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1) Paraphrasingis a practical method used when wanting to rephrase the content of a source. This

technique is useful in preventing plagiarism and excessive quotations. These guidelines might be

helpful in simplifying this process:

Digest the author’s intention- Thoroughly read the original source until the main idea or content is clearly identified.

Once the message is understood, the text should be put away to avoid an exact replica. Begin paraphrasing by putting the general idea into your own words. It helps to use note cards that can be designated for this specific purpose.

Get to the point- Restrict yourself from including personal input into the paraphrase. It should be based on the author’s intention not on your opinions and viewpoints. The source should only be used to assist your argument.

Judge for yourself- Make the paraphrase yours. It should not look like the original. If there exists too much of a resemblance between the original and the paraphrase, then it should be revised. Remember the goal is to restate the message of the source in your own words using your own sentence structure.

Always include Citations-The author of the original text should always be acknowledged. Accurate citation should be provided either at the beginning or at the end of your paraphrase. After the paraphrase, you should include author’s name and page number inside parenthesis.

2) Plagiarism is a form of cheating and a serious academic offence

Using other people’s ideas without reference and pretending that they are your own is known as plagiarism. Plagiarism refers not only to text, but also to other people’s words,data, diagrams, photographs, etc. Plagiarism is taken extremely seriously by the academic community. Punishment can range from a deduction of marks for your essay through to expulsion from the university.

Card27

1) There is no exact definition of critical thinking, however three important ideas – identified the meaning of critical thinking - are as follows:

Challenge:Do not be afraid of questioning what ‘experts’ and scholars have written

about a particular topic. They are not always right.

Consider:Reflect on what you have read, and identify what your positionis. As the second text in part B shows, good academic writing is analytical rather than just descriptive (i.e., it says why and how, not just what, when and where).

Combine:Having read a range of sources, you need to synthesize your ideas. Good academic writing analyzes the issues from all angles and is based on a wide range of evidence and sources.

Critical thinking is much more important in the British university system than in many other countries). In some cultures, it is not considered good practice to challenge the views of authorities and well-respected writers. In the UK, however, a culture of skepticism exists: you are encouraged to test and challenge ideas

2) An argumentative essay-tries to persuade the reader that a particular point of view(i.e., your opinion) is correct. A critique- both summarizes and offers critical analysis of an academic article or book. A descriptive essay-is often set by teachers to test your understanding of a particular topic - e.g., a process, idea or theory. A dissertation-is a much longer piece of writing (usually >8,000 words) which tends to be used at Master’s level. An exam essay- tends to be relatively short and very focused, testing your ability to recall key information An evaluative essay-compares and contrasts the different sides of a topic. It may support one side or another, or else take a balanced overview. Reflective writing-is writing which you do yourself (not for assessment) to remember information and develop your own learning skills. A short-answer question-is a piece of writing, often used in the sciences, which tests your knowledge about a particular concept.