Paraphrasing and plagiarism

Paraphrase this entire thing Students must learn how to paraphrase effectively to avoid plagiarism and demonstrate genuine understanding of what they read. True paraphrasing goes far beyond swapping out a few words; it requires expressing the original idea in a fresh structure and voice while still giving credit to the source. When students stay too close to the original language or arrangement, they risk plagiarizing unintentionallyeven if they include a citation. Developing strong paraphrasing skills allows students to clearly separate their own thinking from the ideas they borrow from others. Paraphrasing is also important when it comes to avoiding self-plagiarism. Self-plagiarism happens when students submit work they previously completed and present it as new without acknowledging that it has been used before. This might involve turning in the same paper for multiple courses or reusing sections of earlier assignments without proper disclosure. Even though the student created the original work, this practice is considered academically dishonest because each assignment is intended to reflect new learning, effort, and engagement.