Common mistakes in academic assignments
& how to avoid them
Cartoon by Matthew Henry Hall (www.matthewhenryhall.com)
Aims of workshop
• Understand common mistakes
& develop ideas for how to
avoid them
• Understand what academic
malpractice is and why it is a
problem
• Learn ways to improve your
writing and study skills
• Meet new people
• Share ideas and learn from
each other
To do this, we will use a learning and
engagement tool called Ketso
Ketso helps us hear everyone’s ideas and get
new ideas on the table. The word means ‘action’
…in Lesotho, where Dr. Joanne Tippett had the
idea in 1995 to develop a hands-on kit…
… to give everyone a voice, as women didn’t
tend to speak in mixed gender groups
Developed in research at The University of
Manchester (it is the only spin-off from ESRC funded research)
Since launching as a social business in 2009:
450+ customers (75+ universities)
Ketso has been used with over 22,000 people
in 48 countries, like Kenya shown below
How Ketso works
Instructions &
Clarifications
Ketso uses ‘leaves’ to capture people’s ideas
Write or draw one idea per leaf, write so others
can read (and the ideas can be captured!)
Remember to use the washable pens provided,
Ketso is reusable – the bits rinse clean in water
Each stage will use a different leaf colour,
and last 10 – 15 minutes
Think then share then discuss – then we can
hear everyone’s voice and capture all the ideas
Avoiding common mistakes – preview of
what the different colours mean
• What mistakes can you make in an
assignment?
• Why are they a problem?
• Why does academic malpractice
happen?
• How can we avoid academic
malpractice & mistakes?
KETSO !
What mistakes can you make in an
assignment? Brown Leaves
• What do you understand by academic malpractice?
Think about it in different contexts.
• How might you (or your tutor) recognise it?
Now uncover the felt
There are themes on the branches structure the
discussion (not limit it) & to spark new ideas
Branches – around core topic (trunk): Avoiding
common mistakes & academic malpractice
The top half of the felt is malpractice
• Plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Collusion with other students
• Fabrication or falsification of results
The lower half of the felt is for mistakes
• Not answering the question or developing an
argument
• Lack of structure & clarity
• 2 blanks for emerging themes
Take it in turns to read out your ideas – one
person reads one idea at a time…
Point leaves at branches – wherever you
think the idea fits best
You can move the leaves & create
clusters of similar ideas
Academic malpractice (top half of the felt)
• Academic malpractice is any activity – intentional or
otherwise – that is likely to undermine the integrity essential
to scholarship or research.
• ‘Academic integrity refers to honesty and transparency in the
ways in which knowledge is acquired and transmitted’ (Hayes
and Introna 2005, 213).
• ‘Academic integrity requires that all writers acknowledge the
work of others and that action be taken if there is any
wrongdoing’ (Hayes and Introna 2005, 213-4).
Plagiarism
• Presenting the ideas, work or words of
other people without proper, clear and
unambiguous acknowledgement.
• Plagiarism includes:
• copying another person’s work
• ‘self-plagiarism’
• ‘essay banks’
• derivation
• close paraphrasing of someone
else’s words/diagram/graph/maps
etc. without proper
acknowledgement (including
lectures, printed material, Internet
and other electronic/AV sources)
An overview of common mistakes
Not answering the question or developing an
argument
• Going off topic – introducing irrelevant information
• Not understanding what the question is asking for
• Not checking what key terms in the question mean
• No evidence to support the points made
• Lack of references to show where the ideas have come
from
• No evidence of your own thinking
• No conclusion to draw the ideas together – the ‘so
what’ section
• Too short – just not raised enough points
An overview of common mistakes
Lack of structure & clarity
• Lacks clear beginning (purpose) & end (conclusion)
• No clear storyline to develop argument
• Not making the structure of writing obvious (e.g.
sub-headings, road map to guide the reader)
• Conclusion makes new points not raised before
• Writing is too long
• More than one key point made in a paragraph
• Repetition of points
An overview of common mistakes
Other
• Not putting sources for images / maps [probably
plagiarism!]
• Missing references in the reference list
• Wrong references for points made / quotes
• Not putting all the information for references
• Grammar / spelling / typographical errors
• Using first person – e.g. I / me [can be a problem – tends
to look less professional]
• Missing deadlines
• Leaving things too late [can be a cause of the problems!]
What else did you come up with?
Why are these mistakes / academic
malpractice a problem? Grey Leaves
Think then share then discuss- so we can
hear everyone’s ideas
Why are these mistakes / academic
malpractice a problem? Grey Leaves
• When you share the ideas, point the grey leaf at the
mistake or the branch it refers to
• Try to get an least one grey leaf for each branch
‘Western’ academic skills?
‘To be successful students need to be able to:
• paraphrase and summarise others’ words and
ideas
• use referencing rules and conventions
• analyse and evaluate arguments and
positions
• structure and order an academic argument
• express personal opinions (based on the
evidence above)
(Caroll 2002, 2).
‘Western’ academic skills?
How do we know if you have learned something
if you don’t synthesise ideas and show us
how you have developed them in your own
words?
Assessment criteria (University of
Manchester, SEED)
1. Breadth & depth of knowledge and understanding
2. Synthesis and critical analysis
Identifies and uses a range of materials (academic and policy) to very good effect and
are highly relevant to the question, very substantial and of excellent quality, from extensive
sources beyond the module lectures/core textbooks, with outstanding critical analysis
and insight and very effective integration with own ideas.
