics including age, sex, education, province, duration of working in the journal, and number of publications were recorded.

The questionnaires included the knowledge and self-reported practice components. Knowledge components include ten items that were taken from previous research [ 11 ] as well as prepared by the authors. Self-reported practice components included practice as an author and practice as a journal editor. Self-reported practice as an author includes six items and as an editor includes four items. The content validity of the questionnaire was done by sending questions to five experts. Lynn indicated that at least three experts are required and five experts will provide a sufficient level of agreement whereas using more than 10 experts will be of no use in calculating the content validity [ 12 ]. Each member of the panel was asked to respond to the following question for each of the items: Is the skill (or knowledge) measured by this item for the essential scale to measure knowledge and practice of plagiarism among journal editors as 1 = Not essential; 2 = Useful but not essential; 3 = Essential, relevant scale as: 1 = Not relevant; 2 = Somewhat relevant (need some revision); 3 = Quite relevant (need minor revision); 4 = Very relevant and clarity scale as: 1 = Not clear; 2 = Item needs some revision; 3 = Very clear [ 13 ].

Content validity Index (CVI): CVI is the most widely reported approach for content validity in instrument development and can be computed using the Item-CVI (I-CVI). I-CVI is computed as the number of experts giving a rating of “very relevant” for each item divided by the total number of experts. Values range from 0 to 1 where the item is relevant if I-CVI > 0.79, the item needs revision if it is between 0.70 and 0.79, and if the value is below 0.70, the item is eliminated [ 14 , 15 ]. A I-CVIs ≥ 0.78 have excellent content validity [ 15 , 16 ].

Questions were distributed to five experts for content validation through email. Experts chosen were highly knowledgeable in research and plagiarism, and have experience working as editors for both national and international journals. Experts provided their opinions via email, and their responses were analyzed for the I-CVI. Two questions from the knowledge section and three questions from the practice as an author section were removed as the I-CVI score was less than 1.0. Therefore final set of questionnaire included eight questions for knowledge, three questions (with subsets) for practice as an author and four questions (with subsets) as an editor. Two questions from the knowledge Sect. (1. Are you aware of plagiarism? 2. Have you heard about any plagiarism detection software?) were put in the demographic sections as these questions could not measure the knowledge. Therefore a total of six questions were for the knowledge section. Each of the six questions had a single correct answer with a binary outcome coded as one for correct and zero for incorrect. Every correct answer was scored as one, while incorrect answers were scored as zero. An overall composite score was then calculated by summing the individual scores for each question. The highest possible knowledge score for each individual was six.

The prepared questionnaires underwent pilot testing among journal editors of a medical journal to assess readability and comprehension. Items in the questionnaire that were found to be confusing to the editors were subsequently revised.

The final questionnaires were prepared using Google Forms and sent via email, Facebook Messenger, Viber, and Whats app to the various journal editors in Nepal. There were a total of 396 journals listed in NepJOL. Out of which 16 were no longer being published, 12 had not updated their journal since 2020, two had changed their name, 60 had no contact lists on their website on the date of March 15, 2024. Therefore a total of 306 journals were selected and 497 editors were contacted using their Email-Ids. In some journals, only the Email IDs of the Editor-in-Chief and/or managing editors were available, but not for all editorial teams. In such cases, an Email was sent to the designated address with a request to circulate the link to their editorial team members. NepJOL is a comprehensive database that features journals published in Nepal across various academic disciplines. All materials on NepJOL are freely available for viewing, searching, and browsing. However, the copyright of all content is retained by the journals or authors. This resource is managed by the Tribhuvan University Central Library and hosted by Ubiquity Press [ 17 ].

A set of questionnaire was sent a maximum of three times, once a week as a reminder. Questionnaires that were not responded to even after a reminder of three times were not considered in the analysis.

Dependent Variables: Knowledge and practice of journal editors.

Independent Variables: Sex, role in a journal, working province, working experience in journal (in years), and number of publications.

Ethical consideration and informed consent

Ethical clearance was obtained from Gandaki Medical College -Institutional Review Committee (ref no: 08/080/081-F). Electronic informed consent was taken from all participants before starting the survey. The survey was anonymous, and confidentiality was ensured.

