Plagiarism is defined as “any passing off of another’s ideas, words, or work as one’s own.” It is a form of cheating and a violation of academic integrity, and is taken seriously by reputable universities such as Alliant.

(i ) How to Avoid Plagiarism: 

At the graduate level, students produce assignments to analyze and synthesize information. You show what you know and produce something new. In an assignment, you might answer a question, solve a problem, or propose a theory or model that explains some phenomenon. This builds your skills and expertise in producing meaningful, original work.

When you analyze information, you may report what other people have said, but then slice and dice it in new ways to draw your own conclusions. Mostly, reporting others information involves paraphrasing it in your own words.

When you synthesize information produced by other people, you also paraphrase and maybe quote small bits of information from other people. Then, you put the information together in new ways.

(ii) Some point keep in mind to avoid Plagiarism:

• Keep track of your sources; print electronic sources.
• Keep sources in correct context.
• Plan ahead.
• Don’t cut and paste: File and label your sources. 
• Keep your own writing and your sources separate. 
• Keep your notes and your draft separate.
• Paraphrase carefully in your notes; acknowledge your sources explicitly when paraphrasing.
• Avoid reading a classmate’s paper for inspiration. 
• Don’t save your citations for later.
• Quote your sources properly.
• Keep a source trail.