is using paraphrasing tool plagiarism

Why is it still plagiarism when I paraphrase and use my own words?

It’s hard to get anything right the first time. The vast majority of us don’t learn to ride a bicycle the first time we get on a bike. We don’t learn to drive right away, either. We learn with guidance and correction--and it’s even better when we receive that feedback in the moment and multiple times. Essay writing is the same.

While copying and pasting another person’s work and presenting it as your own idea can be a pretty clear example of plagiarism, there are a lot of nuances to academic misconduct, too. It’s not easy figuring out whether or not you’ve got it right, all while you’re trying to learn and avoid getting in trouble when you didn’t intend to plagiarize.

Let’s bring up one example-- like distinguishing paraphrasing and plagiarism from original work.

Students are told to “put ideas into your own words” in order to avoid plagiarism. We know to always cite quotations. They’re literally words from another person (easily accomplished via copy and paste) and they should be credited to someone else.

But teachers also tell students to “use the ideas of others in your own words,” which is also defined as paraphrasing. 🤪

What on earth is the difference? Isn’t taking the ideas of another person and putting them into your own words a way to avoid plagiarism??? Answer: Not when it’s someone else’s idea.

In a prior post on paraphrasing, we wrote, “Citation isn’t simply about giving credit for other people’s words. It’s about both giving credit to other people’s work that your writing is built upon and highlighting where your information came from” ( Plagiarism.org , 2018 ).

Here is an example of paraphrasing and an appropriate in-text APA citation for the above quote:

It is important not only to cite quotations in the form of other people’s words but also to give credit to the ideas of others. When your writing is built upon their ideas, it’s important to highlight your sources ( Plagiarism.org , 2018 ).

Because we didn’t build on the idea, but repeated it, we attributed the source.

When we have our own original ideas, then those are our own and there is no need to cite sources. For instance, we can use the above idea from Plagiarism.org and build on it to form an original idea:

It’s important to cite our sources, whether they’re quoted or paraphrased, to avoid plagiarism. First, let’s discuss how to tell the difference between our own words and paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing is summarizing the idea of another person--and when we use that idea to build our own, we then produce original work. So what are some effective ways to learn to avoid paraphrasing plagiarism?

• Cite the source when you are repeating the idea of another person’s work.
• If your text is too close to the original work, consider quoting and citing the source.

In sum, cite your source when you paraphrase.

Another way to avoid paraphrasing plagiarism is with real-time feedback. Sometimes our instructors give us a list that tells us all the different ways plagiarism can manifest. But it’s hard to learn something a month in advance, and then have to recall it within the process of writing. It’s way more effective for that information to arise while we’re writing. Wouldn’t that be nice?

There are tools like Draft Coach that can provide feedback in real-time that helps guide us towards proper citation so that we can focus on writing a better paper. And stop worrying about committing plagiarism by accident and getting an F or worse.

This is the best kind of feedback, one that actually helps, telling us specifically what we need to improve right then and there as we learn. Ultimately, the goal is to be able to do this automatically and do this all on our own. But just like driving or riding a bicycle, there’s a learning journey beforehand and students should feel supported through that process.

Because in the end, believing in yourself helps you to be more original.

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Exploring the gray area: Understanding paraphrasing as a potential path to plagiarism

Five reasons that paraphrasing skills are the superheroes of strong literacy curriculum.

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In the labyrinthine world of academic writing, paraphrasing walks a thin line between being a useful tool and a potential pitfall, leading to plagiarism.

Often referred to as "patchwriting" or " mosaic plagiarism," the act of paraphrasing raises a fundamental question: What makes writing truly original in an era saturated with accessible information? Mark Twain's assertion that all ideas are merely reconfigurations of existing ones challenges us to consider the essence of originality. This blog ventures into the complex dynamics of paraphrasing, disentangling its legitimate use from its problematic misuse. We'll delve into what constitutes effective paraphrasing that respects academic integrity and when it veers into the territory of plagiarism.

Unpacking the art of paraphrasing

Paraphrasing serves as a bridge, translating complex or specialized topics into accessible and simplified language. It is also a way for a student or researcher to synthesize what they have read, putting text into their own words to A) better understand the topic at hand and B) support their writing with a sound, meaningfully reworded example from an outside source. The Office of Research Integrity within the US Department of Health & Human Services offers a compelling example, transforming a dense scientific explanation into a concise, digestible format. Below is the original content: “Because the intracellular concentration of potassium ions is relatively high, potassium ions tend to diffuse out of the cell. This movement is driven by the concentration gradient for potassium ions. Similarly, the concentration gradient for sodium ions tends to promote their movement into the cell. However, the cell membrane is significantly more permeable to potassium ions than to sodium ions. As a result, potassium ions diffuse out of the cell faster than sodium ions enter the cytoplasm. The cell therefore experiences a net loss of positive charges, and as a result the interior of the cell membrane contains an excess of negative charges, primarily from negatively charged proteins” (Martini & Bartholomew, 1997, p. 204).

Here is an appropriate paraphrase of the above material:

“A textbook of anatomy and physiology (Martini & Bartholomew, 1997, p. 204) reports that the concentration of potassium ions inside of the cell is relatively high and, consequently, some potassium tends to escape out of the cell. Just the opposite occurs with sodium ions.”

The Office of Research Integrity also gives an example of an inappropriate version of paraphrasing from the original text: “...This movement is triggered by the concentration gradient for potassium ions. Similarly, the concentration gradient for sodium ions tends to promote their movement into the cell. However, the cell membrane is much more permeable to potassium ions than it is to sodium ions. As a result, potassium ions diffuse out of the cell more rapidly than sodium ions enter the cytoplasm…” (Martini & Bartholomew, 1997, p. 204). You’ll note that the above “rewritten” example is basically a copy of the original, save for a few superficial alterations, including word deletions, synonym swaps, and additions.

Because most of the words and structure of the original paragraph remain the same, this paragraph would technically be considered plagiarism, despite the writer crediting the original authors. As the Office of Research Integrity puts it: “[M]aking only cosmetic modifications to others’ writing misleads the reader as to who the true author of the original writing really is." In this scenario, a student could instead ask for support in learning how to more accurately paraphrase the information or alternatively, use a direct quote with a correctly cited source to make it clear that this is not their content. Effective paraphrasing isn't just about avoiding plagiarism; it's about enhancing comprehension and adding value to the discourse.

The original thought conundrum

In the realm of academic discourse, Bloom's Taxonomy emerges as a crucial framework, offering a layered understanding of cognitive development. This taxonomy, a hierarchy starting from basic knowledge recall to the creation of new ideas, challenges us to consider the concept of 'original thought' in education. As we go from 'Remembering' and 'Understanding' through to 'Applying', 'Analyzing', and 'Evaluating', we reach the peak - 'Creating'. This final stage is where originality is presumed to flourish. However, this presents a conundrum: in an age where information is ubiquitous and influences are numerous, can any thought claim absolute originality? This paradox is especially relevant in a digital era saturated with ideas, where the difference between inspiration and replication becomes increasingly blurred. Bloom’s Taxonomy, therefore, not only maps out cognitive skills but also invites a deeper reflection on the nature and possibility of truly original thought in our modern knowledge ecosystem.

What’s the difference between plagiarism and paraphrasing?

Plagiarism and paraphrasing, while seemingly similar, diverge significantly in intent and execution. Plagiarism is the act of passing off someone else's work or ideas as one's own while paraphrasing, in contrast, aims to rearticulate ideas for clarity while maintaining the essence of the original work. Paraphrasing becomes problematic when it strays into the realm of plagiarism, often manifested in the failure to properly attribute sources, bring new insights to the table, or to uphold academic integrity. To wholly uphold academic integrity is to commit to honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage. It is a holistic concept that must be backed up by institutional policies, curriculum, teaching interventions, assessment design, and feedback loops that strengthen a student’s bond to learning. In an earlier post, we explored the ways in which paraphrasing may become problematic. The following three examples are situations that may cause challenges around paraphrasing expectations:

• When a student does not understand the purpose behind paraphrasing, they may not see the importance of attributing what they've paraphrased and therefore overlook doing so . Educators must take great care in building a culture of academic integrity and explaining to students how cited, well-paraphrased passages not only enhance their writing (and also provide variety in an essay that would otherwise be all quotations), they uphold integrity by recognizing an author’s original work.
• When a student does not have the foundational literacy skills to paraphrase, it may lead them to unintentionally plagiarize. In a suspected case of academic misconduct, an educator must ascertain if it is a skill deficit or deliberate plagiarism. From there, strengthening a student’s literary comprehension skills and basic academic writing skills can help bolster their confidence and ability to paraphrase. Turnitin’s Draft Coach can also be used to help students write accurate citations in Microsoft® Word for the web and Google Docs™.
• When a student knowingly and purposely uses short-cut solutions in place of their own skills, it’s a sign that action must be taken. Paraphrasing tools, also known as word spinners, alter existing text with the purpose of evading plagiarism detection software. This deeply impacts learning because they prevent students from understanding how to truly paraphrase.

Steering clear of paraphrasing pitfalls

Avoiding paraphrasing plagiarism is a nuanced skill, requiring a blend of accurate citation, original sentence structuring, and a deep understanding of the source material. There are many ways to avoid paraphrasing plagiarism while still paraphrasing to summarize work and communicate topics more clearly and holistically. Ways to avoid plagiarizing include:

• Correct citation of sources
• Quoting and summarizing texts accurately
• Writing with your own sentence structures
• Understanding text and content clearly before paraphrasing

There is also a helpful paraphrasing strategy called the 4R’s: Read, Restate, Recheck, and Repair.

• Read: Did you understand the passage?
• Restate: Did you restate important points in your own words?
• Recheck: Did you include all of the important details?
• Repair: Did you correct any misinformation?

In addition to the above, the following sections delve into key elements to keep in mind and practical strategies to master this skill, ensuring that paraphrasing enriches, rather than diminishes, academic integrity.

The role of text spinners in paraphrasing plagiarism

Text spinners, or article spinners, present a new hurdle in the realm of paraphrasing plagiarism. These tools, designed to disguise copied content as original, exacerbate the issue by blurring the lines between legitimate paraphrasing and deceptive rewriting. “Simply put,” says Christine Lee, “when students use word spinners, they aren’t producing their own original work. Original work means that even when paraphrasing, students regenerate the ideas of another person into their own words and voice to express their own understanding of concepts.” Educators need to understand the emerging trends in misconduct and academic integrity so that they can build awareness around them, educate students on their misuse, and mitigate any threats to an institution's reputation to ensure authentic student learning.

How to effectively teach paraphrasing

Educators bear the responsibility of guiding students through the maze of paraphrasing. This entails instilling respect for academic integrity, teaching proper citation techniques, and encouraging the development of independent thought. To start, it is imperative to highlight examples of accurate paraphrasing and how it differs from quotations and summarizing. As quoted in an earlier Turnitin post, according to the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL):

• Quotations must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author.
• Paraphrasing involves rewording a passage from source material into your own words. A paraphrase must also be attributed to the original source because there is no creation of new ideas. Paraphrased material is usually shorter than the original passage, taking a somewhat broader segment of the source and condensing it slightly.
• Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s). Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original source because no new ideas have been introduced. Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material.

And while there are myriad ways for educators to approach and teach this highly important skill, the following are a few resources that can support thoughtful plagiarism education and practice:

• Explain the course’s or institution’s policy on academic integrity clearly and early in the semester. Outline course and assignment expectations explicitly, including appropriate use and misuse of AI tools. By building a culture of integrity that is clearly defined, students can more deeply understand the value of accurate paraphrasing and citations, as well as understand the consequences of misconduct.
• Dive into Turnitin’s Paraphrasing Pack , eleven out-of-the-box resources developed by veteran educators that are ready to be implemented in the classroom. It features everything from research strategies and student checklists for paraphrasing to lesson presentations and printable graphic organizers.
• Explore all of the resources that support academic integrity in the age of AI , including valuable assets that help students to better understand how and when to use AI tools ethically.
• Conduct a candid conversation with a student if their work appears to have similarities to other texts without proper paraphrasing or citation, or if inappropriate usage of AI tools is suspected. These dialogues often transform a moment of misconduct into an opportunity for learning by determining if there is a skill deficit that can be readily addressed. The data housed in the Similarity Report, including instances of synonym swapping, as well as Turnitin’s AI writing detection tool, can both serve as jumping off points for these essential conversations.

Maintaining academic integrity while paraphrasing

While building that culture of academic integrity and teaching skills is the first step, educators know that oftentimes it’s necessary to take another step, one that will confirm or refute that the student’s work is solely their own. It may be as simple as a remarkably sophisticated sentence structure or vocabulary choice, but educators tend to recognize when a student misrepresents something that is not their work, as their own. That next step is as simple as reviewing Turnitin’s newly enhanced Similarity Report, which has a streamlined workflow to show both the Similarity Score and the AI writing score. While AI continues to evolve, so too does the students’ use of AI tools. Turnitin’s AI writing score may indicate the use of AI paraphrasing tools to modify AI-generated content. Educators have no “extra clicks” as AI paraphrasing detection is built seamlessly into the existing workflow that educators already use and trust. As before, this score is to inform the educator of the likelihood that the student tried to use AI paraphrasing tools as a shortcut; whether intentional plagiarism or not is determined by the educator and the student during formative discussions surrounding their work. Then, next steps to help a student to revise can be taken. Check out this infographic that defines the key differences between human- powered paraphrasing and AI paraphrasing tools, as well as the role an AI paraphrasing detector can play in this process.

In sum: How to skillfully paraphrase and avoid plagiarism

The skill of paraphrasing is foundational in academic writing, serving as a safeguard against the pitfalls of plagiarism and academic misconduct. When a student fails to master this skill, they risk inadvertently crossing the line from legitimate use of sources to plagiarism, a serious breach of academic integrity. Effective paraphrasing involves more than just altering a few words; it requires a deep understanding of the original text and the ability to express its essence in a new, original form while maintaining the core message. This process must be coupled with accurate citations and the appropriate use of quotes to credit the original authors. Without these critical components, a student's work can easily fall into the realm of academic dishonesty. Thus, learning to paraphrase correctly is not just about avoiding plagiarism; it's about respecting the intellectual labor of others, upholding the values of academic integrity, and contributing genuinely to the scholarly conversation.

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A Guide to Plagiarism and Paraphrasing

According to the joint research efforts of Dr. Donald McCabe and the International Center for Academic Integrity , nearly 30% of university students admit to having cheated in some way on an exam.

Understanding how and when to cite sources is a critical skill for students to learn. Whether you borrow someone’s ideas from a textbook, blog post, or academic journal, you must give proper credit while representing the source’s ideas fairly and coherently.

This guide covers:

• Paraphrasing
• Plagiarism checkers, citation managers, and writing tools

The Purdue Global Writing Center defines plagiarism as “using another's words, ideas, results, or images without giving appropriate credit to that person, therefore, giving the impression that it is your own work.”

Types of Plagiarism

University of Oxford notes eight common forms of plagiarism:

• Verbatim plagiarism: Copying someone else’s work word for word.
• Cutting and pasting from web pages without clear acknowledgement: Pulling information off the internet without referencing it and without including it in the bibliography.
• Paraphrasing: Paraphrasing so closely so that the copy is almost an exact match to the original.
• Collusion: In group projects, or projects in which you received help, failing to properly attribute the assistance or failure to follow the project’s rules.
• Inaccurate citation: Failing to cite correctly, according to the conventions of your discipline.
• Failure to acknowledge assistance: Failing to clearly acknowledge all assistance that has contributed to your work (ordinary proofreading and help from a tutor or supervisor is excepted).
• Use of material written by professional agencies or other people: Using material that was written by a professional agency or another person, even if you have the consent of the person who wrote it.
• Auto-plagiarism (also known as self-plagiarism): Reusing work that you’ve previously submitted or published; presenting that information as new when you’ve already gotten credit for the work.

A new concern revolves around AI and copying directly from chat, composition, and visual tools. Using prompts to generate content for assignments and passing it off as your own contribution is considered plagiarism. Various organizations use AI software to check for submissions generated by a chatbot.

Also, keep in mind that AI tools may produce inaccurate and unreliable information. While there may be valid use cases for informal AI-generated brainstorming, this is a complex and evolving topic. Be sure to verify the policy expressed by your school, professors, or professional organizations for recent developments.

It’s important to note that plagiarism can be intentional or unintentional. Unintentional plagiarism occurs when a student unknowingly cites a source inaccurately or improperly. Intentional plagiarism, on the other hand, is when a student chooses not to cite a source or tries to pass off someone else’s ideas as their own.

Consequences of Plagiarism

The consequences of plagiarism vary by institution, but it could get you expelled or dropped from a course. In less severe instances, plagiarism — both intentional and unintentional — may result in a grade penalty, course failure, or suspension. Beyond the academic consequences, plagiarism also tarnishes your reputation and minimizes your integrity. Whether you’re in school or the working world, plagiarism is not a good look.

How to Avoid Plagiarism

The key to avoiding plagiarism is learning how to incorporate research into your writing. According to the Purdue Global Writing Center , you can do this in the following ways:

• Quoting: If you don’t want to alter a source, use quotation marks to enclose all verbatim phrases.
• Summarizing: If you find multiple relevant points in a lengthy text, simplify them into your own condensed synopsis.
• Paraphrasing: If you want to use a source’s information, restate it in your own words.

