Academic Writing Style and Academic Writing Style and Avoiding PlagiarismAvoiding Plagiarism

(Or, How to Write a Research Paper (Or, How to Write a Research Paper the Right Way and Avoid the Right Way and Avoid

Chastisement and Possible Failure)Chastisement and Possible Failure)

Section 1: Writing StyleSection 1: Writing Style

In this section, we will discuss:In this section, we will discuss:

Using third personUsing third person Using formal language and present Using formal language and present

tensetense Transitioning between ideasTransitioning between ideas Staying focused on your thesisStaying focused on your thesis

Using Third PersonUsing Third Person

All academic writing uses third person; All academic writing uses third person; therefore, your research paper will be therefore, your research paper will be written in third person.written in third person.

(Did you notice that that sentence was (Did you notice that that sentence was in second person? Wait—so was that in second person? Wait—so was that one! How do I fix this? No! That was one! How do I fix this? No! That was first person! AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!)first person! AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!)

Relax. All will be explained.Relax. All will be explained.

Third Person, con.Third Person, con.

One who wishes to write in third person One who wishes to write in third person will find it in his or her best interest, in will find it in his or her best interest, in most cases, to stick with plurals, as they most cases, to stick with plurals, as they are somewhat less awkward than the are somewhat less awkward than the unwieldy “one” and “he or she.”unwieldy “one” and “he or she.”

People who use third person plural will People who use third person plural will find that their sentences flow more easily find that their sentences flow more easily once they get the hang of it.once they get the hang of it.

Why? Because there is no gender-neutral Why? Because there is no gender-neutral third person singular pronoun other than third person singular pronoun other than “one,” which is pretty darn awkward.“one,” which is pretty darn awkward.

ExamplesExamples First person: “I feel that human First person: “I feel that human

trafficking is a horrible practice trafficking is a horrible practice that should be stopped.”that should be stopped.”

Second Person: “You will agree Second Person: “You will agree that human trafficking is a horrible that human trafficking is a horrible practice that should be stopped.”practice that should be stopped.”

Third Person: “Most would agree Third Person: “Most would agree that human trafficking is a horrible that human trafficking is a horrible practice that should be stopped” or practice that should be stopped” or “Human trafficking is a horrible “Human trafficking is a horrible practice that should be stopped.”practice that should be stopped.”

That wasn’t too hard, right?That wasn’t too hard, right?

Formal LanguageFormal Language

Formal language is basically a Formal language is basically a matter of shifting from the way matter of shifting from the way people talk to the way people people talk to the way people write. For instance:write. For instance:

““Sammy got really mad” is Sammy got really mad” is informal language.informal language.

““Sammy became angry” is better.Sammy became angry” is better.

Present tensePresent tense

Research papers should be written Research papers should be written in present tense, because, in present tense, because, theoretically, you are trying to theoretically, you are trying to inform/persuade your reader NOW.inform/persuade your reader NOW.

(The previous sentence is in (The previous sentence is in present tense. This one is, too.)present tense. This one is, too.)

TransitionsTransitions

When a teacher describes your When a teacher describes your paper as “choppy” or “jumping paper as “choppy” or “jumping around,” this means that you around,” this means that you aren’t transitioning between ideas aren’t transitioning between ideas properly. Showing how one idea properly. Showing how one idea relates to the next and how one relates to the next and how one paragraph relates to the next paragraph relates to the next allows the reader to follow your allows the reader to follow your train of thought.train of thought.

Types of transitionsTypes of transitions

Counting transitions: Firstly, Counting transitions: Firstly, secondly, thirdly, also, in addition secondly, thirdly, also, in addition to, etc. These, frankly, are pretty to, etc. These, frankly, are pretty weak. We’d rather you avoid themweak. We’d rather you avoid them

Concept-based transitions: These Concept-based transitions: These show how your IDEAS relate to show how your IDEAS relate to each other. They’re preferred.each other. They’re preferred.

Example!Example!

If you’re transitioning from describing If you’re transitioning from describing the concept of GM crops to describing the concept of GM crops to describing the potential effects of GM crops on the potential effects of GM crops on the environment, this might be a the environment, this might be a good transition:good transition:

““While scientist may feel that they’ve While scientist may feel that they’ve carefully controlled the manipulation carefully controlled the manipulation of the plants’ genes, the effects of GM of the plants’ genes, the effects of GM crops on the environment have been crops on the environment have been anything but predictable.”anything but predictable.”

Wasn’t that nicer than “Next, I Wasn’t that nicer than “Next, I will discuss the effects of GM will discuss the effects of GM crops on the environment?” crops on the environment?” Didn’t it just sound…Didn’t it just sound…smartersmarter??

Sticking to your thesisSticking to your thesis

EVERY point in your research paper EVERY point in your research paper should relate in a specific way to should relate in a specific way to your thesis. your thesis.

Each TOPIC SENTENCE should be Each TOPIC SENTENCE should be directly related to proving your directly related to proving your thesis.thesis.

If you can’t determine what a piece If you can’t determine what a piece of information has to do with of information has to do with making your point, then that piece making your point, then that piece of information DOES NOT BELONG!of information DOES NOT BELONG!

Section 2: CitationSection 2: Citation

What is citation?What is citation?

