Academic plagiarism and ways to avoid it

Ensure to conduct a thorough plagiarism check prior to submitting your manuscript to a journal. Time constraints and language barriers may inadvertently lead to instances of plagiarism. Such occurrences are considered breaches of ethical publication norms by journals and frequently result in rejection. Moreover, they can significantly tarnish an author’s standing and trustworthiness within the research community.

What is plagiarism?
The present study explores the major reasons for committing plagiarism, as reported in published literature. One hundred sixty-six peer-reviewed articles, which were retrieved from the Scopus database, were carefully examined to find out the research studies conducted to explore the most common reasons for academic cheating among students and researchers in different disciplines in higher education [1]. Plagiarism refers to the act of using someone else’s work, ideas, or intellectual property without proper attribution or permission. It involves presenting another person’s content as your own, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Plagiarism can occur in various forms, such as copying text, paraphrasing without citation, or even using someone else’s images, data, or research findings without acknowledgment. Academic institutions, publishers, and professional communities take plagiarism seriously, as it undermines originality, credibility, and ethical standards. To avoid plagiarism, always give credit to the original sources through proper citations and references.

What are the types of plagiarism in Academia? 

Plagiarism is the most common problem in the academic world in today’s scenario. There are many misconceptions emerging in the publishing spectrum that leads to the development of a perplexed attitude of the researchers/ academicians [2].

Here are the most common types:

1. Global Plagiarism:
   • Description: Passing off an entire text by someone else as your own work.
   • Example: Submitting an essay written entirely by someone else or using an online text without proper attribution.
   • Severity: Most serious type of plagiarism with severe consequences.
2. Verbatim Plagiarism (Direct Plagiarism):
   • Description: Directly copying and pasting someone else’s words into your work without proper citation.
   • Example: Using identical or slightly altered text from a source without quotation marks or acknowledgment.
   • Solution: Properly quote the original source and include an in-text citation.
3. Paraphrasing Plagiarism:
   • Description: Rephrasing someone else’s ideas to present them as your own.
   • Example: Rewriting content without giving credit to the original author.
   • Solution: Properly paraphrase and cite the source.
4. Patchwork Plagiarism:
   • Description: Stitching together parts of different sources to create your own text.
   • Example: Combining sentences or paragraphs from various sources without proper attribution.
   • Solution: Clearly attribute each borrowed segment.
5. Self-Plagiarism:
   • Description: Recycling your own past work without acknowledgment.
   • Example: Reusing parts of a previous paper in a new submission.
   • Solution: Always cite your own previous work if you reuse it.

In the realm of academic inquiry, research endeavors serve the crucial purpose of addressing gaps in existing knowledge. To underscore these gaps effectively, researchers diligently reference prior studies to elucidate the landscape of established knowledge. The quality of an academic enterprise relies on the quality of its research outputs. And the quality of a research work primarily based on its originality. But at present the major problem of academic research is ‘plagiarism‘ which means “the practice of taking someone else’s work or idea and passing them as one’s own.” Due to the advent of internet, researchers find ‘cut and paste’ as instant solution while conducting research [3]. The following tips will help authors check for plagiarism before submitting their work to a journal.

1. Keep Track of Your Sources:
   • Organize your research notes and compile a list of citations as you go.
   • Clearly label which thoughts are yours and which come from external sources.
   • Highlight statements that require proper citations.
   • For example, when discussing global warming, ensure you credit specific claims and data.
2. Avoid Plagiarism When Quoting:
   • When directly quoting from a source, use quotation marks and provide in-text citations.
   • Include the author’s name, publication year, and page number (if applicable).
3. Avoid Plagiarism When Paraphrasing:
   • Paraphrase content in your own words, but still credit the original author.
   • Ensure that your paraphrased content reflects your understanding.
4. Cite Your Sources Correctly:
   • Use a consistent citation style (such as APA, MLA, or Chicago).
   • Include all necessary details: author(s), title, publication date, and source.
5. Use a Plagiarism Checker:
   • Before submitting your work, run it through a plagiarism checker.
   • Address any flagged areas by revising and properly citing the material.
6. Use AI Tools Responsibly:
   • If you use generative AI tools, verify their outputs before incorporating them.
   • Remember that even accidental plagiarism can have serious consequences.

References

1. Kampa, R. K., Padhan, D. K., Karna, N., & Gouda, J. (2024). Identifying the factors influencing plagiarism in higher education: An evidence-based review of the literature. Accountability in Research, 1-16.
2. Awasthi, S. (2019). Plagiarism and academic misconduct: A systematic review. DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology, 39(2).
3. Baishya, K. (2024). PLAGIARISM DETECTION SOFTWARE: AN OVERVIEW. Research and Publication Ethics, 281.