13.1 What Makes Writing "Academic"
Academic writing is a regulated conversation: every claim is positioned relative to existing knowledge, and every borrowing is declared. Its signature features:
| Feature | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Formality | No contractions, slang, or chatty asides | "did not" for "didn't" |
| Hedging | Calibrated claims | "The data suggest," "this may indicate" |
| Evidence-based | Claims traced to sources or data | "(Kumar, 2023)" after a borrowed finding |
| Objectivity | Argument over emotion; measured tone | "The method has two limitations" not "the method is hopeless" |
| Precision | Defined terms used consistently | "attrition" defined once, then reused |
| Structure | Explicit signposting and sections | "This section reviews...; the next evaluates..." |
13.2 Plagiarism: The Types
Plagiarism is presenting another's words, ideas, data, code, or structure as your own — with or without intent.
| Type | What It Looks Like |
|---|---|
| Verbatim (copy-paste) | Copied text with no quotation marks or citation |
| Mosaic / patchwork | Copied phrases stitched together with a few word swaps |
| Inadequate paraphrase | Source's sentence structure kept; synonyms substituted |
| Uncited idea | Original argument or finding used without credit, even in your own words |
| Self-plagiarism | Reusing your own earlier submission without disclosure |
| Fabrication (allied offence) | Invented data or fake citations |
Key exam point: citing a source excuses none of the above if quotation marks are missing where words are copied — ideas need citation; exact words need citation plus quotation marks.
13.3 Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarising
| Technique | When to Use | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Quoting | Wording itself is significant (definitions, striking phrases) | Exact words, quotation marks, citation with page |
| Paraphrasing | You need the full idea in your flow | Completely new structure and words, same meaning, citation |
| Summarising | You need only the gist of pages | Condensed core, citation |
Legitimate Paraphrase: A Demonstration
Source sentence: "Habitual multitasking during study fragments attention and measurably reduces retention of complex material."
Plagiarising paraphrase (mosaic): "Habitual multitasking while studying fragments focus and measurably lowers retention of difficult material." (structure and phrasing preserved — this is plagiarism even with a citation)
Legitimate paraphrase: "Students who routinely split their attention between studying and other tasks remember less, particularly when the material is complex (Verma, 2022)." (new sentence architecture, new wording, idea credited)
Method: read the passage, close the book, write the idea from memory for a different reader, then check accuracy and cite.
13.4 Citation Basics: APA vs MLA
The two systems most often taught:
| Aspect | APA (7th ed.) | MLA (9th ed.) |
|---|---|---|
| Discipline | Social sciences, technology | Humanities, literature |
| In-text | (Sharma, 2023, p. 45) — author, year | (Sharma 45) — author, page |
| List title | References | Works Cited |
| Emphasis | Currency of research (year up front) | The text itself (pages up front) |
Book — APA: Sharma, R. (2023). Digital rhetoric in India. Orient Press. Book — MLA: Sharma, Rahul. Digital Rhetoric in India. Orient Press, 2023.
Journal article — APA: Verma, K. (2022). Multitasking and memory. Journal of Learning, 14(2), 40–58. Journal article — MLA: Verma, Kavita. "Multitasking and Memory." Journal of Learning, vol. 14, no. 2, 2022, pp. 40–58.
Web page — APA: Rao, P. (2024, March 5). Understanding citation styles. StudyHub. URL Web page — MLA: Rao, Priya. "Understanding Citation Styles." StudyHub, 5 Mar. 2024, URL.
Whatever the style: every in-text citation must match one entry in the final list, and vice versa.
13.5 Academic Integrity in Practice
- Take citation-ready notes: record author, year, page while reading; mark copied phrases with quotation marks in your notes.
- Quote sparingly — a paper that is 40% quotation demonstrates collection, not thinking.
- Common knowledge (facts in any textbook — "Delhi is India's capital") needs no citation; a specific researcher's finding always does. When unsure, cite.
- Declare tools and help where your institution requires it, including AI assistance; undeclared assistance is treated as misconduct in most modern policies.
- Run your own integrity check: could you show, for every paragraph, which ideas are yours and where the rest came from? That question is the whole discipline.
🎯 Exam Focus
- List any five features of academic writing with examples.
- Define plagiarism and explain four of its types, including mosaic plagiarism and self-plagiarism.
- "Ideas need citation; exact words need citation plus quotation marks." Explain with an example.
- Distinguish quoting, paraphrasing, and summarising. Demonstrate a legitimate paraphrase of a given sentence.
- Compare APA and MLA in-text citation formats, and write the APA and MLA reference entries for any one book.
- What is meant by common knowledge in citation practice? Give two examples of facts that need no citation and two claims that do.