Final assessment ENGL 135

SummarizingQuotingandParaphrasing-135-04.pptx

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Paraphrasing/ Quoting Sources

A Little Advice

Consider this not only help to make your upcoming research paper as strong as possible, but also to help you write an excellent summary.

Once you determine the materials you are going to use in your paper, then you are ready to summarize individual items, putting the ideas you have read in your own words.

Here is what you need to do to summarize your sources. You will practice this in your practice summary assignment in the discussion forum.

Thanks to How to Write Anything for some of this information.

What are we up to today?

Reviewing summarizing and learning citational practices, such as paraphrasing and quoting (although all three are related).

Learning how to discuss what THEY say

Reviewing the objective

voice.

So today I will be Reviewing summarizing and learning citational practices, such as paraphrasing and quoting (although all three are related).

Learning how to discuss what THEY (other authors) say

Reviewing the objective voice.

To start: Narrative voice

First Person: I, me, we, us Second Person: You Third Person: he, she, it

First, I am sure you have noticed that whenever you are going to write, you must choose a narrative perspective.

The most overt way to provide a perspective is through the strategic use of your narrative voice. You might be surprised (or not) to learn that the personal pronouns you choose indicate your narrative perspective AND connection to the reader.

What (rhetorical) effect do the following personal pronouns achieve? That is, what effect do certain personal pronouns have on the reader?

Which voice does what? Take one minute and think about what you know about each voice.

First and second person

First and second person closes the distance between the narrator (which, in this case, is you) and the reader.

These pronouns create connection. Traditionally forbidden in formal academic writing, first and second person pronouns are beginning to be allowed.

This change is likely due to the influence of social media.

Objective voice

Third person has perceived objectivity. The third person voice is the most common narrative perspective in academia.

Third person perspective creates the illusion of rhetorical distance between the writer, the argument, the evidence, and the reader.

By “hiding” the writer behind the third person voice, the ideas are front and centre.

Of course, this distance is a myth. No writer can be completely objective and using the third person voice does not make the information any more objective or trustworthy, it just provides the illusion of objectivity. Wherever you land in this philosophical debate, please know that for many disciplines, particularly in the sciences and social sciences, you are expected to use third person voice. Even in the humanities, when you write a formal academic paper, you need to stick with the third person voice as much as possible (although this rule isn’t as strict in the humanities).

Always Cite What You Paraphrase

A paraphrase -- rewriting another’s writing in your own words.

You are borrowing intellectual property, so cite it.

A paraphrase needs to remain faithful to its source.

Example

Original

I want to consider one sort of semantic change, the kind of generalization that has affected literally and hundreds of other words. It has been occurring for a long time, often draining meaning until no echo of the word’s roots remains, and I suspect that it is occurring more rapidly in this age of electronic communication. I want to consider it from a particular point of view—as a usage problem, but also as an aspect of what Edward Sapir, more than seventy years ago, described as "drift." —Robert Gorrell, "Language Change, Usage and Drift," English Today

Take a minute and read this quote from Robert Gorrell. And NOTE, when Gorrell mentions “literally” he is specifically referring to word “literally” He is NOT saying affected literally hundreds of words, but affected the word literally and hundreds of other words. I only say this that when I first read this passage years ago, I misread it.

Grill (2009) discusses one sort of semantic change, the kind of generalization that has affected literally and hundreds of other words (12). This semantic change has been occurring for a long time, he believes, and he suspects that "it is occurring more rapidly in this age of electronic communication“ (15). In this work, he "[considers] it from a particular point of view—as a usage problem, but also as an aspect of . . . ‘drift.’"

Example

Now let’s take a look at this example of a paraphrase from the Canadian Style Guide.

Note that there is paraphrase and direct quotation in this sample. And Both are cited. Not citing is an academic offense.

There are some good things and not so good things about this summary. Let’s look at the bad things.

Example

Now let’s take a look at this example of a paraphrase from the Canadian Style Guide.

Note that there is paraphrase and direct quotation in this sample. And Both are cited. Not citing is an academic offense.

There are some good things and not so good things about this summary. Let’s look at the bad things.

Example

Gorrell (2009) describes a type of “semantic change” that linguistic relativist Edward Sapir once called “drift” (p. 15). Gorrell’s basic premise is that words can gradually lose their meaning over time, and, in turn, pick up or gather new meanings. The example he uses is the word “literally,” which originally meant the literal or exact meaning but is currently used to emphasize strong meaning.

One: the name is correct.

Two: Note that the only the terms are quotes, while the rest of the sentence is paraphrased in the authors own words rather than lifted directly from Gorrell’s original quote.

