Plagiarism is, in essence, taking someone else’s idea and passing it off as your own, whether intentionally or accidentally. You are encouraged to read about your topic and draw on the work of others, especially other scholars; however, you must always cite the work that you use. Plagiarism can occur in academic as well as professional settings.

Plagiarism is a serious offense, and you should do everything you can to avoid it. It can have serious consequences, especially in your professional life. Be sure to follow proper in-text citation guidelines and include a reference page if you cite outside information. The reference page will specifically list the sources from which you have drawn information.

1. Submit a draft version of your written work in the Student Plagiarism Self Checker (requires log-in) prior to the deadline in order to review your Similarity Report! You can submit multiple times to the same checker. You can also submit multiple times on the actual assignment page, but keep in mind your last submission will be graded at the assignment deadline.  

2. Select the Similarity Percentage score found below your submission to review your report  (see image below). 

3. Revise any content in your writing that is seen as a direct copy from other sources and isn't cited properly.

4. Properly cite any words that you have copied from other sources.

5. Include a properly formatted References page.

6. Rewrite the content using your own words to paraphrase it rather than directly quoting it.

Remember: the Plagiarism Self Checker is a tool to help you avoid plagiarism. No tool is perfect, and the Plagiarism Self Checker may not catch everything. You are responsible for properly summarizing and giving credit to the authors of any ideas that are not your own. 

Note LAPU’s policy on AI and plagiarism: LAPU recognizes the positive potential for learning that Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can offer. When used to develop critical thinking, hone an argument, or as part of the research process, AI can provide valuable information for students to integrate into their own research, analysis, and writing. However, content generated by an Artificial Intelligence third-party service or site (AI-generated content) without proper attribution or authorization is another form of plagiarism. Plagiarism occurs whenever someone represents words, ideas, or other information as one's own original thoughts without providing proper credit. If choosing to use AI-generated content as one of the assignment resources students, should follow APA style for citing web pages and websites and cite the platform they used as well as the author of the AI-generation program, if available. Students should also be aware of the potential for misinformation or inaccurate results from AI.