in other words

In other words

CONTENTS

How to cite other authors’ work

How to find relevant articles

How to make notes from articles

How to write a paragraph based on notes

HOW TO CITEOTHER AUTHORS’ WORK

The next slide shows a paragraph from an essay comparing two approaches to leadership.

Fayol Confucius

There is not one citation in the paragraph.

How many citations do you think there should be?

In contrast to Fayol’s pragmatism, Confucianism is a philosophical and ethical approach to the maintenance of social stability. Social relationships are categorised into five types: emperor-subject, father-son, husband-wife, older-young brother, and friend-friend. Leadership is central to all of these relationships because society is viewed as hierarchical, with each member typically having power over some, while being subservient to others. The potential for power struggles means that harmony is seen as a key objective in order to secure the sustainability of the society. Therefore, in an organisational context, leaders need to maintain a harmonious environment in which employees willingly accept their duties. The credibility of leaders is strengthened by a commitment to continual self-improvement, with the aim of achieving the status of junzi, or person of exemplary moral character.

FEEDBACK

It’s impossible to know just by looking at the text! It depends how many different sources the student has used.

If the whole of this paragraph is based on ideas from one book or article, it could have one citation at the end.

In contrast to Fayol’s pragmatism, Confucianism is a philosophical and ethical approach to the maintenance of social stability. Social relationships are categorised into five types: emperor-subject, father-son, husband-wife, older-young brother, and friend-friend. Leadership is central to all of these relationships because society is viewed as hierarchical, with each member typically having power over some, while being subservient to others. The potential for power struggles means that harmony is seen as a key objective in order to secure the sustainability of the society. Therefore, in an organisational context, leaders need to maintain a harmonious environment in which employees willingly accept their duties. Their credibility is strengthened by a commitment to continual self-improvement, with the aim of achieving the status of junzi, or person of exemplary moral character (Ip, 2009).

However, one problem with this is that the reader might wonder ifall of the information came from Ip (2009).

One way round this is to include the author in sentences, with reporting verbs (like ‘explain’, ‘argue’ etc).

Ip (2009) explains that Confucianism is a philosophical and ethical approach to the maintenance of social stability . Social relationships are categorised into five types: emperor-subject, father-son, husband-wife, older-young brother, and friend-friend. Ip argues that leadership is central to all of these relationships because society is viewed as hierarchical, with each member typically having power over some, while being subservient to others. The potential for power struggles means that harmony is seen as a key objective in order to secure the sustainability of the society. He concludes, therefore, that in an organisational context, leaders need to maintain a harmonious environment in which employees willingly accept their duties. Ip adds that leaders’ credibility is strengthened by a commitment to continual self-improvement, with the aim of achieving the status of junzi, or person of exemplary moral character .

It also comes across as a bit lazy and uncritical to rely onthe views of one author.

However, this puts a lot of emphasis on the author, rather than on the real topic of the paragraph (Confucianism).

Academic writing is more credible when it containscitations from a range of expert sources on the topic.

This shows the student has read widely, has understood what they’ve read, and is able to select relevant information to produce a coherent interpretation of the topic.

Example of a well-researched and coherent paragraph

In contrast to Fayol’s pragmatism, Confucianism is a philosophical and ethical approach to the maintenance of social stability (de Bettignies, Ip, Bai, Habisch, & Lenssen, 2011). Social relationships are categorised into five types: emperor-subject, father-son, husband-wife, older-young brother, and friend-friend (Li, 1984). Leadership is central to all of these relationships because society is viewed as hierarchical, with each member typically having power over some, while being subservient to others. The potential for power struggles means that harmony is seen as a key objective in order to secure the sustainability of the society (Ip, 2009; Zhang, Lin, Nonoka, & Beom, 2005). Therefore, in an organisational context, leaders need to maintain a harmonious environment in which employees willingly accept their duties (Tsui, Wang, Xin, Zhang, & Fu, 2004). Their credibility is strengthened by a commitment to continual self-improvement, with the aim of achieving the status of junzi, or person of exemplary moral character (Ip, 2009).

This shows the student has read widely, has understood what they’ve read, and is able to select relevant information to produce a coherent interpretation of the topic.

HOW TO FIND RELEVANT ARTICLES

USING DISCOVER

USING DATABASES

USING REFERENCE LISTS

USING DISCOVER

USING REFERENCE LISTS

USING DATABASES

RESULTING ARTICLES

HOW TO MAKE NOTES

Look especially in introduction, discussion and conclusion sections of articles to identify key ideas on your topic.

Make brief notes as much as possible in your own words, from memory and include the reference.

4 major features: social hierarchy, obedience, balance and give and take Tsui et al., 2004

Example 1

Using my own words in my notes (instead of ‘cut and paste’) means that I can write without risk of plagiarism.

Original text

My note

Example 2

Original version

social harmony = basis of stable society – depends on people showing respect and accepting norms and position in society

My note

Zhang, Lin, Nonoka, & Beom, 2005

Example 3

Confucianism = philosophical & ethical / system / guides social behaviour / supports stable government

(de Bettignies, Ip, Bai, Habisch, & Lenssen, 2011

Original text

My note

Example 4

Junzi = exemplary individual – committed to behaving ethically

(Ip, 2011)

Original text

My note

Build up a single set of notes divided into themes and add notes from different articles under the same theme

Qualities of Confucian leader

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Arvey, Dhanaraj, Javidan, & Zhang)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Fernandez)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Lang, Irby, & Brown)

Basic features of Confucianism

philosophical & ethical / system / guides social behaviour / supports stable government


based on education / self-disciplineFernandez, 2004

based on virtue, ritual, obedience & hard workLi & Tsui, 2015

4 major features: social hierarchy, obedience, balance and give and take Tsui et al., 2004

Example

HOW TO WRITE SENTENCES FROM NOTES

You need to select the ideas you want to include.

Expand your notes into sentences.

Start with the more general idea as your topic sentence – and link it to the topic of the previous paragraph.

Confucianism = philosophical & ethical / system / guides social behaviour / supports stable government


In contrast to Fayol’s pragmatism, Confucianism is a philosophical and ethical approach to the maintenance of social stability (de Bettignies, Ip, Bai, Habisch, & Lenssen, 2011).

My note

My sentence

You can be creative when you write from your notes – as long as you keep to the ‘spirit’ of the original.

Example 1

Example 2

Junzi = exemplary individual – committed to behaving ethically (Ip, 2011)

My note

Their credibility is strengthened by a commitment to continual self-improvement, with the aim of achieving the status of junzi, or person of exemplary moral character (Ip, 2009).

My sentence

Of course, individual sentences do not in themselves make an effective paragraph.

There has to be ‘flow’ ….

…. and that’s the topic of next week’s workshop.

SUMMARY

• For more advice and resources, look under ‘Academic Support’ on Stream and tinyurl.com/masseylibraryworkshops

• Visit us in the Centre for Teaching and Learning on Level 3 of the library.

• Come to the next session ‘Firstly, secondly, stop’ at the same time next week.

This session has covered:How to cite other authors’ work

How to find relevant articles

How to make notes from articles

How to write a paragraph based on notes_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

in other words

Education