FOOTNOTES

Footnote or Endnote? What’s the difference? Placement only – endnotes are truly at the end of the piece

WHY do author’s include footnotes? Establish Ethos – By citing experts in the field the writer creates trust. By exploring what others have said the writer demonstrates fair-mindedness Can demonstrate how/why another author supports the writers ideas or how the writer’s ideas contrast with the expert Adds additional information By placing information at the bottom the author doesn’t interrupt the flow of their ideas and language Accommodates various readers – some know the topic well and won’t need the footnote information others might

How to read a FOOTNOTE Kelly Rothenberg, "Tattooed People as Taboo Figures in Modern Society," 1996, BME/Psyber City, 18 Jan. 2005 AUTHOR’S NAME ARTICLE TITLES GET QUOTED/BOOK TITLES ARE ITALICIZED OR UNDERLINED AUTHOR AND TITLE ARE FOLLOWED BY PUBLISHING INFO. Page Number Sigmund Freud, Totem and Taboo (New York: Random, 1918) 17. Marvin Harris, "The Cultural Ecology of India’s Sacred Cattle," Current Anthropology 1992, 7:51-66, qtd. in Stacy McGrath, "Ecological Anthropology," Anthropological Theories: A Guide Prepared by Students for Students 19 Oct. 2001, U. of Alabama, 18 Jan. 2005

The questions will generally ask you one of two things – A. To retrieve/extract information/ideas from the footnote – perhaps in relation to an idea in the passage B. To “read” the footnote correctly and then identify a piece of information – ie. The author, title article, publishing information etc.

LET’S Practice! 2012 – Practice

Example 28. Paul A. Volcker Jr. Interview, 2003 29. Paul Volcker and Toyoo Gyohten, Changing Fortunes (New York: Times Books, 1992), p.164 30. Paul A. Volcker Jr., Interview, 2003 Which of the following statements is true, according to the citations for this passage? A.Much of the information comes from an interview conducted by Paul A. Volcker Jr. B.Paul Volcker and Toyoo Gyohten wrote an article entitled Changing Fortunes C.Volcker and Gyohten’s article was published in the New York Times D.The article that Volcker and Gyohten wrote is on page 164 of a book entitled Changing Fortunes E.The author relied on primary source material

Example In footnote #2, the speaker’s rhetorical purpose in quoting Socrate’s description of rival upstart philosophers from the Republic is to A. Show that Socrates really was socially prejudiced B. Imply that Plato faithfully reported Socrates words C. Show that this is part of a pattern of Socrates speaking unkindly and pretentiously D. Dismiss the supposed quote from Socrates because Palto had put the words into Socrates's mouth years later E. Suggest that this is an excellent way for Plato to demonstrate his own superiority as a philosopher and a gentleman.

Other Information Ibid - It means "same source as last time" (previous note). Ibid is short for the Latin ibidem. 1. Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, 471. 2. Ibid., 501. 3. Ibid., 606.

ANS: A 41. 41. The main purpose of the footnote is to A. introduce readers to an ongoing discussion B. explore an alternative solution to a problem C. document the author’s credentials D. list all possible sources available on a topic E. explain the author’s bias against another historian The footnote introduces readers to the history and meanings of the word “meritocracy.” Although the footnote does help establish the credibility of the author, it does not “document” his “credentials” (C). Alternative definitions are provided, not a solution to a problem (B). The footnote lists sources considered critical by the author, not “all possible” definitions (D). The information provided is explanatory, not argumentative (E). PTS: 1 DIF: Medium MSC: 44% Answered Correctly These questions are from the 2007 multiple choice test!

ANS: A 42. In the second line of the footnote, the number 31 most probably indicates the A. page of the Weekly Standard on which the reference appears B. edition of the Weekly Standard in which the article appears C. volume number of the Weekly Standard in which the article appears D. page in the author’s book where the citation appears E. number of times in the author’s book that the citation appears 42. Answering correctly (A) depends on student knowledge of proper documentation. The number “31” refers to the page number of the Weekly Standard in correct MLA form for a signed article in a newspaper. The other choices are incorrect according to the MLA. PTS: 1 DIF: Medium MSC: 58% Answered Correctly

ANS: E 43. In lines 7-8 of the footnote, the author uses the phrase “somewhat ironically” primarily to A. satirize a rival author’s narrow view of what constitutes merit B. disparage an author’s claim to begin the inventor of a phrase C. engage the reader in thinking about the limits of the role of social thinkers D. elicit support from readers who do not approve of the British monarchy E. comment on the apparent disparity between an author’s views and his social rank 43. The correct answer is (E), because the author considers it contradictory for a member of the British upper class to criticize the establishment of a “new elite class” based on “meritocracy.” A choice of (A) indicates that the student does not understand that it is Young who “satirize[s].” Young never attempts to discredit another writer (B). The note does not function to appeal to anti-monarchists (D) or to encourage readers to contemplate the limitations of “social thinkers” (C). PTS: 1 DIF: Medium MSC: 53% Answered Correctly

ANS: B 44. In he last sentence of the footnote, the word “it” refers to A. “Yuppie” (line 1 of the footnote) B. “meritocracy” (line 2 of the footnote) C. “vision” (line 4 of the footnote” D. “social mobility” (line 5 of the footnote) E. “dismissive term” (line 10 of the footnote) 44. The word “it” refers to (B) “meritocracy” in line 2 of the footnote. The note offers definitions of “meritocracy” not “Yuppie” (A). Choices (C) and (D) indicate a misreading: “a vision of social mobility” is a phrase included by the author in his definition of meritocracy. In (E) “dismissive term” refers to Young’s use of “meritocracy,” The last “it” in the passage refers to the word itself as Rawls’s definition of “meritocracy,” the final one in the note, is presented. PTS: 1 DIF: Easy MSC: 78% Answered Correctly

ANS: D 45. Which of the following is an accurate reading of the source for the quotation in the last sentence of the footnote: “social order [that] follows the principle of careers open to talents”? A. Brooks, David. “Our Founding Yuppie,”Weekly Standard, Oct.23, 2000, 31. B. Brooks, David. A Theory of Justice.Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 106. C. Young, Michael. The Rise of the Meritocracy.New York: Viking Press, 1958. D. Rawls, John. A Theory of Justice. Cambridge; Harvard University Press, 1971, 106. E. Rawls, John, and David Brooks. Found in Weekly Standard and A Theory of Justice. Reprinted by permission. 45. (D) is the correct answer because the words are directly quoted from A Theory of Justice by John Rawls (A, B, C). The book has no co-author (E). PTS: 1 DIF: Easy MSC: 74% Answered Correctly