Writing up your research

14:00 pm:: 

14:00 pm: The write stuff: Writing up your research

Outline: 

Outline Making effective notes Preparing an outline Reports versus essays Tips and techniques

Making Effective Notes: 

Making Effective Notes (P) Review – What are we covering today? What do I already know? Record – Brief notes – ideas not exact words. Look for structures. Recall – Don’t leave your notes until exam/assignment time. Review them at the end of the day/week and when you pursue recommended reading

(P)review:: 

(P)review: Read or skim relevant assigned readings for main ideas and content-specific vocabulary. Review the previous lecture before the next one begins. Check the course syllabus and lesson objectives to see where you've been and what is coming up. Improve your physical and mental alertness (fatigue, hunger, location in the classroom). Come prepared with paper, pens, highlighters, pencils, notebooks, etc. Be ready to listen and learn.

Record: : 

Record: 1. Arrive in good time 2. Relate main ideas to the assigned topic. 3. Connect new information with your prior knowledge 4. When distracted, re-focus as quickly as possible. 5. Look to speaker for verbal and visual clues. 6. Listen carefully to introductions and conclusions. 7. What if I don't understand a concept? Ask questions. 8. Take notes as complete thoughts. Abbrev., reduce and s-i-m-p-l-i-f-y. 9. Make your notes easy to read. Use dark-coloured ink and write legibly. 10. Mark key ideas and important vocabulary 11. Include diagrams or other important visuals. 12. Listen for key phrases e.g. "The three main reasons"

Recall: : 

Recall: 1. Edit and review your notes ASAP after the lecture (within 24 hours). 2. Identify …and fill in… missing information 3. Highlight or underline key points or important vocabulary. 4. Reduce the notes to main points or key questions. 5. Phrase key facts or ideas into your own words. 6. Reflect on how your notes relate to previous learning. 7. Review your notes regularly (weekly) and cumulatively. 8. Periodically look for shared main themes over several lectures. 9. Summarise each main concept. 10. Answer previous exam questions.

Preparing an outline: 

Preparing an outline Producing a skeleton or structure using Bulletpoints, Sentences or Concepts e.g. Topical Outline in Chronological Order Topical Outline in Expanded Idea Order Concept Map

Topical Outline in Chronological Order: 

Topical Outline in Chronological Order Subject: The Effect of the Car on the Development of Roads Thesis statement: Improved engineering and increased use of cars has led to the construction of many miles of trunk roads and motorways. Early cars Number per capita population Speed and power Purposes for which used B. Early roads Miles constructed Materials used Amount of use C. Modern cars Number per capita population Speed and power Purposes for which used Travel to work Pleasure Transportation of goods Schoolhouses D. Modern highways Miles constructed Materials and methods used Amount of use E. Relation between development of cars and development of roads

Topical Outline in Expanded Idea Order: 

Topical Outline in Expanded Idea Order Subject: Solar Energy Thesis statement: The sun is a source of energy which should be utilized as a practical method for relieving the energy crisis. I. Amount of energy produced by the sun A. In varied parts of the country B. In all weather conditions II. Available methods for harnessing the sun's energy A. Description of methods B. Purposes for which used III. The practicality of using solar energy A. Cost of development B. Cost of installation C. Cost of maintenance IV. Comparison with other available methods A. As to cost B. As to availability C. As to future availability and needs V. Conclusion

Concept Map: 

Concept Map

Reports versus Essays: 

Reports versus Essays An ESSAY evaluates or weighs up a topic - you examine a statement, concept, or situation to test its value, to find its strengths and weaknesses. When you have weighed up the facts you come to a conclusion called a thesis. Linkages between sections and paragraphs are made through linking phrases. A REPORT is a structured written presentation directed to interested readers in response to some specific purpose, aim or request. Generally reports give an account of something, answer a question, or offer a solution to a problem. Reports use sub-headings to introduce sections, and extra sections e.g. ","terms of reference", "executive summary” and "recommendations”.

