PLAGIARISM + HOW TO AVOID IT • Critical Thinking & Writing • Paraphrasing • Harvard-UTS Referencing • HELPS Services & Programmes

David Sotir - Advisor

What is Critical Thinking? • Presenting a point of view in a structured, clear & rational way • Reflecting on issues in a methodical way, using logic & insight • Drawing conclusions about arguments based on evidence • Identifying others’ positions, assertions & claims • Evaluating evidence from alternative points of view • Weighing up arguments & evidence in a balanced way • Recognising false logic & other persuasive devices • Reading between the lines – understanding subtext

Ask Yourself!

• Concrete fact? • Generalisation? • Assumption? • Expert Opinion?

http://www.ssu.uts.edu.au/helps/resources/writing/critical.html

Activity What (critically analytical) questions would you ask about the following

statement? ‘In the reading test, the five children who were taught to read using

phonics performed better overall than the five children taught using the whole word method. This shows that the phonics method is a better choice for schools.’

Adapted Source: Wallace, M. & Wray, A. 2006 ‘Chapter 1: What It Means to Be Critical’ in Critical Reading & Writing for Postgraduates. Thousand Oaks. California p.5

What’s the difference?

Why paraphrasing? • Paraphrasing is the expression of the ideas of others by rephrasing the original in your own

words. • It is a way of avoiding plagiarism when borrowing from a source. • It is a restatement of the ideas in the original source and includes the same

information/details. Why is paraphrasing useful? • It is more effective than directly quoting from the original text. • It helps resolve the problem of over-quoting. • The process of paraphrasing aids in achieving a fuller understanding of the original text.

Activity

Try paraphrasing the following short text ……………..

Read and paraphrase this text

What do you think about this paraphrase?

Is Paraphrase 1 acceptable?

No! But Why? It is not acceptable because it follows the sentence structure of

the original too closely and simply substitutes some of the words with synonyms.

Is Paraphrase 2 acceptable?

Yes! Why?

Reporting Verbs Reporting verbs can indicate, from your viewpoint: • a belief that the literature is correct • a neutral attitude towards the veracity of the literature (i.e. neither correct nor

incorrect) • a belief that the literature is incorrect.

Harvard-UTS Referencing

http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/attachments/page/UTS_Interactive%20Harvard%20Guide.pdf

Try this ‘Avoiding Plagiarism’ Quiz

http://cfsites1.uts.edu.au/uts/avoidingplagiarism/tutorial/referencing.cfm

HELPS Services & Programmes

• Weekly workshops • Drop-in & 1:1 consultations • WriteNow! Writing support sessions • Conversations@UTS • Intensive academic English programmes • Self-help learning resources

Contact Us

Location: CB01.03.08 Telephone: 9514 9733 Email: helps@uts.edu.au Website: helps.uts.edu.au