FIRST MIDTERM EXAMINATION IN EAPP 11

PARAPHRASING AND TYPES OF PLAGIARISM

SUMMARIZING 1. Word-for-word (Verbatim) Plagiarism –
Paraphrasing Known as cut-and-paste plagiarism.

- Restating text giving the meaning in another  Plagiarized Version:

form. Deforestation should not be a big
- Must also be attributed to the original concern in North America; forest cover
source. is increasing across most of the
- Includes both the main idea and minor U.S.Clear-cutting damages the
details from the text. landscape and leads to soil erosion and
- Saying the same thing as someone else, but water pollution. Cutting down “old
in different words. growth” forest destroys valuable habitat
- Can be spoken or written. and often inspires many protests.

STEPS TO PARAPHRASING Reference:

Esty, D. C., & Winston, A. S. (2006).
1. Repeatedly read the passage to be Green to gold: how smart companies
paraphrased until you have completely innovate, create value, and use
understood what it says. environmental strategy to build
2. Do not look at the passage while you are competitive advantage. New Haven
writing your paraphrase. [Conn.]: Yale University Press, 2006.
3. After writing your paraphrase, read the
original passage once again to check if you  Correct Version: There should not be
were able to accurately capture its meaning. much concern over deforestation in the
By doing this, you will avoid misquoting your U.S., as we actually are seeing an
source. increase in forest cover over much of
4. Check whether your paraphrase has errors the country. The countryside can be
in grammar or mechanics. damaged by clear-cutting, which results
5. Always cite your source. in erosion of the soil and pollution of the
water. People often protest when old
Example: growth forests are cut down, because
valuable habitat is destroyed (Esty and
Original: A group of US researchers has carried Winston, 2006).
out trials on a new vaccine.
Reference:
1st paraphrase: A team of American scientists Esty, D. C., & Winston, A. S. (2006).
has conducted tests on a new vaccine. Green to gold: how smart companies
use environmental strategy to innovate,
2nd paraphrase: Trials on a new vaccine were create value, and build competitive
carried out by a group of US researchers. advantage. New Haven [Conn.]: Yale
University Press, 2006.
3rd paraphrase: Tests on a new vaccine were

conducted by a team of American scientists. 2. Word Order Plagiarism - Writer changes

some of the words of another author to
If rewording is too similar to the original, it’s make the work look as if it were his own.
plagiarism.
TECHNIQUES IN PARAPHRASING
Plagiarism – Act of presenting the words, ideas,
Technique Original Paraphrase
images, sounds, or the creative expression of
Sentence d Sentence
others as your own.

 Plagiarized Version: The future will not see American When

any increase in the catches of wild fish. 1. Change news American
The reality is that third of all ocean fish word form coverage journalists
stocks have already collapsed. or part of is frequently cover
speech. biased in events, they
 Correct Version: “The future will not see favor of often display
any increase in the catches of wild fish. Western a Western
The one-third of all ocean fish stocks have views, bias.
already collapsed (p50).”
2. Use
Reference: synonyms Budget Higher
Taylor, G. (2008) of shortfalls at university
Evolution’s edge: the coming collapse and “relationshi the state tuition costs
transformation of our world. Gabriola p words” level have are due to
Island, BC: New Society Publishers, 2008 such as resulted in lack of
contrast, higher money in

