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Academic Writing and Citation

Research Skills

Useful for: UGC NET, CSIR NET, Central Univ./IIT/NIT Faculty, OPSC Assistant Professor, OPSC PGT, OSSC Art Education Instructor, OSSC Economics, OSSC English

and 9 more exams

OSSC Foundation Course, OSSC Geography, OSSC History, OSSC Mathematics, OSSC Odia, OSSC Physical Education Instructor, OSSC Political Science, SSB Lecturer / PGT, SSB Lecturer (Degree Colleges)

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Overview

Academic writing presents research clearly and honestly, following a standard structure and proper citation.

Key points

  • The IMRaD structure: introduction, methods, results and discussion.
  • An abstract summarises the purpose, method, findings and conclusion briefly.
  • Citation styles include APA and MLA.
  • Plagiarism — using others’ words or ideas without credit — is serious misconduct.
  • Use a formal, objective and precise style.
  • Discuss limitations and suggestions for further research.

Explanation

  • Paraphrase and cite rather than copy.
  • Keep tables and figures numbered and labelled.
  • Peer review checks quality before publication.
  • Predatory journals should be avoided.
  • Use consistent tense and terminology.

Step by step

  1. Identify the concept, method or policy asked.
  2. Recall the definition, thinker, year or rule.
  3. Apply it to the situation and eliminate extreme options.

Examples

  • Copying a paragraph with citation but without quotation marks → still improper.
  • An abstract that states purpose, sample, method and key findings in 200 words → good abstract.
  • A discussion that compares findings with earlier studies → proper discussion.

Traps and advanced points

  • Trap: Missing citations.
  • Trap: Overlong abstracts.
  • Trap: Results mixed with opinions.

Quick revision

  • IMRaD.
  • APA, MLA.
  • Plagiarism is misconduct.

Practice MCQs

  1. IMRaD stands for —

    1. Index, Material, Review and Data
    2. Ideas, Models, Reasons and Debate
    3. Introduction, Material, Report and Data
    4. Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion

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    Show answer

    Answer: (d) Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion. Standard research paper structure.

  2. An abstract should summarise —

    1. only the title
    2. only references
    3. only acknowledgements
    4. purpose, method, findings and conclusion

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    Answer: (d) purpose, method, findings and conclusion. It is a brief overview of the whole study.

  3. Using others’ words or ideas without credit is —

    1. plagiarism
    2. paraphrasing
    3. annotation
    4. citation

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    Answer: (a) plagiarism. Plagiarism is academic misconduct.

  4. APA and MLA are —

    1. journals
    2. citation styles
    3. statistical tests
    4. research designs

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    Answer: (b) citation styles. They are referencing formats.

  5. Copying a paragraph with a citation but without quotation marks is —

    1. paraphrasing
    2. required
    3. acceptable
    4. still improper

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    Answer: (d) still improper. Exact words need quotation marks.

  6. The discussion section mainly —

    1. lists raw data only
    2. gives the title
    3. thanks funders
    4. interprets results and compares with earlier studies

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    Answer: (d) interprets results and compares with earlier studies. Discussion explains meaning.

  7. Peer review is used to —

    1. check quality before publication
    2. print journals
    3. pay authors
    4. translate papers

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    Answer: (a) check quality before publication. Experts evaluate submissions.

  8. Academic writing style should be —

    1. full of slang
    2. vague
    3. informal and emotional
    4. formal, objective and precise

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    Answer: (d) formal, objective and precise. Formal and precise language is expected.

  9. Limitations of a study should be —

    1. invented
    2. ignored
    3. hidden
    4. honestly stated

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    Answer: (d) honestly stated. Honest reporting includes limitations.

  10. Journals that publish without proper review for a fee are called —

    1. open textbooks
    2. indexes
    3. predatory journals
    4. peer-reviewed journals

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    Answer: (c) predatory journals. Predatory journals should be avoided.

More topics in this chapter

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