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Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Check for unintentional plagiarism

Easily check your paper for missing citations and accidental plagiarism with the EasyBib plagiarism checker. The EasyBib plagiarism checker:

• Scans your paper against billions of sources.
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• Provides you with a plagiarism score.

You can submit your paper at any hour of the day and quickly receive a plagiarism report.

What is the EasyBib plagiarism checker? 

Most basic plagiarism checkers review your work and calculate a percentage, meaning how much of your writing is indicative of original work. But, the EasyBib plagiarism checker goes way beyond a simple percentage. Any text that could be categorized as potential plagiarism is highlighted, allowing you time to review each warning and determine how to adjust it or how to cite it correctly.

You’ll even see the sources against which your writing is compared and the actual word for word breakdown. If you determine that a warning is unnecessary, you can waive the plagiarism check suggestion.

Plagiarism is unethical because it doesn’t credit those who created the original work; it violates intellectual property and serves to benefit the perpetrator. It is a severe enough academic offense, that many faculty members use their own plagiarism checking tool for their students’ work. With the EasyBib Plagiarism checker, you can stay one step ahead of your professors and catch citation mistakes and accidental plagiarism before you submit your work for grading.

Why use a plagiarism checker? 

Imagine – it’s finals week and the final research paper of the semester is due in two days. You, being quite familiar with this high-stakes situation, hit the books, and pull together a ten-page, last-minute masterpiece using articles and materials from dozens of different sources.

However, in those late, coffee-fueled hours, are you fully confident that you correctly cited all the different sources you used? Are you sure you didn’t accidentally forget any? Are you confident that your teacher’s plagiarism tool will give your paper a 0% plagiarism score?

That’s where the EasyBib plagiarism checker comes in to save the day. One quick check can help you address all the above questions and put your mind at ease.

What exactly is plagiarism? 

Plagiarism has a number of possible definitions; it involves more than just copying someone else’s work. Improper citing, patchworking, and paraphrasing could all lead to plagiarism in one of your college assignments. Below are some common examples of accidental plagiarism that commonly occur.

Quoting or paraphrasing without citations

Not including in-text citations is another common type of accidental plagiarism. Quoting is taking verbatim text from a source. Paraphrasing is when you’re using another source to take the same idea but put it in your own words. In both cases, it’s important to always cite where those ideas are coming from. The EasyBib plagiarism checker can help alert you to when you need to accurately cite the sources you used.

Patchwork plagiarism

When writing a paper, you’re often sifting through multiple sources and tabs from different search engines. It’s easy to accidentally string together pieces of sentences and phrases into your own paragraphs. You may change a few words here and there, but it’s similar to the original text. Even though it’s accidental, it is still considered plagiarism. It’s important to clearly state when you’re using someone else’s words and work.

Improper citations

Depending on the class, professor, subject, or teacher, there are multiple correct citation styles and preferences. Some examples of common style guides that are followed for citations include MLA, APA, and Chicago style. When citing resources, it’s important to cite them accurately. Incorrect citations could make it impossible for a reader to track down a source and it’s considered plagiarism. There are EasyBib citation tools to help you do this.

Don’t fall victim to plagiarism pitfalls. Most of the time, you don’t even mean to commit plagiarism; rather, you’ve read so many sources from different search engines that it gets difficult to determine an original thought or well-stated fact versus someone else’s work. Or worse, you assume a statement is common knowledge, when in fact, it should be attributed to another author.

When in doubt, cite your source!

Time for a quick plagiarism quiz! 

Which of the following requires a citation?

• A chart or graph from another source
• A paraphrase of an original source
• Several sources’ ideas summarized into your own paragraph
• A direct quote
• All of the above

If you guessed option E than you’d be correct. Correct punctuation and citation of another individual’s ideas, quotes, and graphics are a pillar of good academic writing.

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The  plagiarism checker compares your writing sample with billions of available sources online so that it detects plagiarism at every level. You’ll be notified of which phrases are too similar to current research and literature, prompting a possible rewrite or additional citation. You’ll also get feedback on your paper’s inconsistencies, such as changes in text, formatting, or style. These small details could suggest possible plagiarism within your assignment.

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Online Thesis Grader to Level up the Quality of Your Academic Writing

Thesis Grader

As a Master’s or Ph.D. student, writing thesis papers can be time-consuming but equally satisfying once because it helps express your confidence in your belief. Unfortunately, submitting your thesis paper before you get rid of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors can drastically affect your credibility and authority.

