CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE

English 1013 (Purposive Communication)

AY 2022-2024

Lesson 1-2: Writing a Problem Solution Paper and Plagiarism & Documentation Styles

Topic: Writing a Problem Solution Paper; Plagiarism & Documentation Styles

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Identify local problems in your respective communities

2. Distinguish block and chain structures
3. Recognize parts of the Problem Solution Paper
4. Develop civic consciousness thru writing a Problem Solution Paper
5. Recognize plagiarism issues
6. Identify forms of plagiarism
7. Develop an in-depth understanding of plagiarism
8. Distinguish MLA versus APA format
9. Value intellectual honesty in all your academic endeavors

LEARNING CONTENT

Introduction:

#theQUEST

This springboard activity will give you the opportunity to cultivate your civic consciousness to your
immediate community and manifest one of our Louisian core values “Social Awareness and
Responsibility”.

Directions: The table below has 4 columns: situation, problem, solution, evaluation. Accomplish
the table conforming to existing problems in your local community. Provide at least three.

Outdoor activity is NOT allowed. This may be done thru mere observation or interview from elders
inside your home.

Situation Problems Solutions Evaluation

Where is the problem Top three local problems in Suggest atleast two Predict how will the
happening? your community solutions per problem proposed solutions address
the existing problem

Situation Problems Solutions Evaluation

Tuguegarao City Improper Waste Disposal Clustered Bins With the conduct of
community orientation and
 Community Orientation presence of clustered bins,
the locals will know how to
properly segregate their
waste

Declining Spirituality Online Mass & Spiritual With the global pandemic,
Activities locals are afraid of
gathering, conducting
online masses will be an
avenue for people to be
closer to God even without
their physical presence in
spiritual buildings

Increased Crime Rate Curfew & Stringent Police Visibility of cops will tame
Patrol the offenders.

Example:

Processing:
Problems are part of life. We all deal with individual problems, families have family issues, and
communities have community problems. Communities must come together to solve their
problems, just like families.

When communities try to solve problems, they start just like individuals do. They must reflect
and analyze the issue to help come to a solution. But, before discussing solutions, problems must
be identified. Problems can arise in any part of a community and come from any aspect of
community life.

Example Community Problems: Adolescent pregnancy, access to clean drinking water, child
abuse and neglect, crime, domestic violence, drug use, pollution, mismanagement of resources,
lack of funding for schools and services, ethnic conflict, health disparities, HIV/ AIDS, hunger,
inadequate emergency services, inequality, jobs, lack of affordable housing, poverty,
transportation, violence, racism and police brutality.

Rather than aim for a complete problem list, here are some criteria you may consider when
identifying community problems:

 The problem occurs too frequently (frequency)

 The problem has lasted for a while (duration)
 The problem affects many people (scope, or range)
 The problem is disrupting to personal or community life, and possibly intense (severity)
 The problem deprives people of legal or moral rights (equity)
 The issue is perceived as a problem (perception)

This last criterion, perception, is an important one, and can also help indicate readiness for
addressing the issue within the community.
 What is seen as a problem can vary from place to place and group to group in the same
community. Although there's no official definition of a community problem, the above examples
and criteria above should help you begin to name and analyze community problems.

Lesson Proper:

A Problem/Solution paper requires you to investigate a problem, examine alternative solutions,

and
propose the most effective solution using supporting evidence.

Problem-solution paper considers the problems of a particular situation, and give solutions to
those problems. They are in some ways similar to cause and effect essays, especially in terms of
structure. Problem-solution paper is actually a sub-type of another type of essay, which has the
following four components:

 Situation
 Problem
 Solution
 Evaluation

As we go through the process, we shall have the three stages of writing:

Starting Writing Polishing

Starting the Paper

1. Identify the situation. The situation you are going to address in the problem solution paper
should be stated clearly in the prompt for the paper. You may be assigned a situation to
address or be allowed to choose a situation for the paper. Often the situation will address a
social, cultural, or historical issue in society.[1]
For example, you may have a main situation like, “obesity and poor fitness,” or “trigger warnings
on college campuses.”

If you get to choose the situation, make a list of groups you belong to, such as “school,” “family,”
“race,” “culture”,” or “local community.” Then, identify a situation or issue you have encountered as
a member of one of these groups.

2. Determine the key components of the paper. A problem-solution paper will contain four
main components: the situation, the problem, the solution, and the evaluation. You should
structure your paper so it addresses these four components.

