Overall, the incorrect format of references could have been easily avoided if only the students consulted the manual or guidelines.
c. Overuse of direct quotation
Two students had problems with using direct quotation. They used direct quotation in bulk. Here is the example:
As seen in paper 11, the student used direct quotation in an improper way. Instead of making paraphrase or choosing the important words and main idea, he or
she put all the sentences in the paragraph. The direct quotation in the last paragraph was not even put as block quotation. Another example:
Paper 2
Inside the paragraph, the student put two direct quotations in a row without any narration or explanation. It is difficult to understand the flow of the ideas. What
can be concluded from this paper is that the student did not know how to explain the material so that he or she put all the sentences as the way they were and let them
speak for themselves. The problem of overusing direct quotation happened because the students did
not know what considerations lie behind the decision to use direct or indirect quotation. As explained in the theoretical description, direct quotation is only used
when the writer cannot find other words that better describe what the author meant. It is about precise and specific terms and language that if they were altered, they would
lose their essence. However, if the sentences are easy to understand and do not contain specific term or language, it is better for the students to paraphrase or
summary so that the reader can comprehend the material. This problem happened because the students did not have the skill to paraphrase. They become so
unconfident in translating the message into their own words and chose to stick with the original words of the author. To overcome this problem, students can practice
paraphrasing more often and find the guidelines in making paraphrase. Students can also practice paraphrasing in groups to have a peer feedback. Students can review
each other paraphrase and see whether it is understandable and acceptable.
d. Lack correspondence between in-text citations and references
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