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TOPIC: How to Use the Library for Research

Definitions

Quote:  to repeat in writing or speech (the exact words, etc of someone else)

Paraphrase: a restatement of something using different words, especially in order to clarify; a re-wording or re-phrasing

Summary: a short account that outlines or picks out the main points.

All definitions are from Chambers 21st Century Dictionary. London: Chambers Harrap, 2001. Credo Reference. Web. 1 May 2014.

Quoting and Paraphrasing

Quoting Sources:

When you quote a source, you include the author's exact words in your text. Use "quotation marks" around the author's words. Include signal phrases and an in-text citation to show where the quote is from.

Paraphrasing Sources:

When you paraphrase a source, you restate the source's ideas in your own words and sentence structure. Select what is relevant to your topic, and restate only that. Changing only a few words is not sufficient in paraphrasing/ summarizing. Instead, you need to completely rephrase the author's ideas in your own words. You do not need to use quotation marks.

Always use in-text citations when you paraphrase or summarize, to let the reader know that the information comes from another source. Continue to use signal phrases as well.

Signal phrases let your reader know that you are quoting or summarizing from another source.

Examples:

In the words of researchers Redelmeier and Tibshirani, " . . . "

As Matt Sundeen has noted, " . . . "

Patti Pena, mother of a child killed by a driver distracted by a cell phone, points out that " . . . "

" . . . " writes Christine Haughtney.

" . . . " claims wireless spokesperson Annette Jacobs.

Taken from the Bedford Handbook (583)

Paraphrasing 101

Paraphrasing involves putting the authors ideas or statements in your own words. The paraphrase needs to accurately represent the original passage, you should not change or omit any major points. It is important to remember that even though you are not using a direct quote you still need to add a citation!

Example:

Original statement (from "Italy." Alcohol and Temperance in Modern History: An International Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO, 2003.)

Beer consumption traditionally occurred especially during the warm season to quench thirst. Beer consumption has increased during the last thirty years among young people, who drink it in their peer groups but also in the family, while eating a pizza at a restaurant, and also outside mealtimes.

Bad paraphrase:

Traditionally beer consumption took place during the warm season because it was thirst quenching. Over the last 30 years beer consumption has increased among younger people who drink it with peers, while dining, and even outside of mealtimes.

Good paraphrase:

Over the last thirty years the younger generations have changed beer from a beverage that was only consumed during the warmer months to a beverage that is consumes year-round and in many different settings.

Avoid Plagiarism

To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit whenever you use

  • another person’s idea, opinion, or theory;
  • any facts, statistics, graphs, images—any pieces of information—that are not common knowledge;
  • quotations of another person’s actual spoken or written words; or
  • paraphrase of another person’s spoken or written words.

Here are some links to tutorials that will help you understand more about plagiarism and how to avoid it:

Additional tools:  http://www.virtualsalt.com/antiplag.htm

How to Avoid Plagiarism

Using an Author's Exact Words:
  • Use quotation marks around all words copied from a source.
  • Choose to quote an author's exact words when the phrasing is unique or strengthens your argument.
  • Provide a citation for the source of the exact words you used immediately after the quotation.

 

Paraphrasing an Author's Words:
  • Paraphrase an author's words by stating his or her ideas in your own words with your own phrasing.
  • Compare your paraphrased writing with the author's exact words to make sure you have not copied phrases or sentences from the author.
  • Always provide a citation for the paraphrased ideas.

 

Borrowing Information:
  • Cite the source when borrowing a figure, graph, map, data, or table from another author's work.

 

Stating Common Knowledge:
  • Information that is commonly known by the public or the intended readers of a paper do not need citations for sources. Example:
    • Food contains calories and nutrients.
  • Unsure if an idea is common knowledge for the intended readers of your paper? When in doubt, cite a source.

 

Reusing Collaborative Papers:
  • If two students wrote a paper as a collaborative group or team project, one of the authors cannot submit the entire paper for another assignment as if it is his or her own paper.
  • Any information borrowed from a paper you wrote collaboratively should include citations for the information borrowed from the original paper.

 

Plagiarizing Accidentally:
  • Keep direct quotes in a separate document from your working document.
  • Keep track of all sources consulted.
  • When in doubt, check your paper/project against the wording within the sources.

 

Documenting the Spoken Word:
  • Information drawn from personal communications, speeches, broadcasts, conversations, interviews and other spoken words must be documented with a citation and/or parenthetical citation (Writing Tutorial Services).
  • Style manuals provide information about citing sources for the spoken word. Consult Style Manuals on Reserve to locate style manuals in Owens Library. Citation examples for personal communications and interviews are listed on the library's Citing Sources pages.

 

Respecting Others:
  • Giving credit for work that is not your own respects and honors the intellectual property of others and is expected by your professors.
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