Exercise – Report or Essay?: 

Exercise – Report or Essay? Produce a summary of what you have learnt during your module, based on notes you have taken, for presentation to your line manager at work. [REPORT] “The NHS is overly dependent on foreign labour.” Discuss. [ESSAY] Examine the relationship between government policy and the rhetoric used by the Department of Health. [REPORT/ESSAY – depends upon how analytical it is] Conduct a critical evaluation of the role of telemedicine within a specialty of your choice. [REPORT] “Freud: Eggs and Bacon – the role of philosophy and reproduction in psychotherapy” [ESSAY]

Tips and Techniques: 

Tips and Techniques Accuracy Brevity Clarity

How to write a bad assignment - 1: 

How to write a bad assignment - 1 Assume that your tutor knows everything you know You know your contribution So they know So you don’t need to write at all And your tutor should be able to Read between The lines!

How to write a bad assignment - 2: 

How to write a bad assignment - 2 Don’t provide context Don’t define the problem – Don’t provide premises Don’t describe previous work/don’t compare to previous work Write purely descriptive paper I did this, I did that, and I did the other Spend 23 pages on detail Don’t discuss alternative choices or comment on results Don’t provide take-home messages Be obscure Use kgs of acronyms Change notations through the paper Use footnotes more than text*# After all you mustn’t give the reader too easy a ride!

Call a spade…: 

Call a spade… An instrument for the manipulation of matter Can you identify the following?: A research team proceeded toward the apex of a natural geologic protuberance, the purpose of their expedition being the procurement of a sample of fluid hydride of oxygen in a large vessel, the exact size of which was unspecified. One member of the team precipitately descended, sustaining severe fractural damage to the upper cranial portion of his anatomical structure. Subsequently, the second member of the team performed a self-rotational translation oriented in the direction taken by the first member.

A clue!: 

A clue!

Some useful tips….1: 

Some useful tips….1 1 Make sure each pronoun agrees with their antecedent. 2 Just between you and I, the case of pronoun is important. 3 Watch out for irregular verbs which have crope into English. 4 Verbs has to agree in number with their subjects. 5 Don't use no double negatives. 6 Being bad grammar, a writer should not use dangling modifiers. 7 Join clauses good like a conjunction should. 8 A writer must be not shift your point of view. 9 About sentence fragments. 10 Don't use run-on sentences you got to punctuate them.

Some useful tips….2: 

Some useful tips….2 11 In letters essays and reports use commas to separate items in series. 12 Don't use commas, which are not necessary. 13 Parenthetical words however should be enclosed in commas. 14 Its important to use apostrophes right in everybodys writing. 15 Don't abbrev. 16 Check to see if you any words out. 17 In the case of a report, check to see that jargon-wise, it's A-OK. 18 As far as incomplete constructions, they are wrong. 19 About repetition, the repetition of a word might be really effective repetition - take, for instance the repetition of Abraham Lincoln.

Some useful tips….3: 

Some useful tips….3 20 In my opinion, I think that an author when he is writing should definitely not get into the habit of making use of too many unnecessary words that he does not really need in order to put his message across. 21 Use parallel construction not only to be concise but also clarify. 22 It behooves us all to avoid archaic expressions. 23 Mixed metaphors are a pain in the neck and ought to be weeded out. 24 Consult the dictionery to avoid mispelings. 25 To ignorantly split an infinitive is a practice to religiously avoid. 26 At the end of the day, avoid cliches.