Whether you’re quoting, summarizing, or paraphrasing, don’t forget to cite all sources.

What Is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is using your own words to convey the meaning of an excerpt. It shows your reader that you did your research and understand the content. While students may understand that they need to cite sources, many struggle with paraphrasing the ideas of others into their own words. However, like many aspects of writing, effective paraphrasing is a skill developed over time.

How to Approach Paraphrasing

The goal of paraphrasing is to translate the original work into your own wording and sentence structure. The best way to approach this is to focus on the meaning of the text, forcing you to interact with its purpose and context.

Paraphrasing Tips

A good way to judge your understanding of material is to see if you can explain it to someone else. Once you have this level of understanding, it’s easier to create effective paraphrases — changing the language and structure of a passage becomes more manageable.

Here are some tips to help you paraphrase:

• Reread the passage until you fully understand its meaning.
• Write your own summary of the passage without referencing the original.
• Check that your summary accurately captures the context of the original passage.
• Document the source information following your summary, whether it’s an endnote or footnote.

Remember that you still need to cite your paraphrases, but your follow-up analysis and discussion points belong to you.

What Requires Citation?

Any time you use information that isn’t common knowledge or you didn’t come up with yourself, you must cite it. The following requires citation, usually through in-text citation or a reference list entry:

• Quotes: If you are quoting the actual words someone said, put the words in quotation marks and cite the source.
• Information and ideas: If you obtain ideas or information from somewhere else, cite it — even if you paraphrase the original content.
• Illustrations: If you use someone else’s graphic, table, figure, or artwork, you must credit the source. These may also require permission and a copyright notice.
• Photographs: If you use your own photography or an image that allows use without attribution, no citation is required. In other cases, add a note below the image and a corresponding reference citation.

Common Knowledge Exception

You don’t need to cite information that’s considered common knowledge in the public domain — as long as you reword the well-known fact. According to the Purdue Global Writing Center , information must have the following traits to be considered common knowledge:

• The reader would already be aware of it.
• It’s a widely accepted fact; for example, there are 24 hours in a day.
• It’s accessible via common information sources.
• It originates from folklore or a well-known story.
• It’s commonly acknowledged in your field and known by your audience.

Why Citation Is Important

The importance of citation goes beyond the avoidance of plagiarism. According to the Purdue Global Writing Center’s Plagiarism Information page, citation:

• Distinguishes new ideas from existing information
• Reinforces arguments regarding a particular topic
• Allows readers to find your sources and conduct additional research
• Maintains ethical research and writing
• Ensures attribution of ideas, avoiding plagiarism

Additionally, proper citation enhances your credibility with readers, displays your critical thinking skills, and demonstrates your strong writing ability.

Plagiarism Prevention and Writing Resources

It takes time to develop strong writing and paraphrasing skills. Thinking of writing as more of a discussion than a report may help you develop your skills. Remember that it’s not about reporting and repeating information; it’s about expanding on ideas and making them your own.

Below are some tools to help you avoid plagiarism, accurately cite sources, and improve your writing as you develop your own unique voice.

Plagiarism Checkers

• DupliChecker
• Grammarly's Plagiarism Checker
• Plagiarism Detector

Citation Managers

• Academic Writer
• Grammarly’s Free Citation Generator

>> Read: Apps and Extensions to Help You With APA Citations

Writing Tools

Check out purdue global’s writing center resources.

The Purdue Global Writing Center can help guide students through the paper writing process — from avoiding plagiarism to proper paraphrasing to getting the right citations.

Students may access this resource from the Purdue Global campus homepage . Click “My Studies,” followed by “Academic Success Center.”

From there, students have several options:

• Ask a writing tutor
• Connect with a tutor for a one-on-one session
• Browse the Study Studio
• Watch webinars

Students can check out the Using Sources & APA Style page , which includes several resources to guide students through the process of formatting a document and citing sources in the American Psychological Association (APA) style. The Plagiarism Information page offers a tutorial designed to help students identify instances of plagiarism and understand how to avoid them.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

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The Sheridan Libraries

• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Sheridan Libraries

Paraphrasing & Summarizing

• What is Plagiarism?
• School Plagiarism Policies
• Common Knowledge
• Minimizing Your Plagiarism Risk
• Student Help
• Helping Prevent Plagiarism in Your Classroom
• Avoiding Plagiarism Course
• Course FAQs

To help the flow of your writing, it is beneficial to not always quote but instead put the information in your own words. You can paraphrase or summarize the author’s words to better match your tone and desired length. Even if you write the ideas in your own words, it is important to cite them with in-text citations or footnotes (depending on your discipline’s citation style ). 

Definitions

• Paraphrasing allows you to use your own words to restate an author's ideas.
• Summarizing allows you to create a succinct, concise statement of an author’s main points without copying and pasting a lot of text from the original source.

What’s the difference: Paraphrasing v. Summarizing

Explore the rest of the page to see how the same material could be quoted, paraphrased, or summarized. Depending on the length, tone, and argument of your work, you might choose one over the other. 

• Bad Paraphrase
• Good Paraphrase
• Reread: Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning.
• Write on your own: Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.
• Connect: Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material.
• Check: Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form.
• Quote: Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.
• Cite: Record the source (including the page) on your note card or notes document so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.

Explore the tabs to see the difference between an acceptable and unacceptable paraphrase based on the original text in each example.

Original Text

“Business communication is increasingly taking place internationally – in all countries, among all peoples, and across all cultures. An awareness of other cultures – of their languages, customs, experiences and perceptions – as well as an awareness of the way in which other people conduct their business, are now essential ingredients of business communication” (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

More and more business communication is taking place internationally—across all countries, peoples, and cultures.  Awareness of other cultures and the way in which people do business are essential parts of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59)

Compare the Original and Paraphrase

Too much of the original is quoted directly, with only a few words changed or omitted. The highlighted words are too similar to the original quote: 

More and more business communication is taking place internationally —across all countries, peoples, and cultures .  Awareness of other cultures and the way in which people do business are essential parts of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59)

Original Text 

“Business communication is increasingly taking place internationally – in all countries, among all peoples, and across all cultures. An awareness of other cultures – of their languages, customs, experiences and perceptions – as well as an awareness of the way in which other people conduct their business, are now essential ingredients of business communication” (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59).

The importance of understanding the traditions, language, perceptions, and the manner in which people of other cultures conduct their business should not be underestimated, and it is a crucial component of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p. 59).

The original’s ideas are summarized and expressed in the writer’s own words with minimal overlap with the original text's language:

The importance of understanding the traditions, language, perceptions, and the manner in which people of other cultures conduct their business should not be underestimated, and it is a crucial component of business communication (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p. 59).

• Bad Summary
• Good Summary
• Find the main idea: Ask yourself, “What is the main idea that the author is communicating?”
• Avoid copying: Set the original aside, and write one or two sentences with the main point of the original on a note card or in a notes document.
• Connect: Jot down a few words below your summary to remind you later how you envision using this material.

Business communication is worldwide, and it is essential to build awareness of other cultures and the way in which other people conduct their business. (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

Compare the Original and Summary

Too much of the original is quoted directly, with only a few words changed or omitted. The highlighted words are too similar to the original text:

Business communication is worldwide, and it is essential to build awareness of other cultures and the way in which other people conduct their business . (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

In a world that is increasingly connected, effective business communication requires us to learn about other cultures, languages, and business norms (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

The original’s ideas are summarized and expressed in the writer’s own words with minimal overlap:

In a world that is increasingly connected, effective business communication requires us to learn about other cultures , languages , and business norms (Chase, O’Rourke & Wallace, 2003, p.59). 

No matter what the source or style, you need to cite it both in-text and at the end of the paper with a full citation! Write down or record all the needed pieces of information when researching to ensure you avoid plagiarism. 

Cheat Sheet

• Paraphrasing and Summarizing Download this helpful cheat sheet covering "Paraphrasing and Summarizing."
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• Next: Minimizing Your Plagiarism Risk >>
• Last Updated: Aug 7, 2023 2:00 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.jhu.edu/avoidingplagiarism

Academic Integrity at MIT

A handbook for students, search form, avoiding plagiarism - paraphrasing.

In writing papers, you will paraphrase more than you will quote. For a report or research paper, you may need to gather background information that is important to the paper but not worthy of direct quotation. Indeed, in technical writing direct quotation is rarely used.

Exactly what does "paraphrase" mean?

It means taking the words of another source and restating them, using your own vocabulary. In this way, you keep the meaning of the original text, but do not copy its exact wording.

What strategies can I use to paraphrase?

Use synonyms for all words that are not generic. Words like world, food, or science are so basic to our vocabulary that is difficult to find a synonym.

Change the structure of the sentence.

Change the voice from active to passive and vice versa.    

Change clauses to phrases and vice versa.

Change parts of speech.

A good paraphrase combines a number of strategies: the goal is to rephrase the information so that it appears in your words, not those of the author.

Example 4: Using Multiple Strategies to Paraphrase

Example 5: Unacceptable Paraphrase

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Does Paraphrasing With A Tool Count As Plagiarism?

• October 12, 2022 at 3:48 am June 1, 2024 at 7:18 am

Paraphrasing is one of the common elements of writing good content. So, does it count as plagiarism?

Content is king, as said by Bill Gates over 26 years ago. It’s proven right today in every aspect, as 60% of marketers focus on creating at least one piece of content every day. However, creating good quality content is a challenge in Data Science Bootcamp , and that’s when a lot of writers employ paraphrasing tools.

But, does the paraphrasing tool commit plagiarism by rephrasing another author’s content? Moreover, what are the ground rules for using such a tool? And, how does it affect students or academic writers besides SEO writers?

Let’s find the answer to all of these.

Defining Plagiarism

Plagiarism is when a person copies another author’s work and claims that it is their own. This can be done in many different ways, including:

• Copying words from a source and putting them into the text without giving credit to the original author
• Copying ideas from a source without giving credit to the original author
• Presenting an idea as if it was your own but not giving credit to the original author
• Using someone else’s work without permission and claiming that you created it

While there are various types of plagiarism, which we’ll be discussing in a bit, all of them are equally unethical and wrong. Whether in an academic setting or a professional one, this is a practice that is frowned upon.

The cases caught with plagiarism are usually served with severe penalties, such as expulsion from the academies or getting fired from a job. However, the harms of plagiarism can exceed far beyond that, and some cases include:

• Writer’s lost credibility
• Reduction of academic grades
• Demotion or relegation in a professional setting (getting fired in worst-case scenarios)
• Brand’s tarnished reputation

These are some of the most common pitfalls of plagiarism for any writer.

4 Main Plagiarism Types

Plagiarism is a problem, and make no mistake, the factors mentioned above can also count in on accidental or unintentional plagiarism. That’s why it’s important to understand the four major types of plagiarism, which are:

• Mosaic Plagiarism

Mosaic plagiarism is a term that has been coined by the writer and researcher Dr. Rebecca Moore Howard. It is a form of plagiarism where an article or book is constructed from multiple sources without attributing them to the original author.

Since it’s hard to detect, it’s also considered the most unethical type. The construction of mosaic plagiarism can be done in one of three ways:

• The author takes passages from different sources, pastes them together, and rewrites them to create their own work
• The author copies and pastes passages into a word processor document, create a new title for the document, and publishes it under his or her name as if it were original content
• The author copy-pastes passages from different sources into a word processor document and publishes it under his or her name
• Direct Plagiarism

Some people copy content from other sources and then publish it as their own. This is called “direct plagiarism.” Direct plagiarism is a serious offense that can result in a legal action but harms the original author’s reputation. It can also lead to a loss of trust from readers, which is an important part of marketing for any business.

• Accidental Plagiarism

Accidental plagiarism is a common problem that many writers face without even intending to duplicate content. It is possible to accidentally plagiarize even without meaning to do so. How is that? For instance, by forgetting to cite a source or by using an online tool that automatically generates content.

• Source-Based Plagiarism

Source-based plagiarism is a form of plagiarism that occurs when a writer fails to cite the source of their work. Or if they cite a source that doesn’t exist. In order to avoid this type of plagiarism, it is important for writers to be aware of the potential pitfalls and to use reliable sources.

What Is A Paraphrasing Tool? How Does it Work?

A paraphrasing tool is a computer program that automatically paraphrases text. The program analyzes the original text and replaces words with synonyms to generate a new text. It’s based on AI algorithms that allow users to conduct these actions within seconds.

If you were, to sum up how a paraphrasing tool works, then it’d look like this:

• NLP reads the content and converts it for the machine
• AI scans and analyzes the text
• Then AI picks the best synonyms and alternative terms
• The tool replaces said terms with picked synonyms
• All this occurs within a mere seconds

Now, as opposed to manually rephrasing, a paraphrasing tool does it quickly and conveniently. That’s why this type of software is often used by:

• Bloggers who want to generate more content very quickly
• SEO specialists who want to improve the quality of their articles
• People/writers who need assistance with their writing skills

Since it’s also commonly available today, it’s becoming more and more popular within writing communities of all kinds around the globe.

The simple answer is no, it’s not plagiarism if you do it right. However, if you do it wrong, then a lot can go left and cause plagiarism in your text. In order to avoid that, it’s imperative that you focus on writing original text with the assistance of a paraphrasing tool.

So, what are the pillars of using paraphrasers without committing to plagiarism? Here are three main things you need:

• The Intention Should Be Right

The first thing that counts as plagiarism is the intention. If the writer intended to reuse another author’s work to save time or effort without giving them their due credit, then it’s plagiarism. Granted, plagiarism can be unintentional too.

However, plagiarism’s most unethical shape is the one where it’s intended to be that way. Therefore, the writer should always use a paraphrasing tool to avoid plagiarism, not cause it.

• Paraphrasing Should Be Thorough

One of the most common problems writers face when paraphrasing is the lack of it. In other words, not paraphrasing thoroughly is what commonly causes plagiarism. How could they avoid that? By paraphrasing all the way through.

If your content remains the same as the original one, then plagiarism will remain. That’s why, to avoid it effectively, it’s imperative to use a tool that thoroughly rewrites the original text and avoids any similarities with the original.

• The Citation Should Be There

The final nail is to cite the original author after paraphrasing. Remember, plagiarism is caused by not giving the original writer their due credit. Therefore, you need to make sure you cite properly after rephrasing.

So, how do you do that? By hyperlinking the text with the link to the original blog/website. Or, you can use MLA or APA styles to cite the original author.

How Should You Use A Paraphrasing Tool To Avoid Plagiarism?

Using a paraphrasing tool to avoid plagiarism sounds good, but you must ensure you’re doing it properly. So, here’s a four-step procedure you should use to avoid plagiarism every time you use a paraphrasing tool.

• Pick A Paraphraser

The first step is to pick a good paraphrasing tool, and while we’ll be suggesting three such tools later, you need to look for something that offers:

• Various content tones
• At least a 500-word count limit
• The natural tone of rephrased content
• Quick and convenient usage

If a paraphrasing tool has these traits, then go for it.

• Choose A Content Tone

Once you pick a tool, the next step is to paste or upload your content into the tool’s editor. After that, you’ll have to pick a content tone. Most good tools would offer something along the lines of:

While some tools don’t have these options, you shouldn’t worry because such tools know what’s best for your type of text.

• Rewrite Content

The next step is to let the paraphrasing tool rewrite your content. This process takes up a few seconds, depending on the abilities of the tool you pick. However, most capable tools would take around a minute or two to rewrite around 400-500 words.

• Cite The Source

The final step is to avoid plagiarism effectively by citing the source. As mentioned before, you can try various ways of citation, but using the MLA or APA system is the best way to ensure the original author gets their due credit.

3 Recommended Paraphrasing Tools in 2022

Now that the process is out of the way let’s talk about the tools. Bearing in mind all the qualities we mentioned before, we picked the three best paraphrasing tools you can use in 2022. Here they are:

• Paraphrasingtool by Prepostseo

PrePostSEO’s paraphrasing tool is one of the common occurrences in Google search results for such tools. And there’s a good reason behind that, as it’s perhaps the best paraphrasing tool available today.

You cannot ask for more from a paraphrasing tool with a good UI design and paraphrasing capabilities. Because, in theory, this is the complete paraphraser that every writer needs.

• 1000-word limit
• Four content tones
• Supports 17 languages
• Paraphrase Online by Editpad

Editpad is new to the game, but the paraphrasing tool is becoming one of the best available today. Featuring three different content tones and outstanding abilities to paraphrase online your text, it’s one of the best options you have.

On top of that, it can rewrite texts without causing unnatural or robotic tones. Which makes it an ideal companion for any writer.

• 1000+ word limit
• Three content tones
• Various supported languages
• Quick and convenient
• Paraphraser.io

Paraphraser.io is another leading name in paraphrasing , as it’s  one of the favorites among writers. Why is it used on a wide scale? Because it has all the key ingredients to make a good paraphrasing tool.

From two more-than-suitable content tones to plagiarism removing capabilities, it’s everything a writer needs to avoid plagiarism.

• 500-word limit
• Two content tones (three if premium)
• Supports 13 languages
• Exceedingly quicker than most paraphrasers

Understanding how to use a paraphrasing tool requires you to understand the basics of it. Most of which we’ve covered in this article, as it explains just how you should approach paraphrasing. Therefore, to sum it all up, use a good tool and make sure you cite the original author to avoid plagiarism.

