Direct Quotes and Paraphrasing Notes What are Direct Quotes?

Direct Quotes are when you use the authors exact words, phrases or sentences. These must be enclosed in double quotation marks. The authors last name and page number (if available) should be put in parenthesis directly after the quote but before the period. What if there is no author? Even if you use one word or short phrase that is unique in the original text you must quote it! Example Original text: (James D. Lester 46-47) Students frequently overuse direct quotations in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final research paper. Probably only 10% of your final paper should appear as directly quoted material. Direct Quote: When writing a research paper only 10% of your final paper should appear as directly quoted material (Lester 46-47). Use direct quotes sparingly. Limit direct quote use to times when you cannot say something differently than the author. The authors word choices are important to keep the same. Changing them could cause a lose in meaning. The preferred method of incorporating sources is through the use of paraphrases. What is Paraphrasing? A paraphrase is a restatement of someone elses ideas, evidence or opinions using your own words. A paraphrase is typically similar or longer in length than the original passage. You must still credit or cite a paraphrase unless it is common knowledge! Why? What things are considered general knowledge? Exact same information is found in several sources. Paraphrasing is a valuable skill because Better than quoting an average passage. Controls the temptation to quote too much. Helps you to grasp the full meaning of the original. Proves to the reader you know what you are talking about. 6 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing 1. Read and reread for understanding 2. Put source away 3. Write key points that you remember without looking at the source. You do not even want to use the same sentence format. 4. Compare to the original to make sure you did not miss any key information OR plagiarize anything including unique words. 5. Quote any exact borrowings. 6. Record the source. So what should I write down? Anything that will help you on your research paper. Boil it down to short phrase. Wont end up using everything you write down.

 OK to duplicate facts from different sources Contradictory information is OK. Get the Citation information (Record on NoodleTools) Plagiarism or Acceptable Paraphrase? Original Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes. Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers. 2nd ed. (1976): 46-47. . Paraphrase Students often use too many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many of them in the final research paper. In fact, probably only about 10% of the final copy should consist of directly quoted material. So it is important to limit the amount of source material copied while taking notes. Acceptable Paraphrase In research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to minimize the material recorded verbatim (Lester 46-47). Original: ( Jane Smith pg 17) A letter of thanks is a courteous acknowledgment of a gift or something that was done for you. Plagiarism or Not?: A thank you not is a polite acknowledgement of a present or something nice someone did for you (Smith 17). Original: (Dan Brown pg 15) At the start of the Great Depression, many Americans wanted to believe that the hard times would only be temporary. Plagiarism or Not? At the beginning of the Great Depression, a lot of Americans wanted to think that the hard times would only be temporary. Original: ("Bike Helmets: Unused Lifesavers,) Of the more than 1000 bicycling deaths each year, three-fourths are caused by head injuries. Half of those killed are school-age children. One study concluded that wearing a bike helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent. In an accident, a bike helmet absorbs the shock and cushions the head. Paraphrase or Plagiarism?: ("Bike Helmets: Unused Lifesavers,) The use of a helmet is the key to reducing bicycling fatalities, which are due to head injuries 75% of the time. By cushioning the head upon impact, a helmet can reduce accidental injury by as much as 85%, saving the lives of hundreds of victims annually, half of whom are school children ("Bike Helmets" 348). Original Passage: The telephone was a convenience, enabling Americans to do more casually and with less effort what they had already been doing before. (See citation above) Paraphrase or plagiarism: Daniel J. Boorstin has noted that most Americans considered the telephone as simply "a convenience, " an instrument that allowed them "to do more casually and with less effort what they had already been doing before." (390)

Summarizing-Using Your Own Words Why do it? Comprehension: To reduce information to essential ideas in order to: Understand and learn important information Communication: To reduce information to essential ideas in order to: Expand the breadth or depth of your writing The Process-Using the MIDAS Touch! M Main idea: Identify main idea from TOPIC SENTENCE (if there is one) or use BASIC SIGNAL WORDS I Identify SUPPORTING DETAILS D Disregard unimportant information A Analyze redundant information S Simplify, categorize, and label important information Establishing a focus The main idea is the most important information or concept in a text or statement. Sometimes the main idea is explicit; sometimes it is implied. Not all information is equal: some of it clearly is more important than the rest. Using basic signal words WHO? (subject) WHERE? (location) WHY? HOW? WHAT? (action) WHEN? (time) (reason) (process)
Main Idea Supporting Detail Supporting Detail Supporting Detail

Topic Sentences 1. The TOPIC SENTENCE is usually the first sentence of the paragraph. It gives the reader an idea of what the paragraph is going to be about. 2. However, the TOPIC SENTENCE may not always be so clearly stated, and it can come in the middle or end of a paragraph, not just its beginning. 3. Regardless, all TOPIC SENTENCES are supported by sentences that give details to develop the MAIN IDEA. Example paragraphs 1. A tornado is a powerful, twisting windstorm. It begins high in the air, among the winds of a giant storm cloud. People who have watched a tornados howling winds reach down from the sky have said its the most frightening thing they have ever seen. In some parts of the United States, these windstorms are called twisters or cyclones.

Main idea and supporting details

Tornado is powerful, twisting windstorm Also called Frightening twister or cyclone

Part of giant storm cloud

Sentence Summary Tornadoes are frightening, powerful, twisting windstorms sometimes called twisters or cyclones that start in giant storm clouds. 2. Tornadoes are not the only whirling windstorms that move through the earths air. Dust devils, hurricanes and typhoons all have twisting winds. But these windstorms differ from tornadoes in important ways. Main idea and supporting details
Dust devils, hurricanes, and typhoons have twisting winds

Whirling windstorms

Differ from tornadoes

Sentence Summary Dust devils, hurricanes and typhoons also have twisting winds, but they are different from tornadoes. 3. Dust devils are the weakest of the swirling windstorms. Their winds usually spin between 12 and 30 miles per hour. Most dust devils are less than five feet across, and few last more than a minute or two. They are often seen in the desert under clear skies. Dust devils form near ground when certain kinds of winds make hot, rising air start to spin. Main idea and supporting details
Dust devils are weakest of swirling windstorms

Less than 30 mph

Five ft. across

Last minute or two

Sentence summary Compared to other wind storms, dust devils are the weakest and least severe.

Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting- The Writing Connection Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting You can borrow from the works of other writers as you research. As a good writer, you should summarize, paraphrase and quote to blend source materials in with your own. But you should make sure your own voice is heard! Quotations Use quotations when: You want to add the power of an authors words to support your argument You want to disagree with an authors argument You would to highlight powerful phrases or passages You are comparing and contrasting specific points of view You want to note the important research that precedes your own Paraphrasing Paraphrase when: You plan to use information on your note cards and wish to avoid plagiarizing You want to avoid overusing quotations You want to use your own voice to present information Summarizing Summarize when: You want to establish background or offer an overview of a topic You want to describe common knowledge (from several sources) about a topic You want to determine the main ideas of a single source