Introduction to the Writing Center

Writing is hard, but we are here to help!

• All Writing Center tutors are NYSID faculty members with extensive writing experience.

• We can help with papers, research, presentations, bibliographies, thesis projects, proofreading, and more!

• Writing Center services are included in your tuition, so you do not pay extra for our services.

Go to the NYSID portal to see the schedule and to make an appointment• Appointments are highly recommended, as this will give you priority

over drop-ins. We will take drop-ins as time allows.• The “Writing Center Scheduling” area allows you to make a 30-minute

appointment within the available time slots. You may book a maximum of two appointments/day (60 minutes).

• If you need a lot of help, or your paper is over five pages, book two appointments (60 minutes).

• Please cancel if necessary.

In-person vs. online appointments• In-person appointments are usually best, especially if you need

more than proofreading.

• Assignments that require major editing or collaboration, or involve a paper more than 5 pages long, should be booked as an in-person appointment.

• Students must complete the Canvas tutorial on the online Writing Center, at least 30 minutes before their appointment.

Do not wait until the last minute!!!

Be sure to visit the Writing Center early and give yourself enough time to make revisions before your assignment due date.

What to bring to your session

• Assignment/Syllabus

• Notes/Outline

• List of sources

• Printed draft, even if unfinished

• Questions

• Ideas

What to expect (and what not to expect) at your sessionWe will help you...

• understand your assignment.

• organize the structure of your paper.

• review rules of grammar and syntax.

• understand how to cite your sources.

We will NOT…

• write, or rewrite, your paper for you.

• promise specific grades or outcomes.

Plagiarism… what’s the big deal?

Plagiarism is theft. It means taking credit for the thoughts and language of someone else, for one’s own benefit. It is never acceptable in academic or professional writing, and at NYSID it is grounds for failure and/or expulsion.

When you use another person’s words, ideas, or concepts in your writing or oral presentations, you must credit the source- even if you rephrase the material.

synonyms: copying, infringement of copyright, piracy, theft, stealing

pla·gia·rism

ˈplājəˌrizəm/noun

1. the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.

Verbatim plagiarism“Verbatim plagiarism” occurs when a writer copies an original source word-for-word, or virtually word-for-word:

Original source: “Natural disasters that were once anomalous are becoming almost commonplace, and the country is clearly not prepared for them.”

Verbatim plagiarism: “Natural disasters that were once unusual are becoming commonplace, and the country is clearly not prepared for them.”

Verbatim plagiarism is the most clear-cut, easily detected plagiarism. It will get you in trouble.

Mosaic plagiarism

“Mosaic plagiarism” occurs when a writer rearranges the sentence structure of one or more original sources but retains key words and concepts, without crediting the original source(s):

Original source: Natural disasters that were once anomalous are becoming almost commonplace, and the country is clearly not prepared for them.

Mosaic plagiarism: The nation is unprepared for the natural disasters that are now almost commonplace.

Mosaic plagiarism is plagiarism. It will get you in trouble.

Paraphrasing without citation “Paraphrasing” occurs when a writer uses the original source’s unique concepts, ideas, or point of view, but with largely different wording and sentence structure. If you use another writer’s unique ideas, even with different words, you must credit the original source:

Original source: Natural disasters that were once anomalous are becoming almost commonplace, and the country is clearly not prepared for them.

Paraphrase: The United States is clearly unprepared for the floods, earthquakes, and major storms that were once rare, but occur today with alarming frequency.

Paraphrasing without citation is plagiarism. It will get you in trouble.

“Common knowledge” and “shared language” do not require citationsWriters do not need to cite sources when including widely known, factual

information, or facts widely known amongst the intended audience. “World War I ended in 1918” (for any writing) or “William Morris founded the Kelmscott Press” (for a design history paper) do not require citations.

Writers are welcome to reuse words and phrases that are “shared language” found in original sources. This means terms that are the most precise or efficient way to communicate, including phrases that are in common use, and/or are standard within an industry. The reuse of phrases such as “LEED-certified buildings,” “invasive species,” and “persons with disabilities” do not require citations on their own.

When in doubt, ALWAYS cite your source!

• When relying on another writer’s words, you must ALWAYS put those words/phrases in quotation marks, and cite the original source.