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• Open access
• Published: 07 July 2022

What are Automated Paraphrasing Tools and how do we address them? A review of a growing threat to academic integrity

• Jasper Roe   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7489-2847 1 &
• Mike Perkins 2  

International Journal for Educational Integrity volume  18 , Article number:  15 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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This article reviews the literature surrounding the growing use of Automated Paraphrasing Tools (APTs) as a threat to educational integrity. In academia there is a technological arms-race occurring between the development of tools and techniques which facilitate violations of the principles of educational integrity, including text-based plagiarism, and methods for identifying such behaviors. APTs are part of this race, as they are a rapidly developing technology which can help writers transform words, phrases, and entire sentences and paragraphs at the click of a button. This article seeks to review the literature surrounding the history of APT use and the current understanding of APTs placed in the broader context of the educational integrity-technology arms race.

Introduction: defining the educational integrity-technology arms race

Universities are going through a period of unprecedented disruption, and concerns regarding breaches of academic integrity can be seen as part of the wider context of social, economic, and technological changes in higher education (Bretag et al., 2018 ). Access to online resources, accelerating Internet connection speeds, and global interconnectedness continue to progress, and while this has several positive benefits for academic work (including the dissemination of ideas and access to resources (Rogerson, 2020 )), it brings with it more technologically advanced methods of committing academic misconduct and defying the norms, rules, and principles of educational integrity. This includes not only text-based plagiarism as we describe in the case of APTs, but also the availability of contract cheating services available through the ‘booming’ online sharing economy (Bretag et al., 2018 ). When describing plagiarism, we view it as part of the broader category of Academic Dishonesty (AD), defined by the International Center for Academic Integrity ( 2022 ) as a group of behaviors including plagiarism, cheating, lying, and deception. Academically dishonest behaviors often constitute academic misconduct, defined as engaging in fraud or deception through misrepresentation of work (Prescott, 1989 ).

While opportunities to engage in technologically assisted academic misconduct are growing, so are tools to assist in their detection. The development of these has become an active field of investigation in computer science and Natural Language Processing (NLP). This process is similar in nature to the concept of a military arms-race; with a pattern of competing development and acquisition of ever-stronger tools to evade and attack. As one method, software, or system is developed for engaging in breaches of educational integrity, a technological solution is shortly in development thereafter to combat it. Evidence of this can be seen through the work of Foltynek, Meuschke, & Gipp ( 2019 ), who found that between 2013 and 2018, 239 studies in the field of NLP focused on using technological means to identify complex forms of academic plagiarism. Some of these show great promise, with one tool developed by Foltynek et al. ( 2020 ) demonstrating accuracy of up to 99% in identifying machine-translated paraphrased text documents.

For each of these success stories, a new way of violating principles of educational integrity can equally be described. Alvi, Stevenson & Clough ( 2017 ) for example, highlighted how the use of homoglyphs can be employed by writers to replace letters with visually identical letters from other scripts, thus bypassing traditional text-matching anti-plagiarism software. Plagiarism in English using non-English source material is another important area of study. This has driven research in the identification of similar semantic meaning of two segments of text in different languages (Ferrero et al., 2017 ) to help detect when writers are taking existing text or ideas from non-English sources, translating it to English and claiming it as their own. As more of these techniques for engaging in violations of educational integrity appear, with them comes confusion and ambiguity. The lines between acceptable and unacceptable academic behavior are not universal, nor are they clear-cut. Rather, these behaviors exist on a continuum, and the place on the continuum that some new tools occupy is not entirely clear.

In this article, we aim to contribute to solving this problem through engaging in a detailed literature review of a category of tool that may be used to commit academic misconduct by aiding text-based plagiarism, that of Automated Paraphrasing Tools (APTs). We begin by describing the origins of APTs and their use in academic work. We then explore the relationship between language proficiency and APT use, and how APTs may or may not be used for in an academically dishonest way, referring to case studies from Dinneen ( 2021 ) and Prentice and Kinden ( 2018 ). Finally, we propose solutions and relevant limitations to tackling the problem of APTs in academia, as well as areas for future research.

Defining APTs and understanding their origins

Rogerson and McCarthy ( 2017 ) provide the clearest introduction and definition of what an APT is and does, stating that they are often web-based applications which use Machine Translation (MT) to transform one text into another, including between languages. MT varies in its level of sophistication and efficacy but is improving with advances in technology in the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and machine learning, although mistakes in output are still common (Rogerson, 2020 ). APTs were originally conceived to engage in ‘text-spinning’ as a method of achieving search engine optimization (Zhang, Wang, & Voelker, 2014 ), and paraphrase in this field is required as originality is a key criterion for search engine optimization (Rogerson, 2020 ).

From this beginning in website development, APTs have found a second user-base in academia, allowing writers to disguise source material in the submission of assessments (Rogerson, 2020 ) and bypass plagiarism detection services which use text-matching algorithms. The underlying factors leading to the use of these tools is not well understood. The relationship between language proficiency and plagiarism may lead to the conclusion that APT users are primarily novice students who are not native English speakers, but are instead using English as a Foreign Language (EFL) (Rogerson & McCarthy, 2017 ). However, Rogerson ( 2020 ) also argues that professional scholars and researchers may equally make use of these tools. To demonstrate Rogerson’s ( 2020 ) point, Ansorge, Ansorgeova, and Sixsmith ( 2021 ) described a single case of an article published in a journal which was later found to be likely to have used an APT. The authors used an online tool called ‘DiffChecker’ to identify 817 unique differences between the suspected source text (another journal article) and the published text; the tool found that it was highly likely the second text was produced by a machine, suggesting the use of an APT.

The relationship between APT use, paraphrase plagiarism, and language proficiency

Although the rules and norms of acceptability may vary between institutions and contexts, students in Higher Education must follow principles of academic integrity, which are built on values of honesty, fairness, trust, respect, and responsibility (Lynch, Salamonson & Glew et al., 2021 ). One of the methods by which students are expected to show these values is through paraphrasing: a skill which demonstrates that they can understand works that they have read, and distil, reproduce, comment on, or critique these ideas while maintaining proper acknowledgement of sources (Rogerson & McCarthy, 2017 ). Inappropriate paraphrase on the other hand, may contain the same lexis and overall structure as the original source material (Oshima & Hogue, 1999 ), thus resulting in plagiarism in some cases. Paraphrasing is a critical skill for successful writing, but can be difficult for students, especially for those who are not writing in their first language (Chen et al., 2015 ; Rogerson, 2017 ; Shi, 2012 ). This is one important factor in understanding the relationship between language proficiency and the use of APTs.

Non-native English writers were found by Keck ( 2006 ) to use more ‘near copies’ of phrases than native English-speaking writers, and the relationship between language proficiency and ability to paraphrase has also been shown as related to the level of students’ text comprehension (Erhel & Jamet, 2006 ). Insufficient knowledge may also lead to students being unable to think of a way to restate an idea (Rogerson & McCarthy, 2017 ). Therefore, a lower level of ability in English may lead to lower text comprehension, resulting in poorer paraphrasing. Several studies have equally found a negative association between English proficiency and engaging in plagiarism, such as Bretag ( 2007 ), Li ( 2015 ), Pennycook ( 1996 ), Marshall and Garry ( 2006 ), Perkins, Gezgin and Roe ( 2018 ), and Chen and Ku ( 2007 ). However, Keck ( 2014 ) also found that novice writers have also been shown to rely more heavily on copying from source material, so experience may also play a role in the ability to paraphrase.

One further complicating factor when understanding APT use and its role as an academically dishonest behavior is a lack of clarity as to what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate paraphrasing. Sun and Yang ( 2015 ) state that the definition of plagiarism and paraphrasing in academic work is unclear, leading to a lack of consensus. Shi ( 2004 ) proposes that paraphrasing be considered as matching more than two to three words from the original source material, while others state that even the duplication of words can be an indicator of plagiarism (Benos et al., 2005 ). Sun ( 2013 ) points out that with the varying requirements of different disciplines in academia, what is and is not acceptable may also vary. The lack of consensus on what constitutes appropriate paraphrasing may be one factor that affects students’ ability in academic writing and makes it more difficult to understand the use of APTs and to what extent they constitute academic misconduct. By reviewing the types of APT and how they are used however, a clearer perspective on when APT use constitutes AD can be formulated.

Types of APTs and their use in academic work

There are several different varieties of APTs, and all are not created equal. Prentice and Kinden ( 2018 ) highlight that between Rogerson and McCarthy’s ( 2017 ) initial finding of 550,000 results from a search engine query for paraphrasing tools, the number of results had reached 3 million by 2018. A search for this term in November 2021 obtained results of approximately 4.5 million; highlighting not only the growing number of APTs available, but also the increased interest in this field shown by both scholars and the general public alike. Close inspection of some of the top-ranking results on search engines shows that some APT applications seem to be mirror-duplicates of the same framework and technology which are free to use and rely on advertisements Others offer a greater range of fee-based subscription services, including alterable parameters of replacement at the lexis, phrase, or sentence level (Prentice and Kinden, 2018 ). This suggests that there may be large gaps between the efficacy, accuracy, and sophistication of the APTs which are presently being used.

One other variety of APTs are those which are used for pedagogical purposes and do not constitute a violation of principles of educational integrity. In the field of EFL, these can be indispensable tools for teaching paraphrasing as a skill. Chen et al. ( 2015 ) for example, demonstrated success in creating a corpus-based tool to suggest paraphrases using a parallel Chinese-English corpus, and found that 90% of the sample ( N  = 55) preferred to write using their assistive paraphrasing tool, and 75% felt that the tool benefited their writing. This demonstrates that for students who are practicing English writing as English as a Foreign Language (EFL), such APTs can be a valuable resource for learning. That said, if learners come into contact with these APTs and they are not properly contextualized by the instructor, they have the potential to cause confusion as to what is and what is not acceptable for formal assessments. This is compounded by the common use of corpora and paraphrasing tools in the English language classroom, something that many English as a Foreign Language speakers may experience. If an EFL student is introduced to an APT by a teacher, for example in a university English class environment, it follows that they may find it confusing if it is deemed unacceptable for use in an assessment and results in them subsequently being accused of plagiarism.

In terms of how APTs are used (except for pedagogical APTs) both free and paid varieties tend to follow a similar system. Users input raw text into an interface, press an action button, and then retrieve the automatically generated output, which in theory, encodes and communicates the same core ideas or message as a different set of words. However, given the variable effectiveness of MT, this can result in the production of incomprehensible text, which has been referred to as ‘word salad’ (Rogerson & McCarthy, 2017 ). As an example, Prentice and Kinden ( 2018 ) found that in the discipline of health sciences, the use of paraphrasing tools resulted in medical terminology being substituted for incomprehensible words that lacked meaning. This can be one of the clear indications that an APT has been used.

In terms of how users engage with APTs, following the authors’ experiences, a general set of strategies for their illicit use in academic writing can be outlined as follows. Users first locate texts which are relevant to the subject at hand, and then copy material verbatim from the source material, (commonly websites, textbooks and journal articles) and enter it into the tool. Students may also engage in ‘back translation’ (Jones, 2009 ; Dinneen, 2021 ) in which they copy the original source material, translate it into a foreign language (again using a MT tool such as Google Translate) and then translate it back to English, resulting in a paraphrased version of the original. Users may then pass this through an APT again, in a 3-step process. By doing so, the writer may believe they are able to bypass plagiarism detection software, reduce the amount of effort required to produce original text through paraphrase, or may simply feel that they have successfully engaged in paraphrasing, thus not committing any violation. If a ‘word salad’ (Rogerson & McCarthy, 2017 ) is produced where text is incoherent, writers may attempt to proofread and edit the paraphrased text to increase readability and avoid suspicion. These uses constitute Academic Dishonesty and are in our view paraphrasing plagiarism.

A review of APT case reports and the risks presented

While we have made clear which cases we argue constitute legitimate (pedagogical) uses of APTs and which constitute AD and paraphrasing plagiarism, this may not be clear to students who intend to use an APT. Sun ( 2013 ) discusses the possible generational-cultural dimensions that may affect use, quoting Weiler ( 2005 ) argument that for some generations of learners, learning focuses on seeking rather than critiquing information, meaning that learners may not see why text reproduction is academic misconduct. Students may then not clearly understand why APT use can result in plagiarism. Evidence for this comes from Bowen and Nani’s ( 2021 ) findings that Thai students were uncertain about the difference between patchwriting; a simplistic form of superficial (Rogerson & McCarthy, 2017 ) or close paraphrasing (Keck, 2010 ) and acceptable paraphrasing.

One example of such seemingly unintentional use of an APT to commit paraphrasing plagiarism is given by Prentice and Kinden ( 2018 ), who describe a situation of a student using an APT to paraphrase text from file-sharing sites, while providing the original source in a reference list. Although the inclusion of the original source material in a reference list implies that the student did not intend to deceive, this can under most definitions be considered plagiarism. On the other hand, an EFL student writing in their first language, and then translating it to English, followed by passing it through an APT, may be considered poor academic practice, or a disingenuous representation of their own abilities, but not, by definition, plagiarism, This is a debatable example, given that the answer to whether the text is in the students’ own words is not clear cut. Some may argue that the student’s ideas were initially created by the student, and only the phrasing and linguistic medium has been changed, where others may state that the student has not met the requirements of writing in the target language and has attempted to deceive the assessor that they have done so, constituting Academic Dishonesty and paraphrasing plagiarism.

A further case that may create debate is a report from Dinneen ( 2021 ), who describes a student who had copied 75% of the submitted text for an assessment but remained convinced that as they had used in-text citations, and changed the wording of the authors’ original text (through using an APT), they had not committed any form of misconduct nor plagiarized. Based on the interpretation of the institution’s plagiarism policy, it was found that there was no indication that algorithm-driven paraphrase constituted academic misconduct, meaning that in essence the student was correct (Dinneen, 2021 ). Our position on this is that despite not meeting the technical definition of academic misconduct based on the institution’s lack of policy, this does not change the core fact that the student’s submitted work was not their own. While some institutions may already have implemented policies to counteract these kinds of cases, the case study highlights the need for universal adoption of guidelines for institutions to deal with APT usage as it becomes more widespread.

While then, there are many areas of debate surrounding APT use, the fact remains that they are a serious and current threat to academic integrity, which can hide plagiarism and help to facilitate collusion (Wahle et al., 2021 ). APTs can serve to reduce the ability of text-matching software used to help identify potential cases of plagiarism, thus weakening one of the most effective current diagnostic tools for academic misconduct and plagiarism (Wahle et al., 2021 ). These tools not only represent a risk for students at the undergraduate and postgraduate level, but even for faculty and researchers who may wish to expand their output through publishing paraphrased versions of the same work while adding no new content. Rogerson ( 2020 ) highlights other risks, given that there is no publicly available information on how much data is collected from these tools, and what happens to this stored data. In all, this paints a concerning picture for APT use in academia.

Addressing APTs: What’s next?

Given the lack of consensus on several key issues relating to APTs, the question of how institutions and educators should address these tools is complex. Several strategies are available to help combat the use of APTs at present, but all carry some limitations, especially as more is found out about how these tools are used in practice, and as these tools continue to evolve.

Under the arms-race scenario, institutions and educators may look towards developments in technology for identifying the use of APTs. Current options in development include Longformer, which attempts to identify machine-based plagiarism, and DSpin, created by Zhang, Wang, and Voelker ( 2014 ), which aims to automatically identify text created by APTs. Foltynek et al. ( 2019 )‘s systematic literature review of computational methods of plagiarism detection notes that there have been large improvements in technological solutions to identifying plagiarism, which are mainly the result of improved methods of semantic analysis, as well as the use of non-textual elements of written work and the use of machine learning. This means that with the continued development of the field, the ability of software to identify the use of APTs and other difficult to detect, or ‘complex plagiarism’ (Perkins, Gezgin & Gordon, 2019 ), may be on the horizon. Other authors, such as Perkins, Gezgin and Roe ( 2020 ) also highlight that while current software is not yet able to accurately identify these more complex cases of plagiarism, emerging fields of deep learning and neural network technologies have high potential in easing academic misconduct issues in higher education in future.

