Research Matters: Overcoming Fear of Plagiarizing

Research Matters: Overcoming Fear of Plagiarizing

Key Concepts in Paraphrasing and Summarizing

  • Understanding Definitions:
    • Plagiarism: The act of using someone else’s work, ideas, or intellectual property without proper attribution. Overcoming the fear of plagiarizing requires effective skills in paraphrasing, summarizing, and note-taking.

Steps for Effective Engagement with Sources

  1. Annotate the Source:

    • Underline or highlight the thesis or main ideas of the text.
    • For longer pieces, creating an outline can be beneficial.

  2. Write Main Claims:

    • Draft the main claims from the source without looking at the text. This encourages retention and understanding of the material.

  3. Summarize Supporting Paragraphs:

    • For each group of supporting paragraphs, write a one- or two-sentence summary in your own words. This synthesis is crucial for understanding the argument structure.

  4. Combine Sentences into a Paragraph:

    • After summarizing, combine your sentences into a cohesive paragraph.
    • Edit to eliminate repetition and use transitions effectively, ensuring logical connections between sentences are clear.

  5. Check the Summary Against the Source:

    • Compare your final draft to the original source. Ensure that the wording and sentence structures are fresh.
    • If similarities are evident, it may indicate a lack of understanding, necessitating a re-read and revision of the draft to eliminate patchwriting.

Example of an Effective Summary

  • Source Passage:
    • Before exploring these connections, webcomics must be more clearly defined. Many people are only familiar with webcomics through Scott McCloud’s explanation in "Reinventing Comics," wherein he takes on the role of a spokesperson for webcomics. While McCloud provided an initial study of webcomics, this paper does not function within a McCloudian framework where he discusses their potential to revolutionize comics production. This paper distinguishes webcomics from inflated claims regarding the internet as an inherently radical medium for comics. Critiques of McCloud’s assertions regarding the liberatory nature of the internet have been highlighted by other scholars, such as Gary Groth in "McCloud Cuckoo Land."
    • This argument does not assert that the internet offers a superior comic medium, devoid of the "tiny boxes" and "finite canvases" that McCloud finds problematic. Additionally, it acknowledges that the internet does not offer an equal playing field liberated from corporate monopolization, contradicting McCloud’s vision of a smooth ascent from selling ten comics to ten million. Despite these limitations, it posits that digital technology opens new avenues for aesthetic experimentation for comic artists and provides some creators with successes unattainable without the internet for distribution.
Citation
  • Source Citation:
    • Fenty, S., et al. “Webcomics: The Influence and Continuation of the Comix Revolution.” ImageTexT, vol. 1, no. 2, 2004, par. 2, www.english.ufl.edu/imagetext/archives/v1_2/group/.

Additional Notes

  • Transitions: Further guidance on transitions can be found on pages 61–62 of the reference material.
  • Citing Sources: For citations, refer to pages 318, 319, 339–40, and 403–4 for proper placement of signal phrases and page references.