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PSY6309 Writing. Tom Stafford t.stafford@shef.ac.uk. Structure of writing session on the MSc. Lecture Today! ‘Lab’, which is optional, 1000-1200 on Tuesday 13 th of October. At this time I will see people individually, if they want (and they let me know) Exercises Writing task
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PSY6309Writing Tom Stafford t.stafford@shef.ac.uk
Structure of writing session on the MSc • Lecture Today! • ‘Lab’, which is optional, 1000-1200 on Tuesday 13th of October. At this time I will see people individually, if they want (and they let me know) • Exercises • Writing task • Plagiarism declaration
Today’s Aims • Plagiarism : Discuss what it is, why understanding it is important and how you can find out more if you feel you need to. • Writing Well : Discuss what it is, why it is important and how you can develop your writing. • Think about if you want to meet for one-on-one consultation about writing. • Submitting declaration on plagiarism and collusion.
Writing • Understanding academic writing is like understanding a foreign culture.
Plagiarism • Plagiarism is stealing other people’s work • “cut and paste” of words, unacknowledged use of ideas or data. • Can be intentional or unintentional. • You are responsible for understanding what is and isn’t plagiarism.
Plagiarism is bad for you • It’s cheating, which is immoral. • It means you haven’t understood what you’re saying. • It means you haven’t adjusted what you’re saying for your particular audience.
Plagiarism & Collusion aren’t… • When you develop ideas in a group. • When you cite or credit a source.
Referencing • When to reference : "acknowledgement; attribution; tracing; validation; protection against accusations of misconduct; and tangential substantive commentary" (Johnston, 2008) • Citation styles: APA 6th Johnston, R (2008). “cf. ibid., op. cit., MLA, APA et al.”Times Higher Education, 18 September 2008. Available online http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=403641 accessed 14/10/08.
Want to know more…? • UoS Student Guidance on Unfair Means • https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/exams/plagiarism • Library tutorial • https://librarydevelopment.group.shef.ac.uk/shef-only/info_skills/plagiarism.html • Ask!
Penalties for plagiarism • You can be failed on individual pieces of work, whole modules, or even expelled from the University. • The Psychology Department has a plagiarism procedure (available in the handbook, or upon request)
Writing Well • Writing for thinking and writing for communicating • Writing well involves consideration for your readers • Avoiding the ‘curse of knowledge’ • Writing well is hard
How to write “The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of one's trousers to the seat of one's chair” • Kingsley Amis
Exercise • To write a summary of Snowball, A., Tachtsidis, I., Popescu, T., Thompson, J., Delazer, M., Zamarian, L., Zhu, T., Cohen Kadosh, R. (2013). Long-Term Enhancement of Brain Function and Cognition Using Cognitive Training and Brain Stimulation. Current Biology, 23, 987–992. http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822%2813%2900486-7
To submit it via Turnitin on MOLE • To sign an return the ‘Initial Declaration on Plagiarism and Collusion’ • [handout] • Deadline: 5th of November, 9am; declaration to my pigeon hole in department foyer
‘Turn it in’ = submit.ac.uk • Automatic plagiarism detection service • Compulsory for submission of work • Always detects some copying • For the exercise you will be able to see how much material is marked as copied, and able to submit multiple copies of the assignment
Questions • T.stafford@shef.ac.uk
Summary/Précis • n. A concise or abridged statement; an abstract, a summary; (also) the action or practice of writing this.
Omit needless words • Strunk & White’s Elements of Style
“This report by Roberts and Pashler gives a thorough review explaining the many flaws of using a good fit”
“This report by Roberts and Pashler gives a thorough review explaining the many flaws of using a good fit”
“This report by Roberts and Pashler gives a thorough review explaining the many flaws of using a good fit” • “Roberts and Pashler thoroughly review the many flaws of the good fit method”
“Style: towards clarity and grace”Joseph M Williams, University of Chicago Press • Keep like parts together
"The article argues that the use of plotting data predicted by a theory against experimental data as a way of testing a theory is not valid"
"The article argues that the use of plotting data predicted by a theory against experimental data as a way of testing a theory is not valid"
"The article argues that the use of plotting data predicted by a theory against experimental data as a way of testing a theory is not valid" • "The article argues that it is not valid to test a theory by ..."
2. Keep parts together • ‘China, so that it could expand and widen its influence and importance among the Eastern European nations, in 1955 began in a quietly orchestrated way a diplomatic offensive directed against Soviet Union’
‘China, so that it could expand and widen its influence and importance among the Eastern European nations, in 1955 began in a quietly orchestrated way a diplomatic offensive directed against Soviet Union’
‘In 1955, China began to orchestrate a quiet diplomatic offensive against the Soviet Union to expand its influence in Eastern Europe’
Strunk & White ‘Use definite, specific, concrete language’ • A period of unfavourable weather set it • It rained ever day for a week
Be specific • “People don’t care about deforestation, they care about trees being cut down” • Hard in science, but do it when you can
Be specific about reference • “The article makes some basic points” • What are they? • “a good fit is done by adjusting the parameters” • Of what? • “A good fit is added” • To what? • “throughout psychology” • Across disciplines, across time, ??
Be clear about voice • You? • The authors? • Defenders of this theory?
Good habits • Overview • Define • State intention • Structure according to logic of argument
Paragraphs • First sentence • summarise • introduce characters • Support • comments, evidence, definitions • Link • implications, connections
Whole piece structure • How many ideas in an article? • Orientation of reader • Planning • keyword • topic • sentence (paragraphs)
Keyword outline • Social Implications of Internet. • Introduction • History of Internet. • Positive Implications. • Negative Implications. • Prognosis for the Future. • Conclusions.
Topic outline • What is internet, how long has it been here? • Why might we expect it to have any social implications? • Positive benefits • Increased access to information. • Reduces isolation. • Contact with others that share similar interests. • Etc
Sentence outline • What is the Internet and how long has it been here? • Why might we expect the Internet to have any social implications? • What are the positive benefits of the Internet? • The Internet offers increased access to information. • It can reduce isolation, allowing people to communicate with others. • It facilitates contact with others that share similar interests. • Etc