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Plagiarism: Avoiding Plagiarism - Quoting, Summarizing, and Paraphrasing

This guide will help you understand what plagiarism is and provide you with tips for avoiding plagiarism.

Quoting, Summarizing, and Paraphrasing

Learning how to use direct quotations, summarizing, and paraphrasing is essential to avoiding plagiarism. To learn more about these ways to use other people’s ideas watch this video from PALNI.

3 Techniques to Avoid Plagiarism

It is difficult understanding which technique to use to avoid plagiarism. Here are some tips on when and how to use quoting, summarizing, and paraphrasing:

  Direct Quotation Paraphrasing Summarizing

 

What
  • Word-for-word from source
  • Summarize idea/point of specific passage in own words
  • Remain faithful to original meaning
  • Overview of entire discussion or conversation

 

Why
  • Provide credibility
  • Get exact words into research
  • Maintain consistent style
  • Avoid lengthy quotations
  • Support arguments
  • Simplify complex arguments, grammar, or vocabulary
  • Save time, increase understanding
  • Give authority and credibility

 

When
  • Original author's wording unusual, unique or memorable and should be preserved
  • Idea is more important than words used
  • Words in original article are complex but point is simple
  • Idea is more important than words used
  • Want to condense more of original material and ideas into paper than paraphrasing

 

 

How
  • Copy source's exact words and put in quotation marks
  • Cite source with in-text citations corresponding to reference on Works Cited or Reference Page
  • Read section carefully
  • Write in own words what passage is saying
  • Cite source with in-text citations corresponding to reference on Works Cited or Reference Page
  • Read material carefully
  • Write main points you find relevant in your own words
  • Cite source with in-text citations corresponding to reference on Works Cited or Reference Page

Use the Madonna Writing Center’s Safe Assign draft checking software to see whether you have unconsciously plagiarized material. Note: Plagiarism checkers are not 100% accurate, so use your own judgement with the results.