Whether an automated tool will be usable to detect APTs on a highly accurate, accessible basis in future is still then, an unknown, but machine-translated text is usually identifiable by an individual reading the material (Carter & Inkpen, 2012 ). In terms of the arms-race metaphor however, it may not be long before proficient speakers start to find it more challenging to distinguish between APT text and human-written text, as APTs continue to develop. This leads us to advocate for one established method that supersedes the arms race: training. Training is important, as at present, despite advances in technology, identifying plagiarism remains a social activity that currently requires human intervention in identification (Weber-Wulff, 2019 ). It is well established that training both students and faculty can have a positive effect on reducing breaches of academic integrity. Duff et al. ( 2006 ) found that over a three-year period, providing cross-cultural training on critical scholarship in the Western academic tradition, and taking an approach towards guiding students rather than focusing on detection and punishment led to improvements in scholarship. Dawson, Sutherland-Smith and Ricksen ( 2020 ) found that faculty using Turnitin’s Authorship Investigate tool led to significant increases in their ability to detect contract cheating, and Dawson and Sutherland-Smith ( 2019 ) demonstrated that marker training is helpful in identifying contract cheating. Perkins, Gezgin and Roe ( 2020 ) identify how academic misconduct education and training of students can potentially lead to a reduction in the instances of plagiarism that take place, and Du ( 2019 ) found that a single six-hour period of instruction reduced plagiarism in participants writing. Recognizing the broader reasons which may lead to plagiarism, and accounting for this in the development of supportive academic policies and practices is therefore of importance in reducing the usage of these tools amongst students. Martin ( 2004 ) also states that a policy of effective training, modeling, and rewards, is more effective than a disciplinary approach to poor practice. It is important to note that cultural norms should not be ignored in implementing such training, as the Western notion of academic integrity is not universal, and has been implicated as dismissive of other cultures, in particular the Eastern academic tradition of duplication as homage (Stowers & Hummel, 2011 ; Roe & Perkins 2020 ). To take a student-centered approach then, would mean to continue providing students with greater training on what these tools are, how they can be used legitimately, and how illicit use can be avoided.

However, if student training is to be used as an initial proactive approach to dealing with APTs, then a clear communication strategy should be devised to ensure that students understand the difference between the use of such tools pedagogically in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) language classroom (Chen et al., 2015 ), and their use individually to produce assessed work in their disciplines of study. Training for both students and faculty should include examples of the resulting ‘word salads’ (Rogerson & McCarthy, 2017 ) and poorly paraphrased sentences to emphasize the potential risks of the software producing unsatisfactory work, including typical features such as unclear sentence meaning, missing data, and incorrect referencing (Ansorge, Ansorgeova, & Sixsmith, 2021 ), aside from the serious risk of violating principles of educational integrity, as recommended by Nino ( 2009 ). This avoids the situation in which educators are forced to make difficult decisions without adequate training and recognizes that academics play a vital role in the detection of academic misconduct (Bretag & Mahmud, 2009 ).

As technology continues to accelerate, the rate of development in advanced tools which manipulate language for a variety of purposes, including to aid academic work both legitimately and illicitly, will continue to grow. The role of academics is to decipher their use, understand why and how they are used, and make judgements on at what point this constitutes an unacceptable usage. As Dinneen ( 2021 ) states, there is currently a ‘silence’ on the appropriate use of digital tools in institutional academic integrity policies. This article has sought to remedy this through the review of current literature pertaining to APTs and offer insight into issues which institutions and faculty might face when confronted with this growing threat among both native English speaking and EFL students. We have also identified that the current approach of combating the illicit use of APTs through the development of technical solutions is promising but may continue to form an arms-race scenario. We therefore advocate for training as the most important tool in both reducing the use of APTs by students, as well as improving the ability of faculty to detect any such use. Finally, as recommended by Rogerson ( 2020 ) additional investigations should aim to develop broader social insights into the use of APTs. Further research into the effectiveness and structure of APTs, as well as why students use them, will further illuminate this challenging topic.

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Abbreviations

Automated Paraphrasing Tools are software applications which produce paraphrased text through user input

Search Engine Optimization is the process of a website obtaining a higher ranking on a search engine to enjoy greater visibility

English as a Foreign Language is the speaking of English as a language other than one’s own mother tongue

Natural Language Processing is an emerging field involving artificial intelligence, linguistics, and machine learning

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Roe, J., Perkins, M. What are Automated Paraphrasing Tools and how do we address them? A review of a growing threat to academic integrity. Int J Educ Integr 18 , 15 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-022-00109-w

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Is using a Paraphrasing Tool Cheating? Paraphrasing Dos & Don’ts

Paraphrasing Dos & Don'ts

If well done, paraphrasing is a great method to plagiarize content and legally use it wisely without being caught. However, there are important paraphrasing dos and don’ts that one should adhere to.

One of the don’ts is using rewriting tools. Most people use them, but the question is whether using a paraphrasing tool is considered cheating.

You can avoid using these tools by engaging experts to handle your writing. Check out our seasoned essay writers, who are always available to help you paraphrase your essay or completely help with your homework.

Before paraphrasing, reading and knowing the main idea or details of a sentence, paragraph, or topic is important. Paraphrasing makes you understand a certain topic deeply and shows critical thinking.

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Is Using a Paraphrasing Tool Cheating?

Ideally, paraphrasing tools is considered cheating because the content is not original, and the tools do not credit the real author.

It is cheating because you have not written the content yourself but used a computerized tool or bot to spin the content for you. However, paraphrasing tools can make the work easier when combined with human writing and referencing.

On the other hand, paraphrasing a small piece of information and citing the author cannot be regarded as cheating. When one doesn’t understand the language used to write an essay well and is needed to paraphrase, these tools come to the rescue.

Paraphrasing tools are software that can be used to rewrite articles and essays without plagiarizing. Some of these tools generate 100% original unique content. The whole exercise can be referred to as essay spinning. These tools make paraphrasing easier when one is needed to paraphrase large amounts of work.

Imagine having to paraphrase a whole book or novel.

It is not impossible but it will take much of your time.

It is, therefore, an option to use a paraphrasing tool to make the work easier. 

When in places where you can’t easily access any writing material, paraphrasing tools give you a better option. They can be used anywhere, anytime.

Paraphrasing tools reduce the effort that you will be required to put in place when manually paraphrasing. This makes you concentrate and focus your mind on writing specific high-quality content that is needed.

Paraphrasing is not easy, mostly for beginners who know little about it. Using paraphrasing tools may guide them on how it is done effectively. This, therefore, cannot be regarded as immoral.

Advantages of using Paraphrasing Tools

Paraphrasing tools have the following advantages:

• You can easily paraphrase yourself. Also, the tools are always available. You can use them anytime you want.
• Most of the paraphrasing tools are free and cheap to use.
• Guarantees plagiarism-free work. These tools face a lot of criticism but it is fair to say that most of them provide you with original content. The content is plagiarism free, with no trace of copied work.
• It is not restricted to certain types of papers. It is suitable for use in professional, academic, and personal papers.
• Besides paraphrasing, these tools correct grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors to improve your work’s quality.
• These tools also eliminate unnecessary words and sentences in your content. Even long sentences that may have distorted meanings are cut short into meaningful sentences.

The Dos and Don’ts of Paraphrasing

These paraphrasing dos and don’ts guide you on how to paraphrase well and avoid plagiarism and chances of cheating. However, one of the don’ts is to avoid paraphrasing tools because they are unprofessional and considered cheating.

To paraphrase effectively, follow the following simple steps to the latter. It is these steps that will determine the effectiveness of your paraphrased work.

As we determined in another post, paraphrasing is considered plagiarism ; if you do not do it well, you will be flagged for copy-pasting. And avoid misrepresentations to keep the facts real.

Paraphrasing Dos – Proven Tips and Tricks

The following tips can make sure that you effectively paraphrase your work. However, you can hire us to paraphrase your essay if you need our writing solutions. However, you can handle it on your own.

You can start your sentences at different points compared to the source. Make sure you mention the key pieces of information in a different order. This will help reduce the resemblance of your content with the original.

Using as many synonyms as possible. Words with the same meaning help a lot when paraphrasing content and making it look unique.

When having trouble thinking of synonyms you can use without changing the meaning, you can use specialized tools for that. Though acceptable, it should not be overused. This may likely distort the message.

Breaking information into separate sentences.

Playing with the number of sentences to make your text look different is allowed.

One should remember that the word count of a paraphrased work should not be much different from the word count of the original content.

Changing the sentence structure. This can be done effectively by changing an active voice to a passive one. This is by changing sentences led by subjects to become sentences led by objects.

It is important to cite and reference your work to avoid plagiarism. Using quotation marks is also important in words that are said in the book also to help avoid plagiarism.

When you complete writing your version of the work, it is important to proofread and edit your work. Check whether you have not made grammatical errors and whether you have cited and referenced correctly.

Paraphrasing Don’ts – What to Avoid

Paraphrasing is a skill that needs to be learned. It is important to note things that you should not do when paraphrasing. As recommended in our guide on cheating on essay writing and scores, paraphrasing should be done well. To do that, avoid the following.

1. Do not Ignore the Author

First, you should avoid failing to acknowledge the source of ideas and information you have used in your content through in-text citations. It is important to note that common knowledge does not need to be cited.

This is because this type of information is widely known and found in many different sources. It is not worth the risk when you don’t know the popularity of some information. Therefore, you should cite it to avoid risking plagiarizing.

2. Use Quotation Marks for Quotes

Failing to include quotation marks in terms and phrases that a different author said. You cannot quote a text without using quotation marks. Readers will easily identify such texts as plagiarized texts

3. Paraphrase Sentences, not words

Avoid changing and playing around with a few words of an author’s original work for use in your paper. This will likely be detected as plagiarism.

You should combine changing sentence structures, using synonyms, and citing your work to have a high chance of escaping plagiarism. One should also take note of the use of keywords from the author’s work.

4. Avoid Rearranging Words

Rearranging and replacing keywords will not help you escape plagiarism. Most plagiarism-checking tools and careful readers easily detect these tricks.

Using the same sentence structures as the original version is the easiest way to risk your work for plagiarism. This is because not much changes in your work compared to the original.

5. Avoid Paraphrasing Papers from Public Databases

It is usually risky when paraphrasing from public databases. Most of these sources are licensed. They can only be closely paraphrased if the sources are properly attributed.

The attribution can be in-text attribution or general attribution.

6. Avoid Paraphrasing Tools

Using paraphrasing tools should be avoided and should not substitute one’s paraphrasing. They are mostly inaccurate, flawed, and time-wasting. This is because plagiarism scanners like Turnitin can detect paraphrasing and flag you for copying.

Most readers are likely to detect plagiarism in their work because using a paraphrasing tool is basically cheating. Read on to know if the use of paraphrasing tools is considered cheating or not.

How to Paraphrase Quickly

The easiest way to paraphrase quickly is to read, understand, and write. Paraphrasing quickly can be done by reading and understanding the passage. This will make it easier to interpret the work in your own words.

You can then change the words without changing the meaning and create syntax. Lastly, change the structure of the paragraphs and add citations and references.

Another way to paraphrase quickly is by using paraphrasing tools. This becomes an option when you are in a hurry and with a budget.

However, before submitting the work on the tool, read and understand it. But be careful because using a paraphrasing tool is considered cheating.

After receiving the output from the tool, read through it again and access making corrections where you feel you can do better. This will save time and make the content more original.

FAQs on Paraphrasing Tools

Are paraphrasing tools legit.

Paraphrasing tools can be legit based on how you choose to use them. Specific ways make paraphrasing tools legit. When you have little or no time to paraphrase a given work, paraphrasing tools offer the best help. It can also offer the best help when you barely understand the language. However, using paraphrasing tools just for the sake of it encourage laziness in writers. It is advisable to paraphrase on your own rather than using paraphrasing tools. This helps you paraphrase better, understand paraphrasing more, and save time. Notably, most paraphrasing tools’ output may be incorrect, and careful readers can identify plagiarism.

What is the Best Website for paraphrasing?

We are arguably the best website for paraphrasing. It offers a service for any text using experienced professional writers and rewording sentences. The writers of this website are high-level graduates from a wide variety of academic backgrounds. Our website ensures on-time delivery of jobs given and guarantees full customer satisfaction. Customer service is usually available at any time. It offers fair prices and discounts. This website also provides free proofreading of all writing work. Rewording done by this website helps avoid plagiarism and transform content. Rewording summarizes content, makes it easy to understand, and avoids using direct quotes. We will deliver untraceable essays by making you as unique as possible.

What is the best paraphrasing tool?

There is really no tool that can be said to be the best paraphrasing tool. It processes language naturally and uses advanced artificial intelligence. A good tool has to apply every method of paraphrasing, as below; It is fast . In roughly 20 seconds, it can paraphrase 500 words. It has more than six editor layouts. The text editor is powerful, and you can use it to add synonyms. It is accurate because it uses AI. Besides, It has a three-day free trial . It is usable on any device that can access the internet. Customer care service is fast and helpful.

Watch this video to learn more on this.

With over 10 years in academia and academic assistance, Alicia Smart is the epitome of excellence in the writing industry. She is our managing editor and is in charge of the writing operations at Grade Bees.

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Frequently asked questions

Is paraphrasing considered plagiarism.

Paraphrasing   without crediting the original author   is a   form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly referencing the source . This means including an   in-text citation   and a full reference, formatted according to your required   citation style.

As well as citing, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.

Frequently asked questions: Paraphrasing Tool

The act of putting someone else’s ideas or words into your own words is called paraphrasing, rephrasing, or rewording. Even though they are often used interchangeably, the terms can mean slightly different things:

Paraphrasing   is restating someone else’s ideas or words in your own words while retaining their meaning. Paraphrasing changes sentence structure, word choice, and sentence length to convey the same meaning.

Rephrasing   may involve more substantial changes to the original text, including changing the order of sentences or the overall structure of the text.

Rewording   is changing individual words in a text without changing its meaning or structure, often using synonyms.

It can. One of the two methods of paraphrasing is called “Fluency.” This will improve the language and fix grammatical errors in the text you’re paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing and using a paraphrasing tool aren’t cheating. It’s a great tool for saving time and coming up with new ways to express yourself in writing.  However, always be sure to credit your sources.  Avoid plagiarism.  

If you don’t properly reference text paraphrased from another source, you’re plagiarising. If you use someone else’s text and paraphrase it, you need to credit the original source. You can do that by using citations. There are different styles, like APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago. Find more information about referencing sources  here.

Plagiarism   means using someone else’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own.   Paraphrasing   means putting someone else’s ideas in your own words.

So when does paraphrasing count as plagiarism?

• Paraphrasing   is   plagiarism if you don’t properly credit the original author.
• Paraphrasing   is   plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should   quote   it instead.
• Paraphrasing  is not   plagiarism if you put the author’s ideas completely in your own words   and   properly referencing the source .

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How to Avoid Plagiarism

• Defining Plagiarism
• Proper vs. Improper Paraphrasing
• Writing Skills

Improper Paraphrasing

Improper paraphrasing is a very common form of plagiarism. This occurs when one lifts a direct phrase from another work and changes just a few words - and then claims the work as wholly their own. Learning how to properly paraphrase is a very important component of good writing. But, remember, just because you have properly paraphrased does not mean that you do not need to cite the source of the original idea. Paraphrasing is simply a way of putting someone else's ideas into your own words - it does not make the idea your own.

Examples of Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is when you take an original idea from an author's work and reword, or rephrase, it so that the words are your own. It is important to remember that no matter how successful you are at paraphrasing, only the words are your own. When you paraphrase you must give credit through a citation for the author's original idea.

Original Phrase

"Western law begins with two major subgroups. One contains the legal systems of the European continent. Although there are many differences among European legal systems, they are all descended from the law of the Roman Empire and were influenced by the procedures of Medieval Roman Catholic canon law."

Dorothy H. Bracey, Exploring Law and Culture 31 (2006).

If you want to use this exact language in a paper, or any other work for a course, you must use quotation marks and provide a citation. If you want to use the idea, but not necessarily the author's words, you can paraphrase - but remember, you need to really need to explain the idea in your own words for it to be properly paraphrased; and don't forget the citation! 

Western law has two major subgroups. One is the legal systems of Europe. There are differences between the European legal systems, but they are all descended from the Roman Empire and influenced by the procedures of the Medieval Roman Catholic law.

With or without a citation, the above phrase is plagiarism. Changing a few words and omitting others is not enough for proper paraphrasing. You must really understand what the phrase means and then put it in your own words. 

Proper Paraphrasing

At first glance, it can seem like the legal traditions of European countries are all very different. However, as part of one of the larger subgroups of Western law, European legal systems largely share a common origin in the Roman Empire and Medieval Roman Catholic Church law.

This is an example of proper paraphrasing (and citation). The original phrase has been reworded and the original idea is being attributed to the original author.

Help With Paraphrasing

If you feel like you need help with paraphrasing, there are some very good resources online. Purdue University has an online writing lab (the OWL) that offers tips on how to paraphrase as well as a quiz to see if you really understand how to paraphrase. This is an important skill to practice in order to avoid plagiarism. 

• Purdue's OWL instructions on how to paraphrase
• Purdue's OWL paraphrase exercise

Checklist From the OWL

6 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing

• Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning.
• Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.
• Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the subject of your paraphrase.
• Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form.
• Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.
• Record the source (including the page) on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.

Taken from Purdue Online Writing Lab, Paraphrase: Write It in Your Own Words

• << Previous: Defining Plagiarism
• Next: Writing Skills >>
• Last Updated: Mar 22, 2022 9:47 AM
• URL: https://law-richmond.libguides.com/howtoavoidplagiarism

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Is it Legal to Use a Paraphrasing Tool to Avoid Plagiarism

Originally published: March 28, 2022 09:35:16 AM, updated: June 14, 2023 10:06:00 AM

Using a free paraphrasing tool can be very helpful when writing content. You can use it to make your content unique. You can also learn new words and see the different ways in which you can structure your sentences.

But, seeing how easy it is to use these tools, you could be a bit worried about whether what you are doing is legal or not. Not to worry. That is what we will discuss in this post.

