Final answer:
It is false that inserting synonyms avoids plagiarism (b). Proper attribution, including using quotation marks, summarizing, and paraphrasing with credit, is essential to avoid plagiarism. Maintaining your own voice and employing careful use of sources with enough revisions are also key practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is false to believe that you can avoid plagiarism by simply inserting synonyms where an author's key terms are located. Plagiarism involves using someone else's ideas or words without proper attribution, whether you use synonyms or not. To avoid this issue, it is important to practice ethical attribution which entails using quotation marks for direct quotes, summarizing or paraphrasing the original material in your own words, while still giving proper credit to the original author.
When unsure about how to effectively incorporate another author's idea, it's better to summarize and synthesize that material, making sure to include a reference to the source. This not only provides evidence for your thesis but also ensures that you maintain your own unique voice in the essay. Revision and strategic use of sources can help you avoid presenting a patchwork of others' words and allows you to synthesize borrowed material effectively.
Summary vs. Synthesis
While summary involves a concise rendition of the main points, synthesis requires integrating these points into your own argument, and both require proper attribution. Failing to do so, such as by omitting the author's name and source title when summarizing, is still considered plagiarism.
Quoting vs. Paraphrasing
Quoting should be used for direct, verbatim excerpts from a source, whereas paraphrasing means restating the ideas in your own words. Each has its place, and careful consideration should be taken to decide when to use direct quotes and when to paraphrase, always ensuring that the original author is credited for their ideas.