Editing is critical in a thesis paper, although many students forget this important stage due to the overwhelming workload. Imagine having spent countless weeks researching and writing your thesis paper only to realize that you scored a super-low grade because it was littered with mistakes. 

The good news is that our thesis fixer can help you detect and correct all the grammar and punctuation mistakes in your work. It works by crawling through your entire work sentence by sentence checking for improper word usage and sentence structure, poorly placed punctuation, and any other esoteric errors. 

But before we show you how to grade a dissertation using our tool, let’s take a look at the importance of editing your thesis paper.

Importance of Editing Your Work Using a Thesis Grader

There are many reasons why you should be super-dialed in editing your thesis paper. And that includes:

To get rid of grammatical & punctuation errors

As earlier indicated, a minor typo error has the potential to completely alter the meaning of a sentence, ultimately ruining your credibility as an author. This is especially true when you are writing an original thesis paper, whereby you have limited sources to quote from. 

To check adherence with formatting & referencing styles

Failing to adhere to the required formatting and referencing styles is highly punishable in academic work. References show that your work is backed by credible sources, as well as give a clear direction on how it is interpreted. By editing your work, you ensure that it conforms to the prerequisite format and style sheet, avoiding any potential problems with your professor

To streamline the structure & flow

Thesis papers are meant to solve or study particular problems in society. As such, they should have a solid structure and logical flow. And this can only be achieved by identifying and fixing any gaps in your arguments through editing.

To check language & phrases

Unlike in article writing where terminologies aren’t particularly crucial, academic writing is particularly strict on this aspect. A particular word may have a different meaning in a different academic field, and you don’t want your readers to read it out of context. For this reason, editing your work helps ensure that you use all the terminologies appropriately throughout your work.

Useful Tips to Grade Your Academic Work & How a Thesis Fixer Can Help

There are many things you can do to improve the quality of your academic work, some of them are taught in class as part of your course while some aren’t. Below, we have prepared a list of useful tips to help to grade your essay, thesis, or even dissertation paper.

Pay attention to the initial brief

When grading your thesis paper, the very first thing markers examine is whether you have adhered to the initial brief. The initial brief entails things such as the thesis type, content focus, subject, formatting, and the word limit. For this reason, it is important to thoroughly go through your essay brief before you begin writing.

A properly crafted thesis paper should have a clear sense of structure. A structure is like a template upon which your message is premised, and it includes the introduction, main body, and conclusion. By getting the structure of your paper right, you are assured of creating a great thesis paper. 

Show your knowledge and understanding of the topic

The only way your professor can assess your understanding of a topic is by seeing whether you have your facts right, how well you have linked different aspects in your thesis, and how articulate your arguments are.  Often, most students tend to cram as many details as they can into a single sentence or paragraph. Unfortunately, this is counterproductive as it may blur or water down the most important arguments in your thesis. To avoid this, ensure everything is laid out in plain terms.

Ensure there are no grammatical and spelling errors

You could have the best thesis in your class. However, spelling and grammatical errors will render your efforts completely useless. The markers are usually examining different mechanisms of English like punctuation, spelling, grammar, and sentence structure.

Along with that, they will be checking stylistic elements such as the formatting, style, and whether your work is easy to read in general. With the help of our thesis grammar checker, you will easily identify and correct all the above-mentioned errors before submitting your work.

Common Errors That Our Thesis Rater Can Help Fix

Finding spelling and grammatical errors in your thesis is difficult, even if you are a professional proofreader. However, our online tool is very good at identifying grammatical, punctuation, diction, stylistic, and factual errors.

Here are key issues that our thesis grammar corrector will help you identify and correct:

• Typos . Did you mean to type the word morning but instead typed monrning? Our online tool will never let such a silly mistake escape your bare eyes.
• Punctuation . Punctuation is easily one of the hardest things to master in writing. Nevertheless, if left unchecked, a simple punctuation mark can change the entire meaning of a sentence in your work. If you are unsure of what punctuation mark to use, let our online dissertation proofreading and editing tool help determine where you need to insert that comma, apostrophe, or any other punctuation symbol.
• Passive voice . In writing, using an active voice to explain your ideas is generally better compared to using a passive voice. With our grammar checker, you can check the number of passive words used in your thesis and adjust accordingly.
• Overused words . Our thesis grammar checker will also identify overused words in your work and suggest alternative words, making your work richer.
• Plagiarism. Along with checking for syntax errors in dissertation or thesis, our tool also doubles as a plagiarism detector. It compares your thesis against billions of web pages and academic databases to see whether parts of your work are published, allowing you to make the changes in advance.