3. Structure, style and argumentation
4. Transferable skills
Excellent writing style and accurate grammar and spelling. Accurately and clearly
communicates key points very effectively with no significant errors. Consistently
references sources in line with your student handbook. Excellent presentation skills
including use of IT databases and other resources
(MSc GUDP Handbook 2014)
Academic expectations
Regulation XVII Conduct and Discipline of Students
Definition of misconduct
8. A student may be liable to disciplinary action in respect of
conduct which:
(k) involves the possession of unauthorised material or the use
or attempted use of unauthorised or unfair means (including
academic malpractice such as plagiarism or collusion
with other students or fabrication or falsification of
results) in connection with any examination or assessment.
(University Regulations 2014 p.38)
Next stage – Table Swap
Table Swap – icons
• What is important?
• Point 5 exclamation icons at the
ideas your group thinks are
important
Table Swap – icons and comments cards
Write why it’s
important on a
white comments
card
• What is important?
• Point 5 exclamation icons at the
ideas your group thinks are
important
Use the white comments cards for
other questions or comments too
Why commit malpractice? DON’T Read
them out, leave them on the table.
• Why do people plagiarise / collude etc.?
• If you have ever done this, why did you do so?
Go back to review at your own table
Avoiding mistakes & academic
malpractice - Green Leaves
• What can you do to make sure that you avoid these
mistakes, plagiarism, etc. ?
• Be creative 
Point the green leaves at the ideas they
relate to. You can create clusters of ideas.
Reasons for
Solutions
malpractice
• Green leaves for more new ideas
How to avoid plagiarism
Read widely
Take notes (correct paraphrasing)
Don’t just cut and paste
When you do copy a quote, make sure you
ALWAYS put it in quotation marks and
put the reference in!
You can use direct/indirect quotes
Attribute sources
Reference properly!
Filtering ideas – what moves us forward?
• Each take a yellow tick icon
• Place it by the one key idea on your Ketso that you
think would really help take things forward
Some more hints and tips on writing
• Start by looking at the question and really trying to
work out what it is asking / assumptions
• Use mind maps / diagrams to get a feel for the
subject
• Talk to someone about the point you are trying to
make – this is a different form of communication and
can help you express ideas differently
• Get started and write something – allow plenty of
time to revise and rewrite (including large chunks of
quotes)
• Reference AS YOU WRITE not afterwards
Some more hints and tips on writing
• Can you find a structure – key themes to organise
the writing – maybe use subheadings
• Look at your writing – what is the point of each
paragraph? What is the flow?
• Does each paragraph make a point? If not, delete/
rewrite. Be prepared to delete!
• Go back to the question – have you answered it?
• Have you set out a road map for what you will say?
• Have you made your own point drawing on the
evidence?
Some more hints and tips on writing
• Does the conclusion pull things together?
(remember not to make new points at the end – if
new points come in, integrate them earlier)
• Don’t share electronic files with colleagues, but do
get together and critique each others’ work
• Just make sure you do some work afterwards to
integrate and make the most of the comments
• Consider using an electronic system to organise
your references – helps you keep track and re-use
them later! E.g. Endnote, Zotero
• Start early enough to allow all of the above!
What will happen to the data after this
workshop?
Closing – Feedback & Questions
• Each table – please share one idea from the
workshop that struck you as particularly interesting
or important
• Any final questions or comments?
• Thank you!
Sources of information
– Excellent study skills site at the University of
Manchester:
http://www.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/studyskills/
– University Regulations (UoM website:
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=10970
– Programme handbooks (SEED intranet):
http://www.seed.manchester.ac.uk/studentintranet/pgt/planning/handbook
s/
– Course unit outlines (hard copy/Blackboard):
https://login.manchester.ac.uk/cas/login?service=https%3A%2F%2Fmy.manc
hester.ac.uk%2FuPortal%2FLogin
References & Further info
• Carroll, J. (2002) ‘Suggestions for teaching international students
more effectively’, Learning and Teaching Briefing Paper, Oxford
Centre for Staff and Learning Development, Oxford Brookes
University.
https://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsld/resources/briefing_pape
rs/international_students.pdf
• Hayes, N. and Introna, L. (2005) ‘Cultural Values, Plagiarism, and
Fairness: When Plagiarism Gets in the Way of Learning’, Ethics &
Behavior 15(3) 213-231.
• Hunt, R. (2002) ‘Four reasons to be happy about internet
plagiarism’, St Thomas University. Available online:
http://www.stu.ca/~hunt/4reasons.htm.
• QAA (2008) The framework for higher education qualifications in
England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Available online:
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Page
s/The-framework-for-higher-education-qualifications-in-EnglandWales-and-Northern-Ireland.aspx
For more info: see www.ketso.com or contact
Joanne.Tippett@manchester.ac.uk (the author of this workshop
plan)
Acknowledgements for developing
workshop
• Dr. Joanne Tippett, Ketso & SEED, University of Manchester
• Dr. Melanie Lombard, SEED, University of Manchester
•
Ann Barlow, Independent Trainer & Ketso Facilitator
• Prof. Roger Barlow, University of Huddersfield, School of Computing &
Engineering,
• Dr. Carys Jones, SEED, University of Manchester
• Victoria Lawson, SEED, University of Manchester
• Jess Bradley, SEED, University of Manchester
• Caglar Koksal, SEED, University of Manchester