# Check whether my paraphrase is too close to the source

Side-by-side feedback on whether your paraphrase is original enough, plus how to fix it and cite it correctly.

- Topic: Writing & Editing
- Framework: RTF
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Research, Rewrite & Edit, Brainstorm, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/check-whether-my-paraphrase-is-too-close-to-the-source

## Prompt

```text
Check whether my paraphrase is different enough from the original to avoid accidental plagiarism.

**Original passage:** [PASTE THE SOURCE TEXT]
**My paraphrase:** [PASTE YOUR VERSION]
**Source details:** [AUTHOR, TITLE, YEAR, PAGE]
**Citation style:** [MLA / APA / Chicago / other]

Check:
1. Word-for-word overlap: list any strings of 3+ words I copied that aren't common phrases.
2. Structure: did I keep the same sentence order and pattern and just swap synonyms (patchwriting)?
3. Meaning: did I keep the original meaning accurately, without adding or dropping key ideas?
4. Attribution: is it clear which ideas belong to the source, and is there an in-text citation?
5. Specialist terms that are fine to keep (e.g. technical names).

Return:
- A verdict: Fine / Needs work / Too close.
- A table: Issue | Where it appears | Why it matters | How to fix it.
- A method for redoing it myself: read, cover the source, explain it aloud, write from memory, then compare.
- The correct in-text citation format for my style, using my source details.

Do not write a new paraphrase for me. If the passage should simply be quoted instead (because the exact wording matters), say so.
```

## What to fill in

- PASTE THE SOURCE TEXT
- PASTE YOUR VERSION
- AUTHOR, TITLE, YEAR, PAGE
- MLA / APA / Chicago / other

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.