Using our Thesis Grader Vs Manual Editing

Along with identifying a plethora of spelling and grammatical errors, using our thesis checker online free tool comes with multiple other benefits compared to manual editing. They include;

How to Check Grammar and Spelling in a Dissertation Using Our Dissertation Rater

Using our tool is a pretty straightforward process. Follow the following easy to follow steps and you shouldn’t have a problem:

Step #1. Visit our website.

Step #2. Copy-paste your typed work in the blank editor field, ensuring you don’t go beyond the word count limit.

Step #3. Wait for a few seconds and the tool will highlight all the phrases and sentences that have errors.

Step #4. Move your cursor to the highlighted words to see the suggestions. Click on the suggestion to automatically implement it.

Step # 5. Once done, you can also conduct a research paper originality check by clicking on the “Check Plagiarism” button. In less than a minute, you will receive a comprehensive report on the status of your work.

As you can see, using a thesis grader is useful, as there many serious and minor writing errors that you can miss. If you are still wondering how to edit a dissertation or thesis, consider using our tool. Thanks to the tool’s NLP technology, AI capabilities, and over 500 English rules, our tool is able to identify grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes, as well as overused phrases, vague words, and defective sentence structures. 

Discover the secret to editing and polishing your master or doctoral thesis to perfection by using our free thesis grader today. 

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Testimonials

First, I love Trinka. Congratulations on developing something that extensively aids editing, especially critical grammar conventions and word count reductions.

James Smith

Writing texts with correct English grammar and style is not an easy task for people who speak other languages. Sometimes you cannot find little mistakes in your document without help and moreover for academic writing. I tried Trinka AI as a tool of automatic correction and was quite glad with the suggested corrections and the feedback. With the feedback you understand why the suggested change must be taken into account.

Rosa Diaz Sandoval

Trinka has a robust proofreading feature that allows me to effortlessly upload entire manuscript documents and receive fully tracked changes in a single step. Moreover, its unique supporting tools such as citation checker and journal finder, significantly enhance the efficiency of my research endeavours.

Fouad Khalifa

I just wanted to say thank you for such a great and free service, all the other grammar checkers and writing assistants I have tried don’t have nearly the depth of features let alone all available on a free subscription. As a student with little income available I am extremely grateful that unlike all others companies you don’t limit features on the free plan. This is a fantastic product and given the income I would definitely upgrade to the premium. I've let all my fellow students know about Trinka as it is seriously a life saver.

Jesse Rumball-Smith

I have mainly used it to improve the language, grammar, and syntax of the scientific manuscripts that I write for national and international biomedical journals. I have found the interface to be user friendly and the procedure itself is efficient and hassle-free. The auto-edit is a great help and the supplementary page with the revision summary is an excellent idea.

Dr. Farooq Rathore

Trinka AI is a great tool to help beginners in research publication. Its grammar editing, online proofreading with file download, citation checker, plagiarism checker, paraphraser, and journal finder provide amazing features at your fingertips. Even the free Trinka Basic plan can be invaluable for researchers in their early stages or at PG levels, helping them improve project reports and papers to meet publication standards. Overall, I'm extremely impressed with Trinka AI, as it stands out among research writing tools. Give it a try and you will love it! Thanks Trinka AI team for this valuable tool.

Dr. Nitin Wahi

Trinka.ai is my most favorite choice for grammar and spelling edit. The application works correctly, is fast and tidily! Completely satisfied!

Georgieva Milena

The grammar checking tool exceeds Grammarly! I re-checked some documents that I had checked earlier with Grammarly. I was pleasantly surprised to see such a product from India!

Dinesh Gupta

Trinka has awesome features. Advanced level of academic writing checker and suggestion are so original. I would highly recommend to others.

Aftab Hussain

I have tested Trinka and am impressed with its fine capabilities. It did better than the grammar checkers I use. Well done! I have told my colleagues in my research lab to use Trinka. Hope it is widely used in academia.

Edith Davies

Trinka AI's suggested corrections and feedback astounded me. It is simple to use and extremely beneficial

Noor Al-rishi

It's been a wonderful experience using Trinka and I almost can't submit any manuscript without re-evaluating with it. In summary, Trinka has been a life-saver.