 In the situation component, you will paraphrase the prompt of the paper in your own
words.
 In the problem component, you will state the problem or problems and explain what they
are in your own words.
 In the solution component, you will state your solution or solutions to the problem. You
will also explain how it will address the problem.
 In the evaluation component, you will list the main ideas in the paper and offer a
prediction or recommendation based on your solution to the problem.

There will only be one situation presented to you in the prompt for the paper. You can then have
multiple problems and multiple solutions that link back to the situation.

3. Use the block structure for the outline. One way you can outline the paper is to use the block
structure, where you list the problems first in the paper, followed by the solutions. You will use
the following outline for the block structure:
 Introduction section, where you discuss the situation
 Problem 1
 Problem 2
 Transition sentence or paragraph
 Solution 1
 Solution 2
 Conclusion section, where you discuss the evaluation

10. Try the chain structure for the outline. Another possible structure you can use for a problem
solution paper is the chain structure, where you discuss a problem, followed by a solution to
that problem. The chain structure is used more often for short problem solution papers. You
will use the following outline for the chain structure:
  Introduction section, where you discuss the situation
 Problem 1 and Solution to Problem 1
 Problem 2 and Solution to Problem 2
 Problem 3 and Solution to Problem 3
 Conclusion section, where you discuss the evaluation

The two types of structure, block and chain, are shown in the diagram below. This is for a short
essay, which includes the 'situation' in the introduction and 'evaluation' in the conclusion. A longer
essay, for example one of around 1,000 words, with citations, would probably have these two
sections as separate paragraphs in the main body.
Writing the Paper
1. State the situation in your own words. Start by writing out the situation in your own words.
You can do this in the introduction section of the essay. Focus on a specific angle or
perspective on the situation, especially if the situation is broad.

For example, if the situation in the paper prompt is “obesity and poor fitness,” you may focus on
specific aspects of the situation in the introduction. You may look at how the consumption of
unhealthy food and the overuse of cars plays into obesity and poor fitness in society.

2. Research the problem or problems. Read as much as you can about the problem, such as
scholarly journals online, print books, and academic texts. Look for articles at a national or
state level that discuss the problem. Check local publications for discussions about the
problem. The more research you do, the stronger your solutions to the problem will be in the
paper.

If you cannot find a lot of outside material on the problem, you can collect your own data for the
paper. Do this by making a survey that you give to people who are affected by the problem. You
can also interview people associated with the problem, or with possible solutions.

For example, if you were researching the problem “trigger warnings on college campuses,” you
may interview college representatives at your university or college. You may also talk to students
on campus.

Most problem solution papers written for exams do not require you to cite any outside sources.
You may need to cite your sources if you are writing the problem solution paper for a class.

3. Create a strong thesis statement. a

For example, if you were writing about the situation “obesity and poor fitness,” you may have the
following thesis statement: “Obesity and poor fitness can lead to a decrease in life expectancy,
and it is essential that individuals and governments work together to tackle this issue by improving
their citizen's diet and fitness.”

4. Identify your solutions. The best solutions to a problem will be easy to implement, effectively
address the problem, and be cost effective for all involved. Think about the problem and come
up with one to two solutions. You will then explore these solutions in your paper.

For example, you may come up with a solution that addresses a lack of resources by adding
support, money, or more staff. Or you may come up with a solution that addresses the problem by
changing an existing practice or habit.

11. Support your solutions with specific examples. Avoid simply listing problems and solutions
in the essay in a general way. Use specific examples that allow you to expand on your
solutions. Do not use general or vague language when discussing the solutions.

For example, if one of your solutions to the problem of obesity and poor fitness is to encourage
people to cook at home, you may list a few specific ways people can do this. You may suggest
that national eating healthy at home campaign is created, offering recipes online that take less
than 30 minutes to prepare at home.

12. Wrap up the paper with an evaluation. Once you have outlined your solutions in the body of
the paper, you should end with the evaluation in the conclusion section. The evaluation should
discuss your solutions briefly and sum up the goal of your solution. It can also have a call to
action, where you note the value of your solution.

For example, you may end up a call to action like, “With rising levels of obesity in our country, it is
essential that we take action now to address this serious issue.”

Polishing the Paper

1. Confirm the paper follows a clear structure or outline. Review the paper and confirm it
covering the four components of a problem solution paper. Make sure it addresses the
problem and the solution in detail. Check that your thesis statement appears in the introduction
and in the conclusion sections of the paper.

You can create a reverse outline using your paper as a guide, where you go through each section
and confirm it follows the outline you started with.

