How to Reduce the Plagiarism Rate in Your Research Without Affecting the Content
Learn practical, ethical, and effective methods to reduce plagiarism and similarity in your research paper without losing scientific meaning. This guide explains types of plagiarism, how Turnitin and iThenticate work, and how to lower similarity in each section of your manuscript. Ideal for students, researchers, and journal authors.
In academic writing, one of the most common concerns for students and researchers is how to reduce plagiarism or similarity in their manuscripts without harming the scientific meaning. Whether you are submitting to your university, preparing a journal article, or revising a thesis, your similarity score—especially on systems like Turnitin and iThenticate—can determine whether your work is accepted, rejected, or sent back for revision.
The challenge is clear: how do you lower similarity without losing meaning, changing results, or damaging the academic quality of your paper?
This article provides a practical, real-world guide to reducing similarity safely, ethically, and effectively. You will learn how plagiarism detection works, what causes high similarity, and how to revise your paper so that the similarity rate decreases while the content remains scientifically strong.
Understanding Plagiarism in Research Writing
Before attempting to reduce similarity, a researcher must understand what plagiarism actually means. Many writers mistakenly assume plagiarism only refers to copying text word-for-word. In reality, plagiarism has multiple forms, and many of them are unintentional.
Types of plagiarism researchers must be aware of:
1. Direct plagiarism
Copying text exactly as it appears in a source without quotation marks or proper citation. This is the most obvious form and the easiest for software to detect.
2. Mosaic (patchwork) plagiarism
Paraphrasing incorrectly by changing just a few words but keeping the same structure or key phrases. Many students fall into this trap because they think replacing words is enough—but software recognizes this pattern.
3. Self-plagiarism
Reusing your own previous work without proper citation. Journals and universities consider this a serious issue because each submission should contain original text.
4. Improper or incomplete citation
Using ideas or sentences from another author with incomplete referencing. Even if the citation exists, incorrect paraphrasing can still be flagged as similarity.
Acceptable vs. problematic similarity
Not all similarity is bad. Most institutions accept:
10–25% similarity for research papers
15–30% for theses (depending on university policy)
Higher similarity in literature review sections due to unavoidable terminology
Problems arise when similarity includes:
Large consecutive blocks of text
Methodology copied from previous studies
Sentences identical to other theses
Overused templates in introductions or discussions
Understanding the difference helps you revise your work without panicking.
How Similarity Reports Are Generated
Systems like Turnitin and iThenticate compare your text against:
Published journal articles
Books and academic databases
Internet sources
Student theses and dissertations
Previously submitted assignments
Even if the content is common knowledge in your field, repetitive phrases may still be flagged. For example, standard methodology descriptions or definitions often show similarity if not paraphrased correctly.
Similarity reports highlight matched text, but they do not judge whether the match is acceptable. That responsibility belongs to the researcher—and sometimes the supervisor or journal editor.
Knowing how this works makes it easier to revise strategically.
How to Reduce Similarity in Each Section of a Research Paper
Different sections of your paper require different strategies. You cannot apply the same rewriting method to the abstract, methodology, and discussion because each section has different academic expectations.
1. Title and Abstract
Rewrite the title using different structure or keywords.
Avoid copying sentences directly from the introduction.
Summarize the study in your own words.
Avoid overly technical phrases unless necessary.
2. Introduction
This section often produces high similarity because many definitions and background information are repeated across papers.
Strategies:
Combine multiple sources instead of copying from one.
Rewrite definitions using your own explanation.
Change sentence structure, not just words.
Cite properly whenever using another author’s idea.
3. Literature Review
This is usually the section with the highest similarity.
To reduce similarity:
Synthesize information instead of rewriting each sentence individually.
Group studies by theme, method, or outcome.
Avoid long quotes or copying author phrases.
Focus on writing in your own academic voice.
4. Methodology
This section often includes standard procedures that appear similar to other papers.
Solutions:
Rewrite descriptions in your own structure.
Avoid copying standard phrases like “The samples were collected using…”
Focus on describing your specific implementation of a method.
Use flowcharts or figures when possible (figures reduce text similarity).
5. Results
Since results are unique to your study, similarity is usually low. However, avoid copying result descriptions from previous studies.
6. Discussion and Conclusion
Compare your findings to previous research using original phrasing.
Avoid copying sentences like “This result is consistent with previous studies.”
Summarize major findings in your own way.
Rephrase limitations and recommendations uniquely.
7. References and Appendices
These usually do not count toward similarity unless the system is configured differently. Always follow standard citation styles.
How Professional Plagiarism Reduction Works
Professional similarity reduction services combine human expertise with technology to ensure that meaning remains accurate while similarity decreases.
1. Human rewriting vs. automated tools
Humans understand context, technical vocabulary, and academic tone. Automated tools cannot guarantee correctness in scientific writing.
2. Maintaining meaning and scientific integrity
Experts ensure that:
Concepts do not change
Terminology remains accurate
The argument is preserved
Citations remain properly connected
3. Ensuring citation accuracy
Some rewriting tools accidentally distort or detach citations. Human review restores accuracy.
4. Rechecking using Turnitin or iThenticate
The final version is tested again to ensure similarity has dropped to acceptable levels.
5. Preparing a final report
The researcher receives:
A clean rewritten version
A similarity report
Notes on what was changed
Need Professional Plagiarism Checking and Similarity Reduction?
If you want to reduce plagiarism safely without losing scientific meaning, SITA Academy provides:
Human plagiarism reduction
Turnitin & iThenticate checking
Sentence rewriting while keeping the academic tone
No change in your research results
Final similarity report
Simply send us your paper, and our academic team will help reduce similarity ethically and professionally.
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