How to Use Sources in a Research Paper and Avoid Plagiarism - 3 Easy Steps

Summary

This video script emphasizes academic integrity, focusing on paraphrasing and proper citation as key skills. It explains that paraphrasing involves rewording others' work with one's own voice, while maintaining originality and integrity. The script clarifies misconceptions about paraphrasing and stresses the importance of in-text citations. It also discusses the appropriate use of direct quotations, advocating for their use in defining concepts, responding to wording, or preserving succinct phrasing. The video underscores the necessity of academic honesty to avoid plagiarism and build trust within the academic community.

Takeaways

• 📚 Academic integrity is crucial for students, instructors, and staff alike.
• 👥 Integrity involves honest behavior and accountability to one another.
• 📝 Proper attribution is necessary to avoid plagiarism and maintain trust.
• 🔑 Paraphrasing is a key skill for using sources responsibly and maintaining your voice.
• 🌟 Paraphrasing should synthesize others' work with your own while repeating key terms.
• 📖 Responsible paraphrasing means rewriting the original text in your own phrasing.
• 📑 Clear attribution involves using both narrative and parenthetical in-text citations.
• 💡 Direct quotations are used for accurate definitions, responding to wording, or preserving succinct phrasing.
• 🔗 Signal phrases help connect your ideas with direct quotations and maintain flow.
• ✏️ Academic writing prioritizes your original thoughts, supported by paraphrases and quotations.

Q & A

What is the importance of academic integrity?

Academic integrity is crucial as it reflects honest behavior and adherence to standards of behavior expected in an educational setting. It guides interactions with classroom material and sources, ensuring trust within the academic community.

Why is it important to be accountable to each other in an academic setting?

Accountability ensures that all members of the academic community act with integrity, which is essential for maintaining trust and avoiding academic dishonesty such as plagiarism.

What is the role of paraphrasing in academic writing?

Paraphrasing is a key skill in academic writing that allows students to synthesize the work of others with their own words while maintaining their authorial voice, thus avoiding plagiarism.

How does paraphrasing contribute to the integrity of a student's work?

Paraphrasing contributes to a student's work integrity by allowing them to integrate information from outside sources responsibly, giving authority to their work while maintaining their own voice.

What is the misconception about paraphrasing mentioned in the script?

The misconception is that the original passage must be put entirely 'in your own words.' However, it is acknowledged that certain articles, prepositions, and key words must be repeated in responsible paraphrasing.

How does clear attribution of sources help in maintaining academic integrity?

Clear attribution through in-text citations and reference citations ensures proper credit is given to the original sources, preventing plagiarism and upholding academic integrity.

What are the two types of in-text citations mentioned in the script?

The two types of in-text citations are narrative and parenthetical. Narrative citations include the author's name and date as part of the sentence, while parenthetical citations place this information in parentheses at the end of the sentence.

Why is it important to use signal phrases when introducing a quotation?

Signal phrases alert the reader to an upcoming quotation and help transition smoothly from the author's voice to that of the quoted source, avoiding 'hanging quotations.'

Under what circumstances should direct quotations be used in academic writing?

Direct quotations should be used to provide accurate definitions, respond to specific wording, or preserve an author's memorable or succinct phrasing, always with clear justification.

Why might teachers or publications limit the number of quotations in academic work?

Quotations are limited to emphasize the importance of the writer's original thoughts and analysis, ensuring that the work is primarily the student's own and not overly reliant on others' words.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Academic Integrity and Paraphrasing

This paragraph discusses the importance of academic integrity, which is about behaving honestly in both academic and professional settings. It emphasizes the need for students, instructors, and staff to adhere to standards of behavior. The video introduces two key skills for maintaining academic integrity: paraphrasing and proper citation. Paraphrasing is described as a way to synthesize others' work with one's own words while maintaining one's voice. The paragraph provides an example of how a student uses information from an external source to build an argument, integrating it into their work to add authority and integrity. It also clarifies that paraphrasing involves rewriting the original text in one's own phrasing, including key words. The paragraph concludes by explaining the importance of in-text citations, which can be narrative or parenthetical, to give proper credit to sources.

05:06

📝 Proper Use of Quotations

The second paragraph focuses on the use of direct quotations in academic writing. It explains that while paraphrasing is preferred, there are instances where quotations are necessary, such as providing accurate definitions, responding to specific wording, or preserving an author's memorable phrasing. The paragraph warns against 'hanging quotations,' which occur when quotes are not adequately connected to the writer's own ideas. It suggests using signal phrases to alert readers to an upcoming quote and to smooth the transition between the writer's and the quoted author's thoughts. The paragraph also discusses the importance of attributing quotations clearly, whether through narrative or parenthetical citations, and connects them to corresponding reference citations. It concludes by noting that teachers or publications may limit the number of quotations to encourage writers to express their thoughts in their own words, while still using others' work responsibly for evidence and support.