• When relying on another writer’s ideas/concepts, organizational structure, or point of view, you must you must ALWAYS cite the original source.

• When in doubt, it is NEVER wrong to provide a citation.

• Added bonus: your teacher will appreciate your research, and that and the fact that you are trying to credit your sources.

OK, so what is a citation?

• Citations help the reader identify which ideas are your own, original ideas and which came from another source.

• They show that you have done your research and are relying on credible sources to make your argument.

• They allow your readers to find the sources you used if they are interested in learning more.

• They help you avoid plagiarism.

A citation is the act of quoting or referring to another author’s work.

How do I recognize a credible source?

Use the 5 W’s...• Who wrote it? (Professor, expert, neighbor)

• What sources did the author use?

• When was it written? (Primary v. Secondary source)

• Where did you find it? (Book, newspaper, internet, etc.)

• Why was it written? (Is the author being objective, or offering an opinion?)

NOTE: Wikipedia, retail websites, and blogs (unless written by an expert in the field) are rarely acceptable sources for academic assignments.

Where do I put citations?NYSID classes use the MLA format. This streamlined, readable format relies on a short in-text citation, followed by a Works Cited page at the end of the assignment. Footnotes and endnotes are not used.

In-text citations (MLA style)

Example #1 - Author’s name appears in sentence.

Hellman states that even though many celebrated chocolate, “others associated it with physical debility and even moral corruption.” (9)

Example #2 - Author’s name does NOT appear in sentence.

Chocolate was not considered appropriate for high society, as some “associated it with physical debility and even moral corruption.” (Hellman 9)

End of paper (MLA Style)

Works Cited

Hellman, Mimi. “Of Water and Chocolate.” Gastronomica, Fall, 2004, 9-11.

Szogyi, Alex. Chocolate: Food of the Gods. Hofstra University, 1997.

Wells, Pete. “A Taste Test of Chocolate Bars Made from Scratch.” New York Times 29 December 2015. Web. 26 August 2016. <http:/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/12/29/dining/best-chocolate-bars.html?_r=0>.

More resources

The Writing Center area of the NYSID portal has links to some of our favorite writing-related online resources, including:

• Purdue OWL

• UNC Writing Center

• Met Museum’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History

Note taking and citations go hand in hand!

• ORGANIZATION IS KEY! When accessing resources in the library, scan the title page and table of contents for every source. This will help you with citations.

• When taking notes, start by writing the citation at the top of the page. This way your notes and bibliographic information stay together, and you are never left scrambling to figure out where you got your information from!

• TIP - write the page numbers in the margins as you take notes.

Where do I begin?• You might try skimming or reading the article or

chapter, perhaps highlighting areas that stand out. You may also want to circle some key words that relate to your topic. These key words can also be used for further research at the library!

• When taking notes, paraphrase what you’ve read, so that you don’t run the risk of verbatim plagiarism. If you plan on using a direct quote, remember to write down the page number and use “quotation marks” in the body of your paper.

Outlines - Why bother?One of the best ways to begin writing is with an outline. Outlines help us organize our thoughts and help us to avoid repeating ideas. I often begin by writing down all of the points I want to cover. From there, think about how you might structure your paper to build a solid argument. Are there certain ideas the reader needs to understand before you begin to talk about a specific topic? Then, organize your points accordingly.

Ex. if you have a section on Christopher Dresser, you may want to give the reader some background information about his training in botany and how he was influenced by other design reformers.

Suggestions for finalizing your paper

• Read your work aloud for clarity.

• Proofread your paper for repeated words or ideas.

• Spell check your work!

• Double check your citations, both in text and in your bibliography.

• Stop by the writing center! Even if you are a great writer, it is always nice to have someone look over your work.

TIP - if at all possible, give yourself an extra day before the paper is due to go over what you’ve written.

Writing is hard, but we are here to help!We look forward to seeing you in the Writing Center this semester!

Works Cited

Hellman, Mimi. “Of Water and Chocolate.” Gastronomica, Fall, 2004, 9-11.

“Preparing for the Next Storm.” New York Times. 24 August 2016. Print.

The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 2016.

Silverman, Jay, et al. Rules of Thumb: A Guide for Writing. McGraw-Hill, 2005.

Szogyi, Alex. Chocolate: Food of the Gods. Hofstra University, 1997.