How to research for an assignment without plagiarizing.

[Saeros]

My question is basically: How am i supposed to write an assignment that doesn't plagiarize other people's ideas if all of my information is based on other people's ideas? I'm writing an assignment about a particular topic for school. I went to the library, and searched on the internet to find information about this topic, but every time I start writing my assignment it feels like I'm just restating someone else's ideas. I tried paraphrasing the information, but when it comes down to it, the information I'm presenting is still someone else's ideas, just in a different format. How do you write about a topic without just regurgitating existing information in a different format?

 

[Cognisant]

Re: How to reasearch for an assignment without plagiarizing.

Originality isn't the point here, the teacher just needs you to prove that you understand the information, so just read as much as you can about the subject, cross-reference your sources for accuracy, then put it in your own words thus demonstrating how you understand it.

Present the information in your perspective but don't let personal bias affect the integrity of the information being presented, e.g. don't just say <historical figure> was an incredible public speaker, explain why they were (how was their public speaking incredible?) then add some subtle bias by calling it an admirable trait (or play a critical angle and say they relied on it too much, or it made them arrogant).

Don't be afraid to state the obvious, its better to have a pointless sentence than to leave out important information, because you can only loose marks for the latter.

 

[Geminii]

Re: How to reasearch for an assignment without plagiarizing.

Summarize. Paraphrasing is also good. Cite your sources so that whoever's marking it can say "Yep, they did their research." Talk about the conclusions that other people reached, and whether you agree or disagree with them, and why.

 

[Decaf]

Re: How to reasearch for an assignment without plagiarizing.

If you can find a contradiction in your sources, its relatively easy to show you understand the subject at hand. If that contradiction is important, the paper almost writes itself.

 

[mke2686]

Re: How to reasearch for an assignment without plagiarizing.

write down key points then put it all together in your own words...

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

Re: How to reasearch for an assignment without plagiarizing.

In text reference: (Author/Authors, page number (if applicable), year)

Energy is always converted to a less useful form (Smith, pg 28, 1966).

Reference list at end of document

Last name of Author/s, year, title, publisher, city

Smith J., 1966, Thermodynamics, Penguin, London

Smith J., 1966, Thermodynamics, Penguin, viewed 20/10/2004, www.thermodynamics.com

 

[EditorOne]

Re: How to reasearch for an assignment without plagiarizing.

Think of it as merely a need to credit the source of information, specific phrasing, and ideas and concepts. If it's specific phrasing you first put quote marks around it to show you are using the exact wording, then you footnote it by whatever system you're using so people know who said it first. If it is paraphrasing of information, ideas and contents, you merely footnote it appropriately. You can occasionally just cite a person or source within your text, as in perhaps something like this:

The concept of 'an economy' as merely enough money in circulation for everyone to do business was originally described by John Meynard Keynes, although many since have tried to take credit.

That's informal attribution (and also not necessarily a Keynes idea, I'm just creating examples out of thin air).

 

[snafupants]

Peer reviewed journal articles in some subjects (english, history, etc.) synthesize existing ideas into their "original" thesis. For example, one might say, subject A explains this, and subject B takes into account that, but applying [insert "original" thesis idea] to these already understood concepts yields [insert some new/old discovery]. Both steps are necessary because it shows that you understand the material and can assimilate previously encountered ideas into your fancy framework or thesis. Yes, basically it's masturbation on a page.

 

[Latro]

Using someone else's information with credit given is not plagiarism. But yes, it is hard to write papers which are meant to be presentations of facts compiled by others. It is easier to write a paper which is your own argument with supporting evidence from others.

 

[Jennywocky]

Like everyone else is saying:

You have to rewrite the ideas you research so that they are in your own words -- it shows you understood what you read enough to reword it in ways that suit your thesis. In fact the more comments you add where you take what you've read and build on it with your own ideas, the better.

You also have to list sources and give proper attribution.

...It is easier to write a paper which is your own argument with supporting evidence from others.

That's exactly it.

Your paper is promoting your idea, and the other stuff is supporting evidence.

 

[snafupants]

In psychology, and probably other fields, the rule of thumb is not to quote directly from an article unless the words are absolutely golden and altering them in any way would severely cripple the quote, the message. Practically, you can paraphrase just about anything to suit your needs.

 

[shoeless]

personally, i find it way too difficult to take the assignment seriously enough to care how differently i phrase my research.

the only time i ever wrote a research paper and actually like, tried, was last year for my AP english class. my teacher pretty much taught us how to dissect a piece of information so you get just the bare minimum you need to build on, and we literally wrote our papers bit by bit on huge notecards before we compiled it into one paper. that method, however, is a HUGE PAIN IN MY ASSHOLE, so i wouldn't recommend it.

these days i'm much more into the "just do the work, i don't care if it's sloppy" sort of mindset. as long as i get a grade, then shwaaaaaaaatever.