Summarizing Script 19

A summary contains the main ideas of the original document. Depending on the method of development used by the writer, it might include major examples. Sometimes a summary contains indirect quotation, but it usually does not contain direct quotation. Therefore, do not use direct quotation of the original wording.

A summary should be written in your own words. You should not use the original wording. Instead, you should read the original article, book, report, and so on carefully in order to understand the author’s ideas. Make an outline of the text in your own words. Use phrases in the outline. Then use your own words to say what the author wrote.

A summary contains the attitude and opinion of the author, so do not let your opinion interfere with the ideas you are summarizing. Also, do not add any ideas to the summary that are not in the text being summarized. Do not elaborate with details not used in the original passage.

A summary should be concise, accurate, clearly written, complete, and well organized. It should also reflect your ability to understand the meanings of words, the author's attitude, and any implied meanings.

In a summary, never criticize or judge the writer in any way. A summary is not a critique, response, or editorial.

(Leonhard, B. (2003) Discoveries in Academic Writing, University of Missouri-Columbia)

Plagiarism Script 20 Part 1

Plagiarism can happen for many reasons.

Deliberate plagiarism.

1. This is when you make the decision to steal someone else's work. For example, this could be either: because you do not have the time to do the work yourself;

2. because you do not have the energy to do the work yourself;

3. because you think your lecturer will not notice;

4. because you think your lecturer will not care;

5. or, perhaps, because you are not able to do the work yourself.

(http://www.uefap.com/writing/exercise/plagiar/plagex1.htm)

Part 2

Plagiarism can involve:

1. copying another student's work;

2. copying another person's work from a book or a journal;

3. copying another person's work from a web-site;

4. asking another person to do the work for you;

5. downloading the complete text from the Internet;

6. buying the text from the Internet;

7. or even paying for someone to do the work for you.

In all cases, if you do not do the work yourself, you are unlikely to learn from it. It is therefore not useful and a waste of your time. Do not do this. There are many ways your lecturer can check whether or not you have plagiarized. It is not worth the risk.

(http://www.uefap.com/writing/exercise/plagiar/plagex1.htm)

Part 3

This is when you accidentally, through carelessness or lack of skill, use another person's words without acknowledging it. This can happen for several reasons:

1. you do not know that you must not copy a person's words directly;

2. you do not have the skill for expressing another person's ideas in your own words;

3. you do not know the correct systems for indicating that you are using another person's words or ideas;

4. when you take notes from a book or journal, you copy out some sections and do not make this clear in your notes. Later when you re-read the notes, you forget that they are not your words or ideas;

5. you forget to acknowledge another person's words or ideas;

6. you do not have time to include the acknowledgments and list of references;

7. you feel your written work is not good enough;

8. you borrow your friend's notes, not realizing that some of the words are plagiarized.

(http://www.uefap.com/writing/exercise/plagiar/plagex1.htm)