The Right and Wrong Types of Paraphrasing

There are two types of paraphrasing.

The first type is the one in which the job is done thoroughly, and the final content does not bear a very major resemblance to the original text.

The other type of paraphrasing (and this is the bad kind) is the one in which someone just changes a few words from the original content and then uses it as it is his own.

Of these two types, the first one is legal.

In other words, if a person paraphrases some content then and adequately shares it elsewhere without citing the source, there will be nothing wrong with it.

With this type of content, even if someone were to check Plagiarism, they would not get any type of matches whatsoever. But, with partially paraphrased content, it is important to mention the original author as well.

Is it Legal to Use a Paraphrasing Tool to Avoid Plagiarism?

As we mentioned above, paraphrasing is legal if it is done correctly. With genuine and legitimate paraphrasing, there is no malicious intent involved.

The writer does not aim to use someone else's content as his own wrongfully. He merely wishes to write a certain idea or concept in different words.

However, we should mention that while proper paraphrasing won't be considered Plagiarism, it's not something that you should resort to habitually.

In certain scenarios, it is fine to paraphrase a few paragraphs. But it is not good to adopt this as a permanent practice. A writer should come up with original and unique stuff and not rely on other people's content.

Mind you, there is a significant difference between taking inspiration and paraphrasing. To take inspiration means to learn from some content and then to come up with a completely new and unique way to explain it.

And doing this is completely fine from both aspects: legal and ethical. Without taking inspiration, no one would learn anything.

Recommended video : How to Paraphrase in 5 Easy Steps | Scribbr

How to Use a Free Paraphrasing Tool to Paraphrase Content Properly?

Improperly paraphrased content will not be recognized as unique either by the readers or the search engine. If you don't know how to paraphrase content properly, you need to get familiar with it.

Here is how you can do it in a few simple steps:

Choose a good paraphrasing tool . This part is important. A lot of tools available online will take your content and mess it up…instead of rewording it.

We will look at a few good tools in detail later on, but for now, we can name a few, such as paphraser.io, rephrase.info, searchengingereports.net, etc.

Paraphrase the content . After you have chosen your tool, you will need to use it and rephrase the original text.

Check for errors . Up till now, the two steps mentioned were more or less what you usually have to do when you paraphrase any content.

However, you have to make sure that everything is on point when you want to do it properly. Fixing grammatical and spelling mistakes is the first step to that.

Don't retain the sentence structure . And finally, to make sure that your paraphrased content is not recognizable, you have to change the original structure. You can do this by moving the paragraphs around a bit and breaking the sentences down into smaller parts.

Some changes to the structure will be affected by the paraphraser tool itself, but most of it you will have to do yourself.

If you follow the first two steps of this post only, you will get paraphrased content, but it will not be thorough and complete.

Tools That You Can Try for Paraphrasing Content

The steps discussed above are pretty easy to follow. However, when it comes to choosing the right paraphrasing tool, you could face a hitch.

To help you pick the right tool for your paraphrasing needs, we have come up with this brief list:

Paraphraser.io is a great free paraphrasing tool. It comes with a free version that users can enjoy indefinitely without signing up or registering.

The main reason why we are mentioning this tool at the top of our list is because of its human-like functionality.

We mentioned earlier that there are a lot of tools online that jumble the meaning of the given text and make it mean something completely different than what was intended.

However, Paraphraser.io runs on an exceptional algorithm that allows it to replace certain words with proper synonyms while retaining the original context.

You also get the option of choosing between two different modes (three, if you are a premium user), which include: Fluency, Standard, and Creative (premium only).

Key Features

• Free to start
• Different modes available
• Human-like functionality
• Multiple integrated tools

Prepostseo.com is not only a paraphrasing tool. There are a lot of different utilities related to content optimization and SEO that you can use with it. And luckily for us, they also have a paraphraser tool that is available for free.

There are a lot of excellent features on this app as well. For one, it has four different modes, all of which can be enjoyed by free users.

They include Simple, Creative, Advanced, and Fluency. These different modes essentially decide the number and type of changes that will be made to the given text.

The process is quick to complete, and the results can easily be copied.

If you want to use some other tools, like 'Check Plagiarism,' 'Checker Grammar,' and 'Summarize Content,' you can easily do it by clicking on the buttons in the bottom bar.

• Free to use all the way
• Extra tools available, i.e., plagiarism checker, grammar checker, etc.
• Completely web-based
• Quick conversion

Plagiarismremover.net has, like the two other tools discussed on this list, multiple utilities that you can use. Their 'Article Rewriter' tool is an excellent paraphraser that is available for free.

We copied some text from a website and paraphrased it using this tool. After paraphrasing, the resulting content did not get recognized as plagiarized.

Plagiarismremover.net offers a decent number of file uploading and language options. As for the process itself, it was fast and only took up a few seconds.

• Quick to work
• Gave plagiarism-free results
• Integrated plagiarism and grammar checking tools
• Multiple languages supported

Paraphrasingtool.ai is an advanced online platform that hosts a variety of innovative tools designed to assist writers in creating, modifying, and polishing their content. Its flagship product is a paraphrasing tool with unique features such as audio paraphrasing, four different tonal settings, eight paraphrasing modes, and a speech-to-text paraphrasing capability.

This versatile tool can effortlessly rephrase up to 20,000 characters simultaneously, paving the way for more efficient content production. This tool also has an AI Text Editor enriched with many features.

It can simplify complex sentences, expand upon ideas, convert paragraphs into bullet points, provide examples, and offer explanations, among other features. This streamlines the editing process, making it more intuitive and user-friendly.

In addition to these utilities, Paraphrasingtool.ai also offers a plagiarism checker that can check up to 25,000 words in one go. This tool is invaluable for writers seeking originality and authenticity in their work, allowing them to uphold the highest academic integrity and professionalism standards.

• Freemium Tool
• Multiple paraphrasing modes
• Multiple tones
• Multilingual support
• Plagiarism checker available
• Decent character limit
• Multiple input options (Audio paraphrasing, Speech-to-text paraphrasing, and extracting text from images)
• AI text editor

What are the key elements of paraphrasing?

The two elements of paraphrasing are:

1. Giving an author credit for their thoughts. 2. Putting these concepts into your own words rather than the authors.

What three steps are involved in paraphrasing?

After reading the original content and understanding it, put it aside. Change the text's structure by altering the introduction, the sentence lengths and/or orders, the starting sentence, etc. Note the key ideas or points using your memory. Don't duplicate the text word for word.

What is not allowed in paraphrasing?

It is not sufficient to just substitute a few words and leave out others when paraphrasing. You must fully comprehend the meaning of the expression before translating it into your own words.

When should you not paraphrase?

Paraphrasing is considered plagiarism if you don't give the original author full credit. If your text is too similar to the original words (even if you cite the source), paraphrasing is considered plagiarism. Quote a sentence or phrase rather than just copy it verbatim.

What to change when paraphrasing?

Don't just take the original sentence and replace some of the terms with synonyms when paraphrasing. Try reformulating the statement instead (for example, switching from active to passive or beginning at a different point) and incorporating details from several phrases into one.

Paraphrasing any content properly can take time, but it is worth it. Keep in mind that you must give credit through a citation for the author's original idea when paraphrasing.

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How to Avoid Plagiarism with the Quillbot Paraphrasing Tool?

Posted on Last updated: August 15, 2022

If paraphrasing is your regular thing, then you may have been aware of the AI-backed paraphrasing tool called Quillbot that helps users avoid plagiarism in no time.

It can manifest your content in a way that it can easily pass as an original creation.

However, to achieve the desired authenticity, you may have to do some manual edits and look for loopholes as closely as possible.

This guide will help you with the burning question on your mind – Does Quillbot avoid plagiarism, and how?

We see Quillbot as a full-sentence thesaurus that can help you write faster without hitting mind blocks. It assists you in paraphrasing synonym terms.

Sometimes the synonym term does not match the context, leaving readers puzzled. The ideal method is to review after Quillbot’s paraphrase; your opinion must be consistent.

Before we get into the details, check the link below to create a Quillbot Account for free.

👉 Here’s our Brutally Honest QuillBot Review

Does Quillbot Avoid Plagiarism?

Here’s one thing you should know about Quillbot (as emphasized by Quillbot creators) – the tool was not designed to dodge plagiarism.

If you go to the FAQ page of Quillbot, you will see how openly the creators vow not to promote plagiarism. Even on forums like Reddit , you will find Quillbot developers answering questions regarding plagiarism and the AI tool. 

But, as much as the creators diss the idea of plagiarism, Quillbot does help writers in paraphrasing the original content. And with some extra work and a clear mindset about content and grammar rules, writers can make Quillbot work for them seamlessly. 

To avoid plagiarism with Quillbot, you should always revise your content and making some manual edits. Alongside that, always have in mind the importance of citations.

An adequately cited content can go a long way, and it will also help to avoid plagiarism. You should always link back to the source and credit them clearly to add value to your content. 

For tools like Copyscape and Turnitin, plagiarism percentage looks different.

There are mixed opinions over what level of plagiarism percentage is okay, but with Copyscape, anything above 10% copied score is not okay to be taken live. Colleges usually use Turnitin to grade student submissions. Copy percentage over 25% is flagged red. 

Back to the primary question – does Quillbot avoids plagiarism?

To some extent. But if you do not manually edit and revise the rewritten text, your content will set off the plagiarism detector software. Proceed with caution! 

This Article’s Sponsor

NOTE: This article was sponsored by Quillbot. A paraphrasing tool that will help you complete your writings FASTER with CONFIDENCE. The good part it is FREE!

How to reword to avoid plagiarism

Even if you use Quillbot as a paraphrasing tool , there are still steps you must follow while rewording a text.

However, if you use Quillbot to rewrite a sentence, please do not assume it is plagiarism-free. You will have to revise and modify a few sections.

Here are some methods you can apply to paraphrase a sentence using Quillbot. We suggest you treat these steps as your rite of passage to creating original content. 

• Want to pass a plagiarism test? Change your content’s sentence structure and modify some parts of the speech. 
• Varying your sentences from active to passive or passive to active can help 
• Prefer using synonyms for words that are not ordinary. 
• Use clauses 
• Phrases and clauses are essential for sentences. Tweak them to avoid plagiarism 

All the points mentioned above can help you in steering clear of plagiarism issues. They can help you create quality content that does not look like it is copied from single or multiple sources. 

5 ways to create quality and plagiarism-free content with Quillbot 

Other than the quick checkpoints, we suggest some more methods that can come in handy for you. We will show you 7 ways to avoid plagiarism with Quillbot. 

• Keep it short and simple. 

Long sentences make it difficult for readers to comprehend.

The best way to keep your content effective and plagiarism-free are by simplifying it and using short sentences. 

• Enhance your vocabulary

Now, this is where Quillbot can help you the most. You can easily make your content look different from the copied source if you use better synonyms for the words that are not generic. 

In Quillbot, you can click on a single word and get a drop-down list of synonyms. There is also a slider on top of the Quillbot text box that can help you adjust the synonym level (low to high). The highest level is for the paid users. 

• Discover semantic keywords and don’t leave quotes intact

With the Quillbot tool, you can get the semantic keywords helpful in writing different words and phrases.

To make your content plagiarism-free, you can’t just leave out quotes.

There is no hard and fast rule on paraphrasing quotes as long as you deliver the same meaning. You can modify the language while maintaining the context.

• Practice manual paraphrasing

Using an AI tool to paraphrase a statement does not deliver error-free output. The tool will make some mistakes, and you can use alternatives to correct them.

However, be mindful of the synonyms because not all of them will deliver the same context as intended in the original text. Try using manual paraphrasing to improve your statement.

• Pay heed to translations 

Poor paraphrasing gets exposed to poor translations. It often shows up in the form of unusual word ordering and strange use of synonyms.

Constructing sentences with a paraphrasing tool will undoubtedly assist you in bringing the sentence structure, and word strings fall in line with the native language. 

How to reword your sentence using Quillbot

You might be wondering how to leverage Quillbot to rephrase or reword your sentence to avoid plagiarism. You can, however, use the Quillbot tool as quickly and efficiently as possible. Here are some guidelines to help you get started with Quillbot:

• Open Quillbot website. Or install the browser/MS Word extension.
• You will notice an empty bar where you may paste your content. Paste your source content in the blank field and click on the “paraphrase” button
• Wait till you get the paraphrased content in the bar on the right side. 
• You can make some more adjustments in the paraphrased version by adjusting the synonym level from the slider option above the blank fields
• If you’re a free member, you can try paraphrasing using two modes – standard and fluency. Click on each mode and paraphrase to see which version suits you the best.
• Paid members get to use all the modes, including standard, fluency, creative, creative+, formal, shorten, and expand. These modes can deliver more professional paraphrasing
• Try different modes and tweak your content to get the best output that stands free from plagiarism

More QuillBot Modes allows Flexibility

QuillBot is simple and highly customizable. The tool enables you to rephrase the content in seven distinct modes, each of which produces a different version of your text, giving you the flexibility to create original content:

• Standard mode: It is the regular rephrasing mode. It paraphrases only a few words from the original text. The context broadly remains the same. 
• Fluency mode: With this mode, QuillBot improves the fluency of the context and paraphrases it more broadly. In the course, it also fixes grammatical errors. 
• Creative mode: This mode is only available for the paid members. It rewrites the entire text with clear expressions that keep the context the same without plagiarizing the original source. Although it aims at producing unique content, we can’t vouch for accuracy. 
• Creative+ mode: It is similar to the creative mode but changes higher sections of the original content and attempts to paraphrase it with more creativity. 
• Formal mode: This mode is for those who want to paraphrase their content in a more formal tone. It rewrites most ordinary parts and turns it into a professionally written piece.
• Shorten mode: This summarizes your sentences and turns them shorter that fetches a higher readability score. 
• Expand mode: This mode elaborates your content and breaks down a few words into explanatory phrases to grow the word count. 

Except for the standard, fluency, and creative modes, the rest are limited to paid members.  

Conclusion 

Quillbot is capable of defeating any plagiarism detection software, including Turnitin. It paraphrases content word for word and creates almost original content. 

As a result, plagiarism detector software like Turnitin cannot identify paraphrasing from Quillbot. But it will identify paraphrasing if Quillbot paraphrases numerous articles from a single online source.

As effective as the platform tries to be, we strongly suggest proofreading your work to make it appear more genuine; otherwise, your content may come under suspicion.  

Disclosure:  This page may contain a few affiliate links, which means if you buy something through them, we may get a commission (without any extra cost to you).

PARAPHRASING TOOL BY PAPERSOWL

Rephrase easily to avoid plagiarism. Free and Easy to use!

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Hire a professional editor to paraphrase your essay.

How to use paraphrasing tool:

• Paste the text you need to be reworded in the box and click the “paraphrase” button.
• You will see a series of highlighted words in your text. Click on each to view a list of prospective synonyms with which to replace said words.
• Replace the original word with the synonym of your choice by clicking on it.
• Once you have changed all the words from the original text you deem necessary, click “finish.”
• If you are satisfied with the results, copy and paste the text to your desired location.
• If you think more changes are necessary at this point, click “retry” to start again, or the “paraphrase another text” button to repeat the process on a new text you need reworded.

(Votes: 0 )

How to avoid plagiarism?

Proper citation style.

Avoid plagiarism by always listing the source and formatting it correctly when you are note-taking. Take care of the proper formatting and citation style when using content from outside sources.

Write on your own

Avoid borrowing and overusing large pieces of the content from outside sources, especially Wikipedia. Write your own thoughts and use sources only to support your opinion (remember to cite it though!).

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PapersOwl Expert can rewrite up to 75% of your content, and edit and proofread your paper to make it plagiarism free and ready to use.

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Free Top Paraphrasing Tool Trusted by Students

Being a student isn't always easy, especially when there're many essays waiting to be written. Every paper requires research, a particular number of words, top-quality text that's understandable and enjoyable to read, and more. Following all those requirements isn't always simple. Plus, the text should be original. Is using an online rephraser a good idea? Sometimes, you lack inspiration or time to create the paper you want. In such situations, an essay rephraser can do miracles. Here, you'll learn about the steps to use it and more. Let's dive in.

How Does Essay Re phraser Work?

Using a parahrasing tool is effortless. Its purpose is to complete essay rephrasing and create content that'll be 100 % authentic. Again, being a student can be hard some days. When such days arrive, it's good to be ready and complete it in time. Getting an online paraphrasing tool's help is useful. Plus, it will make your life easier.

The process of getting things done requires a few minutes only. You enter the text in the desired field and then click on a Paraphrase button. Several seconds later, another area will show rephrased text. You can use a free plagiarism checker by Papersowl to check for originality and ensure the essays are authentic. When you complete all the steps, your paper will be ready!

These tools are pretty straightforward so that first-time users can handle it all simply without any fuss.

What Makes Our Free Paraphrasing Tool the Best?

There're many rephrasing tools on the market these days, but still, you should choose one carefully. After all, your goal is the best experience. You'll achieve it by selecting the top option.

Our rephrase tool is designed for those interested in text creation of any kind. Use the online paraphrase tool for:

• Research papers
• Other types of text

With it, you can paraphrase anything, from sentences to paragraphs, simply and effortlessly. By using the tool, you'll get original content and more. When using it regularly, you'll improve your writing skills as well.