2. Check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Read the paper aloud to yourself to check
for any misspelled words or grammatical errors. Try reading the paper backward, starting at
the end, to check for spelling mistakes. Circle the punctuation in the paper and confirm you are
using all punctuation correctly.

You can also show the paper to a peer, friend, or family member and get them to proofread it for
you.

3. Revise the paper to fit the word count. If you are writing a problem solution paper for an
exam, you will often have a set word count. The word count is usually very short, around 250-
500 words. Make sure the paper falls under or at the word count. If it doesn't, you may need to
revise it by shortening the sentences, tightening up the language, and making your ideas more
concise.

If you are writing the problem solution paper for a class assignment, you may still have a set word
count. Check that your paper falls within this word count.

Thesis
The thesis is an essential part of the introduction of your problem solution essay, but it doesn’t
mean you need to write your paper, including the thesis, in a strict order. In fact, most students
benefit from writing the thesis last. By that time, they have already developed a thorough
understanding of the problem and can form a clear and concise thesis that will be supported by
the rest of the work.

How to Find Solutions to Your Problems

Before you can propose your own solutions to the problems, you need to demonstrate your prior
research on the issue by offering some of the solutions previously designed by other scholars.
Analyze whether they were completely successful, and if not, what can be changed about them.
Then you can move on to proposing your own solutions to the problems highlighted in the earlier
parts of the essay. The work on your solutions can be divided into three easy steps:

 Offer a plan of action. Your solution needs to be simple and detailed, possibly in a step-by-
step form. Think of the potential criticism of your solution and address it in the same
chapter.
 Support your solution with examples. Whether it’s pictures, statistics, or simply stories,
there needs to be a strong background for your newly designed solution. Only then will
your solution seem feasible to the public.
 Provide a call to action. Instead of simply offering a conclusion to your solution, be
proactive and encourage your audience to take action. If the problem you’ve described is
real and you’ve offered some genuine solutions, the call to action will be very effective. The
projection technique is very effective for this purpose.

Proofreading and Writing Tips

Here is how to make sure your writing meets the highest academic standards:

 After finishing the paper, leave it for one or two days before coming back and proofreading
it with a fresh outlook.
 Check whether your essay covers all four elements of a problem solution paper.
 Make sure the thesis clearly refers to the content of the essay.
 Confirm that you’ve done the most extensive research of the problem.
 Check whether the solutions offered to the problem are realistic and can be achieved.
 Pay special attention to the conclusion: it needs to not only summarize the text, but also
offer a call to action.
 Use online services like Grammarly to check your spelling and punctuation.
 Ask one of your friends or family members to proofread your paper to make sure no
grammar or logical mistakes spoil your final grade.

Example:

PSYCHOLOGICAL ILLNESS AND TEENAGERS

Psychological illness is very common in today’s era, and especially among teenagers. Depression,
anxiety, personality disorders, and a lot more are common. More than 50% of teenagers are a
victim of mental illness. The question arises that “What is psychological health?” It is a general
misconception that only psychological illness is reflected in the form of disability. This is not the
case. Any unusual or unexpected response from an individual to very common activities is said to
be “psychological illness.” For example, a boy/girl might show aggression over a casual debate at
his place. Psychological illness is damaging our youth and the major reasons behind such
illnesses are parental involvement, addictions, and traumas that might be due to any reason.
There are several solutions to this problem among which the following three can be very easily
implemented. Firstly, individuals must be more active by doing exercise. They should get enough
sleep and have a balanced diet. Their stress must be reduced. Exercise helps in better hormonal
secretions that help in reducing stress and anxiety. It also helps in quitting addictions which most
teenagers adopt due to low morale.

Secondly, parents should be better involved in their child’s life. It is the utmost duty of parents to
help their children in facing all the problems with courage rather than leaving them on their own in
such a crucial situation. They should help their child in quitting all sorts of addictions. Generally,
teenagers find drugs very attractive and a symbol of classiness. Some parents do not focus on
their children at all and some parents are over-involved that annoys children.

Thirdly, parents should cut off the communication gap. They should talk to their children about
their life. If a teen is in depression, it is the duty of parents to talk to them because talking about
the problem releases stress and helps in coming back to life.

Teenage is a very crucial phase of life and its handling is similar to that of a fragile good. The
above-stated solutions will help you in handling a depressed teenager. The solutions have no
tough schedule. It is all a matter of time. The solutions have worked for a relative of mine and I
hope that these solutions will help you too.

LESSON 2
#GuiltyOrNot

Directions:

In a courtroom, you are acting as a judge and you need to identify whether the following people
are guilty or not in plagiarism. Accomplish the table to state your verdict and your justification.