I enjoy using Trinka as a final spot check for my edited documents. It really helps find the few remaining errors that slip through during primary editing. I really like this platform. The thumbs down button is very useful.

Stumpf Curtis

I think Trinka.ai is a very interesting and potentially useful idea, especially for editors/publishers/journals. I found it very useful when I checked my editing work on the platform.

Dyke Gareth

I am happy with the overall performance. I have been using Grammarly for a long while, but when it comes to academic or technical writing, Trinka is definitely a much better option. Academic document settings and auto file edit are my favorite features.

Bhargava Sharma

Trinka has become my go-to tool for grammar corrections. The AI-powered corrections and language enhancements made writing a lot more easier. Now I am able to focus more on research than on writing an error-free document.

Ralph Bailey

The grammar correction and suggestion based on the AMA style guide is really impressive! Trinka is indeed the best grammar correction tool for medical writing.

Thomas Andres

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > How AI can help you improve your thesis statement

How AI can help you improve your thesis statement

Creating a thesis statement can be a challenging undertaking. Thankfully, today’s writers can use AI to assist in the creation process. While writing with AI can feel intimidating, the right tools and knowing how to use them can enhance your thesis statement and guide you through the creation process. From generating ideas to polishing your final draft, here’s how to use AI to create a quality thesis.

Selecting a topic

AI-powered tools have access to vast databases of academic papers, journals, and other scholarly materials. If you’re trying to choose a thesis topic or questioning the viability of your current topic, AI can assist by brainstorming ideas and highlighting relevant research you can use as evidence for your claims.

Creating an initial draft

AI tools can help you create a preliminary draft of your thesis statement, which you can continue to build on as your argument and research evolve. You can request a fresh draft at any stage in the writing process, as AI only requires basic information about your topic and area of research to get started. Based on your input, the AI tool will utilize its database of knowledge to generate a thesis statement.

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Refining your thesis with AI feedback

Once you have a solid draft, utilize AI feedback to refine your writing. Ask for an analysis of your thesis statement for clarity, coherence, grammar, and more. By highlighting areas for improvement, AI can help refine your thesis statement so it accurately conveys your research focus and argument. There are a few ways this process not only improves the quality of your statement but also enhances your understanding of what makes an effective thesis:

• Efficiency. AI tools can significantly speed up the brainstorming and drafting phases, giving you more time to focus on researching and outlining your thesis. This is especially useful for tight deadlines.
• Objectivity. AI feedback is based on data and algorithms that can provide a largely unbiased perspective on the quality of your thesis statement. This objective analysis can help you improve your thesis and overall writing.
• Consistency. AI tools can help you align the rest of your paper with your initial thesis statement to ensure consistency throughout your work.

Choosing the right AI tool for academic writing

When seeking an AI assistant for thesis drafting, choose AI tools, including GPTs, designed for professional or academic writing . AI applications that are familiar with academia can offer feedback and suggestions tailored to fit the conventions of scholarly writing.

AI has revolutionized academic writing, offering powerful tools for creating and refining thesis statements. By leveraging AI tools, you can achieve a higher level of clarity and persuasiveness in your work, so try them out the next time you need to write an academic paper!

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Check your document for similarity to online sources

Similarity checker helps you create original work and cite the work of others in your Word documents. The similarity checker shows you how much content in your document is original, and it makes it easy to insert citations when necessary. With the mechanics of citations taken care of, you are freed up to focus on your writing. Your reader can tell what material originates with you, and the people you cite get credit where it's due.  

Note:  Similarity checker was announced in March, 2020 and continues to be released across Microsoft 365 subscriptions. It may take several weeks to reach your account. This feature is available only for English language text.

On the Home tab, choose Editor .

In the Editor pane, find Similarity , and click or tap Check for similarity to online sources .

When the check is complete, Editor shows you how much of your content matches text that it found online (indicated as a percent), and the number of distinct passages in the document for you to review.

To review the passages, click or tap Similarities reviewed . Editor takes you to the first passage, where you can choose whether or not to insert a citation. A link to the online content lets you judge for yourself whether attribution is warranted. If you decide not to add a citation, choose Ignore .

After a passage has been reviewed, Editor underlines it in green. Clicking or tapping in the passage opens the citation suggestion again, which is helpful if you want to re-read the online source or add a citation to a passage that you previously ignored.

