Writing Papers that are too Sophisticated?

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I am currently taking a Composition II class and the Professor is constantly telling people that she can conclude by their writing that they are plaguarizing because it doesn't "sound like them". This is very frightening to me because when I write I tend to write as if my piece were going to be published as a textbook. I don't always write this way; only when I am doing an assignment or composing a letter to an editor or senator. When I was a young child I did talk in a very sophisticated and educated manner until I learned that this was confusing and unacceptable to most people. I deliberately tried to emulate the communication style that I heard most commonly. Should I 'dumb down' my papers? Does anyone else have a similar experience?

Maybe the professor is just showing bravado to scare people off the thought of plagiarizing.

I think it would be highly unreasonable if your professor accused you of plagiarizing without being able to find any source for your plagiarism (accusing you while having no evidence of it). However, people are frequently unreasonable...

I suggest a pre-emptive strike. Before writing or submitting your paper, go to your professor and explain your concerns regarding being accused of plagiarism. In person not in writing because I suspect NT's have a habit of thinking that written communication is less sincere than in person. If you bring the issue to her attention BEFORE it becomes an issue for her, then it should be much easier to resolve than trying to defend yourself.

See, after the event, if you are forced to defend yourself, then it basically means proving the professor wrong. And some people get really stuck up about it and absolutely refuse to admit that they made a mistake, regardless of how ridiculous it is to maintain their claim. Whereas if you talk to your professor FIRST, you are doing HER a favor, giving her the opportunity to avoid looking foolish.

She will probably be quite reasonable about it if you talk to her about it before she sees your paper.

You can't do that! You're bound to get a good grade if you use good language!

Emmetman wrote: "Plagiarise, let no one else's work evade your eyes, remember why the Good Lord made your eyes so don't shade your eyes plagiarise, plagiarise, plagiarise... only be sure always to call it please..."research"." - Tom Lehrer, Lobachevsky

Thanks, everyone for your input. I will go to her. Maybe I should bring some sample work and let her see how I write before I turn in my final paper. I do tend to take on a formal tone.

You're welcome!

I heard the same garbage. However, my teacher said that if a freshman writes like a grad student, then she's suspicious.

turnitin.com is being used by more and more schools to fight plagarism. They put your paper into the system and see if it matches any other papers. Cite your sources correctly and give this site to her if she accuses you unfairly.

Fightingalways wrote: turnitin.com is being used by more and more schools to fight plagarism. They put your paper into the system and see if it matches any other papers.

Yes, some of my professors from my online courses have used this and they show you the report. I had a 1% match to paper written by a student several states away! I swear I didn't copy 1% of his paper!!

When I try to dumb down something that I think is age appropriate, it is still too sophisticated. And I think "why are other 8th graders this slow?!".

Yes, I used to feel guilty because the teacher would, many times, use my report as an example to the class. I felt that this caused people to dislike me and I wished the teacher wouldn't do it.

I talked with my professor and told her that that was how I wrote. There was no problem after that.

Crap, that always happens to me.

I sometimes find myself writing something for school, and then dumbing it down or shortening it because it might sound plaugurized.