CITATION is giving credit to the CITATION is giving credit to the source from which your source from which your information came. In MLA style, information came. In MLA style, citations look like this:citations look like this:

(Brown 183) (Brown 183) This indicates that This indicates that this piece of information came this piece of information came from Brown and can be found on from Brown and can be found on pg 183 of Brown’s book.pg 183 of Brown’s book.

What do I cite?What do I cite?

Every piece of information (fact) that you Every piece of information (fact) that you did not know before you began the did not know before you began the paper must be cited.paper must be cited.

Every idea that was not originally yours Every idea that was not originally yours must be cited.must be cited.

Yes—you are going to have a LOT of Yes—you are going to have a LOT of citations!citations!

PLAGIARISMPLAGIARISMKnow why it’s big and red? Because it’s Know why it’s big and red? Because it’s

BAD. Academic dishonesty—whether BAD. Academic dishonesty—whether intentional or unintentional—means intentional or unintentional—means automatic failure.automatic failure.

You need to know what to cite, when to You need to know what to cite, when to cite, and how to cite properly. This is cite, and how to cite properly. This is IMPORTANT.IMPORTANT.

Types of cite-ablesTypes of cite-ables

There are three ways to use the There are three ways to use the information you find:information you find:

Quoting directlyQuoting directly ParaphrasingParaphrasing SummarizingSummarizing

Quoting directlyQuoting directly

When you use a quote, you are using When you use a quote, you are using the EXACT WORDS that the author the EXACT WORDS that the author used. If you use three or more words used. If you use three or more words taken directly from a source, you taken directly from a source, you must signal this by putting those must signal this by putting those words in quotation marks.words in quotation marks.

““Quote” does NOT only apply to what Quote” does NOT only apply to what people SAY. Any of the author’s people SAY. Any of the author’s words qualify as quotations.words qualify as quotations.

ParaphrasingParaphrasing

When you put the source’s When you put the source’s information into your own words, information into your own words, it’s called paraphrasing. it’s called paraphrasing.

YOU STILL NEED A CITATION YOU STILL NEED A CITATION WHEN YOU PARAPHRASE.WHEN YOU PARAPHRASE.

SummarizingSummarizing

When you summarize, you give a When you summarize, you give a very general impression of the very general impression of the article or book. Summaries need article or book. Summaries need citations, too!citations, too!

Examples!Examples!Sample Passage:Sample Passage: “ “Sevenpence-halfpenny's worth per week is a good Sevenpence-halfpenny's worth per week is a good

round diet for a child; a great deal may be got for round diet for a child; a great deal may be got for sevenpence-halfpenny, quite enough to overload its sevenpence-halfpenny, quite enough to overload its stomach, and make it uncomfortable. The elderly stomach, and make it uncomfortable. The elderly female was a woman of wisdom and experience; she female was a woman of wisdom and experience; she knew what was good for children; and she had a very knew what was good for children; and she had a very accurate perception of what was good for herself. So, accurate perception of what was good for herself. So, she appropriated the greater part of the weekly she appropriated the greater part of the weekly stipend to her own use, and consigned the rising stipend to her own use, and consigned the rising parochial generation to even a shorter allowance parochial generation to even a shorter allowance than was originally provided for them. Thereby than was originally provided for them. Thereby finding in the lowest depth a deeper still; and proving finding in the lowest depth a deeper still; and proving herself a very great experimental philosopher.” herself a very great experimental philosopher.”

from from Oliver Twist Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens by Charles Dickens

Example QUOTEExample QUOTEDickens says that woman “find[s] in the lowest Dickens says that woman “find[s] in the lowest

depth a deeper still,” (8), which shows that depth a deeper still,” (8), which shows that even among the very poor, some are the even among the very poor, some are the predators and some are the victims.predators and some are the victims.

“ “ “ “ show that those are the author’s words.show that those are the author’s words.(8) shows where the quote came from—(8) shows where the quote came from—

because Dickens is already mentioned in the because Dickens is already mentioned in the sentence, he doesn’t need to be mentioned sentence, he doesn’t need to be mentioned in the parentheses.in the parentheses.

[ ] indicates that you altered the wording [ ] indicates that you altered the wording slightly to fit the grammar of your sentence.slightly to fit the grammar of your sentence.

Example paraphraseExample paraphrase

An excellent example of the poor An excellent example of the poor victimizing each other comes in the victimizing each other comes in the form of the woman whose house form of the woman whose house Oliver is sent to. She spends the Oliver is sent to. She spends the money intended for the children’s money intended for the children’s food on herself, and as a result the food on herself, and as a result the children are malnourished (Dickens children are malnourished (Dickens 8).8).

It’s not exact wording, but I still used It’s not exact wording, but I still used the author’s ideas, so I still need to the author’s ideas, so I still need to cite it.cite it.

Example summaryExample summary

Oliver is neglected by the woman Oliver is neglected by the woman who is supposed to take care of who is supposed to take care of him, showing that there is little him, showing that there is little kindness even among the very poor kindness even among the very poor (Dickens 8).(Dickens 8).

This is a very general reference to This is a very general reference to the content of the passage—but it the content of the passage—but it still requires a citation.still requires a citation.

When there isn’t an When there isn’t an author…author…

……you cite using a shortened you cite using a shortened version of the title. For instance, if version of the title. For instance, if your source is an unsigned internet your source is an unsigned internet article titled “Gelatinous Mass article titled “Gelatinous Mass Consumes Manhattan,” you would Consumes Manhattan,” you would cite it as (“Gelatinous”).cite it as (“Gelatinous”).