4. Thelma saw a photo on Pinterest and a video on YouTube that would look perfect for her
online advertising. She used it without crediting the creator or asking for permission.
5. Cyrene reproduced substantial chunks of someone else's prose – more than the "fair use"
exception to copyright and took the writing without giving credit.
6. Julius had a marketing breakthrough, but Bryan presented it to the boss as his own idea.
7. John Paul ripped off someone's architectural design.

Employee Verdict Justification

Thelma

Cyrene
 Julius

John Paul

Processing:
Most of us in the academic world were brought up to believe that originality was the supreme
virtue. We looked on plagiarism as the primal sin, as little short of a fall from grace. Proof of
plagiarism used to end professorial careers and warrant the immediate failure of students in
courses and, on occasion, their expulsion from an institution.

Throughout history, plagiarism has always been present, but never more so than in the current
digital age. Where the internet is filled to the brim with content, with more being posted each and
every day, it can be difficult to truly know whether what you are reading is original content.

However, while most plagiarism cases are dealt with easily or float under the radar, there are
some higher profile cases that certainly haven’t had that benefit!

MELANIA TRUMP

While this one might not be the tip of the ice-burg when it comes to thinking about the most words
plagiarised, it certainly does for one of the worst possible places to do it. Also taking place in 2016,
Melania Trump’s plagiarism scandal came about when she took to the stage to give a speech on
the President’s behalf at the Republican National Convention. However, as great as the speech
may have appeared to some, it pricked the ears of Obama fans, who quickly realised that
Melania’s speech sounded strangely similar to Michelle Obama’s speech that was given in 2008 at
the Democratic National Convention. Melania’s speech writer was blamed, and while she
apologised and went on to try and resign, Trump refused to accept it anyway.

VLADAMIR PUTIN

1997 brought about Putin’s turn to face public criticism following accusations of plagiarism. Putin’s
1996 dissertation titled ‘Strategic Planning of Mineral Resources Replenishment at a Regional
Level in Market Economy’ fell under scrutiny when it appeared to bear unavoidable resemblance
to a book written by William Kind and David Cleland’s book ‘Strategic Planning and Policy’.
Granted, no one’s approached Putin to question it directly, but the accusations have been made
all the same.
The gist: Tourism slogan “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” drew criticism a week after its launch in 2010
after its logo had a striking similarity to Poland’s “Polska,” from the font and the colors to the use of
a tree. An application where users can make a personalized name logo with the tagline “Kay
Ganda” then made the rounds on social media sites as Filipinos made fun of the alleged
plagiarism committed by the advertising agency tapped by DOT.

What DOT did: Then-DOT Undersecretary Vicente “Enteng” Romano III, who was in charge of
DOT’s planning and promotions section, took full responsibility for the campaign and left his post.
He also apologized to then-President Benigno Aquino III, then-Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim and
to the public over the controversy.

What happened next: The “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” campaign was scrapped and eventually
replaced by the “It’s more fun in the Philippines” slogan, which became an Internet hit.
The gist: Just after its launch in January 2012, the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) “It’s more fun
in the Philippines” slogan was criticized for allegedly being a copycat of a 1951 Swiss tourism
slogan that read “It’s more fun in Switzerland.”

What DOT did: Tourism Secretary Mon Jimenez took to Twitter to react on the issue, saying that
the similarity is just a coincidence.

What happened next: The plagiarism issue eventually died down, especially after Swiss
Ambassador to Manila Ivo Sieber expressed his support for the “It’s more fun in the Philippines”
campaign.

The gist: Parts of Sotto’s two speeches on his stand on the controversial RH bill were lifted from
different online sources, drawing an online firestorm.

What Sotto did: While Sotto initially denied plagiarizing parts of his first RH bill speech (saying
“blogger lang iyon,” drawing even more flak), his then-chief of staff, Atty. Hector Villacorta,
admitted that they copied the work of American blogger Sarah Pope. A day later, it was found that
Sotto’s staff writers also copied from different websites for the senator’s second speech. But this
time, Villacorta defended the senator and stressed that “blogs are public domain.”

What happened next: Like Sotto, Villacorta saw himself at the receiving end of criticism, with
netizens calling him “stupid” and “arrogant.”

The necessity to acknowledge others’ work or ideas applies not only to text, but also to
other media, such as computer code, illustrations, graphs etc. It applies equally to published text
and data drawn from books and journals, and to unpublished text and data, whether from lectures,
theses or other students’ essays. You must also attribute text, data, or other resources
downloaded from websites.

