Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
By Nicola Nakashima
Topics
Academic writing Academic honesty and plagiarism Academic assignments Referencing
Cautious Language
Language that is not cautious Jennings (2010) research shows that smoking tobacco causes lung cancer Cautious language Jennings (2010) research would appear to show that smoking tobacco may cause lung cancer Smiths (2011) evidence suggests that greenhouse gases may have an effect on climate
Concise Language
Not concise: Owing to the fact that wet weather can contribute towards erosion in metals Concise: Because wet weather can contribute towards erosion in metals
Precise Language
Not precise: The earthquake was strong. A cupful of methanol was added to the solution.
Precise: The earthquake measured 6.4 on the Richter scale. 400ml of methanol was added to the solution.
Contradictions
Dont use Cant, Wont, Isnt, Shouldnt Use Cannot, Would not, Is not, Should not
Example
Note: The in-text citation should be directly given within the sentence Additionally, Dooren, Bouckaert and Halligan (2010, p. 37) stress that the antecedents to contemporary performance measurement and management have a long lineage. They further state that...
Providing Evidence
Unlike other forms of writing, all claims made in academic writing must be backed up by evidence In academic writing, you must provide appropriate justification for your claims through arguments and evidence.
Referencing
All claims made in academic writing should be backed up with reference. All your sources, including tables, charts or photos, must be acknowledged through references. In-text citation (within sentences) and endtext citation (reference list) should be provided
Academic Honesty
If you understand the reasons for referencing it is evident why you should not pass off work of others as your own. Failing to reference appropriately could result in your assessors thinking you are guilty of plagiarism the act of using somebody elses work or ideas as your own.
Plagiarism
Using someone elses words or ideas without properly acknowledging them presenting someone elses ideas as your own. Deliberate or inadvertent and even if you reference an author but your words are considered too close to the original work you can be accused of plagiarism. It is very important that you take steps to avoid plagiarism and learn to reference correctly.
Characteristics of Plagiarism
Copying information from any source without acknowledgement (web, book, magazines, journals, papers). Writing about someone elses ideas as if they were your own. Writing about someone elses ideas without giving a reference. Using someone elses words exactly without indicating that it is a direct quote and including the reference.
Characteristics of Plagiarism
Using more or less the same words as another writer even if you acknowledge their work. Copying another students work or letting another student copy from you. Submitting work written for you by another person. Downloading chunks of text from the Internet and putting them together to form an essay.
Paraphrasing
Essential information and ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form by you. one legitimate way (when accompanied by accurate documentation) to borrow from a source. A more detailed restatement than a summary, which focuses concisely on a single main idea.
Summarizing
Providing a brief account of someone elses work, concentrating on the main points and omitting the details. involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s). Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material.
Academic Assignments
Either essays, reports or dissertations/projects Has a clear structure Starts with an introduction Presents a main body (argument) Ends with a conclusion Uses referencing (in-text citation and endtext citation/reference list)
Academic Paragraphs
Divide your text into meaningful paragraphs. Each paragraph should contain one main idea or topic. The idea or topic is often introduced in the opening sentence. The rest of the paragraph is then used to give examples, evidence, definitions and further explanations of the idea/topic. Avoid paragraphs of just one or two sentences.
Coherence
Coherence means that the text within paragraphs is well linked, and that the paragraphs are linked with each other. Coherence can be achieved with linking words and phrases.
Linking Words
Commonly used words at undergraduate level: Additionally Moreover Nevertheless In addition However On the contrary In contrast Similarly Nonetheless Furthermore Further Correspondingly This suggests This implies Likewise Accordingly
Introduction
The Introduction sets the scene. It introduces the question/problem and explains the purpose and focus of the paper. It also provides some background information, for instance on previous work in the area, and on research gaps. If necessary, it provides definitions of the key term(s). Finally, the Introduction outlines in summary form how you are going to deal with the topic, and the various stages you will take before reaching the Conclusion. If appropriate, you also may state here why the topic is relevant to you, for instance in relation to your professional context.
Signposting
Signposting is an important feature of academic writing which enables the reader to follow your development of the topic. You need to signal how the various sections of your writing link together, and what you are going to discuss next and why. There are two aspects to signposting: 1) saying where you are 2) saying where you are going
Main Text/Body
The Main Text includes a critical review of the literature. Based on this review, you will develop your argument. Most assignments ask for theory to be related to a real organization. Information on practical examples should be linked back to theory and state if it is supported or not.
Conclusion
The Conclusion should give the reader the clear impression that the purposes of the assignment have been achieved. It typically includes:
A summary of the main points (discussed in the Main Text) Concluding statements drawn from these points Signal the main steps taken
The Introduction and Conclusion must link together; at the end of your paper, you should look back at the goals you set out in the Introduction and discuss how you achieved them.
Example Conclusion
This reported started by presenting the background information of Merck and AstraZeneca. Then it moved on to discuss the innovation process. Next the report analysed the innovation management of the two organisations. The results indicate that Merck believes that R&D is the key to success in innovation and they mainly depended on the companys R&D projects (Graner and Behr, 2013)........................ Flowingly, this report moved on to compare the two organisations innovation management.
Constructing an outline
Writing a first draft
Task Words
Analyse Contrast Define Evaluate Justify Compare Describe Discuss Illustrate Review
Explain
Summarise
Referencing
Why do I need to provide references in my work? To show anyone who reads your work that you understand the topic and can demonstrate your own thoughts on this. To demonstrate that you have read widely and deeply. To enable the reader to locate where you obtained each quote or idea. By providing a reference to the original source you are acknowledging that you have read the work and recognize the original author(s) ideas.
Reference list
The reference list should include details for everything that you cite in your assignment. It should be in alphabetical order by author with all the different types of material in one sequence A reference list should always be included
In-text citation Direct citation: Adhikari (2010) argues that performance management was possibly the highest....
In-direct citation: These include performance agreements (Aguinis, 2009) and the importance of individual goal setting (Armstrong, 2010).
Earlier research by Dunn (1993a) found thatbut later research suggested again by Dunn (1993b) that
Bloggs (1993a; 1993b) has stated on more than one occasion that
Direct Quotes (no more than 40 words and 10% of the total word count) On the topic of professional writing and referencing Cormack and Brown (1994, p.32) have stated When writing for a professional readership, writers invariably make reference to already published works.
Research recently carried out in the Greater Manchester area by Brown (1966 cited in Bassett, 1986, p.142) found that
Reference List
One author book: Bell, J. (2005) Doing your research project. 4th edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Two or three authors: Goddard, J. and Barrett, S. (2007) The health needs of young people leaving care. San Francisco: Addison-Wesley.
Reference List
Online book (E-book): Henry, W. (1823) The elements of experimental chemistry. Google Books [Online]. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=E7OkpIXzVPoC &printsec=frontcover&dq=The+elements+of+exp erimental+chemistry&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jivrUrCiM oulrQe6m4FQ&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage &q=The%20elements%20of%20experimental%20 chemistry&f=false (Accessed: 30 January 2014).
Reference List
Online Journal Article: Bass, B.M. (1997) Personal Selling and ransactional/Transformational Leadership, Journal of Personal Selling & Sales and Management, 17 (3), pp. 19 28 [Online]. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com (Accessed: 1 October 2010).
Reference List
Journal Article (DOI): Burke, R.J. (2006) Why leaders fail: exploring the darkside, International Journal of Manpower, 27 (1), pp. 91 100. DOI: 10.1108/01437720610652862 (Accessed: 1 October 2010).
Reference List
Website: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2010) Leadership: an overview. Available at: http://www.cipd.co.uk (Accessed: 15 October 2010).
Thank you!