A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations, Ninth edition - Kate L. Turabian 2018

Guard against inappropriate assistance
Drafting your paper
Research and writing

Experienced writers regularly show their drafts to others for criticism and suggestions, and you should too (see chapter 12). But check how much assistance is appropriate and how you should acknowledge the assistance you receive.

1. 1. How much help is appropriate?

o ▪ For a class paper, most instructors encourage students to get general criticism and minor editing, but not detailed rewriting or substantive suggestions.

o ▪ For work submitted for publication, writers are free to get all the help they can from colleagues, reviewers, and others so long as these people don’t become virtual ghostwriters.

Theses and dissertations lie between these extremes. If you are in doubt, ask someone with authority—your teacher or your advisor—where the line is drawn. Then get all the help you can on the right side of it.

2. 2. What help must you acknowledge?

o ▪ For a class paper, you usually aren’t required to acknowledge general criticism, minor editing, or help from a school writing tutor, but you must acknowledge help that’s special or extensive. Your instructor sets the rules, so ask.

o ▪ For a thesis, dissertation, or published work, you’re not required to acknowledge routine help, though it’s courteous and often politic to do so in a preface (see A.2.1.9 and A.2.1.10). But you must acknowledge special or extensive editing and cite in a note major ideas or phrases provided by others.