1
 cause, or tuition costs the state seamstresses, gluers, painters, doctors,
effect, and at budget. geologists, scientists, trainers, and
substitute a universities. navigators. Apollo 11 is their story too.
word or
phrase that  Idea Plagiarism:
conveys a When most people think of Apollo 11,
similar the first time the United States sent
meaning. a man to the moon, most think of the
There was a At the three astronauts on the mission. But,
resurgence beginning in fact, there were 400,000
3. Use of of the people who helped man walk on the
synonyms tuberculosis 1980s, the moon— scientists, builders,
of phrases at the start incidence engineers, doctors, etc.
and words. of the of
decade. tuberculosis Summarizing
increased. - Providing an abridged version of the
4. Change Passive Active narrative.
passive Voice: Voice: - Telling the main ideas of a text.
voice to
active and The Over one- Retelling
move entrance third of the
phrases exam was applicants - Telling a story that you previously heard or
and failed by failed the read.
modifiers. over one- entrance - Spoken.
third of the exam.
applicants. Summary/Precis
- Sypnosis or digest of the essence of an
5. Do not Gamma High-
entire text.
change rays consist energy
- Shorter than the original, but must include
concept of high photons
certain ideas.
words, energy that do not
- Can be spoken or written.
special photons have mass
terms, or that has or charge
proper neither are Gamma HELPFUL TIPS IN SUMMARIZING
names. mass nor rays.
1. Read the text you are about to summarize
charge.
over and over again.
2. Identify the main idea of the text you are
planning to summarize.
3. Idea Plagiarism - When a writer paraphrases 3. Put your feet into your readers' shoes.
the passage and includes it as his own 4. Ensure a smooth flow of ideas.
without giving proper attribution. 5. Limit your summary to a few sentences.
6. Do not forget to proofread your work.
 Original Source:
Excerpted from: Team Moon: How 400,00 TRANSITIONAL DEVICES
People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by
Catherine Thimmesh. New York: Houghton To Add: and, again, and then, equally important,
Mifflin Co., 2006, pg. 5 finally, further, furthermore, too, next, lastly,
moreover, in addition.
When those millions of people tuned in
hoping to witness the moonwalk, one thing To Compare: whereas, on the other hand,
they wouldn’t see (or at best might catch a however, nevertheless, on the contrary,
glimpse of) were the nonastronauts, those although, conversely, meanwhile, in contrast.
beyond the glare of the limelight. The
regular folks whose efforts made an To Prove: because, for, since, for the same
impossible mission possible in the first reason, obviously, furthermore, moreover,
place. All the people behind the scenes besides, indeed, in fact, in addition, in any case,
whose ideas and expertise, imagination and that is.
inventiveness, dedication and focus, labor
and skill, combined in one great endeavor— Agreement/Addition/Similarity: in the first place,
on the grandest of all scales—and conspired not only … but also, as a matter of fact, in like
to put man on the moon. Yes, three heroic manner, in addition, coupled with, in the same
men went to the moon; but it was a team of fashion/way, first, second, third, in the light of,
four hundred thousand people that put them not to mention, to say nothing of, equally
there. They were the flight directors, important, by the same token, again, to, and,
controllers, planners, and engineers; the also, then, equally, identically, uniquely, like, as
rocket designers and builders and too, moreover, as well as, together with, of
technicians; the managers, supervisors, course, likewise, comparatively,
quality control and safety inspectors; the correspondingly, similarly, furthermore,
programmers, electricians, welders, additionally.

2
Conclusion/Summary/Statement: as can be  Unclear language (it seems, etc.)
seen, generally speaking, in the final analysis, all  Attempting two topics at once (even if they
things considered, as shown above, in the long seem related). Pick one and stick with it.
run, all these points, as has been noted, in a  Just stating a fact – a thesis is something
word, for the most part, after all, in fact, in you plan to make an argument about.
summary, in conclusion, in short, in brief, in
essence, to summarize, on balance, altogether, A thesis statement should:
overall, ordinarily, usually, by and large, to sum
up, on the whole, in any event, in either case, all  Contain a topic (main idea of what you are
in all. writing about).
 Contain an opinion about the topic (what
your attitude is toward the topic).

 A thesis statement should not be too broad.

Too broad: The world is a magnificent place

to live.
Better: Good teachers make Mountain City
Elementary a fantastic school.

 A thesis statement should not be too wordy.

Example: Wordy: Some problems with Mountain City

Elementary School is that it needs a larger
A tornado is a powerful, twisting windstorm. It playground, an air conditioned gym, an
begins high in the air, among the winds of a auditorium, restrooms connected to each
giant storm cloud. People who have watched a classroom, running water in the classrooms,
tornado’s howling winds reach down from the and a number of other physical changes to
sky have said it’s the most thing frightening they the building.
have ever seen. In some parts of the United Better: Mountain City Elementary needs
States, these windstorms are called twisters or several changes to its facility to make it a
cyclones. better school.

 A thesis statement should not be too

general.

Too general: Mountain City Elementary is a

good school.
Better: Daily writing practice has led to
improved writing skills for the students at
Mountain City Elementary.

 A thesis statement should not be a title.

Sentence Summary: Tornadoes are frightening, Title: Cost of Living

powerful, twisting windstorms sometimes called Better: The cost of living in Mountain City is
twisters or cyclones that start in giant storm lower than in most other cities in the united
clouds. states.

 A thesis statement should not be a fact.

THESIS STATEMENTS
Fact: The average temperature for Mountain
Thesis Statement
City in winter is 34 and in summer is 75
- Main idea of an essay. degrees.
- Often a point you want to argue or support in Better: The climate in Mountain City is ideal
an essay. for outdoor sports.
- Explains to a reader the main idea of the
essay, and the writer’s opinion on that idea. HOW TO WRITE A THESIS
- Usually one sentence. STATEMENT
- Often placed in the introductory paragraph
of an essay. 1. Topic
- Claim that could be argued. The essay will State the topic under consideration. For
contain evidence and opinions that support example: cats.
the argument.

Thesis statements should avoid the

following: 2. Issue

 First person (I believe, in my opinion, etc.)

3
 State the specific issue in the form of a
debating proposition (for something). The
issue usually answers the question “what?”.

What about cats? – Cats should be subject

to leash laws.

3. Position + Rationale (because-clause)

Your topic and issue = your position. Now,
using a because-clause.

Cats should be subject to leash laws

because they are natural wanderers.