Inserting citations

Inserting an in-text citation places the citation immediately following the passage. Depending on the situation, Editor might also surround the passage with quotation marks. If you don't want the quotation marks, just delete them.

If your document includes a bibliography or a list of works cited, use Copy full citation , and paste the citation into the bibliography or the works cited.

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Fact Check: Armchair Linguists Claim 'Nickelodeon' Means 'I Don't Care About God.' Here's What We Found

The word "Nickelodeon" means "I don't care about God" in Latin.

False ( About this rating? )

In March 2024, a meme went viral on X (formerly Twitter), claiming that "Nickelodeon" is the Latin translation of the English phrase, "I don't care about God." The image was also shared on Instagram , Facebook , and TikTok . "Use Google translate and see for yourself," one Instagram post with the image  read . 

The rumor spread in the aftermath of the premiere of " Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV ," a "docu-series that uncovers the toxic culture behind some of the most iconic children's shows of the late 1990s and early 2000s." As The Guardian review  of the documentary informed, the "'in plain sight'" moments in the series are clips from Nickelodeon shows that "repeatedly featured underage performers in bikinis or leotards, or having jets of water or thin stripes of goo squirted into their faces."

(X user @AnimeBibleVerse)

We found that the same rumor was spread in 2023 via  TikTok and Instagram  posts linking it to Illuminati conspiracy theories.

Snopes found that "Nickelodeon" is not, in fact, a genuine Latin translation of the phrase "I don't care about God." We have rated the claim as "False."

To begin with, whoever created the viral image broke up the name "Nickelodeon" into arbitrary segments divided by spaces, so that Google Translate would interpret it as a phrase instead of a single word. When we performed our own Google Translate search of "nic kelo deo" on March 29, 2024, the English translation in fact read "I don't care about God." However, when we clicked on the English translation of the phrase, Google Translate indicated that in Latin it would be rather "Non curat de Deo." 

(Google Translate Screenshots)

We tried looking up different variations of the alleged Latin sentence via Google Translate website. For instance, when we entered "nic kelo deo n" (including an extra "n" at the end), the translation into English remained unchanged as "nic kelo deo n." Furthermore, translating the phrase "I don't care about God" from English into Latin showed the result "Non curat de Deo."

(Google Translate)

What's more, when we searched for "nic" and "kelo," Google Translate the results read "nothing" and "kelo." However, Online Latin Dictionary did not show any results when we searched for " nic " or " kelo ." 

(www.online-latin-dictionary.com)

We have reached out to Google for a comment on the matter and will update the article if/when we receive a response.

Etymonline, an online etymology dictionary, explained that the word "Nickelodeon"  derived from a combination of the word "nickel," a five-cent coin, and the Greek word "odeion," meaning a music hall. 

1888 as the name of a theater in Boston; by 1909 as "a motion picture theater," from nickel "five-cent coin" (the cost to view one) + -odeon, as in Melodeon (1840) "music hall," ultimately from Greek oideion "building for musical performances" (see odeon). Meaning "nickel jukebox" is first attested 1938.

In December 2022, we debunked a similar false rumor, claiming that "Balenciaga" was Latin for "Baal is king."

Nickelodeon | Etymology of Nickelodeon by Etymonline . https://www.etymonline.com/word/nickelodeon . Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

ONLINE LATIN DICTIONARY . https://www.online-latin-dictionary.com/ . Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Palma, Bethania. "No, 'Baal Enci Aga' Doesn't Mean 'Baal Is King' in Latin." Snopes , 7 Dec. 2022, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/balenciaga-baal-is-king-latin/ .

Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV . Business Insider, Maxine Productions, Sony Pictures Television, 2024.

Seale, Jack. "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV Review – How on Earth Was This Stuff Ever Broadcast?" The Guardian , 25 Mar. 2024. The Guardian , https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/mar/25/quiet-on-set-the-dark-side-of-kids-tv-review-how-on-earth-was-this-stuff-ever-broadcast .

Should you stop writing checks? Banks wish you would to thwart fraud

A big banking industry group, not surprisingly perhaps, suggests that consumers stop writing paper checks to stamp out the proliferation of check washing scams. Stop writing checks?

It's seriously one of the suggestions now that check fraud has exploded by 385% since the pandemic, according to U.S. Treasury Department data. Banks are forced to spend more to beef up their technology to prevent criminal check fraud, and, even then, plenty of fake checks continue to get cashed.