Producing Accurate Manuscripts: 

Producing Accurate Manuscripts Don’t just use a spell check programme – use a human checker too e.g. randomised controlled trails and meat-analysis Do use Headings function (MSWord) Do use Reference management software (see following presentation)

Some References: 

Some References Albert, T. (2000) A-Z of Medical Writing..BMJ. Cook R. (1999)The writer’s manual: a step-by-step guide for nurses and other health professionals Radcliffe Medical Press. Greetham B (2001). How to Write Better Essays (Palgrave Study Guides). Palgrave Macmillan Paperback. Hall GM (ed) (2003). How to write a paper. 2nd ed. BMJ. Mounsey C (2002) One Step Ahead: Essays and Dissertations Oxford University Press. Paperback. Redman P. (2001)Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide. Sage Publications Ltd Paperback. Thomas, S. A. (2000). How to write health sciences papers, dissertations, and theses. Edinburgh; Churchill Livingstone. Williams, D. (2002). Writing skills in practice : a practical guide for health professionals. Philadelphia, PA, Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

14:30 Avoiding the plague of plagiarism: good practice in acknowledging others: 

14:30 Avoiding the plague of plagiarism: good practice in acknowledging others

What is plagiarism?: 

What is plagiarism? Plagiarism is “passing off others’ work as your own, whether intentionally or unintentionally, to your benefit. The work can include ideas, compositions, designs, images, computer code, and, of course, words”.

Why is it important?: 

Why is it important? “Any attempt by a student to gain unfair advantage over another student in the completion of an assessment, or to assist someone else to gain an unfair advantage, is cheating. Cheating undermines the standards of the University’s awards and disadvantages those students who have attempted to complete assessments honestly and fairly. It is an offence against the values of the academic community of which students and staff are both part………“

Tackling Plagiarism: 

Tackling Plagiarism Detection {Ongoing} Looking out for changes in style “Googling” a student’s suspect phrases Using Plagiarism Detection Software Prevention {Preferred} Teaching everyone what plagiarism is Ensuring all students complete a formative assignment Remedial {Time-consuming} Disciplinary procedures/possible expulsion Resubmission of work

So what is unacceptable and what is acceptable?: 

So what is unacceptable and what is acceptable? Some Bad and Good Examples

Original, from Frances Tourdefrance (2006) : 

Original, from Frances Tourdefrance (2006) There is evidence to suggest that politicians are far from reluctant to make political capital from the debate regarding the effectiveness of bicycle helmets. When, for example, then Prime Minister Tony Blair was seeking to boost his popularity in 2005 he allowed himself to be photographed, astride a mountain bike, wearing a bicycle helmet. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, an avowed apolitical organisation, placed the photograph of the Premier prominently within their published review of the effectiveness of bicycle helmets and other road safety measures. Even though the “jury is still out” on the Blair administration’s record on road safety, many people were likely to see photos of the Premier in the helmet and make a positive link between Blair and road accident prevention.

Acceptable or Unacceptable?: 

Acceptable or Unacceptable?

Attempt 1 – Acceptable or Unacceptable? : 

Attempt 1 – Acceptable or Unacceptable? Evidence suggests that politicians are far from reluctant to make political capital from the debate regarding the effectiveness of bicycle helmets. When, for example, then Prime Minister Tony Blair was seeking to boost his popularity in 2005 he allowed himself to be photographed, astride a mountain bike, wearing a bicycle helmet. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, an avowed apolitical organisation, placed the photograph of the Premier prominently within their published review of the effectiveness of bicycle helmets and other road safety measures. Even though the “jury is still out” on the Blair administration’s record on road safety, many people were likely to see photos of the Premier in the helmet and make a positive link between Blair and road accident prevention.

Unacceptable Practice : 

Unacceptable Practice  Plagiarism – simple cut and paste – no attempt to analyse, interpret or paraphrase

Attempt 2 - Acceptable or Unacceptable? : 

Attempt 2 - Acceptable or Unacceptable? Evidence suggests that politicians are far from reluctant to make political capital from the debate regarding the effectiveness of bicycle helmets. When, for example, then Prime Minister Tony Blair was seeking to boost his popularity in 2005 he allowed himself to be photographed, astride a mountain bike, wearing a bicycle helmet. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, an avowed apolitical organisation, placed the photograph of the Premier prominently within their published review of the effectiveness of bicycle helmets and other road safety measures. Even though the “jury is still out” on the Blair administration’s record on road safety, many people were likely to see photos of the Premier in the helmet and make a positive link between Blair and road accident prevention. (Frances Tourdefrance (2006), p. 256).