The best way of avoiding plagiarism is to learn and employ the principles of good academic
practice from the beginning of your university career. Avoiding plagiarism is not simply a matter of
making sure your references are all correct, or changing enough words so the examiner will not
notice your paraphrase; it is about deploying your academic skills to make your work as good as it
can be.
 This module will enlighten your thoughts about the dreadful word “PLAGIARISM.” Many
would use the terms “inspired” “benchmarked” and “derivative” to justify an imitated concept or
idea. But in this world of uniqueness and duplication, when do you say that you have actually
crossed the line?

Don’t be confused. We’ll be focusing plagiarism in the context of academic writing.

Lesson Proper:

#CopyCatOrNot?
Plagiarism is a breach of academic integrity. It is a principle of intellectual honesty that all
members of the academic community should acknowledge their debt to the originators of the
ideas, words, and data which form the basis for their own work. Passing off another’s work as your
own is not only poor scholarship, but also means that you have failed to complete the learning
process. Plagiarism is unethical and can have serious consequences for your future career; it also
undermines the standards of your institution and of the degrees it issues.

According to the University of Oxford, the plagiarism definition is that you're presenting
someone else's ideas as your own, whether deliberately or because you didn't know any better.
Business plagiarism is common, but it's still unethical.
Plagiarism happens when you present someone else's designs, words, code or visuals as
your own without their permission. Even if you do this unintentionally, it's still unethical and could
lead to a lawsuit.
At University of North Carolina, plagiarism is defined as “deliberate or reckless
representation of another’s words, thoughts, or ideas as one’s own without attribution in
connection with submission of academic work, whether graded or otherwise”
Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own, with or without their
consent, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement. All published and
unpublished material, whether in manuscript, printed or electronic form, is covered under this
definition. Plagiarism may be intentional or reckless, or unintentional. Under the regulations for
examinations, intentional or reckless plagiarism is a disciplinary offense.
According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, to "plagiarize" means:
 to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own
 to use (another's production) without crediting the source
 to commit literary theft
 to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source
 In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work
and lying about it afterwards.

#CopyCatQuestion1
Can words and ideas really be stolen?
According to U.S. law, the answer is yes. The expression of original ideas is considered
intellectual property and is protected by copyright laws, just like original inventions. Almost all
forms of expression fall under copyright protection as long as they are recorded in some way
(such as a book or a computer file).

#CopyCatQuestion2
When do you say that someone has plagiarized?
All of the following are considered plagiarism:

 turning in someone else's work as your own

 copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
 failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
 giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
 changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
 copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work,
whether you give credit or not (see our section on "fair use" rules)

Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Simply acknowledging that
certain material has been borrowed and providing your audience with the information necessary to
find that source is usually enough to prevent plagiarism.

#CopyCatQuestion3
What about images, videos, and music?

Using an image, video or piece of music in a work you have produced without receiving proper
permission or providing appropriate citation is plagiarism. The following activities are very common
in today’s society. Despite their popularity, they still count as plagiarism.

 Copying media (especially images) from other websites to paste them into your own
papers or websites.
 Making a video using footage from others’ videos or using copyrighted music as part of the
soundtrack.
 Performing another person’s copyrighted music (i.e., playing a cover).
 Composing a piece of music that borrows heavily from another composition.
 Certainly, these media pose situations in which it can be challenging to determine whether
or not the copyrights of a work are being violated.

For example:

 A photograph or scan of a copyrighted image (for example: using a photograph of a book

cover to represent that book on one’s website)
 Recording audio or video in which copyrighted music or video is playing in the background.
 Re-creating a visual work in the same medium. (for example: shooting a photograph that
uses the same composition and subject matter as someone else’s photograph)
  Re-creating a visual work in a different medium (for example: making a painting that
closely resembles another person’s photograph).
 Re-mixing or altering copyrighted images, video or audio, even if done so in an original
way.

The legality of these situations, and others, would be dependent upon the intent and context within
which they are produced. The two safest approaches to take in regards to these situations is: 1)
Avoid them altogether or 2) Confirm the works’ usage permissions and cite them properly.

#CopyCatQuestion4
Why are my instructors so concerned about plagiarism?

In order to understand plagiarism, it helps to understand the process of sharing and creating ideas
in the university. All knowledge is built from previous knowledge. As we read, study, perform
experiments, and gather perspectives, we are drawing on other people’s ideas. Building on their
ideas and experiences, we create our own. When you put your ideas on paper, your instructors
want to distinguish between the building block ideas borrowed from other people and your own
newly reasoned perspectives or conclusions. You make these distinctions in a written paper by
citing the sources for your building block ideas. Providing appropriate citations will also help
readers who are interested in your topic find additional, related material to read—in this way, they
will be able to build on the work you have done to find sources.