It's a massive headache for bankers, the U.S. Postal Service, and consumers who become victims of crooks and loopholes in a regulatory system that can work against them.

The stolen check can be washed clean of the original ink with household chemicals. Criminals may replace the "payee" and often the dollar amount to fuel the fraud. And fraudsters can copy and print multiple washed checks for future use or to sell to other criminals.

The $150 check you wrote could end up being written by crooks for several hundred dollars or more. If the fraud isn't spotted, the money ends up with the criminals. But your bill won't get paid. Your signature remains in place so it looks like you wrote the check.

Worse yet, you're going to have to undergo an investigation with the bank to get your money back. Consumers report waiting months or even years to get thousands of dollars back. Some do not get any money back.

We never had to go to such lengths to analyze if we should or shouldn't write a check. But high-profile cases — such as a crackdown on a massive mail fraud ring that targeted high-end neighborhoods in Oakland County to steal checks, credit cards and personal information from mailboxes from late 2018 through at least March 2019 — make it clear that check writing cannot be treated casually.

During tax season, many people will be writing checks to pay their income taxes. Yet, should you really do that? Might be better to pay taxes through an electronic funds withdrawal and have money taken out your bank account.

Consumer protections aren't strong

A Los Angeles consumer had written a $21,000 check to pay his federal taxes in 2021, sent the check by mail, and later discovered that the check was stolen, signed by someone else and deposited into a different account at another bank, not the U.S. Treasury, according to a KCAL-TV news report last April.

But the consumer's bank would not credit his account until the bank that accepted the fake check reimbursed the victim's bank. It took two years for the consumer to get several thousand dollars back.

Checks are largely governed by state law through the Uniform Commercial Code, which gives consumers up to a year to inform their bank of a fraudulent or altered check.

But — and pay attention here — banks can and do shorten the time for notification as part of their account agreements, according to Carla Sanchez-Adams, a senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center.

Many banks, she said, limit the time to somewhere between 14 days and 30 days. Check your account agreement.

"It's incredibly difficult," Sanchez-Adams said.

More: It’s hard to reverse scams on peer-to-peer payment apps like Venmo, PayPal, Zelle

Sometimes, it's hard to spot the fraud. Criminals do not always change the amount on the check. You might see that an $800 check was cashed to cover your rent and not realize that someone else cashed that check.

In testimony before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee in February, Sanchez-Adams said one consumer told the National Consumer Law Center that "he had no idea his check had been altered until his landlord — a family friend — eventually told him months later that he had not received the rent."

Many consumers have not received paper copies of their checks for years. And more changes are ahead for many.

Bank of America, for example, told customers that starting May 17, its statements sent in the mail will no longer include images of canceled checks. Such images can be viewed online, and copies are available by request for free.

Sanchez-Adams said she personally doesn't use checks, unless she's able to hand them to someone, given the efforts by criminal activity. She treats a check like cash. "Would you send cash in the mail?" she asks.

How check fraud works today

When it comes to check fraud, criminals often fish out mail from blue U.S. postal boxes, rob carriers at gunpoint, and even try to bribe postal workers to get their hands on master keys that can be sold on the dark web for thousands of dollars and later used to open collection boxes.

Sure, crooks will steal cash or gift cards that people send in the mail, too. But they can steal even more money by getting their hands on paper checks.

Some stolen checks end up being sold online to other crooks. Many times, people can be recruited by criminals to cash the phony checks for them, often using fake IDs, or encouraged to open accounts that can be used to cash altered checks.

Criminals also aim to steal "personal checks, business checks, tax refund checks, and checks related to government assistance programs, such as Social Security payments and unemployment benefits," according to a 2023 alert by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.

The alert noted: "Business checks may be more valuable because business accounts are often well-funded and it may take longer for the victim to notice the fraud."

Consumers reported losing $209 million in 2023 to fraud involving checks, which is close to the $210 million reported lost to fraud involving payment apps, according to data from the latest Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book. The network is managed by the Federal Trade Commission but compiles consumer complaints from a variety of sources. Only 8,603 complaints involving check fraud were made to the various agencies. By contrast, 63,305 complaints were made involving payment apps.

But the losses are far deeper than those reports. The Treasury Department announced in February that it had recovered more than $375 million after implementing enhanced fraud detection using artificial intelligence at the beginning of fiscal year 2023.

