Free Plagiarism Risk Explainer

Paste a passage and find out why it might get flagged — with specific issues and a clean rewrite.

Works in 11+ languages. This is not a database checker — it explains patterns, not matches.

0 / 3,000 characters Detected language: —

Cite as you draft — never patchwrite again

GenText paraphrases sources cleanly and inserts citations automatically while you write in Word — no copy-paste, no patchwriting, no plagiarism risk. Free for 2,000 words/month.

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What this tool does (and what it doesn't)

This is an educational tool, not a plagiarism scanner. It doesn't compare your text against any database — that's what Turnitin, iThenticate, and Copyscape do. Instead, it looks at the patterns in your writing that typically trigger plagiarism flags, and explains them in plain language so you can fix them before submission.

Use it when:

  • You're worried about how a paragraph reads — does it sound too close to your source?
  • You paraphrased a passage and want a sanity check.
  • You're writing in a second language and aren't sure about citation conventions.
  • You used AI assistance and want to make sure the output reads like your voice with proper attribution.

The 6 patterns that usually trigger a flag

1. Verbatim copying without quote marks

Even when you cite the source, copying more than 4–7 words verbatim without quote marks reads as plagiarism. Quote marks fix it; or, paraphrase the sentence properly.

2. Patchwriting (the most common student mistake)

Patchwriting is when you keep the source's sentence structure and only swap individual words for synonyms. It looks like paraphrase but reads as plagiarism. The fix: read the source, close it, then write what you remember in your own structure.

3. Missing in-text citations

Even original phrasing of someone else's idea needs a citation. If a paragraph presents an argument or finding from a source without an in-text citation, it reads as your idea even when it isn't.

4. Mosaic plagiarism

Stitching together short phrases from multiple sources without quote marks or citations. Common when synthesizing literature reviews — and very visible to plagiarism detectors that match short n-grams.

5. Self-plagiarism

Reusing your own previously published work without attribution. More common than people realize — most institutions consider it a form of plagiarism, especially in published research.

6. AI-generated patterns (newer concern)

Some institutions now treat undisclosed AI text as a form of plagiarism. AI text has detectable patterns (uniform sentence length, predictable vocabulary distributions). The tool flags these so you can rewrite them in your own voice.

How to fix paraphrase that's too close

  1. Read the source paragraph 2–3 times until you understand the argument structurally.
  2. Close the source. Write what the argument is in 1–2 sentences in your own words, from memory.
  3. Now expand. Add specifics that you remember.
  4. Re-open the source. Check that you didn't miss something important. Add a citation.
  5. If you copied a unique phrase verbatim — accept that and put it in quotes.

Citation conventions vary by style

Not every academic style cites the same way. APA uses (Author, Year), MLA uses (Author Page), Chicago uses footnotes or (Author Year). When in doubt, check our APA, MLA, and Chicago guides — or use the citation style converter to quickly switch between them.

For non-English writers

Plagiarism conventions are similar across most academic traditions but the citation styles differ. Spanish-language writers using ABNT or APA-Spanish, Chinese writers using GB/T 7714, Arabic-language theses, and others all have their own variants. The tool detects your input language automatically and explains the risks in that language.

Frequently asked questions

Will this catch what Turnitin would catch?

Sometimes — for verbatim copying and obvious patchwriting. But Turnitin matches against a database of submitted papers and published sources, which this tool can't access. Treat the result as an early warning signal, not a final verdict.

Is the passage I paste stored anywhere?

No. The text is sent to our AI service for analysis, then immediately discarded. We don't log inputs and we don't train models on user submissions. See our privacy policy.

Can I check a whole paper at once?

The tool accepts up to 3,000 characters at a time (about 500 words). For a whole paper, paste paragraph by paragraph. Or use GenText inside Word, which checks paraphrase quality and citation completeness as you draft each section.

Does AI-assisted writing count as plagiarism?

It depends on your institution's policy. Some treat undisclosed AI use as a form of academic misconduct; others permit it with attribution. Always check your specific course's policy. When in doubt, disclose AI assistance in a methodology footnote and demonstrate substantive original thinking.

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