Effective Communication and Technology Use in Academics Report

This report discusses the importance of communication and technology skills for students in the academic environment. It details the main functions of word processing packages, including editing, saving, sharing, and printing, and how these functions aid students in their academic work. The report also outlines methods to avoid plagiarism when using website text, such as citing sources, using quotations, paraphrasing, utilizing plagiarism checkers, and presenting original ideas. Furthermore, it describes the main functions of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and the reasons for using Turnitin to deter plagiarism, identify occurrences of plagiarism, and improve students' academic writing skills. The report concludes that technology supports students in gathering information, adhering to guidelines, and producing original work, ultimately improving the quality of their assignments.

Communication and
Technology for Academic
Purposes

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Describes the main functions within a word processing package...............................................3
Describes how website text should be presented in academic work to avoid plagiarism...........4
Outlines the main functions of a VLE........................................................................................5
Explains the reasons for using Turnitin......................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Communication and technology is two most important skills in business world. With the
current changes in the environment of the industry, it is important for the companies to make
sure that they are having capable employees who can communicate effectively and are able to
handle the technology prevailing in the market. The communications skills as well as
technological skills are essential for the students as well. In order to have better knowledge and
understanding about the topics (MacDiarmid and MacDonald Eds., 2021). The students will be
able to have a reach to the better pool of knowledge and will also be able to do their research.
Plagiarism refers to the use of someone else's work without providing proper credits to the
original owner. In this report, the functions of work processing package are provided along with
the way in which website text can be presented in order to avoid plagiarism. The report also
covers the functions of VLE as well as reasons of using Turntin.
MAIN BODY
Describes the main functions within a word processing package
In educations sector, word processor is one of the most used computer application by the
students. It helps the students in storing the information collected by them in computer memory
(Hbaci, Ku and Abdunabi., 2021). The software has the potential to improve the writing skills of
the students and will also help them in storing a large amount of data at a safe place which can be
used at anytime. The revision of the work will become easier as compared to notes contained in
the form of handwritten documents.
The first step in word processing is to create a document in the computer. It is a digital document
which helps the students in writing information with the help of Keyboard, the students will first
start adding the information collected by them in the document and then save it in the computer
to store it permanently in the memory.
The functions of work processor are given below:
Editing: It refers to the function which helps the students in revising what has already
been written in the document. It is important for the students to present their document in a
professional way and with the help of editing function the students will be able to do necessary
changes in their document.

Saving: Not all, but many word processors provide comparing options to students. It is a
big possibility that the students of a class is working on the same topic and are creating different
assignment. The comparing feature will help in viewing the differences present in the document
easily. It can be used in order to make complex editing procedures more streamlined. The
students after making final touches in the document can save the document in computer memory.
Sharing: Since the document prepared by the student is stored in digital format and the
students are able to change the format of the document as many times as they want. It helps the
students in sharing their document with as much people as they want and they can also restrict
editing information in the original document (Galante., 2020). It will help the students in keeping
their documents safe even after sharing it to others.
Printing: Word processor will help the students in making their document into webpage.
The software of word processor, write HTML code necessary to translate the formatting and text
into a file which can be uploaded and will be viewed as a particular and authentic webpage. The
students can print those documents afterwards.
Describes how website text should be presented in academic work to avoid plagiarism
In order to protect the academic work from the allegation of plagiarism, it is important for
the students to make sure that they are adding these following five components in their academic
work. The following five ways to avoid plagiarism is given below:
Cite your source: It is important for the students to make sure that they are citing
sources of every information they are collecting whether from online cite and from any book or
other material (How To Avoid Plagiarism, 2021). It is important for the students to provide
information about the full name of the source, date it was published on and any other citation
element.
Include quotation: It is important for the students to provide quotation marks of the
information taken directly from any source. If a student is putting words in to their assignment
which are not their own then they will have to provide quotation marks on that particular
sentences so that they can avoid penalty for plagiarism.
Paraphrase: It refers to rewriting the information provided by others in one's own
words. Changing the way of statement without changing the actual meaning of the sentence can
help the students in avoiding plagiarism and will also make sure that the students are providing
true and fare information in their assignments which makes them more authentic.

