Workshop: Paraphrasing and Avoiding Plagiarism

1. Workshop: Paraphrasing and Avoiding Plagiarism Elena González Rivera, Ed.D. September 24th 2010 BIOL 3095

2. Objectives • Define the terms • Paraphrasing • Direct Quoting • Summarizing • Discuss effective ways to summarize • Identify appropriate transition words • Practice effective ways of paraphrasing • Use techniques to avoid plagiarism

3. Exercise # 1 Important Note: Do not past to the next slide without having completed this exercise. • In your own words and without consulting a dictionary, write your definition of • Paraphrasing • summarizing • Direct quoting

4. I. Definitions Paraphrasing involves: • putting a passage into your own words. • condensing the passage slightly. • attributing it to the original source. Source: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/563/1/ OWL University of Perdue Writing Lab

5. I. Definitions Summarizing involves: • putting the main idea(s) into your own words, and including only the main point(s). • attributing summarized ideas to the original source. • condensing the passage significantly. • taking a broad overview of the source material. Source: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/563/1/ OWL University of Perdue Writing Lab

6. I. Definitions Direct quotations must: • be identical to the original passage. • use a narrow segment of the source • match the source document word for word. • be attributed to the original author. Source: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/563/1/ OWL University of Perdue Writing Lab

7. Exercise #2 • Summarizing • Read handout #1 on Summarizing Facts about summarizing

8. II. Transitional Words Types of transitional words • Alternative—Two ideas can act as alternatives or substitutes for each other. Alternative transitional words and phrases include either, or, nor, on the other hand, however, neither, and otherwise. • Causal—One idea can be the cause or the result (effect, consequence, etc.) of another. Causal transitional words and phrases include thus, then, unless, subsequently, therefore, because, consequently, as a result, if, in order to/that, for, and so. • Illustrative—One idea can be an example or an illustration of another. Illustrative transitional words and phrases include for example, for instance, to illustrate, and as an example. • Repetitive, reiterative—To ensure clarity, an idea can be restated or repeated using other, perhaps more familiar, words. Repetitive transitional words and phrases include in other words, in short, that is, stated simply, and to put it another way. • Spatial, physical—The things referred to by one statement can have a spatial relationship to another thing referred to by another statement. The logic connecting the two statements can be spatial in nature. Typically, prepositions indicate such logic: for example, under, beside, on top of, next to, behind, and so on.

9. Paragraph model with transitionals Dying with Dignity [Adapted from Folse et al. 1999. Great Paragraphs. Houghton Mifflin] Studies show that there has been an increase in the number of people who support “medicide,” which happens when people with terminal diseases choose to end their lives, rahter than continue living (Topic sentence). One common argument for this growing support is that people should not be forced to continue living if they are in severe pain and cannot live with this constant pain (Supporting sentence 1). A second reason is that staying in the hospital for a long time often causes a financial burden on the family. (Supporting Sentence 2). Terminally ill people often worry about the hardship that this will cause their families.) Finally, people who are dying sometimes lose hope (Supporting sentence 3.) Even if they are alive, they can often only lie in bed, and for some people, this is not “life.” While many people believe that medicide is an “unnatural way to die” and should remain illegal, sick people should certainly have the right to end their lives if they want. (Counterargument and rebuttal) • Source: Dr. José Santos “Module for INGL 3201” 2007

10. III. Effective Paraphrasing “6 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing 1. Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning. 2. Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card. 3. Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the subject of your paraphrase. 4. Check your rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form. 5. Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source 6. Record the source (including the page) on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.” http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/563/2/ “Write it in Your Own Words” by Dana Lynn Driscoll and Allen Brizee, June 2010

11. III. How to Paraphrase • Readthe source carefully to achieve understanding. • Identify the main point(s) and key words. • Cover and rewrite the original test in your own words. Check that you have included the main points and essential information. Write the paraphrase in your own style. • Consider each point; how could you rephrase it? • Meaning: ensure that you keep the original meaningand maintain the same relationship between main ideas and supporting points. • Words: Use synonyms (words or expression which have a similar meaning) where appropriate. Key words that are specialised subject vocabulary do not need to be changed. • Phrases: If you want to retain unique or specialist phrases, use quotation marks (“ “). • Structure: Change the grammar and sentence structure. Break up a long sentence into two shorter ones or combine two short sentences into one. Change the voice (active/passive) or change word forms (e.g. nouns, adjectives). • Order: Change the order in which information/ ideas are presented (as long as they still make sense in a different order) • Attitude: Identify the attitude of the authors to their subject (i.e. certain, uncertain, critical etc) and make sure your paraphrase reflects this. • Review your paraphrase checking that it accurately reflects the original text but is in your words and style. • Record the original source (including the page number) so that you can provide a reference. Source: http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/sumpara.html

12. Exercise #3 • Read handout #2 entitled: Paraphrasing and documentation • If the hyperlink does not work, refer to the document I attached along with the presentation.

