Showing posts with label Plagiarism. Show all posts
Thursday Thoughts: Practice and Test Your Writing and APA Knowledge
APA
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Avoiding Plagiarism
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Citations
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Grammar and Mechanics
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Paragraphs
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Plagiarism
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Scholarly Writing
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Looking to test and practice your knowledge of sentence structure
or grammar? How about your knowledge of APA and avoiding plagiarism? In addition to many of our web pages that provide “knowledge check” links for students to
test their writing knowledge, the Writing Center also has interactive modules on several
different grammar
topics, sentence structure, APA style,
plagiarism prevention, and even paragraph development and transitions.
You can access our modules at any time, so check out one or more of our modules today!
Once you check out our modules, tell us what you think—what modules did you try and how have they helped you continue to practice and test your knowledge of writing and APA?
The Walden University
Writing Center creates content to help students with a range of topics
related to scholarly writing, APA style, and the writing process. We host
webinars, and offer paper reviews, live chat, and a podcast.
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You can access our modules at any time, so check out one or more of our modules today!
Once you check out our modules, tell us what you think—what modules did you try and how have they helped you continue to practice and test your knowledge of writing and APA?
The Walden University
Writing Center creates content to help students with a range of topics
related to scholarly writing, APA style, and the writing process. We host
webinars, and offer paper reviews, live chat, and a podcast.
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Meet the Walden University Writing Center's Plagiarism Prevention Kit
Academic writers have a lot of style considerations to
acclimate to. What does an academic voice sound like? What information appears
inside the citation? When do I use the ampersand sign vs. the word “and?” What
is anthropomorphism again? In addition to that, academic writers have to ensure
that they have focused on a strong central idea, have developed it in organized
paragraphs, and have remained rooted in research. With all of these things
going on, academic writers also have to ensure they avoid plagiarism.
Plagiarism is defined as using, or presenting, someone’s
ideas or work as your own. However, there are a variety of things that actually
are considered plagiarism. Actions that can constitute plagiarism range from
submitting someone’s writing as your own to misplacing a citation. Because writers
start their academic careers with different experiences and understandings, we
created a Plagiarism Prevention Kit to house information students can sort
through to find a specific answer regarding how to prevent plagiarism or to learn
more about the topic in general.
The Walden Writer Center’s Plagiarism Prevention Kit is a
resource full of materials, tools, and tips to help you avoid plagiarism in
your writing. All of the materials can be found in the menu on the left-hand
side of the page, but highlights include:
The Walden Writing Center supports students during all phases of the writing process, offering one-to-one paper reviews, webinars, modules, live chat and WriteCast, the Writing Center's podcast.
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Writing Refresh: In-text versus Parenthetical Citations
APA
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Avoiding Plagiarism
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Capstone Writing
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Citations
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Grammar and Mechanics
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Literature Review
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Paraphrasing
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Plagiarism
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Readers/Audience
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Reading & Writing
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Revising
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Scholarly Writing
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Today let’s go over some resources for narrative versus
parenthetical citations. Although both important, narrative and parenthetical citations
aren’t fully interchangeable. Sometimes just sticking that parenthetical
citation at the end of a sentence can be confusing and unclear to your reader.
Read on for this writing refresher to achieve clear citations and review some
of our great resources to assist you with citation formatting!
The Walden Writing Center provides information and assistance to students with services like live chat, webinars, course visits, paper reviews, podcasts, modules, and the writing center webpages. Through these services they provide students assistance with APA, scholarly writing, and help students gain skills and confidence to enhance their scholarly work.
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Sometimes a parenthetical citation (read more about parenthetical citations here) might look like this:
This educational plan will enhance the nurses’ patient care and ability to communicate more effectively with patients (Helakoski, 2016).
After implementing these changes, Woodward Elementary can engage ELL students more effectively (Helakoski, 2016).
So what’s the problem?
Helakoski didn’t specifically write about the writer’s educational plan
for a specific hospital’s group of nurses, right? Or about Woodward Elementary
and its ELL students. What’s more likely in both of these cases is that
Helakoski’s ideas influenced the specific plans the student has made or changes
they’d like to implement—but the reader can’t tell that from the citation.
So how do we fix this? Simple! Switch to a narrative citation
for clarity (read more about the trouble with these citations and more examples and solutions here).
This educational plan will enhance the nurses’ patient care and ability to communicate more effectively with patients as described by Helakoski (2016).
After implementing these changes, Woodward Elementary can engage ELL students more effectively, similar to Helakoski’s (2016) study.
And there are lots of options!
Using Helakoski’s (2016) methods, this education plan will enhance…
After implementing these changes, modeled after Helakoski’s (2016) intervention, …
For more about when to cite narratively in the sentence versus in
parentheses, check out these additional resources!
- Here’s another blog post on when to use which citation.
- Here is our Passive Plagiarism module about how and when to cite.
The Walden Writing Center provides information and assistance to students with services like live chat, webinars, course visits, paper reviews, podcasts, modules, and the writing center webpages. Through these services they provide students assistance with APA, scholarly writing, and help students gain skills and confidence to enhance their scholarly work.
