How to Avoid Plagiarism in Your Practice Exam
Each well-constructed item in a practice exam has a question, choices, a correct answer, an explanation and a reference. The more detailed the question and explanation portion, the better chance the people taking your practice exam will have of passing the real exam and recommending your product to others. It can seem daunting to write clear questions and comprehensive explanations, but it will be easier if you know the material well. As you write your practice exam, there are a few key things you should remember regarding originality:
- Use your own words for everything.
- Avoid quoting directly from sources or the real exam.
- Include quotation marks and references if you must quote directly from sources.
- Provide a reference for each item you write.
- Remember that we reserve the right to check your material for originality.
Use Your Own Words
You can learn or may have learned the material from many different sources, and you now have a chance to communicate that to people who are as eager to learn the material as you were. When you are ready to write the items for your practice exam, be sure to make all the content and material your own.
Additionally, do not rewrite reference material simply by substituting synonyms or changing the sentence structure. Once you have read the reference and understood the concept, you should feel comfortable enough to describe it in your own words. One way to help you ensure that you are writing questions and explanations in your own words is to read through any reference material you have and learn the material. Then set it aside for a day or two before you begin writing the items. Finally, compare your final sentences with the references to ensure that the wording is not too close.
Avoid Quoting Directly from Sources or the Real Exam
As you write the content for your exam, be sure to make the thoughts, ideas and statements your own; never copy material from the real exam or from a reference. If you must quote sources in order to clearly communicate the information, see the following section.
Include Quotation Marks and References
If you must quote lines directly from a reputable reference, you may do so only if you include quotation marks around the quoted text, attribute the content to its original author, and include the reference from which you obtained the quotation in the Reference section below the explanation. However, quoting lines directly from a reference should be avoided if possible, and it usually can be.
Provide a Reference
Make sure that you include at least one reference that supports the correct answer to the question. Likewise, if you have used another reference to help you learn and communicate the information, make sure that you include that reference as well; references to Web pages can be hyperlinked in the Reference section of the document.
Expect Boson to Check Your Material
At Boson, we want to maintain the reputation of writing and publishing original material and not copying from other writers; therefore, we will ensure that your material is checked against the references you provide and other references. We strive to maintain a good reputation, and we are dedicated to promoting that throughout the Boson Marketplace exams as well. We may request that you fix any issues we find, or we may remove or deactivate items if necessary. We reserve the right to refuse to publish a product if it contains materials copied directly from sources without being referenced or attributed.
Once you know the material, you should be able to clearly and concisely communicate it in your own words. You can then read through your work, ensure that it is clear, original and free from typos and ambiguities, and put it on the market.
References:
Hacker, Diana: A Writer’s Reference, Fifth Edition: pp. 331–334, 383–386, 419–422
Purdue Online Writing Lab: Avoiding PlagiarismiThenticate: Plagiarism Detection and Prevention Blog: 5 Common Excuses for Plagiarism