Understanding Plagiarism

Summarizing a source without including a citation is a common cause of unintentional plagiarism.

Before you integrate source material, learn when to use direct quotes, when to paraphrase, and when to summarize information from a source.

Paraphrasing is synthesizing the writing and/or work of others, and describing it for your reader using your own words.

Paraphrasing is NOT switching some words around in a passage. Take a look at the quotation below, and the two attempts at paraphrasing beneath it. Which one is a better example of paraphrasing?

"First, teachers found that it was difficult to contact and communicate with students, get them participating and motivated, keep them engaged, and make them accountable for their learning. Reaching out to students through technology was difficult, and some students also showed a lack of interest in schoolwork." (Francom, et al, 2021, p. 595)

A. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, K-12 teachers switching to remote learning reported challenges with communication and educational technology, monitoring students' progress, and encouraging students to follow through on assignments (Francom, et al, 2021, p. 595). 

B. Teachers teaching remotely thought it was hard to communicate with their students, motivate them, and engage them. They thought it was hard to reach students using technology, and they noticed that a few students weren't captivated by their schoolwork (Francom, et al, 2021, p. 595).

Francom, G.M., Lee, S.J., & Pinkney, H. (2021). Technologies, challenges and needs of K-12 teachers in the transition to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 65(4), 589-601. https://doi-org.hartness.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s11528-021-00625-5