Does Paraphrasing Count as Plagiarism?

Key Takeaways

• Paraphrasing is summarizing content in your own words without changing the meaning of the content. 

• Paraphrasing is considered duplication if it isn’t cited properly.

• Using a plagiarism checker can help you avoid plagiarizing while paraphrasing.

Students and employees often find that understanding plagiarism can be a daunting task. Rules of citations change, and rules of “what is plagiarism” are always evolving as technology advances. Debates around what constitutes plagiarism and what can be fixed with a simple reference can have students and business officials scratching their heads in confusion. 

One of the most confusing elements of plagiarism is paraphrasing. While some sources may tell you paraphrasing content is okay, others will warn you to stay away from it. 

In this article, we’ll explore what paraphrasing is and whether or not it counts as duplication within content. 

What is Paraphrasing?

The term “paraphrase”, according to Merriam Webster, refers to “a restatement of a text, passage, or work giving the meaning in another form.” Paraphrasing is taking a piece of content and summarizing it in your own words while still keeping the same meaning the original author intended. 

Does Paraphrasing Count as Duplication?

Yes, paraphrasing can be considered duplication of content if the original source isn’t cited correctly. Within the plagiarism debate, the correct use of paraphrasing can be one way of summarizing information that may otherwise not have enough power to be quoted directly.

However, just because you don’t give a direct quote from the original text, you should reference and cite your source material correctly. 

Paraphrasing without properly citing a source can be considered plagiarism. Through insufficient paraphrasing that captures the same structure and sometimes the exact wording as the original piece, paraphrasing can be flagged by high-accuracy plagiarism checkers. 

But should you avoid paraphrasing altogether?

Should You Avoid Paraphrasing In Research Papers?

No, you don’t have to avoid paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is a great tool to help you support your thoughts with research, without clunking up your sentence structure with quotations. 

You can avoid plagiarizing while paraphrasing with the use of a plagiarism checker to help you keep track of your content before you submit your work to your instructor or employer. However, whenever you do paraphrase, you should always use the proper citations. 

How to Avoid Accidental Plagiarism While Paraphrasing

Learning how to paraphrase properly is the best way to ensure that you avoid accidental plagiarism. Paraphrasing is one of the most difficult to detect forms of plagiarism, but powerful plagiarism checkers can still flag paraphrasing in their reports. 

Here are some tips for paraphrasing to avoid accidental plagiarism:

• Fully rewrite the information in your own words

• Use proper in-text citations from the style guide of your instructor’s or employer’s choice

• Do not use more than three words in a row that are the same as the original content

• Create a reference page, Works Cited page, or Bibliography to ensure that you are giving proper acknowledgements to the original author. 

• Use a plagiarism checker to ensure your work isn’t flagged for plagiarism.

Whether you’re writing a research paper for an assignment or you’re trying to impress your boss, being able to paraphrase and avoid plagiarism correctly is essential to your success. By incorporating in-depth citations, exercising care when using information in your own words, and utilizing a high-quality plagiarism checker, students and business officials can more effectively detect and avoid plagiarism claims.