Standard 6, Writing

Standard 6, Writing: English Language Conventions

Students write using Standard English conventions.

Grammar and Mechanics of Writing

10.6.1
Identify and correctly use clauses, both main and subordinate; phrases, including gerund, infinitive, and participial; and the mechanics of punctuation, such as semicolons, colons, ellipses, and hyphens.

10.6.2
Demonstrate an understanding of sentence construction, including parallel structure, subordination, and the proper placement of modifiers, and proper English usage, including the use of consistent verb tenses.

Manuscript Form

10.6.3
Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct use of the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.

10.6.4
Apply appropriate manuscript conventions — including title page presentation, pagination, spacing, and margins — and integration of source and support material by citing sources within the text, using direct quotations, and paraphrasing.

Plagiarism

What Is Plagiarism?
“Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s writing without giving proper credit, or perhaps without giving credit at all, to the writer of the original. Whether plagiarism is intentional or unintentional, it represents a serious academic offense” (McCrimmon 499).

What Plagiarism Is NOT
A misplaced comma is different than swiping a sentence or two (or three or four) from a website and failing to include notation (that last name and page number in parentheses above). You will not receive a failing grade if one quotation mark is missing. However, including no quotation marks when direct quotes exist will earn a failing grade. See notes below on the difference between direct quotes and paraphrasing.

Direct Quotes:
You should never include direct quotes which make up more than 10% of your paper. For example, if your entire paper is made up of quotes, proper credit or not, I will not grade it. In fact, if you’re already past the due date for the assignment, you’ll receive a 0 for the rough draft. Writing is not the ability to organize other people’s direct quotes in some new order which still makes sense. You should only use a direct quote when you can’t possibly think of any other way to say what that person said. These quotes are usually famous for some reason or another.

Example: “These quotes are usually famous for some reason or another” (Feller 25).
I included quote marks around the quote, and an in-text notation, showing the author’s last name and page number (if given).

Example: “These quotes are usually famous for some reason or another” (Feller).
If it was an internet quote or an interview, no page number is necessary.

Paraphrase:
Paraphrasing is much trickier than direct quoting and is usually the culprit for earning students a bad grade on papers. Paraphrasing does not mean taking a direct quote and changing 1-2 words in a string of 14-15 words. That is still plagiarism. Paraphrasing means taking someone else’s idea, digesting it a bit, and regurgitating the same ideas, but in a totally different way.

Example:

the original: “Paraphrasing is much trickier than direct quoting and is usually the culprit for earning students a bad grade on papers” (Feller).

the paraphrased:

WRONG: Paraphrasing is much harder than direct quoting and is sometimes the reason for earning students a bad grade on papers (Feller).

Note: Even though I gave credit to the writer of the original and changed a few words, this is still not enough to be considered a paraphrase. Therefore, this example would be considered plagiarized.

RIGHT: Students often earn low scores on papers because of the difficulty in paraphrasing ideas from direct quotes (Feller).

Note: I still gave credit to the writer of the original, even though I paraphrased. If I had not included the notation – EVEN IF I PARAPHRASED – this could be considered plagiarism. Remember, plagiarism means not giving credit to the writer of the original. YOU MUST GIVE CREDIT!

A Word to the Wise
A short word of advice: just don’t do it. ANY EVIDENCE OF PLAGIARISM INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL WILL RESULT IN THE FAILURE OF THE PAPER. This includes using a part of a paper by another person for this or any other course.

I will check your paper and I will catch you if you plagiarize. It will be painful for all parties involved. I will call your parents, and you will earn a bad grade, and you will not like my class any more. So just don’t do it. Thank you.