Plagiarism in scientific work

Any scientific research must adhere to approved criteria, meaning it should be conducted in accordance with the structure and formatting rules of a specific type of work. However, one of the most important components of writing a scientific paper is the uniqueness of the research and the originality of the author's views. In this article, we will discuss how to avoid plagiarism and demonstrate one's own scientific opinion.

Scientific work is, in particular, a type of research that an author undertakes to confirm their knowledge. Depending on the academic level and competence of the educator at certain stages of education, scientific work, to a greater or lesser extent, must contain novelty. For example, a coursework does not necessarily entail the disclosure of a relevant problem solely through one's own perspective, whereas a thesis already requires specific solutions from the future researcher. A common requirement for both types of research is the uniqueness of the text. So, how to adhere to the rules of academic integrity and consider all the nuances of working with sources?

What should be paid attention to in order to avoid plagiarism?

— Citing primary sources is mandatory for the author, but certain rules must be followed. A direct quotation should be enclosed in quotation marks and have a reference to the source. It is allowed to reference the primary source in square brackets with the ordinal number of the study in the bibliography list and the page or pages from which the idea was taken. Similarly, references can be formatted at the end of the text page using the footnote function.

— Self-citations in the work are permitted, but they should not be overused. They can be a useful tool for supplementing the work, but it should be remembered that an excessive number of citations or self-citations can spoil the impression of the research and the ability of the degree seeker to analyze and present information clearly. Citations of one's own works are appropriate when writing a dissertation to improve the quality of the scientific text and continue developing one's work.

Citation is a way of literally conveying the author's idea, which cannot be altered orthographically or lexically. If necessary, a certain fragment of the cited researcher's idea can be omitted, replacing it with three dots.

In scientific work, no more than 25% of quotations and citations of one's own previous works can be used. The work is considered plagiarism if the author repeatedly uses fragments of their own work without adhering to the standards of academic integrity.

Self-citations are used for several reasons:

• Development of research and continuation of the scientific idea;
• Increase in citation index (applies to published scientific works);
• Filling research gaps (relevant for scholars who cannot find materials on their topic elsewhere);

— Understanding that a coursework often contains primarily paraphrased fragments is understandable, as students are just learning to work with extensive data and often lack sufficient experience to formulate new ideas. However, in more serious scientific works, such as dissertations or monographs, frequent use of paraphrasing may not seem entirely appropriate.

If a paraphrase or arbitrary text occupies more than one paragraph, it is important to include a reference (bibliographic or textual) to the source at least once in each paragraph of the scientific work.

What advice should be followed to ensure academic integrity?

• Adhere to source formatting rules (DSTU 8302:2015).
• Check the work for redundant text and information duplication.
• Process numerous sources, creating a quality compilation of various researchers' opinions.
• Develop one's own research and analyze contemporary trends.

Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic integrity rules that can lead to the cancellation of the defense of any type of work and deprive the author of the opportunity to present their research. Academic plagiarism involves using scientific results without proper attribution. Anti-plagiarism is the process of checking the text for non-unique fragments, paraphrases, borrowings, or direct copying of another work.

Why do people violate academic integrity rules?

• Due to a lack of understanding of scientific ethics.
• Due to the author's resource constraints (limited time and accompanying factors).
• Due to unfamiliarity with the requirements for formatting scientific research.

What aspects of work relate to plagiarism?

• Literal copying of the author's idea without using quotation marks.
• Direct transfer of text without indicating the source mentioned in the bibliography.
• Insufficient originality when using paraphrases without one's own concepts.
• Direct matches with the original text.
• Use of textual "spam" in the form of synonymization.

A researcher should adhere to established standards, including the following criteria:

• Plagiarism should not exceed 5%.
• The citation level should not exceed 25%.
• The text's uniqueness should be at least 85%, depending on the type of work.

To check for plagiarism, you can use services such as:

• PlagiarismCheck: This service compares the entered text with information from a database, identifying similar fragments and possible cases of plagiarism. It also provides tools for plagiarism control, allowing authors to make changes to their text.

• Duplichecker: This is a tool for checking the originality of text, which compares the text with various sources. Similar to PlagiarismCheck, Duplichecker also has its own database.

• Turnitin: This service provides comprehensive information on plagiarism and offers advice on improving writing.

• iThenticate: This checking tool allows you to detect any similarities with existing materials, ensuring a high level of uniqueness for each document.

The main program for checking scientific research papers is the Anti-Plagiarism service for higher education institutions (this service is available for universities and educational staff).

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