5 days ago 
If you are wondering What Percentage Of Plagiarism Is Acceptable, the answer is no percentage of plagiarism is acceptable.
However, some sources may permit up to 15% similarity, which could include properly cited quotes or common phrases. Any similarity significantly higher than this may be considered potential plagiarism and will require further review. Acceptable levels vary by reviewer, content purpose, and context.
In the article below, we will provide a clearer analysis and explanation.
How Much Plagiarism Is Allowed?
As we mentioned above, plagiarism is never considered acceptable. However, each case should be assessed individually, considering the educational institution’s policies and the context of the similarities.
Therefore, how much plagiarism is allowed in papers differs between regular essays and dissertations. From our perspective, the maximum allowed percentage of plagiarism should be commonly less than 20%.
| Type of content | What percentage of plagiarism is acceptable? |
| Thesis, dissertations, and Published journals | 5-15% |
| Academic Writing | 15-20% |
| Research papers and Essays | 20-25% |
| Blogs | 30% |
Before giving tips on how to reduce plagiarism, here are some important points to consider when checking for it.
- Zero tolerance: Strive for completely original work with proper citations
- Plagiarism checkers aren’t definitive: High scores may indicate issues with citation or reliance on similar sources, not necessarily intent to plagiarize.
- Institutional policies vary: Always adhere to your institution’s or publisher’s guidelines for clarity.
How to Decrease the Percentage of Plagiarism? 5 Tips
1. Cite Properly
Citing sources can be boring and challenging, yet it’s essential to show which ideas are yours and which come from other researchers. Purdue University provides clear guides for popular citation styles: MLA, APA, Chicago, AMA, ASA, and IEEE. If you find these guides confusing, you can use a citation machine. Just select the style you need, choose the type of source, fill in the required fields, and copy the result.
Here is the result:
“National Geographic Society. “Global Warming | National Geographic Society.” Education.nationalgeographic.org, 20 May 2022, education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/global-warming.”
An online citation generator can help you cite sources correctly and organize your references. However, these tools may not be perfect, so double-check your citations.
2. Proofreading
Proofreading is vital for ensuring your writing is clear, accurate, and professional. Minor errors—like typos or misplaced punctuation—can distract readers and harm your credibility. Reviewing your text after some time can provide a fresh perspective, allowing you to catch instances of self-plagiarism in sentences or paragraphs. It can also help uncover any referencing issues, such as improperly cited sources. If you’re unsure about your work, consider asking a friend or classmate to review your paper.
3. Avoid Direct Quotes and Paraphrasing
Stop copy-pasting or rephrasing other people’s ideas. Instead, rewrite ideas in your own words while retaining the original meaning. Paraphrasing demonstrates understanding and adds a personal touch. Here are some examples:
Instead of:
According to NASA, “Global warming is the long-term heating of Earth’s surface observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere.”
Paraphrasing:
NASA defines global warming as the long-term rise in Earth’s surface temperature since the pre-industrial period (about 1850 to 1900), mainly due to human activities like burning fossil fuels, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
4. Maintain a record of your sources
Keeping a record of your work helps you avoid plagiarism. It allows you to track the sources and ideas you have used. This makes it easier to tell your original thoughts apart from borrowed ideas, reducing the risk of accidentally copying someone else’s work. Clear records also help you credit the original authors correctly, showing that you value academic integrity. Especially if the detection tool makes a mistake or the teacher questions the originality of your work, this will be strong evidence.
5. Scanning texts with plagiarism checkers
As with similar posts, we always recommend using tools like Originality AI or Winston AI to check your paper before submission. This helps ensure that your content is original. One significant advantage of these tools is their ability to identify various types of plagiarism, including accidental duplication of your own writing.
For example, Originality AI provides a report that highlights sections of your text that match other sources and includes links to those original pieces.
Conclusion
So, what percentage of plagiarism is acceptable? Generally, no percentage of plagiarism is acceptable. However, some cases may allow up to 30% similarity. The best rule of thumb is to keep your work as original as possible and always cite your sources. With plagiarism checkers and careful proofreading, you can ensure your content is authentic and meets the required standards, whether for school or work. Just remember, the less overlap, the better!
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