Q: How can I prevent self-plagiarism while converting my thesis to a journal article?
How can I prevent plagiarism if I use the same words, sentences and idea of my thesis in my journal article? I have submitted my thesis to my university but the thesis has not been published by any academic publisher. Now I wish to use the same words, sentences and ideas from the thesis for a journal article. How can I prevent self-plagiarism? Presently it’s a 100% plagiarism issue as I wish to use the content of the thesis exactly as it is.
Journals only accept work that has not been published elsewhere. Although I understand that your thesis will be published only by your university and not by any academic publisher, it might not be a good idea to use exactly the same words and sentences that you have used in your thesis. Many universities today post their content online, so if by chance your thesis is available online, the journal’s plagiarism checker will detect it and you will be guilty of self-plagiarism
It is perfectly ethical and acceptable to write a journal paper based on your thesis. However, to prevent allegations of self-plagiarism, it is best that you paraphrase the sentences you have used in your thesis. It is fine if there is some amount of overlap, but a 100 per cent similarity is definitely not desirable. Additionally, a thesis and a journal article are two different genres of writing, and you cannot really use the style of one in the other. Therefore, it would be best if you use the ideas presented in your thesis but rewrite it in the form of a journal article. This will also ensure that you avoid falling into the trap of self-plagiarism.
You may consider seeking assistance with scientific writing to help you with paraphrasing the content of your thesis. You should also mention in the cover letter during journal submission that the article is based on your thesis that has been previously submitted to the university for fulfilment of degree requirement but has not been published by any academic publisher. Taking these steps can help you prevent self-plagiarism.
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This content belongs to the Manuscript Writing Stage