Think of it this way: in the vast majority of assignments you’ll get in college, your instructors will
ask you to read something (think of this material as the building blocks) and then write a paper in
which you analyze one or more aspects of what you have read (think of this as the new structure
you build). Essentially, your instructors are asking you to do three things:

 Show that you have a clear understanding of the material you’ve read.
 Refer to your sources to support the ideas you have developed.
 Distinguish your analysis of what you’ve read from the authors’ analyses.

When you cite a source, you are using an expert’s ideas as proof or evidence of a new idea that
you are trying to communicate to the reader. Documentation Styles will be presented on a latter
part.

#CopyCatQuestion5
What about “common knowledge”?
In every professional field, experts consider some ideas “common knowledge,” but remember that
you’re not a professional (yet). In fact, you’re just learning about those concepts in the course
you’re taking, so the material you are reading may not yet be “common knowledge” to you. In
order to decide if the material you want to use in your paper constitutes “common knowledge,” you
may find it helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

 Did I know this information before I took this course?

 Did this information/idea come from my own brain?
If you answer “no” to either or both of these questions, then the information is not “common
knowledge” to you. In these cases, you need to cite your source(s) and indicate where you first
learned this bit of what may be “common knowledge” in the field.

#CopyCatQuestion6
What about paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing means taking another person’s ideas and putting those ideas in your own words.
Paraphrasing does NOT mean changing a word or two in someone else’s sentence, changing the
sentence structure while maintaining the original words, or changing a few words to synonyms. If
you are tempted to rearrange a sentence in any of these ways, you are writing too close to the
original. That’s plagiarizing, not paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing is a fine way to use another person’s ideas to support your argument as long as you
attribute the material to the author and cite the source in the text at the end of the sentence. In
order to make sure you are paraphrasing in the first place, take notes from your reading with the
book closed. Doing so will make it easier to put the ideas in your own words. When you are unsure
if you are writing too close to the original, check with your instructor BEFORE you turn in the paper
for a grade. So, just to be clear—do you need to cite when you paraphrase? Yes, you do!

#CopyCatQuestion7
How can I tell whether I’ve plagiarized?
If you’ve followed the above guidelines but still aren’t sure whether you’ve plagiarized, you can
double-check your work using the checklist below.

You need to cite your source, even if:

 you put all direct quotes in quotation marks.

 you changed the words used by the author into synonyms.
 you completely paraphrased the ideas to which you referred.
 your sentence is mostly made up of your own thoughts, but contains a reference to the
author’s ideas.
 you mention the author’s name in the sentence.

** When in doubt, give a citation.**

#CopyCatQuestion8
What are other forms of plagiarism?

1. Verbatim (word for word) quotation without clear acknowledgement

Quotations must always be identified as such by the use of either quotation marks or indentation,
and with full referencing of the sources cited. It must always be apparent to the reader which parts
are your own independent work and where you have drawn on someone else’s ideas and
language.

2. Cutting and pasting from the Internet without clear acknowledgement

Information derived from the Internet must be adequately referenced and included in the
bibliography. It is important to evaluate carefully all material found on the Internet, as it is less
likely to have been through the same process of scholarly peer review as published sources.

3. Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing the work of others by altering a few words and changing their order, or by closely
following the structure of their argument, is plagiarism if you do not give due acknowledgement to
the author whose work you are using.

A passing reference to the original author in your own text may not be enough; you must
ensure that you do not create the misleading impression that the paraphrased wording or the
sequence of ideas are entirely your own. It is better to write a brief summary of the author’s overall
argument in your own words, indicating that you are doing so, than to paraphrase particular
sections of his or her writing. This will ensure you have a genuine grasp of the argument and will
avoid the difficulty of paraphrasing without plagiarizing. You must also properly attribute all
material you derive from lectures.

4. Collusion

This can involve unauthorized collaboration between students, failure to attribute assistance
received, or failure to follow precisely regulations on group work projects. It is your responsibility to
ensure that you are entirely clear about the extent of collaboration permitted, and which parts of
the work must be your own.

