Temptation to Plagiarise: 4 Tips to Avoid it

Do you feel as if you don’t have enough time ? Do you believe you are not proficient enough to provide sufficient answers to the topic you’re dealing with? Copying and pasting others’ ideas from websites seems to be a common practice. So why shouldn’t you ?

There are numerous reasons to plagiarise contents to enhance your own drafts, nonetheless it is your responsibility as a student to respect copyright and academic integrity.

This article gives you the keys to avoid being tempted to plagiarise so you are in charge and proud of your work !

Always Choose a Unique Topic

It is often up to you to choose the subject matter of your assignment (essays, internship reports, presentations, supervised research project, etc.). Hence, you’re free to select original topics and innovative approaches to achieve your goal. You will not find similar works on the Internet if the chosen subject has not yet been processed by others. Therefore, you will not be tempted to copy/paste others’ work. Your personal contribution is essential to submit a complete file which is exactly what your professors expect from you !

Deal with Topics that Interest You Personally

Enjoy learning, that’s the key to your success. By choosing a topic you like, the “Google reflex” will be less tempting: You will find it easy to write down your initial ideas and main points to develop later without being influenced by hasty researches on the Internet. Your curiosity will push you to dig further and find various sources of information (surveys, studies, scientific articles, blogs, etc.). Addressing a specific matter will make you feel satisfied. You will be willing to go one step further than the information available in just a few clicks. One suggestion is to select a topic that has always tempted you? Can you use the knowledge acquired during your research in other areas of your life ? Moreover, this is the perfect opportunity to express your own point of view and present your opinion. Choosing unique topics interesting and important to you will allow you to be more original and authentic.

Question Your Ideas to Improve Your Writing

It’s rewarding to find an original theme in which you are personally interested in! However, you must challenge it to develop your own judgment. In addition to your personal ideas, expand your arguments, for example use different points of view through interviews, testimonials and field experiences. A critical approach will certainly be appreciated by your instructors.

“The success of your paper does not depend solely on your professors’ guidelines or a set of simplified steps. The way you approach it, the effort you put in it, your confidence and even the gratification you receive upon completion are all elements that will make you proudly supportive of your project and of your achievements !”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        La Ruche, Dambrine James. "Comment réussir son mémoire de fin d’études." 12 April 2018.

If you choose a topic appealing to you, you provide a personal and valuable aspect to your work. Your task will appear much easier than providing a document made of copy/pasted quotations you spent hours to hide through some poor reformulations !