Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism

Plagiarism is something that almost all content writers need to be wary about. Regardless of whether an incident is accidental or intentional, plagiarism is a definite no-no and you can lose clients forever if you aren't careful. This is especially true when rewriting existing content. Here are a few tips that can help. Some of these tips may be glaringly obvious but having them spelled out in a list can help keep lot of content writers on their toes.

1. When researching a topic, avoid copy pasting researched material into the same word document that you are using to write your article. If copy pasting cannot be avoided, highlight the copy pasted content or use a different font color so you will be able to delete all of the copy pasted content after you are done writing your article.

2. Make it a habit to paraphrase 100% of your source material. Once this becomes second nature to you, it is almost impossible to commit accidental plagiarism. Even just three consecutive unchanged words could result in accidental plagiarism so make sure to change everything.

3. When looking for sources, make it a habit to mix things up. If ideas are presented in a certain order in your source materials, then shuffle the manner in which these ideas are presented. This is especially effective when making list or bullet type article sections. However, this can also be used on individual sentences or even on entire paragraphs.

4. Increase your vocabulary and use synonyms as often as possible. However, stay away from obscure and relatively unknown synonyms. Readability is still a priority.

5. When using very long keywords, use as many sources as possible to avoid plagiarism. If sources are scarce, use a different angle of attack relative to your source material. If your source material is a “how to” type article, then use an anecdotal style of writing or other writing styles that are different from the source.

 

I can honestly say that, in all my years of writing content for clients, I have never once had an issue with plagiarism.

And I dare say anyone who creates the content from scratch will ever have that problem, either.

 

Thank you, this is exactly what I was going to say. The best way to avoid stealing others' work is to write your own content from scratch. Although ideas may be similar, your own words will rarely if ever be those of another.

 

Thank you for these great ideas. I think that Plagiarism not only cause problems to the author, but it is a problem for the person that is using their stuff. It limits the ability of that person that create something. This type of person relies on other for the work, and this is bad!!!!

 

Yes, at first you will find it difficult to write in your own style. After writing more and more then you will find it easier to just write from scratch than to copy paste other people work.

 

Great tips, thank you. What if your article is being translated to other language? It still considered as plagiarism, right?

 

Yes.

 

So much information for a writer like me.. Thanks for posting this!

 

It is obvious that while writing the content, one need to go through some other Author's raw data or attend some other source data because of human limitations as no one is having perfect knowledge about all the differentiated topics and points, so this tips can be very useful for writers from the issue of plagiarism.

 

Here is how I write the content of my web sites, I have a habit, I sit and watch football (go the Bronco's, the ones from Denver I mean) and read blogs and other web sites content on my tablet at the same time. Then when I am ready I sit down and write the article, but I use voice recognition software, so it is like I am talking to a friend when I am writing. I do not care how long the article is, I complete it, that is most important.

Finally I run it through at least 2 (I have 4 of them) different plagiarism checkers and so far every time, I am done, post it to the site and it is finished.

 

Just what's needed on a writers forum...what amounts to a set of instructions on how to rewrite and steal other people's work and not get caught. sigh

 

Just rewriting is still plagiarism but taking ideas and reinventing them isn't in my book, if it was we would still be walking around naked and living in trees, wouldn't we.

I know the zealots argue that taking any idea and reinventing it is theft and anyone who does it should be shot, fatally. But they forget, things like the automobile are just such things, one guy looked at the world one day and went, wow, I can make a fortune here, put an engine that someone else invented into a carriage that someone else also invented and presto, a car, and just for good measure, turn all those smelly horses into canned dog food, all around winner don't you all think?

I think aircraft and mobile phones and computers are all things "invented" this way, so was Steve Jobs a plagiarizing thief or a genius, I know what I think but the hypocrisy around now days amazes me regularly.

 

For the record too, working with someone else's idea is a compliment I think.

 

Let's not confuse honest research with rewriting other people's work.

The zealot in me came out because the author of this thread is not talking about research but rewriting.

Research is mentioned in the first suggestion but the premise of why we have been given this advice is avoiding plagiarism and the chance of committing it "is especially true when rewriting existing content."

 

Do you think that you're comment on post #11 made you a zealot? Gee, I'd hate to see what happens when you get *really* angry!

 

Not in the least. Was just repeating the inappropriate words of someone else.

 

Never had a problem with plagiarism at all and nor do I have to worry as I always write original content! The ideas are great by the way thanks for sharing! Much appreciated! seogenerals!