Chapter 8: Proofreading
1. Plagiarism Checking
How to Avoid Plagiarism:
a)
Always ensure you paraphrase
–After
finding information that can be used in your paper, you should read the content
and present the ideas into your own words. For every three or more words that
copied in sequence from a research document, ensure you utilize quotation
marks.
b)
Always cite – Use citations aligned
with the particular formatting guide approved by the instructor to avoid
plagiarism. Inappropriate citation can be considered plagiarism.
c)
Quote whenever
applicable –
Scholars should ensure quoted works are written exactly as they appear in the
source material. When quoting, always include the page number. Most
institutions do not approve on the overuse of quotations. Hence, improve on
your paraphrasing skills.
d)
Citing any Personal
Material
– If you use material that was used by your in the current or a previous class,
ensure you cite yourself otherwise it may be considered as self-plagiarism, and
will not be tolerated.
e)
Add References – Include a reference or
works cited page (depending on the formatting guidelines) as the last page of
the research paper. Only reference works that were cited in your research
paper.
2. Writers’ Checklist
When
you are done with your paper, kindly follow the guidelines below to confirm
whether you have met all of the points required before submitting the work.
a. Grammar, punctuation, syntax
1.
Avoid the use of first
person
plurals (us, we).
2.
Leave
only one space after use of punctuation marks. Also review punctuation marks to
ensure they are used correctly.
3.
Know
the differences between the indefinite articles (a, an) and the definite
article (the).
4.
Avoid use of exclamation
marks.
5.
Avoid the use of the first
person singular (I)
or providing personal opinions except when requested or the assignment is an
opinion essay, personal statement, opinion essays, reflection papers, or
admission papers.
6.
Never
capitalize common nouns.
7.
Avoid asking questions, including rhetorical
questions.
8.
Avoid using the verb
‘says’. For
instance “Jane (2009) says….”
9.
Avoid using
the word like, for example in saying 'like mobiles, tablets...' and
use other more formal words for example 'such as mobiles,
tablets....'.
10.
Use
'For instance....' instead of 'For example.....'
11.
Never use colloquial
terms
or expressions.
12.
You
should never use the empty adverbs such as basically,
actually, really, essentially.
13.
One
should never exaggerate or use hyperbolic words such as huge, magnificent or glorious.
14.
Ensure
that there is subject-verbs agreement in your paper (singular and plural).
15.
Always ensure that you
use the present tense.
Avoid the usage of future tense unless you are talking about future events.
16.
Avoid the usage of the
present continuous tense.
For example, Is thinking
17.
Ensure
that there is verb-preposition agreement in your paper.
18.
Always check all
spellings.
19.
Ensure
that adverbs are used correctly. For example, the use of an adverb inside an
infinitive verb is wrong: He tried to quickly broker a deal.)
20.
Avoid the use of archaic
words or terms.
Some examples of such words are abovementioned,
henceforth etc.
21.
Avoid
the usage of meaningless transition words.
22.
NEVER
use the present continuous tense as the main tense of the paper (is writing,
are thinking). Use the present: writes, think.
23.
Keep
your sentences short. As a precaution, you should only utilize one sentence per
concept. Also, ensure each sentence used is clear and logical.
24.
Avoid beginning a
sentence with a conjunction
(but, and)
25.
Never
overcomplicate concepts.
26.
Use a hyphen when
writing compound words.
For example, self-actualization.
27.
Avoid
repetition of words or syntax in a paragraph through the use of synonyms and pronouns.
28.
Avoid
repetition of similar concepts, thoughts, or ideas in different paragraphs.
29.
Avoid usage of gender-specific
terms.
For example, mankind when talking about humanity.
30.
Avoid usage of Latin
abbreviations
in professional/academic writing. Instead of writing i.e., write what it means
(for example).
31.
When
paraphrasing, ensure synonyms have the exact meaning to the word replaced.
32.
Never write „in order to‟
when you mean „to‟.
Never
use contractions in professional writing e.g. It's
instead of It is, can't instead of cannot etc.
33.
.
Avoid having run-on sentences present in
your work.
A
run-on sentence is a very long sentence (consider any sentence greater than 3
lines of text). The tutor usually deducts marks for the use of run-on sentences.
One should therefore make a habit of fragmenting sentences.
34.
Avoid using the word VERY in your papers.
Ex. Very good, very
bad Look at the attached image, for 45 alternatives to using the word “very”.
a. Formatting
1)
In-text
citations should have the correct form and punctuation depending on the
formatting style provided in the instructions.
2)
Ensure
there is a thesis in the introductory paragraph.
3)
Include
an original title in nine-words or less.
4)
Avoid
justification of text and left align only (unless told otherwise in the
instructions)
5)
Ensure
you format and write the reference list correctly.
6)
Understand
the distinction between the first and surname of an author.
7)
For internet documents,
always include the date retrieved.
8)
Do not include
hyperlinks in your URLs.
9)
Provide adequate support for all facts through
the use of in-text citations.
10)
Always ensure you include multiple in-text
citations from sources referenced for a stronger research paper.
11)
Avoid
the inclusion of an abstract for short essay unless specified in the
instructions.
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