A student can also struggle with title creation. To avoid such issues, use a free title page generator that'll help you create unique and catchy titles for your papers and articles. The tool will design the title in any style you need, from APA and MLA to Chicago, AMA, or Harvard.

A reword tool doesn't cost a thing and can help you in many ways. Having a rich vocabulary can become much easier with this simple-to-use article rewriter. You'll save many hours and a lot of energy. Yet, all your papers will be excellent. You can stop asking - can someone rephrase my essay. Instead, you'll do it yourself. One thing is guaranteed - the results will astonish you.

Papersowl's Paraphrasing Tool: When to Use?

Creating original and effective essays requires a lot of research, work, and patience. These tasks don't always go smoothly. When chasing better grades, you want everything to be fantastic, right?

You don't always feel inspired, motivated, or have enough hours or days on your hands to complete your papers, ensuring they're excellent and completely authentic. What to do?

A paraphrasing tool for essays is an option worth considering. It's ideal for many reasons. It'll help you complete the texts without changing their meaning. Plus, the content is 100 % authentic. Forget about plagiarism issues. Every single sentence will be authentic. You'll save hours, if not days. In addition, count on more energy to complete other tasks.

If you don't feel comfortable using the tool to paraphrase the original text, there's another option. That's using a custom writing essay service , which is affordable and gives impressive results. Qualified and experienced writers create content at low prices no one can beat. Plus, the authors are creative and know to structure the texts and create unique content.

The vital thing is there're many options to consider. Eventually, you'll select what's working for you. You can pick a tool. Or, get a rewriter. Both online solutions will be helpful, that's for sure.

How Does This Professional Paraphrasing Tool Work?

There's nothing complicated about it. It all goes smoothly and effortlessly. The only requirement is to follow several steps to rephrase essays easily.

• Open the page with a rephraser
• Enter the content you want to reword
• Select Paraphrase by clicking on it
• The content will feature many highlighted words
• By clicking on each, you'll see the synonyms
• Simply change the word you wish by clicking on offered synonym of your choice

Once the changes have been made, end the task by clicking on Finish and copying the content to any desired location.

That's it! The content is rephrased! There's nothing simpler than this.

If you want additional changes, you can start again by clicking on Retry. You can continue rewording other texts as well. You can complete tasks the way it suits you, by alternating sentences or paragraphs, at the pace that works for you.

When working using the paraphrase generator, there's no need to spend hours searching for synonyms. All are presented right there. Thus, you won't waste a minute. Plus, more ideas and words will flow.

Difference Between Rephrasing & Plagiarism

Understanding the difference between these two terms isn't complicated. As you know, when working on articles or another type of content for school or college, it's vital to deliver 100 % authentic textual content that is plagiarism-free. It means that copying isn't an option. That's where the reword option comes. When you reword the content, you'll ensure it is plagiarism-free. The PapersOwl designed a word changer to allow everyone to complete their tasks and deliver originality.

Getting around the sentence rephraser is straightforward. Even first-time users can complete the tasks in minutes. Avoiding copying issues has never been easier. Everything can be managed through the tool that suggests suitable synonyms, and all texts will be authentic and plagiarism-free.

Wrapping It Up

If you struggle with creating articles or essays for school or college and need help, use a PapersOwl rephraser. It's the top option that doesn't require some special skills to be used. The content will look and sound completely different in just a few clicks. Plus, it'll be 100 % authentic. Yet, the meaning of the content will remain the same. Get everything done much faster and easier. Let's not forget to mention the service won't cost you a cent. You can basically paraphrase an essay in minutes. You'll have lots of fun doing this. Simultaneously, you'll improve your vocabulary and textual content creation skills.

PapersOwl is a well-known provider of all types of academic papers.

• Research paper
• Dissertation

and many more

• Stuck with a lot of homework assignments?
• Worried about making your work 100% plagiarism free?
• Looking for a writing help with affordable price?

How Does Paraphrasing Tool Work?

• Copy the desired text or manually enter the text you need to paraphrase. Click on the button, and the artificial intelligence algorithm will define the series of words in the text for you. The result will appear on your screen instantly.
• Click on the words highlighted in blue to change them to synonyms. Two lines will appear under the text window. The first one is the source word, and the second one is the suggested alternatives. Choose the synonyms that seem most relevant to you and click on them. This place will automatically change in the text. Modify the source text until you are satisfied with the result. Once you have completed editing the text, hit the finish button.
• After the editing stage, the window's initial text will be changed. If you like the final version, copy the ready text into your document. If you want to edit the text or start the rewriting process again, click on the retry button. You can check it for plagiarism at the end for free. To start rewording a new text, click on the paraphrase button.
• The last stage is optional. You can get assistance from experts if you have difficulties with the rewrite or don't like your final version. To do this, click on the "I need expert help" button. You can place your order there by specifying the deadline and the number of pages and providing detailed instructions.
• Reliable Editors
• Any Field of Study
• Fair Prices

Free Paraphrasing Tool is rated 4.8 /5 based on 644 user reviews.

Want your voice to count in? Send us your review with all the details.

Advantages Of Paraphrasing Tool By PapersOwl

Why choose us? Our excellent paraphrasing tool will help you optimize both your input research data and your considerations to obtain an authentic and smartly compiled paper. Let’s see what miracles our essay rephraser can do with your essay:

We value your loyalty and made this convenient service free for your usage. No matter the complexity of the paper you want to rephrase, you can do it without paying anything.

We don't want to weigh you down forcing you to explore complex educational tools. Our experts elaborated on a simple yet efficient tool. No special knowledge is needed for fast and quality paraphrasing of your papers

Being a student is not always easy, and when you are short of time you can resort to a rephrasing instrument. In a couple of minutes, you will have a powerful and unique paper you can be proud of.

Combining the requirements provided for a paper and creative component uniquely isn’t always easy. That’s what our paraphrasing tool can do to your best advantage delivering a quality plagiarism-free essay.

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A Step-By-Step Guide to Remove AI and Plagiarized Content

Table of Contents

In the age of modern technology, the use of AI-written content has subsequently increased. Moreover, the amount of content on the same topics is also increasing every turning day which is why you would also see an increase in cases of unintentional plagiarism. 

You no longer need to stress if your work has also been flagged as duplicate or AI-written. Though it is difficult to remove plagiarism, especially if you manually edit sentences individually, you can always take out the big guns like online paraphrasing tools or other editing utilities. 

In this step-by-step guide, we will explain the different ways to easily remove AI or plagiarized content from your drafts without breaking a sweat. 

If you are short on a deadline and want to eliminate duplicate content, stop wasting your time and collect the most effective tips explained in this guide.

What is Plagiarism & AI Written Content?

Plagiarism is stealing content from another source and using it as your own without getting permission from the author or giving them proper attributions. Plagiarism is a serious offense and can have a lot of consequences. 

You can end up ruining your credibility and face monetary fines, legal actions, and many other adversities because your content is flagged as plagiarized even if unintentional. 

On the other hand, AI-written content is different from what plagiarism is. This type of content is generated by AI-based text generative tools such as Open AI’s Chat GPT, Jasper, and many others. 

Many rookie content creators take help from these tools to automate the process of content creation . Creating content via AI tools is no doubt easy, but you must know that the outputs you get are not always natural. 

Having both AI and plagiarized content in your work can be embarrassing and bad for you. This is why we’ve listed the most amazing steps to help you make your content unique and free of human errors.

How to Find Plagiarized or AI Written Content?

Before you know how to remove plagiarism, you must find it yourself instead of waiting for another party to accuse you. It was quite difficult to find plagiarism in the past because of the lack of technological advancements, but today, you have many tools that can help you get the most accurate results.

You can easily use AI-powered plagiarism detector tools like Copyleaks to scan your text and find intentional or unintentional traces of duplication. All you have to do is upload your content in the input box of the tool and click on the “Check” button. 

The tool would scan your text and compare it with billions of pages and with its own personal database. The tool uses the most advanced technologies and deep search algorithms, making it capable of finding even the smallest traces of duplicate or AI-written content. 

The plagiarism checker would highlight the duplicate or AI-written content, making it easier for you as a writer to remove or paraphrase it in different words.

Collaborating with Team Members for Giving Feedback on Content

If you are working with a huge team working on different content related projects, it is best to use a well reputed collaborative software such as zipBoard . The tool would allow users to collaborate with their team members and provide feedback on the quality and originality of content. 

Users can provide their feedback in the form of comments, screenshots, tags and by other means – all in one unified hub, right from the browser. You can easily review content on websites and other assets and share your feedback with clients and all relevant stakeholders.

Steps to Remove Plagiarism and AI-Flagged Text from Your Draft

Following these steps or tips, you can easily remove duplicate and robotic content and make your content sound natural and original.

Replace Flagged Words & Phrases with Suitable Synonyms

The first step to removing plagiarism or AI deemed content is removing those specific words or phrases and replacing them with the most suitable synonyms. You can get help from an online thesaurus tool like Visual Thesaurus and search for alternative words that can be used instead of those accused of being duplicates or robotic.

Change the Voice or Sentence Structure of Content

One of the common reasons content might be accused of being AI-written is that you might be using passive voice. By changing the voice of your content to active from passive or vice versa, you can easily eliminate plagiarism; this could also be done using a plagiarism remover online . 

You can also modify sentence structure, word choice, or positioning of ideas discussed in your content. This would also help you make your content original and different.

Paraphrase Duplicate Text in Different Words

One of the best ways of getting rid of AI written or duplicate text is paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is the technique that refers to rewriting existing text, ideas, and information in different words without changing the core message or context. 

To paraphrase text with complete accuracy, you must first read the original text and understand the concept. Once you understand it, you can explain it in your own words. 

Manual paraphrasing is not as easy as it sounds because there is always a chance that your version could have similarities with the one that has already been flagged as duplicate. If you don’t have the skills to paraphrase duplicate or have already failed after trying, you can use an AI paraphrasing tool.

3 Online Paraphrasing Tools for Repurposing eLearning Content

There are over hundreds of online paraphrase tools you would find in the search results of Google but sadly not all of them are ideal for rephrasing elearning text. This is why here we have mentioned a few popular options.

Paraphrasing-Tool.ai

This is one of the most intriguing paraphrasing tools offering six different rewriting modes designed to cater different types of content. 

Users who want to improve the readability and engagement rate of content can try out the creative mode, the anti-plagiarism mode is intended for users who want to remove duplication from their content, the formal mode is intended for users who want to formalize the wording and tone of their content, and just like this other modes have other characteristics.

This paraphrasing tool uses artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies which makes it quite accurate and reliable in its working. The paraphrased content is always unique, digestible and free of human errors.

ParaphraseTool.ai

Paraphrase tool is another reliable utility that allows users to repurpose existing e-learning related resources in different words. If you are unable to understand online academic articles, reports or journals because of their tough language, you can easily use the “fluency” mode of this tool and simplify the complicated text in seconds. 

The tool is powered by NLP which enables it to understand the context and underlying message/concepts of the text you upload as input. On the basis of its understanding, the tool would restate those ideas or concepts in the simplest words. By using this AI powered paraphrase tool, users can get a lot of help in simplifying complex e-learning material.

Rephraser.co

Rephraser.co is an all in one solution for all sorts of users related to the writing and elearning fraternity. On this rephrasing website you would not only find an AI powered content rewriter tool but also many other utilities such as a free grammar checker, text summarizer and a plagiarism remover.

The plagiarism remover tool is an ideal solution for those of you who are specifically looking for a tool to fight plagiarism. You just have to drop the duplicate text in the input box and hit the “remove plagiarism” button. The tool would take less than seconds to present the same ideas in unique wording. 

How to Use a Paraphrasing Tool to Remove Plagiarism or AI Written Content?

Here, we will explain how you can eliminate plagiarism with the help of the best paraphrasing tool. We are going to take the example of Paraphrasetool.ai , which is one of the most popular ones on the market. Below are the steps you need to follow.

Step 1: Upload Duplicate Content into the Upload Box of the Tool

The first step is to copy duplicate or AI-written content and paste it into the input box of the tool. You can also upload the complete file in the input box. The tool allows you to upload files from your local drive and your cloud storage.

Step 2: Select the Anti-Plagiarism Paraphrasing Mode

Now that you have entered the text that needs to be rewritten, you must select the right mode for the job. This AI paraphrase tool offers a dedicated ‘Anti-Plagiarism’ mode intended to ensure uniqueness. In this mode, the tool would replace all pertinent words with suitable synonyms and modify the sentence’s structure.

Step 3: Click on the Paraphrase Button and Wait for Results

After selecting the paraphrasing mode and uploading the text, click the ‘Paraphrase Text’ button. 

The tool would analyze the uploaded sentence or phrase and paraphrase it in unique words and a different style than the original one. 

The paraphrased content would be produced in the output box of the tool from where you can easily copy it or export it in your desired format. This is how easy it is to humanize AI or plagiarize content with the help of an online paraphrasing tool.

Can I Trust AI Humanizer with Humanizing My Text?

The Humanize AI text tool uses natural language processing and machine learning models, making it capable of understanding the main intent of the uploaded text and the writing style. The AI humanizer can easily humanize text in simple yet different words without changing the intent.

The best thing about this humanize AI text tool is that it rewrites text in the most human-like way. One cannot identify that the humanized content was written by an AI tool, not a native writer. So yes, you can trust this AI humanizer to humanize your content and make it undetectable.

Here, we have mentioned some benefits you can enjoy by using this online paraphrase tool instead of manual editing or rewriting.

• The anti-plagiarism mode is free, which means you don’t have to pay a single dime to remove plagiarism from your text by using this tool.
• This AI humanizer tool has a simple design, making it easier for both experienced and new users. 
• The tool is empowered by AI technology, which makes its results accurate and consistent. The text generated by this tool is always free of intentional and unintentional traces of duplication. 
• The tool employs NLP, which makes its results very much natural. This way, you can easily tackle AI-written content.

These are some advantages you can enjoy by paraphrasing text using this AI tool instead of spending time on manual editing.

Alternative Text Humanizer Tools You Should Try in 2024

Here we have mentioned some of the most popular and helpful AI text humanizer tools you should check out.

Humanizeai.io

This is one of the best AI to human text converter tools that you can use for free. You can easily use this tool to convert text generated by Chat GPT, Jasper, Grammarly, Quillbot and other popular AI text generator tools. 

The tool is very easy to use. You just have to paste the text in the input box and click on the “humanize” button. The tool would revamp the entire text and would present it in simple words and in a human-like tone.

Humanize AI Text - Paraphrasing-Tool.ai

The text humanizer tool by paraphrasing-tool.ai just like its other tools is a dependable utility. The tool is very smart when it comes to converting robotic text. It can easily detect artificial style and tone, complex wording and other factors that show that the content has been generated by an AI content generator. 

You just have to drop the AI flagged text in the input box of the tool and click on the “Humanize Text” button. The tool would hardly take five to six seconds to rewrite the entire text in a human-like way. The text generated by this tool cannot be differentiated by that created by a native writer. 

Undetectable AI

This is another all in one solution for writers who want to fight AI generated text. On this site you are going to find an AI detector tool that would highlight the smallest traces of text that might have been written by an AI tool like GPT, Bard, etc. 

Undetectable AI also offers a free and very reliable humanizer tool using which you can easily replace robotic wording. This humanizer can easily match the quality of human writing.

Manual plagiarism removal or humanizing AI content is a very difficult and time-consuming task and if you have to remove plagiarism from thousands of words, you might have to write everything from scratch which can be a daunting task for anyone.

If you don’t want to struggle with manual rewriting, it is best to remove plagiarism or humanize AI content with the help of a reliable  paraphrasing tool . The paraphrase tool uses the most advanced technologies, including NLP and ML, to revise your uploaded text. 

With the help of paraphrasetool.ai and other popular options mentioned in this post users can easily get the best quality content in a matter of seconds, saving a lot of time. These tools can paraphrase all types of text in a very natural and unique manner. We hope that you will easily get the best quality content after using this paraphrase tool without any rejections!

Author Bio:

Usman Shakoor is an accomplished writer with a decade of experience specializing in technology and e-learning. With a keen interest in the intersection of education and technology, Usman has been a prominent voice in the digital world, providing valuable insights and thought leadership through his blogs. 

Beyond his writing, Usman is also an active participant in the e-learning community, engaging with readers and IT industry professionals to promote collaboration. His dedication to sharing knowledge and intent to make a meaningful change has built his reputation as a trusted authority in the field of tech. 

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How To Avoid Plagiarism And Prove Your Research & Writing Are Topnotch

• What Is Plagiarism?
• Types Of Plagiarism
• Can You Plagiarize Yourself?
• Consequences
• Best Practices
• Why Cite Sources
• How To Cite

You have a term paper due in the morning and you just need a few more paragraphs to finally finish it and go to bed. You’re tired. You’re frustrated. You can’t think of anything else to say about the science behind bioaccumulation . So, what do you do? Do you look it up in the dictionary and decide to just copy and paste a paragraph or two of the Homework Helper, change a couple of words, and call it a night?

It’s a relatable situation—and a tempting solution in the moment.