More: Phony postage stamp discounts are scamming online buyers: What to know

Who writes checks anymore?

Many people already are paying their bills online, using direct pay, or using mobile apps, not writing checks. Even so, nearly 13 million checks are still being written each day, according to banking industry data.

"There's no way to stop check fraud without stopping checks at some point," said Paul Benda, executive vice president of risk, fraud and cybersecurity at the American Bankers Association at a banking industry conference in Washington, D.C., on March 20.

He called check fraud "a pain point for the industry."

In March, the American Bankers Association and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service joined forces in an educational campaign to combat the "rapid rise in check fraud."

Pandemic 'turbocharged' financial crimes

But why now? Check fraud isn't new. Street gangs ramped up some white collar crimes, such as check fraud and credit card fraud, more than 25 years ago, thanks to home computers and other technology. So why the dramatic uptick since the pandemic?

"If you look in general, it seems like the pandemic really turbocharged fraud," Benda told me in a phone interview. "We can't necessarily say why."

He pointed to the success that crooks had making fraudulent claims for generous unemployment insurance benefits during the pandemic. The U.S. Government Accountability Office estimated that fraud accounted for anywhere from 11% to 15% of the total amount of unemployment insurance benefits paid nationwide during the pandemic. The dollars lost, according to the GAO report issued in September 2023, were likely "between $100 billion and $135 billion."

"I think there were a lot of first-time fraudsters," Benda said, "that were able to file a claim and didn't get caught."

It seems like, he said, criminal gangs have "industrialized fraud."

Checks, he said, aren't a form of payment that banks really like, Benda said. "Electronic payments are faster and more secure."

How do you protect yourself from check washing scams

Many banks, Benda said, are encouraging customers to stop using checks and move more toward electronic payments. Banks have hired more staff, he said, to review checks on the same day they come in to look for altered checks. Tellers are trained to look for phony checks and fake IDs. But it's a constant battle and costly proposition.

If you're still using checks, you're encouraged to do such things as use a gel pen or pens with indelible black ink so it is more difficult for a criminal to wash your checks. Other tips include:

• Don't mail a bill with a check from a mailbox. If possible, instead go inside the post office to drop off a bill. Never leave mail in your own mailbox overnight.
• Call to make sure the check was received by a business, charity or family member. Contact the bank immediately if you spot a problem.
• Pay attention to who cashes the check. Some scammers don't change the amount on the check but will change the payee.
• Don’t write your Social Security number, credit card information, driver’s license number or phone number on checks.
• Report stolen mail as soon as possible by submitting an online complaint to the Postal Inspection Service at www.uspis.gov/report or calling 877-876-2455.
• Consumers are asked to report crimes or call 911 when they suspect that someone might be trying to rob a mail carrier.

How Postal Service is cracking down on crimes

In May 2023, the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service launched the Project Safe Deliver y campaign to reduce mail theft and better protect postal employees.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service now is offering rewards of up to $150,000 now, up from $50,000 in the past, for information leading to the identification, arrest, and prosecution of those rob letter carriers.

Individuals who are convicted of mail theft can face up to five years in prison, possession of postal keys up to 10 years in prison and those who rob letter carriers can face up to 25 years in prison, according to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

In the Oakland County mail theft and identity theft case, four men were sentenced — Deavon Allen, Cole Patrick Castelow, Malik Frazier and Ronald Reese — by U.S. District Judge Terrence Berg in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in 2023 and 2024. Sentences were: Castelow, 72 months in prison; Frazier, 51 months; Allen, 27 months, and Reese, 18 months. Restitution was ordered, joint and several with the co-defendants in the case, in the total amount of $141,419.21.

Michael Martel, postal inspector and public information officer for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, said much is being done to frustrate criminals by making it harder for them to gain access to the mail in traditional mailboxes.

So far, the Postal Service has replaced more than 15,000 blue boxes in key areas with a new high-security blue collection box. The outside is similar but the inside has enhanced security features. The post office also has already replaced 28,000 antiquated arrow locks with electronic mechanisms that can better ensure the safety of the mail after a robbery. The key alone, Martel said, won't give someone access to the mail in these cases.

Martel said criminal groups "are increasingly organized. We're seeing multiple robberies committed by the same parties."

More: Fraud and scams cost consumers a record $10 billion in 2023, according to FTC

Martel said the goal of the Postal Service is to make the mail stream safe, not necessarily discouraging consumers from using checks. "We always advise customers to never send cash," he said.

