When you paraphrase, you restate someone else's ideas in your own words. To do this, you need to:
- Read the original source carefully and understand the author's main points.
- Put the source aside and write down what you remember about the author's main points.
- Check your paraphrased information for accuracy and completeness.
2. Use quotation marks to indicate direct quotes.
If you copy any words directly from the original source, you must put them in quotation marks. This includes both short and long quotes.
3. Cite your sources.
When you use information from another source, you must cite the source so that your readers can find it if they want to learn more. There are many different citation styles, so be sure to use the style that is required by your teacher or professor.
4. Be original.
Your essay should be your own work, not a rehash of someone else's research. Make sure to add your own thoughts and ideas to the information you gather from other sources.
Here are some additional tips for avoiding plagiarism:
- When you're researching, take notes on the information you find. This will help you remember the information and avoid copying it word-for-word.
- Be careful not to copy and paste information from the internet. If you do need to copy and paste information, be sure to put it in quotation marks and cite the source.
- When you're writing your essay, make sure to give credit to the authors of the sources you used. This can be done by citing the sources in the text of your essay or by creating a list of references at the end of your essay.
By following these tips, you can avoid plagiarism and write a unique and original essay.