Plagiarism, the Capital Sin in Writing for Publication

Taking credit for someone else’s work is an insult to the original writer and the readers. Plagiarism is widely frowned upon in the publishing world. It does not matter if it is print or online publication, creating original content is a must. For most writers, research is an integral part of the writing process and it is unavoidable to take inspiration from an article or two. These articles that have sparked inspiration in writing should remain as inspirations or as sources.

Sample Plagiarism Scenarios

If you are having a hard time identifying what counts as plagiarism and what does not, here are some examples that you can use as a guide: 1. Copying an article verbatim without proper credit to the original writer. Copying over 50% of a written work for a single publication is a major case of plagiarism. 2. Transcribing a large portion of an article (20-50%) for more than one paper of the same author without the proper use of quotation marks, reference, or any type of citation. 3. Improper paraphrasing of pages or paragraphs. Changing a few words or changing the order of the paragraph is not enough; this is still considered as plagiarism.

Avoiding Plagiarism

Being able to pin point plagiarism is one step to avoid committing this grievous mistake. Another way to ensure that plagiarism is avoided is to have as many sources as possible and citing them. This does not only make your work more credible, but it also gives you a wider perspective on the topic you have chosen. Making it into the ranks of published author takes hard work, perseverance, and dedication, but when you’ve been published on a credible online marketing news website, you will be on your way. Your readers, your editor, and everyone involved in the writing and publishing process will commend you on your original article, because you’ve earned their praises after all.