5. Inaccurate citation

It is important to cite correctly, according to the conventions of your discipline. As well as listing
your sources (i.e. in a bibliography), you must indicate, using a footnote or an in-text reference,
where a quoted passage comes from. Additionally, you should not include anything in your
references or bibliography that you have not actually consulted. If you cannot gain access to a
primary source you must make it clear in your citation that your knowledge of the work has been
derived from a secondary text (for example, Bradshaw, D. Title of Book, discussed in Wilson, E.,
Title of Book (London, 2004), p. 189).
6. Failure to acknowledge assistance

You must clearly acknowledge all assistance which has contributed to the production of your work,
such as advice from fellow students, laboratory technicians, and other external sources. This need
not apply to the assistance provided by your tutor or supervisor, or to ordinary proofreading, but it
is necessary to acknowledge other guidance which leads to substantive changes of content or
approach.

7. Use of material written by professional agencies or other persons

You should neither make use of professional agencies in the production of your work nor submit
material which has been written for you even with the consent of the person who has written it. It is
vital to your intellectual training and development that you should undertake the research process
unaided. Under Statute XI on University Discipline, all members of the University are prohibited
from providing material that could be submitted in an examination by students at this University or
elsewhere.

8. Auto-plagiarism

You must not submit work for assessment that you have already submitted (partially or in full),
either for your current course or for another qualification of this, or any other, university, unless this
is specifically provided for in the special regulations for your course. Where earlier work by you is
citable, ie. it has already been published, you must reference it clearly. Identical pieces of work
submitted concurrently will also be considered to be auto-plagiarism.

#CopyCatQuestion9
Does this mean that I shouldn’t use the work of other authors?

On the contrary, it is vital that you situate your writing within the intellectual debates of your
discipline. Academic essays almost always involve the use and discussion of material written by
others, and, with due acknowledgement and proper referencing, this is clearly distinguishable from
plagiarism. The knowledge in your discipline has developed cumulatively as a result of years of
research, innovation and debate. You need to give credit to the authors of the ideas and
observations you cite. Not only does this accord recognition to their work, it also helps you to
strengthen your argument by making clear the basis on which you make it. Moreover, good
citation practice gives your reader the opportunity to follow up your references, or check the
validity of your interpretation.

#CopyCatQuestion10
What if it’s unintentional plagiarism?

Not all cases of plagiarism arise from a deliberate intention to cheat. Sometimes students
may omit to take down citation details when taking notes, or they may be genuinely ignorant of
referencing conventions. However, these excuses offer no sure protection against a charge of
plagiarism. Even in cases where the plagiarism is found to have been neither intentional nor
reckless, there may still be an academic penalty for poor practice.
 It is your responsibility to find out the prevailing referencing conventions in your discipline,
to take adequate notes, and to avoid close paraphrasing. If you are offered induction sessions on
plagiarism and study skills, you should attend. Together with the advice contained in your subject
handbook, these will help you learn how to avoid common errors. If you are undertaking a project
or dissertation you should ensure that you have information on plagiarism and collusion. If ever in
doubt about referencing, paraphrasing or plagiarism, you have only to ask your tutor.

Plagiarism Hacks: Ways to Avoid Lawsuit Case on Plagiarism

Now that you understand what plagiarism is, you’re ready to employ the following steps to avoid
plagiarizing in your written work.

Step 1: Accentuate the positive. Understand the value of citations.

Do you feel that you use too many citations? Too few? Many students worry that if they use too
many citations their instructors will think that they’re relying too heavily on the source material and
therefore not thinking for themselves. In fact, however, using citations allows you to demonstrate
clearly how well you understand the course material while also making clear distinctions between
what the authors have to say and your analysis of their ideas.

Thus, rather than making your paper look less intellectually sophisticated, using citations allows
you to show off your understanding of the material and the assignment. And instead of showing
what you don’t know, citing your sources provides evidence of what you do know and of the
authority behind your knowledge. Just make sure that your paper has a point, main idea, or thesis
that is your own and that you organize the source material around that point.

Are you worried that you have too few citations? Double-check your assignment to see if you have
been given any indication of the number or kind of source materials expected. Then share your
writing with another reader. Do you have enough evidence or proof to support the ideas you put
forward? Why should the reader believe the points you have made? Would adding another, expert
voice strengthen your argument? Who else agrees or disagrees with the ideas you have written?
Have you paraphrased ideas that you have read or heard? If so, you need to cite them. Have you
referred to or relied on course material to develop your ideas? If so, you need to cite it as well.

Step 2: How can I keep track of all this information? Improve your note-taking skills.

