Writing high-quality academic content involves a number of steps. Most students feel confused while dealing with their assignments. They think that only well-researched content brings a high grade in academic life. But, they often overlook other aspects like referencing. Some students do not know the referencing technique, whereas others make common plagiarism mistakes. So, let us provide a guide on how to compose plagiarism-free assignments and add a reference. It will help you avoid losing marks in the subject.
What is plagiarism? Why should you create plagiarism-free assignments?
In the academic world, plagiarism occurs when you use passages and concepts without proper attribution to the source. Content is referred to as plagiarised if a number of consecutive words exactly match from offline or online sources. So, students should not directly copy and paste from any website or book. If a college professor has detected plagiarised content, he will deduct marks.
The main purpose of assigning tasks to students is to check their writing ability and creativity. However, if you have copied content from othersโ work, it does not prove your creativity. So, plagiarised content would give no credit to you. Your professor will not award a good grade for submitting this content.
On the contrary, plagiarism-free assignments show how you have worked dedicatedly to write the paper. This approach also demonstrates your knowledge of the subject and writing skills.
How should you avoid common plagiarism mistakes?
You must know the steps for developing plagiarism-free assignments.
Research the topic before writing the content– It is the most significant step for developing plagiarism-free content. If you analyse different sources, you will get the best writing ideas. But, choosing genuine sources is another important aspect. Quality websites and good books provide different scholarly articles on a particular topic. You may also get relevant ideas from the content written by seniors.
So, refer to a number of sources to find fresh ideas for your academic writing project.
Understand the researched materials– The second step before writing the academic paper is to gather data from the chosen sources. You have to present the information using your own words. But, you must have a solid understanding of the topic. Without strong knowledge of the subject, it is difficult to manage the data you have gathered from authentic sources.
Never avoid referencing– Some students just copy and paste the words from othersโ work. However, it leads to plagiarism issues and low academic grades. So, you should cite the main sources from which the information has been obtained. Create a list of sources and add it to the end. You may also insert in-text citations if needed. It is the best way to make your content free from plagiarism. Your write-up will be more credible to the reader. As there are various referencing formats, most professors provide referencing guidelines. If you do not know the technique, contact professionals to get the best academic citation tips.
Revise the assignment before submission– After writing the paper, add the sources and revise the work. Proofreading is important for any academic assignment. Moreover, you should use anti-plagiarism software to check the content.
Plagiarism of different types
There are various types of plagiarism, resulting in a low academic grade.
Direct plagiarism means a copied text or paragraph from a different source. It occurs when the writer has not added a citation or reference. A student often copies paras from various sources to develop an article. It is always essential to fully reference the source and add a quotation mark.
Mosaic is another category of plagiarism, which is not easily detectable. The writer creates a patchwork of othersโ ideas and words. Although he does not provide a new idea, it leads to new information.
Paraphrasing is also a type of plagiarism that occurs when you othersโ write-ups with only a few modifications. In this case, words are different, although the structure and content are the same. So, the original author should be given a credit to avoid plagiarism.
Inaccurate citation also leads to plagiarism issues. You have to provide the primary source of your information. Falsified data may result in negative consequences in the academic world.
A comprehensive referencing guide for students
As you need plagiarism-free assignments, referencing is essential. Referencing acknowledges other writersโ work and strengthens your views. You should cite the sources appropriately to avoid plagiarism. Before getting academic citation tips, know about the referencing styles.
American Psychological Association
APA is the commonly used citation or referencing format for writing research papers in different fields-
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Education
- Criminology
- Economics
- Political science
- Pedagogy
You should know the rules for formatting your citation in the APA style. From margins to font choices, everything needs attention. Generally, you cite the source in the text and then add the full citation to the end. Remember that if it is an APA, the last part needs to be shown as โReferencesโ. You must not write the heading โBibliographyโ or Works Cited. The author-date citation method will maintain clarity and precision in your content.
However, citation format is different depending on whether you want to cite a news article or book.
Modern Language Association
MLA is another citation method that comprises 2 parts-
In-text citation– It is a brief reference, identifying the information source in your content. Academic writers use this referencing style to prove their arguments.
Works Cited– This is a list of all sources from where you have obtained ideas and information.
The most important details that you should mention for every entry are-
- Authorโs name
- The title of the source with proper punctuation and formatting
- Container title- Journals, websites, or newspapers
- Other contributors, including translators
- Version or edition
- The publication date and publisher, if needed
Students dealing with cultural and literary work often choose the MLA format.
Chicago style
This citation format comprises-
- Bibliography
- Author date
The end of the paper needs to show a bibliography. There should also be in-text citations for the author-date system. Mention the publication year and the authorโs last name.
How will you find references for your academic papers?
- Academic databases are important for referencing your assignment. You may also go through peer-reviewed articles for academic references. They are a reliable source of information for content development.
- Most colleges allow students to access library books for academic research. Digital resources and physical books are genuine references.
- Google Scholar is a search engine, which provides the text of scholarly literature. So, you may find relevant information from this source.
- If you choose online resources, check authorship and publication date before obtaining data.
Some students use online citation generators to save time. But, it is essential to double-check the accuracy before submitting the work.
Want to avoid referencing mistakes? Look for professional help–
If you depend on professional writers for online assignment help, there is no risk of plagiarism and referencing issues. They know how to maintain the right citation format for your academic papers. These dedicated writers also read formatting guidelines provided by your college professor. So you will secure high marks on the assignment. The experienced writers will also develop quality content for your college homework. They will proofread the paper before submission.