Use of plagiarism checker: In order to avoid plagiarism in the document or in the
assignment of the students (Purser, Dreyfus and Jones., 2020). It is important for the students to
know how to use plagiarism checker so that they will be able to insert their document and
analyse the areas which are having plagiarism and be able to change those areas.
Present your own idea: It is important for the students to make sure that they are
providing their own ideas in the document or in their assignment which will help them in
avoiding plagiarism and will also make sure that they are working according to the guidelines
provided by the university about plagiarism and other misconduct.
Outlines the main functions of a VLE
Virtual learning environment is proved to be a major source of information for the
students. It is important for the students to make sure that they are having knowledge which can
help them in availing proper benefits of virtual learning environment (Borsatti and Blanco Riess.,
2021). In the recent times of pandemic, the virtual learning platforms helps the students a lot in
term of continuing their students and in terms of exploring new courses of education as well. It
helps the students in getting connected with their students without physically meeting. The
following are the functions of virtual learning environment:
Creating whole course online: Virtual learning environment helps the teachers in
creating the course online which can help the students in their studies and provide them
information anytime and anywhere whether the teacher is available or not. It is important for the
students to make sure that they are working and are gathering information from online sources
which can help them in understanding the course more effectively and will also make sure that
the students are having a pool of information from which they can gather important information.
Participate in communication channel and information systems irrespective of
location difference: It is important for the students to make sure that they are collecting
information from every source possible. It is important for the students to make sure that they are
participating in the communication and information orientations and programmes which can help
the students in enhancing their knowledge and will also make sure that they are improving their
skills and knowledge.
Explains the reasons for using Turnitin
Turnitin is an application used by the students and professional in order to avoid
plagiarism. It is important for the students to make sure that their reports are plagiarism free so

that they do not have to face problems in the future (Harwood., 2021) . If the student is guilty of
plagiarism they have to face major punishments as well as penalty in their assessment year. It is
highly recommended to students to make sure that they are using Turntrin so that they can avoid
obligations of plagiarism and can show their true and fare assignments. The major uses of
Turnitin is given below:
 It acts as a deterrent against plagiarism: It is important to understand that the website
is just a tool which can identify the possible occurrence of the plagiarism and hence
teachers are needed to be involved at any cost.
 Provide reports which can help in identifying occurrence of plagiarism: It is the only
tools which can identify the occurrence of plagiarism(Groves and Mundt., 2021). The
originality of the paperwork or assignment is a necessary aspect while providing marking
to students as it is important to make sure that the students has actually done research and
is working without using someone else's work.
 Improve the academic writing skills of students: It helps the students in improving
their writing skills which can help them in their professional life. It is important for the
students to use proper structure of assignment and know the difference between relevant
and irrelevant information.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it is concluded that, in order to improve the quality of assignment
it is important for the students to make sure that they are taking support of technology which can
help them in gathering information as well as make sure that the students are working according
to the guidelines provided to them. The use of information technology will help the students in
becoming advanced in their work and will also make sure that the reports of the students are true
and fare without any plagiarism.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
MacDiarmid, C. and MacDonald, J.J. eds., 2021. Pedagogies in English for Academic Purposes:
Teaching and Learning in International Contexts. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Hbaci, I., Ku, H.Y. and Abdunabi, R., 2021. Evaluating higher education educators’ computer
technology competencies in Libya. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 33(1),
pp.188-205.
Galante, A., 2020. Translanguaging for vocabulary development: A mixed methods study with
international students in a Canadian English for academic purposes program. In
Envisioning TESOL through a Translanguaging Lens (pp. 293-328). Springer, Cham.
Groves, M. and Mundt, K., 2021. A ghostwriter in the machine? Attitudes of academic staff
towards machine translation use in internationalised Higher Education. Journal of
English for Academic Purposes, 50, p.100957.
Purser, E., Dreyfus, S. and Jones, P., 2020. Big ideas & sharp focus: Researching and developing
students’ academic writing across the disciplines. Journal of English for Academic
Purposes, 43, p.100807.
Borsatti, D. and Blanco Riess, A., 2021. Using machine translator as a pedagogical resource in
English for specific purposes courses in the academic context. Revista de Estudos da
Linguagem, 29(2).
Harwood, C., 2021. Active Blended Learning in an Undergraduate English for Academic
Purposes Program. In Cases on Active Blended Learning in Higher Education (pp. 122-
148). IGI Global.
Online
How To Avoid Plagiarism, 2021 [online]. Available through
<https://www.grammarly.com/blog/5-most-effective-methods-for-avoiding-
plagiarism/>