But wait! Your whole academic career is at stake here! What you were just about to do is an incredibly serious mistake that could cost you everything. You might be thinking “Oh, come on! It’s just a few words. What’s the big deal?” Well, stealing someone else’s words or ideas is actually, in fact, a super big deal. A bigger deal than you might even realize. You see, this act of intellectual theft is called plagiarism, and it is taken very seriously. How seriously? Well, we will get to that shortly, but first let’s learn more about what plagiarism actually is.

What is plagiarism ?

Plagiarism is “an act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another author without authorization and the representation of that author’s work as one’s own, as by not crediting the original author.”

In other words, plagiarism is taking someone else’s work and passing it off as your own without crediting the person you took it from. While the word plagiarism is most often used to refer to writing, it can also refer to using someone else’s photos, video, music, and other forms of media. To give one summation, the University of Oxford states that “All published and unpublished material, whether in manuscript, printed or electronic form” falls under the definition of plagiarism.  (Note: while this article links to sources, as is widely customary in popular writing, it is important to know that the specific guidelines for citation vary depending on the medium.) The verb form of plagiarism is plagiarize and a person who plagiarizes something is called a plagiarist.

An obvious example of plagiarism would be if you copied a chapter of author J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings (1954) and claimed it was a fantasy short story that you wrote. It would also be considered plagiarism to perform one of Beethoven’s sonatas while crediting yourself as the original composer. However, claiming someone’s work as your own without changing anything isn’t the only form of plagiarism.

Rather than plagiarize, let memorable works inspire you instead, such as the way works of literature inspired these famous songs.

What are the different types of plagiarism?

Depending on the workplace, college, or other organization, the exact rules for what is and isn’t plagiarism may be different. In general, you don’t have to worry about plagiarism when you are stating common knowledge (facts your intended audience is likely to know), such as A triceratops is a dinosaur. You also do not need to worry about plagiarism if you are stating your own opinions, your own arguments, or are making a creative work that only includes all of your own original ideas and creations. For example, the statement I believe “The Raven” is Edgar Allen Poe’s best work because it clearly demonstrates his talent as an American Gothic writer is an opinion and doesn’t need to have a citation.

In most cases, plagiarism isn’t just limited to using someone else’s exact words as your own. Generally speaking, plagiarism is often separated into several different categories. The exact names of each of these types often change, but most of them are specifically mentioned in a university’s rules on academic dishonesty, such as those found at Northern Illinois University or the University of Oxford , or in articles about the topic of plagiarism in higher education .

Verbatim or direct plagiarism

This kind of plagiarism is the most obvious and is what most people probably think of when they hear the word plagiarism. This form of plagiarism involves simply “copy and pasting” someone’s exact words without changing a single thing. Here is an example of verbatim  (“word for word”) plagiarism:

• Original text: Tigers are solitary animals. They largely keep to themselves until the mating season. They are not the group hunters that lions are known to be.
• Plagiarized text:   Tigers are solitary animals. They largely keep to themselves until the mating season. They are not the group hunters that lions are known to be.

Paraphrasing plagiarism

This kind of plagiarism occurs when a person paraphrases a source or multiple sources without crediting the original author(s). Remember, facts must be attributed to a source if a writer personally didn’t discover them and the facts are not considered common knowledge. So, even when paraphrasing it is important to use phrasing such as “according to” or “as said by” to clarify what information is not an original thought.

In paraphrasing   plagiarism, the wording or word order of the original source is changed—but the plagiarized text may retain too many similarities to the original. Additionally, the plagiarist is still trying to pass off someone else’s ideas or research as their own. This form of plagiarism is especially common and some people do it without actually intending to commit plagiarism. Especially when a student first begins to engage in more intensive writing, they may be overwhelmed by the complexity of recognizing that all unoriginal research must be cited . Here is a simple example of plagiarism through paraphrasing:

• Plagiarized text:   Tigers usually live alone. Unless it is the mating season, they mostly keep to themselves. Unlike lions, they are not known to be group hunters.

As you can see, in this particular case, the writer both retains much of the general structure and wording of the original text but does not offer a significant enough revision. Crucially, the writer fails to cite the source of this text at all, and so this is considered plagiarism.

Patchwork or mosaic plagiarism

This type of plagiarism is similar to paraphrasing. Patchwork  or mosaic plagiarism involves interweaving paraphrasing of sources with some of the author’s own ideas or arguments. Because the stolen and original material is mixed together, it can be more difficult for a reader to recognize which words or ideas have been copied from sources. For example, consider a research team that observes real-life tiger behavior. The background information included in its report about tiger behavior should be cited even if the research gathered via tiger observation is original. Here is a simple example of this kind of plagiarism :

• Plagiarized text:   Tigers are different from lions in many ways. Unlike lions, tigers mostly live solitary lives. Tigers and lions also live in different habitats and hunt different prey. This may explain why tigers do not hunt or live large groups like lions are known to do. Our research team observed solitary behavior by all tigers during the summer we visited the preserve.

The writer’s mistake in this instance is not citing any of the material gathered through research of others’ work.

Do you know the difference between primary and secondary sources? Learn more about the importance of each kind of source for the next time you cite them.

Collusion or sharing

This kind of plagiarism involves two or more people working together to pass off one person’s work as another’s , hence the implication of collusion (“a secret agreement, especially for fraudulent or treacherous purposes”). This type of plagiarism can be common in schools or colleges, where students will share essays or complete each other’s assignments. Even though a person may have another’s consent to use their work, it is still considered plagiarism because a person is trying to deceive someone (their teacher or professor) by claiming another’s work as one’s own.

Paid or hired plagiarism

Similar to collusion, paid plagiarism involves paying someone to create something and then passing it off as one’s own work. Hired plagiarism can involve paying another student for their essay or hiring a freelance writer to complete a report.

Improper citation and accidental plagiarism

Depending on the organization, poor or incorrect citations may be treated the same as other types of plagiarism. Generally speaking, this is more likely to be the case when it involves major errors such as unattributed quotations or an absence of a bibliography rather than a minor misspelling of a source’s name or a missing colon. Still, laziness or apathy when sourcing is often an indication that a person is unconcerned with properly crediting their sources and thus is often considered just as serious a breach of ethics or academic integrity as other types of plagiarism.

Can you plagiarize yourself?

There is a term for the act of plagiarizing yourself: self-plagiarism . In academic settings, self-plagiarism typically involves using the same essay or assignment in multiple classes. Unlike all other forms of plagiarism, this type may be rarely permitted in schools or colleges if a student asks for permission from their instructor first. Of course, not asking first is never a good idea!

Outside of schools, self-plagiarism may take the form of a researcher using the same exact wording and data in multiple papers or citing their own previous work . In academia and scientific research, it is important to cite work done by others so you can use their research to strengthen your own ideas or arguments by showing that your original ideas are based on facts and proper evidence. Self-plagiarizing creates the illusion of supporting evidence when an author uses their (and only their) own previous work to support their arguments or hypotheses .

Self-plagiarism also often involves copyright and intellectual property law (we’ll get to these more later). The simple explanation is that a creator often surrenders the rights to their work to a newspaper, record company, or publishing house. If that person then tries to use that same content again elsewhere, they are very likely to face a lawsuit. As the Supreme Court case of Fogerty v. Fantasy, Inc demonstrates, even if the person is the original creator, they still face the possibility of being accused of plagiarism if using content they don’t control the legal rights to.

What are the consequences of plagiarism?

Given all that has been said, you are probably asking yourself “Is plagiarism a crime?” Generally speaking, the act of plagiarism itself is not illegal as there is no criminal or civil law against it in most places. However, the consequences for committing plagiarism can be serious. If caught committing plagiarism, a student is very likely to be expelled from school and a person is likely to be fired and/or ostracized from their professional community.

An infamous example of this occurred in the 2003 New York Times plagiarism scandal involving former journalist Jayson Blair. It was discovered that Blair made up many of the facts in his stories and repeatedly plagiarized other newspapers. Blair resigned from the newspaper and would never work in journalism again. However, Blair’s actions damaged the credibility of the paper to the extent that several longtime editors resigned soon after to attempt to lessen the damage to the Times’s reputation. The moral of the story: do not commit plagiarism!   

In the United States and elsewhere, most colleges consider plagiarism to be completely and unquestionably unacceptable . It is treated as a serious violation of academic integrity and the punishment for even the first incidence of plagiarism is often an immediate failure of a class, lengthy suspension, or even outright expulsion.

Professionally, a person who commits plagiarism often violates what are known as copyright and intellectual property laws and will face often incredibly expensive lawsuits.

What is protected by copyright?

Very briefly, the term intellectual property (often shortened to “IP”) refers to works of creativity and includes all kinds of creative things such as books, music, film, video games, logos, symbols, and so on. As stated by the World Intellectual Property Organization , intellectual property is protected by the law through things like patents , trademarks , and copyright . Like any other property, IP can be owned by a person or company and the owner has the right to make money off of it.

Copyright is the legally protected right to original ownership, according to the United States Copyright Office . As outlined in a guide to copyright by Cornell University , if someone has the copyrights to something, they (and only they) are legally allowed to make copies of it, make other works based on it, distribute copies of it, publicly perform it, or publicly display it. Copyright law gets extremely complex, but you can think of a copyright as the “right” to decide who gets to “copy” something.

In practice, this means that an original creator is usually the only person who can use their creation unless they give permission to someone (such as through contracts or licensing agreements) or sell the copyright to someone else. For example, director George Lucas and his company Lucasfilm owned the copyrights ( over 3,000 of them, in fact ) to Star Wars after Lucas created the movie franchise in the 1970s. That meant that only George Lucas, Lucasfilm, and anyone Lucasfilm gave permission to (likely after receiving payment) could lawfully create things that used Star Wars or any of its characters. However, the Walt Disney Company would buy Lucasfilm , and thus gain control of its copyrights, in 2012. This means that now Disney (as the owner of Lucasfilm) has the legal right to say who can and cannot create something that uses Star Wars or any of its characters. This means that even George Lucas would now need Disney’s permission to make a Star Wars film, despite the fact that he was the original creator.

Learn more about how copyright works by examining the symbols for copyright, trademark, and more.

Best practices to avoid plagiarism

If you want to avoid plagiarism, it is important to learn the proper way to give credit to sources and to use citations. Listed below are the three major styles that are often consulted when making citations and generally what topics they are used for:

• APA style (American Psychological Association): business writing and the sciences
• MLA style (Modern Language Association): the humanities
• Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago style): history, theology, religious studies, the humanities, and some sciences

Usually, an instructor or your boss will make it clear which style you are expected to use. You can find many reference books and online resources that explain how to use each of these styles correctly.

Some general advice 

While each style guide has different rules for things such as footnotes and bibliographies, there is some general advice that is common among them—and it boils down to, well, good research, critical thinking, and writing.

• Keep good, organized notes that separate your own ideas, statements, and arguments from your sources. By doing this, you will be able to remember to cite the information later, and it will be much easier to find the original source again if you need it.
• Use direct quotes only when you really need to. Using an author’s exact words is best if they make a very important point or use especially interesting or persuasive language. Needless to say, exact quotes must be thoroughly and properly cited within the text and in footnotes.
• Rather than paraphrase, it is better to summarize an author’s general point or argument using your own words. Even when doing so, you must note where the information you used came from by properly citing and crediting the source.
• In general, citing and crediting is not necessary if you are stating common knowledge, mentioning a work or author briefly in passing, or collectively referencing a person’s entire career, philosophy, or body of work.

Why cite sources and information

Cite, cite, cite! While some writers may fear that citing sources is a sign of weakness because the ideas aren’t original, citing is a sign of effective, strong writing—and it shows that a writer is using research to support arguments they are making or information they are synthesizing.

Citing sources is a fantastic habit to get into. Taking the time to properly and clearly cite all of your sources will earn you the love and respect of your teachers, employees, and editors. Properly citing sources is good because:

• It helps avoid plagiarism by making it clear what is not your own words or research.
• It shows you care enough about your work to follow basic style guidelines.
• It shows that you actually did research, so your writing is more likely to be accurate.
• It shows you know how to use reference materials and analyze and synthesize sources for useful or supportive information.
• It allows another person to use those same resources to review your work so they can both ensure its accuracy and that you didn’t simply copy a source verbatim.

How to cite sources and information

So, how do you actually cite something when you want to reference it in your work? Well, that depends a lot on what exactly your source is and how you intend to cite it. For now, let’s assume you want to cite our great article on the difference between the words college and university. Let’s make good citations of this article using all three major styles (APA, Chicago, and MLA).

APA Style  

Using APA Style , we can make both an in-text and reference list citation of our source.

Thesaurus.com. (n.d.) “College” vs. “University”: Are They Synonyms?  Retrieved June 7, 2023 from https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/college-vs-university/

• In-text citation: Parenthetical: (Thesaurus.com, n.d.) Narrative: Thesaurus.com (n.d.)

Chicago Style

With Chicago Style , we can (and must) cite our source using notes and in the bibliography.

““College” vs. “University:” Are They Synonyms?” Thesaurus.com, accessed June 7, 2023, https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/college-vs-university/

Thesaurus.com. ““College” vs. “University:” Are They Synonyms?” Accessed June 7, 2023. https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/college-vs-university/

MLA Style also uses both in-text citations and citations in a Works Cited List.

“College” vs. “University:” Are They Synonyms?” Thesaurus.com,   https://www.thesaurus.com/e/ways-to-say/college-vs-university/ Accessed 7 June 2023

• In-text citation: (““College” vs. “University””)

As you can see, each style guide handles citations differently. These citations work for an article on a website, but there are tons of other sources of information that can be cited. For more information on citing specific sources, you should consult the particular style guide of the citation style you are using.

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How does software that checks for plagiarism work?

A plagiarism check is an essential step for protecting academic integrity and guarding authorship rights. The idea of ensuring that sounds pretty easy. Comparing the text to the sources that can be used for copying, one can conclude whether the content is original or duplicated. However, manually analyzing that giant amount of information demands too many resources. So, that’s when plagiarism-detecting tools come to the rescue.

How do plagiarism checkers work

Plagiarism checkers take on the challenge of comparing the text to available resources and detecting any matching parts. The tool also shows the percentage of similarities. It offers a verdict on whether the writing can be considered plagiarised or original, but it is always up to the human to make the final decision.

• Each plagiarism detector requires a database. Its vastness depends on the product and the customers’ needs. For example, software for teachers may include a repository of academic papers, while a product aimed at editors will contain published journal archives. The more comprehensive the database, the more accurate results the checker provides, as it looks through a larger number of sources. Some tools offer custom repositories, allowing users to upload their own sources for comparison.
• Plagiarism detectors rely on complex algorithms, looking through all the resources online plus through all the content in their repository. They compare the keywords and text extracts and analyze the phrase structure. The advanced detectors also catch replacement words with synonyms and improper paraphrasing attempts.
• The checker calculates the score and generates a report based on the similarities found through the text analysis. Depending on the tool, the output can contain only the percentage of the plagiarism detected in writing or a detailed picture with the highlighted matches and the links to original sources.

How to use a plagiarism detector

Let’s break down into steps how similarity detection works, using the example of PlagiarismCheck.org.

• Any detector offers to paste the text for scanning on the website. Some tools offer more options. With PlagiarismCheck.org, one can submit a file on the website, scan any web page with a browser extension, or try plagiarism detection on Google Docs with an add-on. Teachers and students can also detect plagiarism with one click in their Learning Management System.
• The tool gives a result after processing the text. With PlagiarismCheck.org, one can run several checks simultaneously, getting a comprehensive report for each piece. The checking process normally takes a few moments.
• The report highlights the parts of the text where the matches have been detected. With PlagiarismCheck.org, one can compare the writing to the original source and make conclusions about whether the piece was plagiarized and how severe the case is. The report is downloadable and printable and can also be shared with others, accelerating feedback and work analysis.

PlagiarismCheck.org provides a comprehensive solution for educators, students, and content makers. A similarity detector and AI checker ensure text authenticity, and various integrations and responsive customer support make your user experience smooth and seamless. Join us now!

Discover how PlagiarismCheck.org can empower your workflow!

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Or check our popular categories..., how to use quotes without plagiarism, key takeaways:.

• Always credit the original author whenever you use their verbatim (exact word-for-word) quote. This ensures proper recognition and avoids plagiarism accusations .
• Don’t rely solely on quotes. While quotes add valuable insights, prioritise original content and integrate quotes to strengthen your arguments.
• Quotes should seamlessly flow within your writing. Introduce the quote with context and explain its significance in your own words.
• If you’re writing content for clients, be mindful of their copyright restrictions. Ensure proper permissions are obtained before using external quotes.
• Paraphrasing too closely can lead to accidental plagiarism in quotes. Make sure your paraphrases are truly your own interpretation and not just minor rewordings.

Do you ever wish that you could add the words of outstanding people to your writing to make it better?

“Borrowing” quotes from reasonable sources might give your work more substance, but copying someone else’s work without permission is plagiarism quotes. How to avoid plagiarism while using quotes is laid out in this article.

Learn how to integrate valuable material without sacrificing your own original idea. Discover how to seamlessly transform quotes into generative content that showcases both your voice and the brilliance of others.

Why Use Quotes Effectively?

The unethical use of another person’s work, or plagiarism , is a major infraction in both academic and professional settings.