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The Easiest Way to Avoid Plagiarism
As you
can tell from this post’s title, this week, I want to share with you the easiest
way to avoid plagiarism in your writing. Here it is:
Patchwork Paraphrasing
I’m sure you’ve heard about paraphrasing. It’s fundamental
to academic writing; it’s better than quoting, because a paraphrase, created
with your own perceptions and language, is more closely connected to your ideas
than someone else’s writing could ever be. Some (including me) would argue that
paraphrasing is the bedrock of scholarly discourse. You’ve probably heard all
of this. However, even when students know the importance of paraphrasing, and
they try to paraphrase their sources rather than quoting them, they will sometimes
unintentionally create something between a quote and a paraphrase, a
half-measure that can weaken their writing: a patchwork paraphrase.
What is Patchwork Paraphrasing?
Writing instructors use the term patchwork for this kind of text because it has a pieced-together,
hodge-podge quality rather than the seamless integration of strong academic
writing. A patchwork paraphrase contains much of the same language or structure
as the source it refers to, so much so that it isn’t a unique product of its
author. You don’t want patchwork paraphrasing in your writing for a few reasons, the most important ones being (a)
it functions like a quote in your argument (which, as we know, isn’t as good as
a paraphrase) and (b) it could be interpreted as plagiarism.
Patchwork paraphrasing can be tricky to detect, because there’s no easy rule or telltale sign to help you determine whether your writing is patchwork. Instead, you’ll need to ask yourself this question as you write: is this phrasing truly my own creation?
Patchwork paraphrasing can be tricky to detect, because there’s no easy rule or telltale sign to help you determine whether your writing is patchwork. Instead, you’ll need to ask yourself this question as you write: is this phrasing truly my own creation?
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| Patchwork paraphrasing is sometimes referred to as "quilted text"-- writing that does not use the author's voice but is instead primarily made up of words and phrases from the original source or sources. |
Patchwork Examples
Let’s look at an example to get a better sense of how you
can answer this question. I pulled this passage from an article I found on
systems thinking in healthcare:
Health professionals will need to be able to set common goals and targets with patients, service users and relevant stakeholders, and ensure that each group or individual is properly informed and engaged. From a systems thinking perspective, increased participation provides the opportunity to break down barriers between patients and providers, and citizens and policy makers. Evidence and explicit knowledge need to be integrated with tacit knowledge of stakeholders within the working dynamic of the health team. (Swanson et al., 2012)
Here’s a patchwork paraphrase of the same passage:
Healthcare providers need to set
common goals for patients, service users, and stakeholders (Swanson et al.,
2012). Swanson et al. (2012) argued that more participation from all
stakeholders can break down barriers between patients and providers. Evidence
can be combined with tacit knowledge of all of the stakeholders on the team
(Swanson et al., 2012).
Notice that, technically, I’m not plagiarizing: I didn’t
reuse large chunks of the passage word-for-word, and I included citations
whenever I mentioned an idea from my source. However, in these sentences I used
virtually the same structure as the original passage and didn’t provide my
unique understanding of the topic. Compare this sentence from the original
From a systems thinking perspective,
increased participation
provides the opportunity to break down barriers between patients and providers,
and citizens and policy makers.
with this one from my patchwork paraphrase (I’ve highlighted
the major similarity)
Swanson et al. (2012) argue that more participation from all
stakeholders can break down barriers between patients and providers.
In another sentence, I avoided using the original’s exact
wording. However, rather than rephrasing the idea in my own voice—as I should
do—I used synonyms of the original’s words. Compare this sentence from the
original
Health professionals will need to be able to set common goals and
targets with patients,
service users and relevant stakeholders, and ensure that each group or individual is
properly informed and engaged.
with this from my patchwork (I’ve also highlighted the
similarities here)
Healthcare providers need to set common goals for
patients, service users, and stakeholders (Swanson et al., 2012).
Instead of a paraphrase, I’ve only produced a knockoff of
the original, much like Mr. Pibb was made as a knockoff of Dr. Pepper. (You can
surmise which one is more scholarly based on the fact that Dr. Pibb
had his degree revoked.)
A Better Paraphrase
Let’s look instead at a true paraphrase of the original:
Original:
Health professionals will need to be able to set common goals and targets with patients, service users and relevant stakeholders, and ensure that each group or individual is properly informed and engaged. From a systems thinking perspective, increased participation provides the opportunity to break down barriers between patients and providers, and citizens and policy makers. Evidence and explicit knowledge need to be integrated with tacit knowledge of stakeholders within the working dynamic of the health team. (Swanson et al., 2012)
Health professionals will need to be able to set common goals and targets with patients, service users and relevant stakeholders, and ensure that each group or individual is properly informed and engaged. From a systems thinking perspective, increased participation provides the opportunity to break down barriers between patients and providers, and citizens and policy makers. Evidence and explicit knowledge need to be integrated with tacit knowledge of stakeholders within the working dynamic of the health team. (Swanson et al., 2012)
Paraphrase:
Swanson et al. (2012), in their application of systems thinking to health care, argued that providers, patients, and other stakeholders can use goal setting, increased participation, and the integration of tacit and explicit knowledge to create positive change in their healthcare settings.