Three: And the rest of the paraphrase describes Gorrell’s underlying premise is a clear and concise manner.

When to Use Direct Quotations and How to Integrate Quotations into Sentences

Now let’s take a look at when to Use Direct Quotations and How to Integrate then into sentences.

What are quotations for?

Quotations should only be used when a source cannot be paraphrased without losing the meaning. You should try to translate your evidence into your own words to avoid the evidence from taking over your paper.

There is only one real reason to use a quotation in a summary, and that is when a source cannot be paraphrased without losing the meaning. You should try to translate your evidence into your own words to avoid the evidence and quotations from taking over your paper.

What are quotations for?

“Quotations” should only be used when “a source cannot be paraphrased without losing the meaning.” You should “try to translate your evidence into your own words to avoid the evidence performing a coup and taking over your paper”.

If your summary looks something like this… you need reconsider your approach.

I have an idea for you…

Introduce

Document

Explain

Assess

IDEA!

A summary is a template

The Academic Writing Spices and Seasoning

Your own words provide the base or body of the writing.

The quotations provides the evidence to make your writing stronger and more persuasive.

Quote Dumping is like dumping a cup of paprika in your favourite recipe.

Nobody will like your cooking or believe your writing.

Think of using quotations as the spices and seasoning of your academic writing.

Your own words provide the base or body of the writing.

The quotations provides the evidence to makes your writing stronger and more persuasive.

Excessive quotes, called Quote Dumping is like dumping a cup of paprika in your favourite recipe.

Nobody will like your cooking or believe your writing.

Introduce the quote effectively. If you can't introduce the quote effectively, then paraphrase.

The quote should be integrated into your sentence to eliminate quote dumping or dropped quotes.

I.D.E.A.

Introduce the quote effectively. If you can't introduce the quote effectively, then paraphrase.

Ideally, the quote should be integrated into your sentence. This will immediately eliminate quote dumping or dropped quotes where a quote is simply dropped into a paper without introduction or explanation.

Examples: “Dr. Schmoe reiterates, "yaddah yaddah”

“After lengthy usability tests,” explained Bill Gates, “we truly thought Windows X would be awesome!”

I.D.E.A.

Ways to integrate in a sentence include the old standby: "Dr. Schmoe reiterates, "yaddah yaddah“ or “After lengthy usability tests,” explained Bill Gates, “we truly thought Windows X would be awesome!”

I.D.E.A. is a way of “framing” the quotation:

Rhetorician, Gerald Graff says, “To adequately frame a quotation, you need to insert it into what we call a ‘quotation sandwich,’ with the statement introducing it serving as the top slice of bread and the explanation following it serving as the bottom slice”.

And this is why direct quotes clutter a summary. Note this example. See how the excessively long quotations from Graff doesn’t not summarize, but rather dumps full sentences into the summary.

I.D.E.A. is a way of “framing” the quotation:

If you don’t do this, then all you have is filling and that’s messy…

Explain the quote.

Usually the explanation for the quote appears at the end of a direct quote; however, the explanation can also appear at the beginning.

I.D.E.A.

When you start… you need to explain the quote.

Usually the explanation for the quote appears at the end of a direct quote; however, the explanation can also appear at the beginning. Find the way you are most comfortable with.

As astute readers, I am sure you are aware that Professor Lawrence does not always use proper citation methods when quoting from sources in his slides. While Lawrence realizes he risks setting a poor example, he “firmly believes students need information provided cleanly and coherently, they do not need me to provide a works cited in the lecture, but to look at my PowerPoint and know where the information can be found for easy reference – a lecture is not a paper”. The preceding quote is yet another example of Lawrence‘s bare-fisted approach to teaching where function, not form, is the “name of the game.”

Introduce and Explain

Assess

I.D.E.A.

Document

So quickly read at this example:

Note the introduction and the explanation.

Then, the documentation.

And finally, the assessment.

Run-in or integrated quotations (that blend into the sentence) are the most “sophisticated form of quoting sources” (Lawrence).

Quotations may require brief or extensive explanation, but they always require one.

Please make sure you place quotes with care and precision… they can make or break your paper.

I.D.E.A.

Run-in or integrated quotations (that blend into the sentence) are the most “sophisticated form of quoting sources” (Lawrence). And this is an example of a integrated quote. Note how the sentence flows. The quotation marks indicate the direct quote, but don’t disturb force the reader to stop and start as they read.

To sum up

Mainly use the objective voice in most academic writing, but it depends on the genre.

Quotations should be paraphrased when possible.

Direct quotations need I.D.E.A. to avoid quote dumping or dropping.

Always cite your sources.