13. Exercise #4 • Now that you have read an example of a paraphrase, complete the following exercise by evaluating the quality of 3 paraphrased versions of a test. Handout #3 contains the exercise. Compare paraphrases

14. Exercise #5 • Now you will practice paraphrasing 5 passages by completing handout #4 Paraphrasing exercises

15. IV. AVOID PLAGIARISM: USE YOUR OWN WORDS

16. How Does Plagiarism Happen? “Intellectual insecurity related to 'use your own words' paradox The Problem: • One of the contradictions about academic writing is that while you are expected to read, research and refer to experts and authorities, you are also expected to produce 'original' work. • So, you are asked for your view, but it must also contain academic research. Therefore, you plagiarize because you're not sure how to develop your own argument, or don't have the confidence in your conclusions.” • http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism/how_1.html

17. How Does Plagiarism Happen? The Solution • “You need to realize the ways in which your own ideas (your voice) may be incorporated into your own writing. • Most of the work you will do at university will concern the words, information and ideas of other writers and researchers. • When writing assignments, your job is to synthesize answers from the opinions of others, rather than just think up an answer 'off the top of your own head'. • Don't be concerned about drawing from various sources. Student writers, especially early on, are more like DJs 'sampling' than classical composers. Even if you are writing a PhD, you still need to develop your ideas in relation to other writers. • Finding your own voice is not about saying something original (something that no other person has ever said before) but about producing something of your own from the ideas/ research in the same way in which DJs produce 'original' music from the pre-recorded sounds of other music 'writers'.” • http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism/how_1.html

18. Four Steps to Finding Your Own Voice “1. Overt • One method is by explicitly writing yourself into your own essays. • For example:'I will argue that …’ • 'In this essay I argue that... '’ • From our investigations we conclude that … • The researchers of this study concludes… • One can conclude from this investigation… • 'By drawing such a clear distinction between your voice and the voice of your sources, the marker is more able to 'hear' what you are trying to say. • WARNING: Some disciplines and schools don't allow their students to use 'I' in their written assignments. Check with your lecturers and tutors before you adopt this strategy. 2. 'Original' Research The content of lectures and weekly readings can only give you the basics: you are expected to go beyond the material presented in class when you are producing a research-based assignment. Some students never go beyond lecture material and/or the set readings when doing research. But by branching out on your own, by reading more widely you'll have many more ideas to draw from. By broadening your research you'll be able to include ideas and information not discovered by others who've not read as widely as you have. This will allow you to construct a different argument from other students and, in turn, this research will give your argument a more individual quality.” http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism/voice.html

19. Four Steps to Finding Your Own Voice “3. Organisation The way you put your essays together may give them a distinctive quality. Although you must always engage with and answer the question, and the question will always place limits on your essay, the question itself does not dictate the structure of your essay. It does not give you the 'correct' sequence of paragraphs: the order of the paragraphs is your choice. Impose your framework over the question, and don't let your sources dictate the structure of your essay either. 4. Integration: choosing the right words What transition signals and reporting verbs (states, argues, asserts, writes etc.) do you use to show your relationship to the ideas expressed by other writers? By carefully selecting your reporting verbs you can use the words/ideas of others and your own considered opinion of their view.”

20. Using the Correct Words

21. Ask yourself these questions 1. Why was the study undertaken? 2. What specific questions were addressed? 3. How were these questions addressed? 4. What assumptions were made by the authors? • Might any of them be wrong? • Are they testable? • How might it be tested? 5. What were the major findings of the study? 6. What was particularly interesting about the paper? • The question asked? • Some aspect of the methodology? • Some particular result? • Some particular conclusion? 7. What questions remain unanswered by the study?

22. Exercise #6 • Take one of the articles you found for your review paper and paraphrase a passage from it. • Summarize the article, “A Chip against Cancer: Microfluidics Spots Circulating Tumor Cells”. • Include a direct quote in your summary.

23. In Conclusion • If you are completing this module as an independent study task, please send your answers to the 6 practice exercises through e-mail. • Once I receive and evaluate your work, you will be credited with having completed the three hour workshop.