UU-ENG-1002-MW

ACADEMIC WRITING

Research Writing and Referencing

Week 6
Part 2

TOPIC GOALS
 Critical reading and writing
 Literature reviews
 Research paper proposals
 What is plagiarism and how to avoid it?

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1. Critical reading and writing

“Critical thinking means weighing up the arguments and evidence for
and against.” (Cottrell, 2008, p. 275)

An unbiased approach is needed when reading and writing critically.

Critical thinking when reading, involves the identification of the

approach and perspective of the writing and the questioning of the
evidence provided.

Critical thinking when writing can be challenging in regards to

objectiveness. It can be very difficult for a writer to critically
acknowledge their own bias and opinions.

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Some important guidelines in order to avoid producing a

weakened paper might be:
1. Be clear about your conclusions
“The whole of the piece of writing should lead to its conclusion: if the conclusions are vague
or understated, all of the writing loses its force.”

2. Have a clear line of reasoning

“If your conclusions are clear, your argument or line of reasoning is likely to be clear also.
The conclusion gives you goalposts at which to direct your shots.”

3. Use evidence to support your reasoning

“Use evidence selectively: too many examples may obscure your line of reasoning. Choose a
few items that clearly support your case.”

4. Evaluate your own writing through critical reading

“Examine your own writing in the same way you would examine someone else’s (…)”

5. Take multiple perspectives

“When you think critically and analyse things from several perspectives, the answer is
seldom a straightforward one of right or wrong.”

(Cottrell, 2008, p.285)

2. Literature review
The purpose of a literature review is very important in any scholarly
paper. It indicates previous research conducted on the specific
subject and helps the reader understand how your work fits in a
broader context.

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“A literature review enables us to see how new studies and research

are rather building blocks, which are laid upon the ideas built by
others.” (Oliver, 2012, p.6)

The most common way nowadays to produce a literature review is to

conduct a search electronically. The main focus would be on e-books,
journals, articles etc. In order to use any material though, firstly you
need to search if the source is credible and academically appropriate.

To define a scholarly source, you need to check if it is peer reviewed

and the date published. A more recent publication is more valid than
an older one.

Other things to look for when choosing sources to include in your

literature review, is if the arguments made in that paper coincide
with the overall line of arguments in your own writing.

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For example, if you will be writing about the main cause of climate
change over the years and the main argument will be the human
factor, the literature to be included should also support that.

It wouldn’t be wise to use literature that supports another viewpoint

as it might cause an inconsistency in your writing.

In any way your paper will follow, the most essential thing is to justify
the arguments with valid examples, and that can only be done
through the literature review.

“When ultimately you have to defend these decisions in your

dissertation viva, remember that there are many different ways you
could have approached your writing, and the examiners simply wish
to understand how you came to your decisions.” (Oliver, 2012, p.59)

3. Research Paper Proposals

A proposal, is basically a descriptive outline, listing in an essay like
text, all the parts in a research paper.

“It describes what will be done, explains how it will

be done, and justifies why the research should be
undertaken.” (Denscombe, 2012, p.1)

In order to write a good research proposal paper you need to know

exactly what you want to write about. The thesis statement in this
situation is essential.

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The reader should have a clear picture on what ideas will be covered.
Additionally, a more explicit and elaborate route should be used for
the topics that are to be developed to support the thesis.

Furthermore, some research should be contacted on the specific

subject that is to be covered prior to writing the proposal, in order to
be able to provide the sources that will be used.

Last but not least, the conclusion needs to be added in the proposal
so the reader will know where the paper leads to. It is better to make
an assumption on how the research will conclude instead of leaving it
open for random speculations.

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Aims What the topic is about and what is the purpose of the

research?

Lit Review What research has already been conducted about the

specific subject?

Research Questions What new information will this research

examine?

Methods What methodology will be used in order to obtain the

necessary information?

Resources What resources will be needed to conduct the

research?

Ethics Is the proposed research socially acceptable?

Outcomes What is the suspected result of the research?

4. What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the act of copying another’s work and presenting it as
your own.

It is considered a serious offense, when writer’s use other sources in

their texts and don’t acknowledge the original author.

It is called intellectual stealing and there are serious consequences,

depending on the situation.

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“When we draw on the words of others, integrity and honesty

require us to acknowledge their contributions. Otherwise, we are
committing plagiarism.” (Maimon, Peritz, Yancey, p.252, 2016)

In order for the writer to distinguish what is acceptable to use as an

outside source and what isn’t, one must understand what
copyrighted and intellectual property is.

“Copyright is the legal right to control the reproduction of

any original work – a piece of writing (…)

A copyrighted work is the intellectual property of the

copyright holder”
(Maimon, Peritz, Yancey, p.253, 2016)

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How to avoid plagiarism?

Sometimes people can be tempted and find themselves choosing the
easy way out. Plagiarism can be tricky, because it can serve as a fast
way to avoid a time consuming or complicated situation.

In order to avoid plagiarising, the best way is to make sure to quote

the passage borrowed and cite it in your work correctly.

There are some steps one can follow in order to avoid temptation
and make sure their work is legitimate.
• When researching for a topic, take record from where you
collected each passage.
• When taking certain passages from other writings, put
quotes on the specific words or phrases you want to use
in your own work in order to avoid confusion.
• Try not to let yourself get carried away in another writer’s
thoughts and beliefs. Using your own words as much as
possible makes your writing authentic.
• When you have to use someone else’s ideas and views
make sure to acknowledge them in your work.
• Maintaining stability and consistency with a specific
reference format is essential.
• When using sources from the internet, an important
element that cannot be avoided, is to add the date you
accessed the specific website.

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• All internet sources must be cited. Even if you just

borrowed an idea you found online.
• In some cases, the original author must give their consent
for using their words in your work.

A checklist you can follow each time you write a piece of paper for
avoiding plagiarism would be:

(Maimon, Peritz, Yancey, p. 256, 2016)

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