Enhancing paraphrasing skills in academic writing for STIE Pancasetia Banjarmasin students

Abstract

This community service program was initiated to address the issue of high similarity rates in student theses at Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi (STIE) Pancasetia Banjarmasin. Despite the implementation of a maximum 40% similarity threshold using Turnitin, many students still struggle with exceeding this limit due to limited knowledge of proper paraphrasing techniques. The activity aimed to improve students’ understanding of plagiarism, Turnitin software, and effective paraphrasing methods to enhance the originality of their academic work. The method used was an online webinar conducted via Zoom, involving social media dissemination, participant registration, presentation of material, and a discussion session. Participants were seventh-semester students currently writing their undergraduate theses. The results showed a high level of enthusiasm among students, who were eager to learn how to paraphrase properly to reduce similarity levels and meet Turnitin standards. The training increased their awareness of plagiarism and equipped them with practical skills to rephrase texts while preserving meaning and adhering to academic writing norms. In conclusion, this program significantly contributed to improving students’ competence in academic writing and minimizing plagiarism. Future programs are recommended to focus on developing students’ research ideas, strengthening their understanding of research methods, and enhancing citation skills through tools like Mendeley.