Statistical analysis

All data in the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet linked to the online survey Google form was imported into R. The frequencies and percentages were calculated for background characteristics, knowledge, and practice scores of plagiarism. Independent t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare mean knowledge with demographic variables. For all tests, statistical significance was set at p  < 0.05.

The reliability of the factors and scales was based on I-CVI value.

A total of 147 participants completed the survey with a response rate of 29.58% (147/497). The mean age of the participants was found to be 43.61 ± 8.91 (ranging from 22.0 to 67.0) years. More than two-thirds of the participants were male. Bagmati province accounted for over half of the participants, while Madhesh province represented less than 3%. Just over half of the participants had completed master's level education. Approximately half comprised the editorial team members. Slightly more than half of the participants were affiliated with biomedical journals. More than six out of every ten participants had published 10 or more research articles. Nearly all participants were aware of plagiarism, and the majority had heard of both plagiarism software: Turnitin and iThenticate (Table  1 ).

The majority of participants correctly answered questions about plagiarism, with almost everyone agreeing that plagiarism can be a severe form of ethical misconduct. Additionally, slightly more than three-fourths of participants correctly identified that citation and referencing can be used to avoid plagiarism (Table  2 ).

As an author, 4% had ever copied and pasted a section of someone's else work without acknowledgment and quotation as well as reused their published work without proper citations and references. Just over one-fifth of the participants did not use plagiarism detection software when writing research articles. Among those who did use such software, two-fifths utilized freely available online tools, while nearly a quarter used Turnitin, and another quarter used iThenticate (Table  3 ).

Fewer than half of the participants indicated that the journals they worked for used authentic plagiarism detection software. Among them almost half of the journal used iThenticate as a plagiarism detection software. Almost 18% didn't mentioned the name of software their journal were using.

Four-fifths of them suspected plagiarism in the manuscripts assigned through their journal. Three out of every five participants reported the plagiarism used in the manuscript to the respective authors. Nearly all participants believe it is necessary for every journal to have plagiarism detection software (Table  4 ).

The overall mean knowledge score of the participants was 5.32 ± 0.99. No significant difference was found in mean knowledge across various demographic variables (Table  5 ).

This study is unique compared to others on similar topics because it exclusively involves journal editors, whereas previous studies have not focused specifically on this group.

The reason for not conducting similar studies on journal editors might be the assumption that editors are already well aware of plagiarism, making it seem unnecessary to study their knowledge on the topic.

However, the authors of this study believe that not all editors and journals may be fully informed about plagiarism, and even if they are aware, they may not be practicing proper plagiarism control. It is crucial for those in central roles to thoroughly understand and implement anti-plagiarism measures. This ensures they can identify and minimize plagiarism in manuscripts submitted to their journals.

Due to a lack of similar studies, comparisons are made with the few available studies. A study conducted by Smart et al. among journal editors found that 2–5% of submitted manuscripts were plagiarized [ 18 ].

The results of the study showed that overall knowledge and practice related to plagiarism seem to be higher.

Bagmati province accounted for over half of the participants, while Madhesh province had less than 3%. Bagmati Province is the most populous in Nepal, and most developmental and research activities are highly centralized there compared to other provinces. Additionally, Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, is located in Bagmati Province, where a larger number of journals and editors are based. This could explain the higher number of participants from this province. Additionally, the lack of personal communication with the editors form other provinces might be another contributing factor.

Nearly one in seven participants disagreed that using other’s image or video without receiving proper permission or providing appropriate citations is plagiarism. While this number may seem low in general, it is relatively high for journal editors. Journal editors should be well-trained and regularly updated on issues of plagiarism.

Almost 15% of the participants disagreed that paraphrasing or quoting can be used to avoid plagiarism which is higher as compared to a study done by Phyo et al. [ 11 ]. The reason may be due to the fact that most of the editors have completed master or Ph.D. courses and already have done research whereas in the study done by Phyo et al. involved postgraduate students.

More than one-fifth of the participants disagreed that citation and referencing can be used to avoid plagiarism which is lower as compared to a study done by Phyo et al. [ 11 ].