Swanson et al. (2012), in their application of systems thinking to health care, argued that providers, patients, and other stakeholders can use goal setting, increased participation, and the integration of tacit and explicit knowledge to create positive change in their healthcare settings.
You’ll notice that, while I’ve used a few of the same words
as the original (which I’ve highlighted), I’ve used a different sentence
structure here. This paraphrase is also shorter than the patchwork, because
I’ve focused on the aspects of Swanson et al.’s ideas that matter for my
argument.
Your paraphrase of this passage would look different from
mine, which is good; it would represent your understanding, not mine. You
should strive for this individuality in your own paraphrasing, because this is why
people will want to read your writing rather than the sources you’re using: to
see your unique ideas.
Reference
Swanson, R. C.,
Cattaneo, A., Bradley, E., Chunharas, S., Atun, R., Abbas, K. M., … Best, A.
(2012). Rethinking health systems strengthening: Key systems thinking tools and
strategies for transformational change. Health
Policy and Planning, 27(Suppl. 4), 54–61. doi: 10.1093/heapol/czs090
.png "Photograph of Matt Sharkey-Smith")
Matt Sharkey-Smith is a writing instructor and the coordinator of the graduate writing initiatives in the Walden Writing Center.
Matt Sharkey-Smith is a writing instructor and the coordinator of the graduate writing initiatives in the Walden Writing Center.
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Put What Where? Lost in the Turnitin Vortex
By Hillary Wentworth, Writing Consultant
Many students are scared of Turnitin, others are angry that
they have to use the program, while still others are utterly mystified by it
all. Turnitin is an interesting tool—if
you know what it really does. It’s
important to remember that a high Turnitin percentage does not necessarily
indicate plagiarism. The software is simply
matching your paper—word for word—to other documents in its database. These documents (literally millions of them)
are journal articles, college papers, web pages, and books. Amongst those millions, there will be
matches. After all, there is no truly original
way to refer to differentiated
instruction or evidence-based practice,
right?
So, when you are looking at a
Turnitin report, don’t scream and run around the room or dissolve in
tears. Instead, take a long, deep
breath, sit down on the couch, and read these tips:
Don't Lip-Synch Your Way Through College
Here’s a riddle:
What do Milli Vanilli and scholarly writing have in common?
You remember Milli Vanilli, the German pop group that appeared in the late 80s and won a Grammy in 1990? It turned out that the lead vocals were not sung by the band’s members. As a result, the group was stripped of its Grammy award and faced numerous lawsuits. Millions of album buyers were eligible for refunds. So why offer refunds? Because what the album purported to represent was not the case: band members Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan were merely lip-synching; therefore, buyers were defrauded.
Avoiding Unintentional Plagiarism
By Amber Cook, Senior Writing Specialist
A specific image comes to many of our minds when we think of the word plagiarism. A sinister and perhaps lazy student surfs the Internet and finds a well-written paper by another writer. Hoping to avoid the effort involved in writing an original work, and knowing that this other writer’s paper will likely earn a higher grade, the student downloads the paper. Looking around to make sure no one is watching, the student deletes the name of the original author, replaces it with his or her own, and submits the paper, intentionally deceiving the unsuspecting reader.
This scenario might occasionally occur, but the plagiarism committed by many writers looks quite different from this act of blatant cheating. In the Writing Center, for instance, the vast majority of plagiarized passages we see are unintentional. Some writers paraphrase poorly or intend to add citations after finishing the paper. (This practice, by the way, is a bad, bad idea. You may want to refine your APA format after you’ve finished the writing, but you should always put at least a note to yourself to indicate the need for a citation.) Other writers do include citations, but these attempts are inadequate for the type of citation being used. For instance, many writers will borrow wording directly from another source and then provide only a parenthetical citation for that source. This is better than nothing, but without quotation marks or block quotation format, this passage would still be considered an academic integrity violation. Check out our website for more information on directly quoting or paraphrasing a source.
Although the plagiarism in the cases mentioned here may be unintentional, it is still problematic. Walden’s plagiarism policy, like that of most academic institutions, involves disciplinary measures. Learning to cite properly and use sources judiciously is part of the challenge of becoming an academic writer. If your instructor or writing tutor points out plagiarism during a paper review, try not to be offended. There is a broad range of mistakes that fall under that term, which can include the unintentional plagiarism mentioned above. Your reviewer’s job is to call your attention to anything suspect, and your job is to learn quickly, making the avoidance of academic integrity violations your top priority.
If you’re ever feeling unsure about your citation format, you may want to send your paper through the Academic Skills Center’s Turnitin dropbox. Turnitin will help you identify any material that matches other documents in its database, and you can then adjust any citation format as needed. Once you’re in the habit of thorough and proper citation, you can still use the tool to double check your use of source information.
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