Tips for avoiding plagiarism

Taking phrases or sentences from another writer without using “quotations marks” is called plagiarism. Moreover, a good summary doesn’t use direct “quotes”; if you do, it looks like you didn’t understand the reading.

Here are some tips for avoiding plagiarism while writing a summary:

• Imagine someone asked you “What was the text about?” or “What was the book about?”

• Read the text several times to make sure you understand it.

• It helps to take some notes about the reading on a separate piece of paper – not sentences, just a few words or phrases. Bullet points or lists work well.

• Do not look at the text while you are writing the summary.

• Give the summary to someone out loud (orally) before you write it down. This is an excellent way to pre-write and practice. They can also ask you questions for clarification.