Around one in eleven disagreed that plagiarism detection software can be used to avoid or detect plagiarism which is lower as compared to a study done by Phyo et al. [ 11 ]. This supports the authors' opinion that not all editors are fully aware of or trained in handling plagiarism. Therefore, it's crucial for all journal editors to receive training and updates on plagiarism to effectively manage manuscripts and check for plagiarism. The other reason may be the accuracy of the software detection. Some software may not accurately detect plagiarism. It can incorrectly flag properly cited and referenced material as non-original content [ 19 ].

Almost 5% disagreed that authors reusing their previously written work or data in a ‘new’ written article without citation and referencing is plagiarism. This percentage is lower compared to university students, where one-quarter of the participants did not know that self-plagiarism is considered plagiarism [ 20 ].

Almost all agreed that plagiarism can be a very serious form of ethical misconduct. It is universally acknowledged that plagiarism is a serious ethical misconduct. Authors should be fully aware of this before writing a research manuscript to minimize or avoid instances of plagiarism.

Practice as an author

Almost 4% ever copied and pasted a section of someone else’s work without acknowledgment and quotation and a similar proportion reused their work that has been published in one journal without proper citations and references. There are no directly comparable studies. However, a study by Gupta et al. [ 21 ] reported that slightly less than one-fifth of the participants, who were editors and researchers, had published articles containing copied parts.

Just over one-fifth of the participants did not use plagiarism detection software when writing research articles which is almost similar to a study done by Gupta et al. [ 21 ] where one-fourth of the participants did not use any form of plagiarism detection software.

Practice as an editor

Fewer than half of the participants indicated that the journals they worked for used authentic plagiarism detection software. It is crucial for every journal to use authentic plagiarism detection software, as freely available online tools may not accurately detect all instances of plagiarism [ 22 ]. Cost may be a factor in choosing plagiarism detection software. Individuals can use freely available tools cautiously, but it is always recommended that journals or institutions use authentic, reliable software.

Four-fifths of them suspected plagiarism in the manuscripts assigned to them, which is higher than the findings of Smart et al., where just under two-thirds reported experiencing some plagiarized submissions. The larger percentage in this study may be because participants only suspected plagiarism, while in the study by Smart et al., they reported confirmed cases of plagiarism [ 18 ]. This indicates that a significant number of manuscripts were suspected of plagiarism. To confirm these suspicions, reliable software should be used before corresponding with the authors.

Three out of every five participants reported the plagiarism used in the manuscript to the respective authors. It is recommended to report detected plagiarism to both the author and the journal. Failure to do so can harm the author’s career and damage the journal’s reputation.

The primary reason that not all editors were well-informed about plagiarism may be that they were trained in editorial processing but did not receive specific training on plagiarism.

Limitations

Due to the use of convenience sampling and social media for data collection, the survey may have primarily attracted participants who were genuinely interested and had better knowledge. Those with less knowledge might not have participated, potentially leading to over-reporting. Social desirability bias could have occurred. This may lead to more positive responses in knowledge as well as in practice-based questionnaires. Since this study includes only journal editors from Nepal, its findings cannot be generalized beyond the country. However, the study participants include editors working in various areas of Nepal, covering a wide range of disciplines, the results could be generalized to the Nepalese population.

Although journal editors' knowledge and practices regarding plagiarism appear to be high, they are still not satisfactory. It is strongly recommended to use authentic plagiarism detection software by the journals and editors should be adequately trained and update their knowledge about it. Authors should also be aware of plagiarism and its consequences when writing and submitting a research manuscript to a journal.

Availability of data and materials

Data will be made available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author (Krishna Subedi).

Abbreviations

Content validity Index

Nepal Journal Online

Office of Research Integrity

United States

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KS participated in selecting the research title, conducted statistical analysis, contributed to the study design, and drafted the manuscript. KS, NS, and RR conducted the studies, literature search, and participated in data collection. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

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Subedi, K., Subedi, N. & Ranjit, R. Knowledge and practices of plagiarism among journal editors of Nepal. Res Integr Peer Rev 9 , 9 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41073-024-00149-5

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Received : 22 May 2024

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s41073-024-00149-5

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