3.8 Plagiarism Quiz: Writing Skills
Choose the best answer below to complete this sentence: When you are doing research for a paper, good note-taking techniques will protect you from plagiarism ...
... by ensuring you know the source of each fact in your notes and you can clearly distinguish between your own ideas versus points taken from your sources.
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
It is difficult to paraphrase material if you do not really understand it.
Which of the following statements is FALSE?
It is necessary to obtain the professor's permission before asking a librarian to help find books and articles relevant to the topic.
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
Using ideas and writing from your own previously completed work is okay as long as you get permission from your instructor and cite your previous work in your reference list.
Original writing: "Other than genetic research, there is no consensus on the cause of dyslexia. Research suggests that, because dyslexia is more common among males than females, the dyslexic's left hemisphere may have been overexposed to testosterone during fetal development. Another view holds that the left hemisphere develops slower. Other researchers suggest that dyslexia is caused by trauma during fetal development or childbirth" (Dowson, 2003, ¶19). Is this an acceptable paraphrase? To date, there is no agreement on what causes dyslexia. Since dyslexia is more common among males than females, some researchers believe that the dyslexic's left hemisphere may have received too much testosterone during fetal development. Another view holds that the same hemisphere may develop slower. Finally, some researchers suggest that the dyslexic child may have experienced some form of trauma during fetal development or during childbirth. (Dowson, 2003, ¶19)
No, this is patchwriting * This is patchwriting. Even though a number of words have been changed, there are too many similarities in sentence structure and some portions are the same as the original.
Original writing: "The Coca-Cola Co. is testing a new vending machine that lets thirsty consumers buy a Coke by dialing a phone number located on the machine near the coin slot. Dial the number and out pops your pop. The wireless phone account is charged for the soda. Students and staff at the Institute of Technology in Helsinki are using the prototype. Coke says it is waiting to see how the phone-ready vending machine fares there before possibly rolling it out elsewhere, maybe even in the U.S." (Pappas, 1999, p. 45). Is this an acceptable paraphrase? The Coca-Cola Company has developed a prototype vending machine that allows people to use their cell phone to order a soft drink. Customers can charge their desired beverage to their wireless phone account by simply calling the telephone number posted on the machine. Coca-Cola is currently testing their invention in Finland with students and staff at the Institute of Technology in Helsinki. If the trials are successful, Coca-Cola is considering introducing its invention into American and international markets. (Pappas, 1999, p. 45)
Yes, it's an acceptable paraphrase * This is an acceptable paraphrase. It is a re-statement which captures the ideas of the original, yet it differs sufficiently in word choice and sentence structure.