Introduction: The "Spinning" Trap
You ask ChatGPT for an explanation. It gives you a perfect paragraph. You know you can't copy it directly, so you do what students have done for decades: you change a few words.
You swap "happy" for "joyful" and "big" for "large." You think you are safe.
In reality, you just committed "patchwriting." This is a form of plagiarism where the sentence structure remains the same, but the words are slightly different. AI detectors and professors can easily spot this because the underlying "DNA" of the sentence is identical to the robot's output.
To use AI ethically, you don't just need to change the words; you need to process the information. Here is how to turn AI concepts into your own original writing.
The "Memory Recall" Method (The Golden Rule)
The only way to ensure 100% safety is to separate yourself from the screen. If you are looking at the AI text while you type, you will subconsciously copy its rhythm and structure.
Use the Memory Recall Method instead:
Read: Read the AI's answer 2-3 times until you fully understand the concept.
Hide: Close the tab or turn off your monitor.
Write: Explain the concept in your notes as if you were teaching it to a friend.
Compare: Open the tab again to check if you missed any facts, but keep your version.
By writing from memory, you force your brain to reconstruct the idea using your own vocabulary and sentence structure. This naturally erases the "AI watermarks" that detectors look for.
Avoid "Spinning" Tools
There are many "paraphrasing tools" (like Quillbot) that promise to rewrite text for you automatically. While these can be useful for non-native speakers trying to find the right word, relying on them to hide AI usage is dangerous.
Research shows that these tools often result in "patchwork plagiarism" because they only swap synonyms without changing the logic or flow of the argument. Furthermore, Turnitin and other detectors are now being trained to spot text that has been "spun" by these specific tools.
The Rule: If you use a tool to rewrite the text, you are just adding another layer of AI. The final polish must come from you.
Change the Structure, Not Just the Words
If you must rewrite a sentence while looking at it, focus on changing the structure, not just the vocabulary.
AI Original: "Due to the heavy rainfall, the match was postponed, and the audience was informed via email."
Lazy Paraphrase (Risky): "Because of the big rain, the game was delayed, and the crowd was told by email." (Structure is identical).
True Paraphrase (Safe): "Organizers emailed the crowd to let them know the match wouldn't happen, citing the storm as the main reason." (Active voice, different order).
Notice how the "Safe" version flips the sentence around? It focuses on the actors (organizers) rather than the event (rain). This is what human writing looks like.
Synthesize, Don't Just Repeat
The best way to paraphrase is to mix sources. Don't just rely on one ChatGPT response.
Ask the AI for an explanation, but also open your textbook or a news article. Combine the facts from the AI with a quote from your book.
When you blend two sources together, you create something new. You are no longer just rewriting a robot; you are synthesizing information. This is the definition of research.
When in Doubt, Cite It
Even if you paraphrase perfectly, the idea might still belong to the AI (or the source the AI found).
If the insight is unique, for example, a specific argument about why Hamlet is actually the villain, you should still credit the source. You can add a simple footnote or in-text citation saying, "Concept summarized from conversation with ChatGPT, May 2025".
It is always better to over-cite than to under-cite.
Conclusion
Paraphrasing is not about tricking a detector. It is about proving you understand the material.
If you can explain a complex AI-generated concept in simple, plain English without looking at the screen, you haven't just avoided plagiarism, you have actually learned.
