Question

Describe Paraphrasing plagiarism.

Hint:

To avoid paraphrasing plagiarism, use the 3-step approach: 1. Read and understand the source material. 2. Close the source and write the idea in your own words. 3. Add a proper citation referencing the source.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding Paraphrasing Plagiarism:
Many writers believe that as long as they rewrite a sentence in their own words, they do not need to cite the source. This is a common misconception that leads to paraphrasing plagiarism.

Step 2: Detailing the Practice:
Paraphrasing Plagiarism occurs when a writer takes another author's original ideas, arguments, or structures and rewrites them with minor word changes, synonyms, or slight sentence restructurings, while failing to provide proper citation.
• Core Violation: Even though the exact wording is altered, the intellectual property (the core idea or research finding) belongs to the original creator. Presenting these ideas without citing the source is a form of academic theft.