The types of plagiarism and the best way to avoid plagiarism in writing content

Jul 8, 2022

The mere sight of the word plagiarism could trigger.

Then, you're back at school trying to convince your teacher why you're missing the citation you needed for an assertion you've made in your study essay regarding The Great Gatsby and what is the significance of the green light. You feel guilty. It's a lesson learned Never again take someone else's work for your own.

Now years later, as a content creator, you are constantly writing about your industry; blogs and landing page copy ebooks, and so on. Not in a million years would you purposefully copy someone else's work to pass off as your own. However, what if it happened accidentally? Intentional plagiarism is very prevalent in creative writing and online content.

Though plagiarism, at its most basic level is the practice of claiming someone else's work as your original work It can take on many shapes and forms which you might not be aware of. This could cause you to do something that is unimaginable, such as replicating and using someone else's work even if it's accidental.

One of the best ways to ensure that you don't get caught or accidentally committing plagiarism is to be aware of its ins and outs, plus the steps required in properly recognizing other creators' work. First, let's look at why content writers should do their homework when it comes to plagiarism.

Why should content writers work to avoid plagiarizing?

Many consider plagiarism to be an ethical matter that is, it's a violation against moral principles. Though ethics can be a subjective idea, plagiarism can be considered an act of theft, as it's when you steal another's words. This is especially so for content writers that could be compensated financially in exchange for stolen content.

Aside from it being ethically wrong, plagiarism has the potential of damaging an individual's integrity as well as that of their business. It can result in lost brand partnerships, professional referrals or, most significantly, customers. That's right - plagiarism has the ability to destroy an entire business.

It is important to consider possible legal implications that could result from plagiarism. If you copy your work and take credit or profit away from the creator of the original work You could end up fighting a legal case regardless of the reason for plagiarism, whether it was deliberate or accidentally.

5 types of plagiarism to be aware of

The best way to prevent plagiarism is to be knowledgeable regarding its different forms. Here are the top five plagiarism types that you may encounter or commit against someone else:

  1.   Global plagiarism  

Also known as complete or direct plagiarism, it is what people usually consider is plagiarism. It's an act that copies a whole work in order to claim it as your original work. But global plagiarism is not only the act of stealing the work of someone else. At schools, paying someone else to compose a piece of work to you, and later giving it back to be considered your own also an act of global plagiarism.

This raises the inquiry: is employing a ghostwriter a form of plagiarism? Here is a fantastic article by Jonathan Bailey on that very issue. Bailey points out, "Ethically, it is accepted for politicians to hire a speechwriter but does not attribute them. But, a student who relies on an essay mill to complete an assignment is a clear plagiarist." Thus in light of the contextal nature of ghostwriting, determining the degree to which it's an act of plagiarism can be a challenge.

  1.   Verbatim plagiarism  

Like global plagiarism, this form of plagiarism is the act that you clone someone else's work as your own. The difference between the two is the amount of material has been copied. While global plagiarism includes all of the content however verbatim plagiarism could contain only a tiny part of the text, such as a few sentences or paragraphs.

NOTE: It's considered verbatim plagiarism even when you modify the words, or the order of sentences, which leads us to our next form of plagiarism.

  1.   Paraphrasing plagiarism  

Paraphrasing plagiarism is one of the most popular forms of accidental plagiarism. It's as it sounds. this is what happens when writers reword another's writing without acknowledging the author who wrote it. Although the act of translating an author's words into own words is acceptable but doing it with no proper citations isn't.

  1.   Patchwork plagiarism  

Also known as"patchwork plagiarism", it refers to the act of "stitching to" different ideas, phrases or long forms of text from various sources to create new content. This form of plagiarism can occur in conjunction with paraphrasing or verbatim plagiarism.

As an example, say you get an idea from one source, and from another, you "borrow" an idea, as well as an entire paragraph. Then, you combine all these into the final piece, creating a patchwork masterpiece.

  1.   Self-plagiarism  

What can you do to prevent plagiarism in the content you write

Let's look at the main purpose behind this blog and how you can avoid plagiarizing within your writing. By following these four simple steps (yes, just five! ) You can safeguard you and your company from the negative consequences of plagiarizing:

  1. Note and reference sources. When you present someone else's ideas or words within your work (even when they're paraphrased), simply cite your source. A citation added to your writing is an easy and straightforward way of ensuring you avoid plagiarism. Depending on the style guide you're using it is recommended to include the entire name of the source as well as the date it was published. In order to make this process more simple for you, design an organized system for keeping records and document your sources while you type. Then you'll be grateful - we promise. TIP: Google Documents also offers a citation tool that makes it easy to list your sources in the format that you like (APA, MLA, or Chicago).
  1. Incorporate quotations. One of the most effective ways to avoid plagiarism is to insert phrases or words from another source within your work using quotation marks and appropriate citations, naturally. Quotations are an easy method of incorporating another's concepts or words into your own work while helping to avoid the mental struggle that comes from paraphrasing. Perhaps you've noticed that you could use this exact strategy within the scope of plagiarism worldwide!
  1. Paraphrase. This may be a no-brainer and yet it is the best way to stay clear of copying someone else's words word-for-word. If you are paraphrasing, try to focus on translating the writer's words in your own voice. Research synonyms, work to incorporate the concept into your own text, then reformulate the sentence (e.g. switch the sentence between active and passive). If you're paraphrasing a blog, ensure you include a link external to the original material.
  2. Utilize a plagiarism-checker. Also called anti-plagiarism tools, these tools are able to quickly evaluate your text with other pages on the internet and give you a plagiarism report. You'll simply copy and paste your text in the plagiarism checker program that is available for free. Grammarly has a plagiarism checking tool as well as small SEO tools.

The most important thing is the bottom line

If you have your business and personal security at stake Plagiarism should be avoided at all costs. One of the most effective ways to stay clear of plagiarism is to be well-informed understanding of it. Just by reading this blog and knowing the basics, you're preventing yourself from the reality of getting accused of doing something wrong by committing plagiarism. Job well done!

Now, it's time to return to your pen! Write away with unbridled passion because you're sure within your soul that your words are original This is the reason that is what makes your writing worth the time of reading.

You've got questions. We've got the answers.

Below are a few of the most commonly asked concerns about plagiarism.

  • What is plagiarism? At its root, plagiarism is the overt attempt to pass off someone else's work as your original work.
  • What is the distinction between plagiarism and paraphrasing? The line between plagiarism and paraphrasing is very thin. All it depends is whether and how you refer to the sources you've used. If you don't have a proper quotation, it is quickly and effortlessly transformed into plagiarism.
  • What are the common forms of plagiarism in content writing? There are many types of plagiarism. But those that are most often seen in content writing include the global type of plagiarism, verbatim plagiarism, paraphrasing plagiarism, patchwork plagiarism, and self-plagiarism.
  • How do I spot plagiarism? While prior to the Internet there was no way to check your or others' works for plagiarism today you are able to easily search for plagiarism using free and easy-to-use plagiarism checker software. One quick Google search can reveal various software choices.
  • Do you have the possibility of plagiarizing? Yes, you could accidentally copy. One of the most common kinds of plagiarized work is paraphrasing plagiarism, which is when you reword someone else's work without giving credit or properly citing your source.