What Steps Can I Take to Prevent or Remove Plagiarism: A Guide

Some plagiarism in writing is often inevitable. So, how do we prevent or get rid of it?

In this article, we will explore steps to avoid and eliminate plagiarism from your work so that you can steer clear of copyright issues and allegations.

Let’s start by understanding the concept of plagiarism.

What is Plagiarism?

In simple words, plagiarism refers to copying someone’s work without their consent or a permit.

Though plagiarism occurs even in visual elements — like images or videos — we are discussing plagiarizing text-based content.

Why Care About Plagiarism?

You might think that plagiarism is not a big deal. However, that may not be the case, especially if you are dealing with academic writing.

Plagiarism is considered a serious academic offense. It is frowned upon by scholars, teachers, and academic and professional institutes.

A case of plagiarism can have bitter consequences; your submitted academic work could be rejected or you could lose your degree or even your job as a writer.

This is why you should always make sure there is no plagiarism in your work, whether as a student, writer, webmaster, or anyone.

What to do if Plagiarism Occurs?

If plagiarism occurs in your content, the best thing you can do is attempt to remove it. 

However, what’s better is that you make sure the plagiarism doesn’t occur in the first place.

So, here are some steps you can take to avoid plagiarizing your content.

Steps to Avoid Plagiarism

Avoiding plagiarism requires various steps, including:

• Avoid copying word for word. The first step to avoiding plagiarism is to not copy your sources word for word. Use paraphrasing and direct quotations instead.

• Use paraphrasing skills. Paraphrasing is the writing skill of rewriting someone’s material to use it in your own content. It aims to make the source’s content clearer. Paraphrasing can also be utilized to avoid plagiarism. By paraphrasing the source material and changing its wording significantly — but not its meaning — you can avoid plagiarizing it, as there will be no resemblance left in the source text and the one you paraphrased.

• Use direct quotations. Direct quotations are another means of copying someone’s material for your own use. Both paraphrasing and direct quotations should include citations.

• Cite your sources. Citing your sources is the most important part of avoiding plagiarism. Citing someone means giving due credit to the person or source whose work you copied. And keep in mind, whether you paraphrase someone’s work or direct-quote it, proper citation to the source remains a requirement.

• Utilize a plagiarism checker. Plagiarism checkers are handy tools for checking plagiarism. Though no tool is one hundred percent accurate, they are still capable of detecting potential plagiarism. Use a plagiarism checker before turning your work in. If plagiarism is found, you can remove it.

Steps to Remove Plagiarism

Sometimes, plagiarism can take more than one attempt to avoid it. It can still make its way to your content even after avoiding it.

Luckily, you can remove detected plagiarism from your work in a couple of steps.

• Check your citations. One reason why plagiarism may affect your work might be improper citations. You don’t only need to cite the sources but also cite them properly. This requires you to get familiar with the proper method of citation.

• Paraphrase thoroughly. If you are paraphrasing something, ensure it is done thoroughly, as rough paraphrasing might be the cause behind plagiarism. Consider changing the word choice, sentences’ structures, and voice of the material to ensure a significant change from the original piece.

• Remember to include direct quotations. Avoid relying solely on paraphrasing. Remember to include direct quotations in your content, along with paraphrasing. A balance of the two techniques will make your content feel natural.

• Share your ideas. Too much focus on writing what others have to say only increases the chances of plagiarism. That’s why you should use others’ words and ideas only where necessary and focus on what you have to say instead. So, remember to share your own thoughts, opinions, and ideas.

• Use a plagiarism remover. Aside from dealing with plagiarism manually, you can also try to deal with it automatically through online tools. This approach may also save you time. You can try to remove plagiarism automatically by using a plagiarism remover tool. PlagiarismRemover.co is your go-to tool for removing plagiarism from any text. It works by rewriting your text into a unique version without compromising its meaning. However, you should always proofread your work after rewriting it through a tool.

• Proofread your work. After using a plagiarism remover to rewrite your text, consider proofreading it for various mistakes. Proofreading will also help ensure that no mistakes remain in your work. So, go ahead and double-check your content for grammar, citations, and wording errors of the paraphrased and quoted content. And remember to check plagiarism again by using a plagiarism checker.

Summary

In summary, plagiarism can be inevitable in writing. If plagiarism occurs, the best thing to do is to remove it. Yet, it is better for you to avoid plagiarizing your content in the first place than remove it later. By avoiding copying the sources word for word, using paraphrasing and direct quotations, and plagiarism checkers, you can avoid plagiarism. Moreover, by ensuring proper use of citations, paraphrasing, and quotations, sharing your own ideas, using a plagiarism remover, and proofreading, you can remove plagiarism from your work.