Effective quote use is essential if you want to avoid the impacts of plagiarism and show that you can interact with body knowledge. How to do it is as follows:

Citing Sources Accurately: Quotations serve as markers that direct readers to the original source of an idea. You may guarantee your own originality and show your respect for the original author by properly attributing each quote.

Differentiating Your Voice: Well-chosen quotations bolster your work without allowing another voice to take precedence. Quotations offer validation and proof, freeing you up to concentrate on your own research and analytical skills.

Examining the passage that was mentioned and elaborating on its meaning shows that you comprehend it and gives the conversation a fresh perspective.

Building Credibility: The inclusion of authoritative and well-known figures’ perspectives can lend greater weight and credibility to your arguments. This demonstrates that your work draws not only from your own thoughts but also on prior research and scholarly works.

Ethically citing sources demonstrates that you can draw on outside information while still expressing yourself clearly. This reinforces your points without turning your writing into a plagiarised work and creates a vibrant conversation within.

What is the Nature of Plagiarism in Quotes?

Plagiarism in quotes takes two main forms:

1. Improper Attribution:

This is the most common type of plagiarism related to quotes. It occurs when you use someone else’s words directly (or closely paraphrased) but fail to properly credit them. Here’s how it happens:

• Missing Citations: You might include the quote itself but neglect to provide a citation in your text or reference list. This makes it appear as though the idea originated with you.
• Incorrect Citations: Even if you include a citation, it might be inaccurate or incomplete. This can be misleading and still constitutes plagiarism because the reader can’t locate the original source.

2. Lack of Transformation (Mosaic Plagiarism):

This form of plagiarism is when you take passages from other sources and rewrite them so they sound like your own words, without giving credit where credit is due.

Your writing basically amounts to a hodgepodge of other people’s thoughts with very little of your own analysis or opinion thrown in. This could seem like this:

• Heavy Reliance on Quotes: Your writing is dominated by quotes, with little space for your own voice and interpretation. This suggests you haven’t engaged deeply with the source material or developed your own arguments.
• Minimal Paraphrasing: You simply change a few words in a quote or paraphrase so closely that it retains the original structure and meaning. This doesn’t demonstrate your understanding of the material and still counts as plagiarism.

Essential Steps for Using Quotes Without Plagiarism

Now that you understand the benefits of ethical quoting, let’s delve into the steps on how to do it right:

Selecting Quotes

• Relevance: Choose quotes that directly support your arguments or contribute meaningfully to your discussion. Avoid including quotes simply because they sound impressive.
• Impact: Prioritise impactful quotes that add significant value to your writing. A well-chosen quote can spark inspiration or offer a fresh perspective.
• Balance: While quotes can be valuable, don’t let them overpower your voice. Maintain a healthy balance by integrating quotes seamlessly with your own analysis and arguments.

Integrating Quotes Seamlessly

• Context: Before including a quote, provide context for the reader. Briefly introduce the source and explain the significance of the quote within your discussion.
• Transitions: Use smooth transitions to integrate quotes into your writing. Phrases like “According to…” or “As [Author Name] states…” can seamlessly connect the quote to your own sentences.

Proper Citation Techniques

• Consistency is Key: Use a consistent citation style throughout your writing. A few popular styles are Chicago, MLA, and APA. Formatting rules for reference lists and in-text citations vary depending on the style used.
• Providing Information: Your in-text citations should provide enough information for the reader to locate the source of the quote in your reference list. This typically includes the author’s name, publication date, and page number for the quoted material.

Here are some helpful resources for different citation styles:

• The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/
• The Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook: https://style.mla.org/
• The American Psychological Association (APA) Style: https://apastyle.apa.org/

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Understanding common pitfalls associated with using quotes can help you navigate your writing more confidently:

• Paraphrasing Too Closely: Paraphrasing is restating someone’s ideas in your own words, a valuable skill. However, paraphrasing too closely can easily become plagiarism if you retain the original sentence structure or key phrases. Ensure your paraphrase conveys the meaning in a new and distinct way.
• Incomplete or inaccurate citations may give rise to charges of plagiarism . Make sure your citations accurately reflect the source material and adhere to the selected style guide by double-checking them.
• Missing Quotation Marks: To set directly cited content apart from your own writing, it has to be surrounded by quotation marks.
• Quoting Without Context: Quotations presented without context can be confusing and potentially misleading for the reader. Always provide context by clearly introducing the source and explaining the quote’s relevance.
• Overusing Quotes: While quotes can be powerful tools, relying on them too heavily can overshadow your own voice and analysis. Strive to find a balance between using quotes for support and expressing your unique perspective.

Additional Tips for Mastering the Art of Quoting

Here are some additional tips for mastering the art of quoting to avoid plagiarism, building upon the previous section:

• Knowing vs. Copying: When choosing quotes, pay attention to those that present distinctive viewpoints or ideas pertinent to your conversation. Don’t just repeat what other people have said. Rather, utilise quotations as launching pads for your own interpretation and analysis.
• Summarising vs. Quoting: Summarise the main points of long texts that bolster your argument but don’t call for direct discourse. Summarising helps you to summarise the information while maintaining attribution to the original author and shows that you understand the source material.
• Quoting for Specificity: When a quote emphasises a particular argument or point, it has the most impact. Choose brief quotations that encapsulate the spirit of the original work over long sections that could overshadow your own ideas.
• Paraphrasing Ethically: Paraphrasing is a valuable skill for incorporating ideas without direct quotes. However, ensure your paraphrase truly rephrases the meaning and avoids simply changing a few words or rearranging the sentence structure. Consult the original source to ensure your paraphrase accurately reflects the author’s intent.
• Varying Sources: Don’t rely on a single source for all your quotes. Seek out diverse perspectives and incorporate them into your writing. This demonstrates a wider understanding of the topic and strengthens your argument by showcasing its validity across different viewpoints.
• Quoting with Integrity: Remember, using quotes is about enriching your writing, not replacing your own intellectual contribution. Focus on developing a strong thesis and supporting it with a combination of well-chosen quotes, your own critical analysis, and insightful commentary.

By following these tips, you can confidently incorporate quotes into your writing, ensuring proper attribution, avoiding plagiarism , and demonstrating your ability to engage in a meaningful academic conversation.

What’s Next? 

“originality is the soul of scholarship,” as Samuel Johnson once said.

While high-level plagiarism detection tools can help identify potential issues, the key lies in understanding proper quotation and integrating quotes ethically.

The severity of plagiarism cases can range from a damaged reputation to legal repercussions. Don’t risk jeopardising your academic success or tarnishing your client’s work.

Ensure the ideas you disseminate are truly original.

Book a demo today to explore our Bytescare  plagiarism checker and safeguard your original content, whether for academic pursuits or crafting content for clients.

Is using a famous quote, inadvertent plagiarism?

Not necessarily. Famous quotes are generally considered part of the public domain and can be used freely. However, if the quote is part of a larger copyrighted work (like a recent speech or poem), you might need to attribute it to the source.

How do you avoid plagiarism quotes?

Here are some key strategies: Proper Citation: Always cite the source of the quote, including the author’s name and publication details (if applicable). Fair Use: In some cases, using short excerpts without permission might fall under “fair use” for purposes like criticism, commentary, or news reporting. However, fair use is a complex legal concept, so consult a professional if unsure. Focus on Originality: Don’t rely solely on quotes. Use them to support your arguments and insights, but ensure your writing has a strong foundation of your own ideas and analysis.

What is the line of plagiarism?

The line can be blurry. Generally, shorter quotes are less likely to raise concerns. However, it also depends on the context. If a large portion of your work consists of quotes with minimal original analysis, it might be considered improper use of copyrighted material.

Is it plagiarism if you quote too much?

While not technically plagiarism relying too heavily on quotes can weaken your writing. Strive for a balance between incorporating valuable external voices and showcasing your own unique perspective.

What is a unique phrase in plagiarism?

A typical phrases or lesser-known quotes might still be protected by copyright. Always err on the side of caution and properly attribute any quote, regardless of its originality.

If I make up a quote from someone which they never say and cite it in my paper is it human plagiarism?

Absolutely. Fabricating a quote and attributing it to someone else is a form of academic dishonesty and can damage your credibility. Always use reliable sources for your quotes.

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About the Author

Manish jindal.

Manish Jindal is a Co-Founder and COO of Bytescare, with expertise in investment banking and a CFA Charterholder. He actively advises startups, offering guidance in fundraising, team setup, and growth strategies.

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Plagiarism statistics: a global snapshot, plagiarism lawsuit: when copying infringes copyright, previous article, next article.

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Trinka AI Review: Is It a Good AI Language Correction Tool?

published on June 3, 2024

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This Trinka AI review will show you if that’s the right spelling and grammar-checking tool for you.

Does it have extra features? How does it stack up against the competition?

Read on to find out!

What Is Trinka AI?

Trinka AI is a language correction tool , designed to catch spelling and grammar mistakes. It also has a plagiarism checker that offers advanced plagiarism scans.

Apart from these, Trinka AI offers AI tools that are perfect for academic work. These include Publication Readiness, Citation Checker, and Journal Finder .

As you can see, the platform has a lot to offer, but the question is: is it a good fit for your requirements?

Starting with the grammar checker, this Trinka AI review will inspect each tool the platform offers.

Grammar Checker

The Grammar checker has an intuitive interface, with all the tools listed on the left side of the screen.

Upon selecting Proofread File, which checks your content for grammar, style, and spelling mistakes , you have two options to add your content.

One is to create a new document and start writing, while the other is to upload a file.

Trinka supports DOCX, LaTeX, TXT, and DOC files , and lets you upload them from your local storage, Dropbox, and Google Drive. If you have a PDF, you won’t be able to upload it directly to the platform. Rather, you’ll need to convert it to any of the abovementioned file types.

When it comes to proofreading, Trinka AI offers a lot of options.

When you open a new doc, you can set your proofreading preferences, starting with the type of content. The grammar checker supports three content types, i.e., general, academic, and legal .

After that, you can select one of the five style guides:

Besides these settings, you can also set the document language. Trinka AI supports English, German, and Spanish .

After saving these settings, you can write your content in Trinka’s rich text editor. Apart from the default editing options, such as selecting text size and font, and inserting images and tables, you can set your Inclusive Language preferences .

You can ask the grammar checker to alert you about the words that are age, nationality, or religion-biased.

Once you start writing, the tool will show any issues with the text on the right side of the screen.

One of the features worth mentioning is the alert filter . Namely, you can select the type of errors you want to see. These can be only misspelled words, for instance, grammar mistakes, etc.

Next, the tool will provide writing enhancement tips . These tips will give you guidance about how to avoid wordiness and make your text more clear. Where possible, the tool will suggest plain language terms.

The platform also includes a consistency checker in its language correction tool, which is a nice addition.

When working on long texts, it’s easy to spell out a number and use digits afterward. The consistency checker catches these oversights, keeping a uniform structure.

However, the document editor lags a bit when working with larger texts. Other than that, it’s an excellent language correction tool.

Once you proofread a text, you can see a summary of mistakes the tool found. Additionally, you can download your content and review proposed actions manually.

What I also like about the AI grammar checker is that it lets you save and organize your files in Trinka Drive . For that, you can use folders to add all documents you create on the platform.

Journal Finder

Trinka’s Journal Finder is designed to help you find a journal where you can publish your work.

For that, you need to write an abstract, and, well, that’s it. The Journal Finder will do the rest.

I wrote an abstract to test the tool.

The tool retrieved the results quickly, suggesting the five best journals for the given abstract.

The report data included the journals’ websites, along with metrics such as the Hirsch index and CiteScore . Based on these values, you won’t just find a journal that’s a good match for your work. You can also select the one where your work will have the highest chance of being recognized.

And if you’re looking for inspiration, you can view similar articles that have already been published.

Publication Readiness Check

Another great tool on the platform is the Publication Readiness Checker.

Considering Trinka AI has a strong emphasis on academic, technical, and legal writing, it only makes sense to introduce a feature like this.

What Publication Readiness Checker does is it compares your paper against over 20 criteria to increase the chances of your work getting published.

Once you proofread your paper with Trinka’s grammar checker, you can run a readiness check by entering the name of your target journal , i.e., where you want to publish your work.

The tool will analyze your content and inform you if the journal you selected is a good match. It also offers three additional journals that would be a good match for your paper.

In the next step, you’ll get an overview of your manuscript . This data will tell you whether it has all the necessary sections, if the abstract is structured, and the total word count.

The next group of information is related to ethical compliance . The analysis will inform you whether your paper has all the statements it needs such as financial disclosure, informed consent, and data availability.

The tool will then review authorship details and references and let you know if you need to add or edit this information. It’ll also check if the content has table and figure captions, and if you’ve included clinical trials, check if its ID has been included.

In the last step, the Publication Readiness Checker will pull suggested keywords from your manuscript and create a summary.

Citation Checker

Another noteworthy feature Trinka AI offers is a citation checker. As the name suggests, it checks your content’s references with a detailed analysis of their quality.

For this Trinka AI review, I created a file with several citations to see how good the checker is.

First, the AI tool generated a report. Second, it offered data on what’s wrong with my citations and how to fix them .

Third, the report results were presented visually, making it easy to digest its contents.

What I like about the report is that it groups citations that require your attention . That way, you can easily check the ones that are too old, retracted, and non-standard. You can also check if you have too many citations from a single journal to avoid a high journal bias score.

Plagiarism Checker

Trinka AI offers advanced plagiarism detection via Turnitin and iThenticate .

What’s unique about this tool is that it checks your content against internet sources, as well as paid publications.

To test the tool’s accuracy, I created a document combining a small section of an original text and copied the rest of the content from various sources.

The tool detected plagiarism perfectly , citing the sources from where I copied the text. It also recognized my AI-generated content as original.

While I can’t question the efficacy of Trinka’s plagiarism checker, the tool’s price caught my attention. If you want to see a detailed plagiarism report, you’ll need 12 credits while the Premium plan comes with 10 of them.

Compared to Jenni AI , which has a built-in plagiarism checker, Trinka AI is much more expensive. The results are impressive, though.

Paraphrasing Tool

Most AI platforms today have a paraphrasing tool along with their flagship product. That’s the case with Trinka as well.

Overall, the results of my tests were good, and I like how intuitive the tool is.

Simply highlighting the text you want to put in different words and hitting the Paraphrase button is all you need to do to start using the tool.

Plus, you can customize the output by setting the degree of changes to low, medium, or high. And if you click on the result, you’ll see a couple of other versions, so you can select the one you like most.

Before we move on to the tutorial part of this Trinka AI review, I’ll briefly discuss the platform’s AI detection tool.

AI Content Detector

Trinka AI can also help make AI-generated content undetectable .

To test the detector, I provided some AI-generated content, and the tool recognized that it wasn’t created by a human.

Then, I used Trinka’s paraphrasing tool and tweaked the same text. This time, the tool said one-third of the text was written by a human.

My last test was to add part of the content I wrote for this Trinka AI review to see if the tool would mark the text as AI or human-generated content.

It said 40% of the text was written by a human.

To compare the results, I tested the same content in Winston AI .

It recognized the first two pieces of content as AI-generated, and the third one as human-generated.

Based on these results, Winston AI did a better job , leaving some room for Trinka to improve its AI content detector .

How To Use Trinka AI

Trinka AI is an easy-to-use language correction tool, and if you want to try it, you can start by creating a free account on the platform.

Here’s how:

• After applying these settings, Trinka AI will proofread your content. Once that’s done, you can see a revision summary and download the text file with the proposed changes.

From the same page, you can check your content for consistency and plagiarism, and rewrite it. The right bar also hosts other Trinka AI tools, including Journal Finder, Publication Readiness, and Citation Checker.

Trinka AI has a free plan , but it’s quite limited. Each month, you get four credits. You also get 5,000 words/month to check your content’s grammar and another 5,000 for paraphrasing it. Besides that, you can proofread up to 4 files , and run a score-based plagiarism check once per month.

The Publication Readiness and Citation Checker cost 1 credit per report, while Journal Finder doesn’t use credits.

The next best thing is the Premium plan at $20/month . It comes with 10 free credits and allows you to proofread no more than 10 files. However, there are no word limits for grammar checks and the paraphrasing tool. You also purchase additional credits with a 40% discount.

The Premium Plus plan only has a yearly subscription at $125/year , giving you unlimited access to Standard plagiarism checks.

And if you don’t want Trinka to use your content for AI training, you’ll need the Enterprise plan . It has custom pricing and unlocks features such as dedicated support, IP whitelisting, and custom pricing.

Lastly, the AI language correction tool doesn’t have a money-back guarantee, so make sure to test it before committing.

Trinka AI Review – Verdict

Based on my experience with Trinka AI, I can recommend it to anyone looking for an advanced proofreading solution.

The plagiarism checker is great too but costly and unnecessary if you don’t work with academic content.

However, if you do, it might be worth considering this tool. The added benefit is Trinka’s publication-centric tools, including Journal Finder, and Publication Readiness and Citation checkers.

The one feature that didn’t impress me was Trinka’s AI content detector, and you might be better off looking at some alternatives.

Overall, I think Trinka AI is a solid platform, and this hands-on review proves it. Do you think it’s a fit for your needs? Let me know in the comments.

More about the topics: ai , AI app , AI app review

Technical Writer

Ana is an experienced technical writer and she likes solving problems and fixing errors.

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