Open book exams can be a trap for incautious students. The good thing about open book exams is that you can refer to anything you get hold of while taking the exam. However, this is also where problems lie. You should not copy reference materials verbatim; instead, you should plagiarise smartly. Here is how:
You need to rewrite the source texts in your own words using the following paraphrasing techniques together.
1. Use synonyms
Source Text
The diagram below shows the process by which bricks are manufactured for the building industry.
Paraphrase
The diagram illustrates the way bricks are made for the building industry.
2. Use different parts of speech
Source Text
The line graph below shows the consumption of pork in the UK from 2000 to 2020.
Paraphrase
The line graph below shows the amount of pork consumed by the UK from 2000 to 2020.
3. Change the sentence pattern
Source Text
The real estate developers invested over £80 million into the development of a new living community.
Paraphrase
£80 million was invested in the development of a new living community.
4. Change the word order
Source Text
The line graph below shows the consumption of pork in the UK from 2000 to 2020.
Paraphrase
The amount of pork consumed in the UK was shown in the line graph below.
5. Breaking sentences up
Source Text
The aurora borealis or northern lights are bands of colour glowing in the night sky, but this natural phenomenon baffled scientists for centuries, and ancient people thought that they were fiery dragons in heavens.
Paraphrase
The aurora borealis or northern lights are bands of colour glowing in the night sky. Scientists previously were not quite sure what they were. Ancient people thought that they were fiery dragons in heavens.
6. Combing sentences
Source Text
We do not yet understand all the ways in which brain chemicals are related to emotions and thoughts, Nevertheless, what we know is that our state of mind has an immediate and direct effect on our state of body.
Paraphrase
Although the relationship among brain chemistry, thoughts, and feelings is not fully understood, we do know that our psychological state affects our physical state.
Use a combination of paraphrasing techniques
You should make use of different paraphrasing techniques together. Using only one or two techniques may result in paraphrasing plagiarism and Turnitin can find out.
Original Text
36 percent of students concur that lack of parental supervision at home is the major factor contributing to violence in schools.
❌Paraphrasing plagiarism
36% of students agree that lack of parental supervision at home is the main reason for violence in schools.
👍Acceptable Version
Statistics reveal that roughly one third of the interviewed students felt that school violence is resulted from poor parental supervision.
The goal of an open book exam is to assess your understanding, critical thinking, and ability to apply concepts, rather than your ability to regurgitate information. If you follow the above guidelines, you can demonstrate your knowledge while maintaining academic integrity.
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