Keywords

💡Academic integrity

Academic integrity refers to the commitment to honest conduct and responsible scholarship in the academic community. It is a fundamental value in education, emphasizing the importance of being truthful and fair in all academic activities. In the video, academic integrity is the central theme, with a focus on how students, instructors, and staff should adhere to ethical standards to maintain trust within the educational environment.

💡Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is the act of restating someone else's work or ideas in one's own words while retaining the original meaning. It is a crucial skill in academic writing, as it allows students to use external sources responsibly without plagiarizing. The video script illustrates paraphrasing with an example where a student integrates information from an author named Graham into their own argument about the negative impact of mass media on women's health.

💡Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of using another person's ideas, words, or work without proper attribution, which is considered academic dishonesty. The video emphasizes the importance of avoiding plagiarism by giving credit to the original sources through proper citation practices. It is highlighted as a breach of trust that can lead to severe consequences, such as losing a job or educational opportunities.

💡Attribution

Attribution in academic writing involves acknowledging the source of information used in one's work. It is a way of giving credit to the original authors and maintaining academic integrity. The script explains that proper attribution requires both in-text citations and corresponding reference citations, ensuring that the work of others is recognized and that the student's use of these sources is transparent.

💡In-text citations

In-text citations are brief references within the body of a text that indicate where the information was sourced. The video discusses two types of in-text citations: narrative and parenthetical. Narrative citations include the author's name and publication date as part of the sentence, while parenthetical citations place this information in parentheses at the end of the sentence. Both are essential for clear and accurate source attribution.

💡Quotations

Quotations are the direct use of another person's words or phrases in a written work. The video explains that while paraphrasing is preferred in academic writing, there are instances where direct quotations are necessary, such as when providing accurate definitions, responding to specific wording, or preserving an author's memorable phrasing. Proper use of quotations requires clear attribution and connection to the writer's own ideas.

💡Signal phrases

Signal phrases are introductory words or phrases used before a quotation to indicate that a quote is about to be introduced. They serve to connect the quote with the writer's own ideas and to alert the reader to the shift from the writer's voice to that of another author. Examples from the script include phrases like 'The author points out' and 'According to the author,' which help to integrate the quotation smoothly into the text.

💡Authorial voice

Authorial voice refers to the unique style, tone, and perspective that an individual writer brings to their work. The video script discusses how paraphrasing allows students to maintain their authorial voice while also integrating the ideas of others. It is important for students to develop their own voice in academic writing to demonstrate their understanding and analysis of the subject matter.

💡Narrative citation

A narrative citation is a form of in-text citation where the author's name and the publication date are incorporated into the narrative flow of the sentence. The video provides an example of a narrative citation: 'Graham (2004) points out that lung cancer is the number one cancer killer of women.' This method allows for a seamless integration of the source material into the writer's own narrative.

💡Parenthetical citation

A parenthetical citation is a form of in-text citation where the author's name and publication date are placed in parentheses at the end of the sentence. The video script gives an example: 'Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer of women (Graham, 2004).' This citation style is straightforward and allows readers to quickly identify the source of the information.

Highlights

Academic integrity is key to being seen as a person with integrity.

Students, instructors, and staff must follow standards of behavior.

Academic integrity is central to every course and guides classroom interactions.

Accountability extends to using the work of others with proper attribution.

Plagiarism is a breach of trust and a type of academic dishonesty.

Paraphrasing is a key part of using sources responsibly.

Paraphrasing helps synthesize the work of others with your own words.

Responsible use of sources gives authority and integrity to a student's work.

Paraphrasing maintains the student's authorial voice.

Articles, prepositions, and key words must be repeated in paraphrasing.

Key words are repeated in paraphrasing while maintaining the student's voice.

Clear attribution of sources requires in-text citations.

In-text citations can be narrative or parenthetical.

Both narrative and parenthetical citations are correct and should be used together.

Quotations are important for providing accurate definitions, responding to wording, and preserving succinct phrasing.

Direct quotations should have clear justification in academic writing.

Signal phrases help avoid hanging quotations and transition between ideas.

Quotations must also be clearly attributed with in-text citations.

Teachers or publications may limit the number of quotations used.

Individual analysis and thoughts expressed in your own words are emphasized over others' writings.

Transcripts

{Music}

Academic integrity. You know, one of your key goals as a student and in life is to be seen as a person with integrity.