Contact personal finance columnist Susan Tompor:  [email protected] . Follow her on X (Twitter)  @ tompor .

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IR-2024-74 March 18, 2024

WASHINGTON — As the April 15 filing deadline approaches, the Internal Revenue Service issued a reminder to taxpayers on ways to prevent typical errors on their federal tax returns to help speed potential refunds.

Collect all tax-related paperwork

Taxpayers should collect all key documents, including Forms W-2 and 1099 , as well as any supporting paperwork for tax deductions or credits such as educational credits or mortgage interest payments. Additionally, having the previous year's tax return accessible is advisable as it may be required.

Use electronic filing

The IRS advises taxpayers and their tax advisors use electronic filing methods such as IRS Free File or alternative e-file service providers. The Direct File pilot is available for some taxpayers in 12 states. Electronic filing minimizes mathematical errors and identifies potential tax credits or deductions for which the taxpayer qualifies.

It's essential for taxpayers to carefully review their tax returns to ensure accuracy. Opting for electronic filing and selecting direct deposit is the fastest and safest way to receive a refund.

Ensure filing status is correct

Tax software serves to prevent errors in selecting a tax return filing status. For taxpayers unsure of their filing status, the Interactive Tax Assistant on IRS.gov can assist in choosing the correct status, particularly when multiple statuses might apply.

Make sure names, birthdates and Social Security numbers are correct

Taxpayers must accurately provide the name, date of birth and Social Security number for each dependent listed on their individual income tax return. The SSN and individual's name should be entered precisely as indicated on the Social Security card.

In cases where a dependent or spouse lacks a SSN and is ineligible to obtain one, an assigned Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) should be listed instead of a SSN.

Answer the digital assets question

Everyone who files Forms 1040, 1040-SR, 1040-NR, 1041, 1065, 1120 and 1120S must check one box answering either "Yes" or "No" to the digital asset question. The question must be answered by all taxpayers, not just by those who engaged in a transaction involving digital assets in 2023. Taxpayers must report all income related to digital asset transactions.

See IRS.gov Digital Assets  for details on when to check “yes” and how to report the income.

Report all taxable income

Keep in mind that most income is subject to taxation . Failing to accurately report income may result in accrued interest and penalties . This includes various sources of income such as interest earnings , unemployment benefits and income derived from the service industry , gig economy and digital assets . For further details, consult Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income .

Make sure banking routing and account numbers are correct

Taxpayers have the option to request direct deposit of a federal refund into one, two or even three accounts. Provide correct banking information: If expecting a refund, ensure the routing and account numbers provided for direct deposit are accurate to avoid delays or misdirected refunds.

Additionally, taxpayers can use their refund to buy U.S. Savings Bonds .

Remember to sign and date the return

When submitting a joint return, it is required for both spouses to sign and date the return. If taxpayers are preparing their taxes independently and filing electronically, they need to sign and authenticate their electronic tax return by inputting their adjusted gross income (AGI) from the prior year. Taxpayers can refer to Validating Your Electronically Filed Tax Return  for guidance if they have any inquiries.

Ensure address is correct if mailing paper returns

Taxpayers and tax professionals are urged to choose electronic filing whenever possible. However, for those who must submit a paper tax return, it's essential to verify the accurate mailing address either on IRS.gov or in the instructions provided with Form 1040 to prevent processing delays.

Keep a copy of the tax return

Upon readiness to file, taxpayers should create duplicates of their signed return and any accompanying schedules for their personal records. Maintaining copies can help them prepare future tax returns and figure mathematical computations in the event of filing an amended return. Typically, taxpayers should retain records supporting income, deductions or credits claimed on their tax return until the period of limitations for that specific tax return expires.

Request an extension, if needed

Taxpayers requiring more time to file their taxes can easily request a six-month extension until October 15, thereby avoiding late filing penalties . This extension can be requested either through IRS Free File or by submitting Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return , by April 15. It's important to note that while an extension provides extra time for filing, tax payments are still due on April 15 for most taxpayers.

Alternatively, taxpayers can seek an extension by making a full or partial payment of their estimated income tax and indicating that the payment is for an extension. This can be done using Direct Pay , the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) , or a debit/credit card or digital wallet . By doing so, taxpayers avoid the necessity of filing a separate extension form and receive a confirmation number for their records.

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