I read an email from one of my professors today regarding my research paper:
(a) several instances of what would qualify as plagiarism by cutting-and-pasting
from internet webpages in order to form a "mosaic" of text, (b) numerous
instances of missing references to data/information that cannot possibly be of
your own personal knowledge nor of general knowledge, (c) inappropriate usage
of in-text citation and improper paraphrasing
I am SUPER PISSED-OFF.
First, I may have gathered information from the internet and not from "formal and proper" sources, i.e. journals and books, but I did NOT freaking "cut and paste" them!!! THAT IS A SERIOUS BLOW TO ME AS A WRITER! Well, not as professional writer but I do write stories to amuse myself and also, I have this blog. Does anyone who reads this blog ever found an instance where I plagiarised someone else's writing? All of my quoted sentences are cited and linked back to the source. And these were legitimate internet sources... why would I put something that is not true or is not backed-up by scholars???
Maybe it was because for the most part I agreed with what I have quoted. I cannot disagree because that was also my opinion given all the things I read about the subject. I admit I have not properly cited the internet sources since I was in a hurry to finish my paper and forgot. How do I properly agree with the same opinion?
Second, I tend to write and quote/paraphrase first till the end of my paper and after properly cite and source them. There would be instances that I think I might've overlooked some quoted sentences but it was unintentional.
Third, this is the first time a professor had this problem with me. All of my professors, from my undergraduate years up to now (except him), never had this problem. I do not know what is up this one's arse that had him calling out. I chatted with one of my classmates and he received an email too - his said that his paper was too thin.
I repeat I have my own style of writing. Well, not quite since if I wrote as I would normally write, it would have been full of "informal" paragraphs and fiction-style sentences to a point where it wouldn't be considered a "scholarly" paper at all. Why does school have this rigid rules of writing? That one needs to conform to a certain standard?
I don't know what to think anymore. I am so angry to the point that I want to throw things around and total my cousin in a sparring session later.
I need a huge tub of ice cream.
That's a pretty serious accusation.
ReplyDeleteI suggest you email him immediately to clear things out once and for all. Maybe you can email him some of your past research papers so he will understand that that's just the way you write - in your own words, not scholarly. But you know, at the end of the day, it all comes down to how well we followed the standards set by the school on research paper writing. Readers always have differing opinions on the papers we write. It's too bad you need this particular reader to give you a good grade. If that's your aim, then you should probably consider writing it again. And this time, do cite all sources.
The advice is unwarranted but I'm giving it anyway.
Lastly, hang in there. If you can't write the way you want to in your research papers, you still get to go crazy on your blog, and your stories. And on your mind.
That's pretty cool.
I know. I'll revise it if that's what he wants.
ReplyDelete