Unacceptable Practice : 

Unacceptable Practice  Still Plagiarism, Despite Citation at End

Attempt 3 - Acceptable or Unacceptable? : 

Attempt 3 - Acceptable or Unacceptable? Tourdefrance (2006) noted the ambiguity of Prime Minister Blair’s position when he sought to increase his popularity in 2005. By posing for a photo opportunity in a bicycle helmet, Blair, according to this author, possibly used the appearance of concern to mislead voters about his actual record on road safety.

Acceptable Practice : 

Acceptable Practice  Successful Paraphrasing

Attempt 4 - Acceptable or Unacceptable? : 

Attempt 4 - Acceptable or Unacceptable? Tourdefrance (2006) noted Prime Minister Blair’s apparent ambiguity when he sought to increase his popularity in 2005. She records that: “he allowed himself to be photographed, astride a mountain bike, wearing a bicycle helmet”. (p. 256) She went on to comment that: “many people were likely to see photos of the Premier in the helmet and make a positive link between Blair and road accident prevention.”. (p.256)

Acceptable Practice : 

Acceptable Practice  Successful Citation

You should also be aware of:: 

You should also be aware of: Collusion: occurs when two or more people work together to produce a piece of work, all or part of which is then submitted by each member of the group as their own individual effort. Note: Where group work is concerned academic staff give clear guidance to students on the limits of collaboration. Self-plagiarism: If a student copies from or resubmits his or her own previous work for another assignment, this is self-plagiarism, and is not acceptable.

So what are you going to do about it?: 

So what are you going to do about it? Familiarise yourself with good citation practice (e.g. ALWAYS reference sources of words or ideas) Don’t cut and paste (try reading text aloud and then paraphrase in your own words with screen minimised) – then add reference! Follow guidelines in your Student Handbooks and in the study skills module provided

So what are we going to do about it?: 

So what are we going to do about it? Every Masters Student in ScHARR must complete a plagiarism study skills module Every Masters Student will be expected to submit an 800-word assignment to special software for plagiarism checking Every course tutor/coordinator will expect you to have completed this plagiarism task before marking your first assignment

Complete one-off Registration: 

Complete one-off Registration

Then complete password and Ucard procedure: 

Then complete password and Ucard procedure Six – 12 characters long; Alphanumeric – at least 1 number When asked DON’T Enter Your Name – enter your Ucard number followed by course e.g. your first name: 1459328 your last name: Psychotherapy Studies (Preserves anonymity)

Submitting your work: 

Submitting your work

Slide49: 

Click user login Enter your e-mail and password

Slide50: 

Click the class name ScHARR Students.

Slide52: 

Browse your computer files to find assignment you need to submit.

Reports: 

Reports If icon is Blue – less than 20 matching words Green – 0 - 24% Yellow – 25 – 49% Orange - 50 – 70% Red – 75 – 100% matching text

Slide58: 

Finally print out your report

Remember!: 

Remember! 24% or below is our test threshold. This means you have to receive either a Blue report or a Green report If you get more than 24% (Yellow, Orange or Red) you will have to resubmit, again and again until you get it right. You should “Include quotes” and “Include bibliography” within this generous threshold.

What you need to do: 

What you need to do Work through the Study Skills Module Complete the Compulsory Practical Assignment (Friday 6th November 2007 is the target date) Submit it to http://www.submit.ac.uk Wait for Originality Report Print out Originality Report, attach to front cover of Test Assignment and Sign Plagiarism Declaration Form Submit Report, Assignment and Form to Course Administrator for your student records.