Once you’ve reconsidered your position on using citations, you need to rethink your note-taking
practices. Taking careful notes is simply the best way to avoid plagiarism. And improving your
note-taking skills will also allow you to refine your critical thinking skills. Here’s how the process
works:

(1) Start by carefully noting all the bibliographic information you’ll need for your works cited page.
(See #3 for more details on how to determine exactly what information you’ll need for different
kinds of sources.) If you’re photocopying an article or section out of a book or journal, why not
photocopy the front pages of the source as well? That way you’ll have the bibliographic
information if you need it later. If you forget to gather the information for a book, you can usually
get it from the library’s online card catalogue. Simply pull up the entry for the book you used to see
the bibliographic information on that source. If you’re working on an article from a journal, you can
return to the database from which you got the original citation to find the bibliographic information.

(2) Next, try thinking about your notes as a kind of transitional space between what you’ve read
and what you’re preparing to write. Imagine yourself having a conversation with the author of the
story/novel/play/poem/article/book you’re reading, in which you repeatedly ask yourself the
following questions:

 What is the author trying to explain?

 Why does s/he think these points are important?
 How has s/he decided to construct the argument?
 How does the structure of the argument affect the reader’s response to the author’s ideas?
 How effective is the author’s argument?

Adopting this “conversational” approach to note-taking will improve your analysis of the material by
leading you to notice not just what the author says, but also how and why the author
communicates his or her ideas. This strategy will also help you avoid the very common temptation
of thinking that the author’s way of explaining something is much better than anything you could
write. If you are tempted to borrow the author’s language, write your notes with the book closed to
ensure that you are putting the ideas into your own words. If you’ve already taken a step away
from the author’s words in your notes, you’ll find it easier to use your own words in the paper you
write.

Step 3: So many details, so little time! Locate the appropriate style manual.

Don’t worry—no one can remember all the different citation conventions used in all the different
university disciplines! Citing your sources appropriately is a matter of:

 determining which style your instructor wants you to use,

 finding the appropriate style manual, and
 copying the “formula” it gives for each type of source you use.

First, carefully read the assignment to determine what citation style your instructor wants you to
use (APA, MLA, Chicago, and CSE are the most common). If s/he doesn’t specify a citation style
in the assignment, check your syllabus, course pack, and/or Sakai site. If you can’t find the citation
style in any of those places, ask your instructor what style s/he prefers.

Second, academic citation styles follow specific formats, so making an educated guess about how
to structure your citations and works cited page is usually not a good idea. Instead, find the
specified style manual in the reference section of the library, on the reference shelf in the Writing
Center, or online.

Finally, style manuals provide easy-to-follow formulas for your citations. For example, the MLA
handbook provides the following format for citing a book by a single author:
Author’s name. Title of the book. Publication information.

You can use this formula for your own citation by simply plugging in the information called for,
following the format of the formula itself. Here’s an example of how that might look:

Berlage, Gai Ingham. Women in Baseball: The Forgotten History. Praeger, 1994.

MLA Style

In MLA, in-text citations are inserted in the body of your research paper to briefly document the
source of your information. Brief in-text citations point the reader to more complete information in
the Works Cited list at the end of the paper.
APA Style

APA style is a set of guidelines for writing in psychology and related fields. These guidelines are
set down in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA, 2006)

APA style is best thought of as a “genre” of writing that is appropriate for presenting the results of
psychological research—especially in academic and professional contexts.

Journal Articles

For journal articles, the generic format for a reference is as follows:

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Title of article. Title of Journal, xx(yy), pp–pp.
doi:xx.xxxxxxxxxx

Here is a concrete example:

Adair, J. G., & Vohra, N. (2003). The explosion of knowledge, references, and citations:
Psychology’s unique response to a crisis. American Psychologist, 58(1), 15–23. doi:
10.1037/0003-066X.58.1.15

Books

For a book, the generic format and a concrete example are as follows:

Author, A. A. (year). Title of book. Location: Publisher.

Kashdan, T., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2014). The upside of your dark side. New York, NY: Hudson
Street Press.

Book Chapters

For a chapter in an edited book, the generic format and a concrete example are as follows:

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Title of chapter. In A. A. Editor, B. B. Editor, &
C. C. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. xxx–xxx). Location: Publisher.

Lilienfeld, S. O., & Lynn, S. J. (2003). Dissociative identity disorder: Multiple personalities, multiple
controversies. In S. O. Lilienfeld, S. J. Lynn, & J. M. Lohr (Eds.), Science and pseudoscience in
clinical psychology (pp. 109–142). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

REFERENCES

Textbooks

Suarez, C., et. Al. (2018) Purposive Communication in English. Quezon City : Ateneo de Manila
University Press.
Online References

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