Having integrity means behaving honestly. And just as professionals in the workplace must follow certain standards of behavior,

so must students, instructors and staff at a school. In this video, we're going to review two key skills you need to uphold standards of

academic integrity. These skills are central to every course you take. They guide how you interact with classroom material, outside

sources, and each other. In those interactions, we depend upon each other to act with integrity, and therefore we are accountable to

each other. This accountability extends to how we use the work of others. It's our responsibility to give proper attribution, credit where credit is

due, to the websites, articles, books, podcast, films, etc. that influence what we create. When we fail to do so, we breach the trust of the

community we're working in. And that's a type of academic dishonesty called plagiarism. But whether in school or the workplace, if others

lose trust in you, you can forfeit a job, an education, even future opportunities. So let's talk about the first skill, which is paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing is a key part of using sources responsibly. Paraphrasing helps you synthesize the work of others with your own words,

while maintaining your authorial voice. Paraphrasing lets you create something that is uniquely yours, but at the same time, show how

your work has been shaped by others. Notice how in the following paragraph, the ideas of one author (Graham) are built upon by the

student. "Another negative effect of mass media on women's health has been the spread of medical misinformation. A clear example is

breast cancer. Graham (2004) asserts that the public has been led to believe that breast cancer is the number one cancer killer of

women. Yet, lung cancer takes the top spot by a wide margin." So, as you see, the student is building an argument about mass media's

negative impact on women's health. And in doing so, the student integrates information from an outside source (Graham) about breast

and lung cancer. This responsible use of Graham actually gives authority and integrity to the student's work.

Paraphrasing also maintains the student's authorial voice, further enriching that writer's integrity. But a common misconception about

paraphrasing is that the original passage must be put entirely quote, "in your own words." That is not possible. We know that articles,

prepositions, and key words must be repeated. Responsible paraphrasing actually means rewriting the original into your own phrasing,

knowing that you will need to repeat key words. So compare the original Graham text with a good paraphrase of it. Here's the original:

"Breast cancer is the type of cancer most closely linked with women in the public consciousness, but lung cancer has now

surpassed it as the leading cause of cancer deaths among women." That's the original. Here's the paraphrase of it. "The public has

been led to believe that breast cancer is the number one cancer killer of women. Yet, lung cancer now takes the top spot by a wide

margin." Notice how in that paraphrase, we repeat key words like "breast cancer," "lung cancer," "public," "women," yet the passage

has been successfully rewritten in the student's own voice, a student's own phrasing. In addition to paraphrasing, another element in

the responsible use of sources is the clear attribution of the source and that requires in-text citations coupled with corresponding

reference citations. Now when it comes to in text citations, you have to two options, narrative and parenthetical. In a narrative in

text citation, the author's name and date of publication actually function as part of the sentence. Let's look at this example.

"Graham (2004) points out that lung cancer is the number one cancer killer of women." However, in the parenthetical citation, the same

information (Graham, 2004) appears separately at the end of the sentence inside the parentheses. "Lung cancer is the number one

cancer killer of women (Graham, 2004). Both methods, narrative and parenthetical, are correct. And you really should use them

together in order to vary how your in text citations appear. Okay, our next big skill is quotations. Now, we know that in academic

writing, the preference is for paraphrases, not quotations. However, it's important to use direct quotations at least these three times.

One, to provide accurate definitions of concepts. Two, to respond to how something is worded. And, three, to preserve an author or

authors memorable or succinct phrasing. In other words, there should be clear justification for using direct quotations in academic writing.

When quoting, it's important to avoid what is called hanging quotations. The problem of hanging quotations occurs when the quote is

not adequately connected with your own ideas. And one technique to avoid a hanging quotation is signal phrases.

These are phrases like "The author points out" and "According to the author." What they do, they alert the reader that a quotation,

which is a shift away from an authorial voice, is about to occur. Signal phrases also kind of smooth the flow of sentences in your

paragraph as you transition from your own thoughts to the thoughts of others. But, like paraphrases, quotations must also be clearly

attributed. For example, this is a narrative in text citation: "Graham (2004) believes, "Mass media are killing women with misinformation

(para.1). Now, here's a parenthetical citation of the same source. "Some have stated bluntly that the outcomes are "Mass media are killing

women with misinformation" And then comes the information in parentheses, (Graham, 2004, para. 1). So, both in-text citations would refer, whether they're narrative or parenthetical, to that corresponding reference citation at the end of the work. Now, often, your teachers or a publication will limit the number of quotations that can be used. This happens you know, because of the importance of your thoughts about a topic, and those thoughts being expressed in your words. So what others have written is important as evidence and support. But one who writes with integrity always focuses on your individual analysis as you add paraphrases and quotations in a responsible way.