Quotations, Paraphrases and Summaries Tuesday, March 9, 2010 Ms. Stone Quotations, Paraphrases and Summaries

What does it mean to Paraphrase? Definition: To paraphrase means to express someone else's ideas in your own language.

What does it mean to summarize? To summarize means to distill only the most essential points of someone else's work. Note: If all your reader needs to know is the bare bones, then summarize.

Why is it important to paraphrase and to summarize? Paraphrase and summary are indispensable tools in essay writing because they allow you to include other people's ideas without cluttering up your essay with quotations. They help you take greater control of your essay.

What about “Quotations”? Quotations Definition: must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author.

Why use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries? You might use them to . . . Provide support for claims or add credibility to your writing Refer to work that leads up to the work you are now doing Give examples of several points of view on a subject Call attention to a position that you wish to agree or disagree with

Why use quotations, paraphrases, and summaries? Continued… Highlight a particularly striking phrase, sentence, or passage by quoting the original Distance yourself from the original by quoting it in order to cue readers that the words are not your own Expand the breadth or depth of your writing

7 Tips for using Quotations Don't overuse quotations; use them to emphasize a point or support your argument. Avoid long quotations when a short one will suffice. Don't take quotations out of context to misrepresent the original author's opinion. Read the entire source carefully if possible. Be certain you understand any technical terms the author uses. Always introduce your quotations. Avoid boring introductions. Use a variety of sources. All of the sources used here came from one magazine; that magazine might have an editorial policy that limits its range of opinions on an issue!

Short Quotation Example: In his famous and influential work On the Interpretation of Dreams, Sigmund Freud argues that dreams are the "royal road to the unconscious" (page #), expressing in coded imagery the dreamer's unfulfilled wishes through a process known as the "dream work" (page #).

How to Alter Quotations or Use Parts of Quotations: Indicate alterations with square brackets. For example, if you need to supply a character's name where a quotation has a personal pronoun, or a pronoun for a noun. Here's an example using the MLA system: "Rome had several 'mad emperors.' [Nero] was the maddest of them all" (Smith 32).

What if I need to quote different parts within a passage? Indicate breaks in quoting with ellipsis points. […] Use a blank space, three points […], then another space when you omit material in the middle of a sentence. Use four points when skipping between sentences. If you break at the end of a sentence and then move to another, include the final punctuation mark from the first sentence.

Quote Alteration Example "Rome had several mad emperors. [Nero] was the maddest of them all. . . . Legend has it . . . he played his harp while the city went up in flames" (Smith 32). "What, then, was the origin of the Nero's legendary concert? . . . Historians have provided several interpretations of the genesis of this event" (Smith 33).

Longer Quotation: Block Quote Example The first stage of the meditative process focuses on the event itself as opposed to scripture, which for Milton problematizes memory. Further, evidence suggests that Milton understood exactly what it meant to retreat, Ignatian-style, into the inner self for private imaginings: It is better therefore to contemplate the Deity, and to conceive of him, not with reference to human passions, that is, after the manner of men, who are never weary of forming subtle imaginations respecting him, but after the manner of Scripture, that is, in the way wherein God has offered himself to our contemplation; . . . (CE xiv. 33)

MLA Formatting Guidelines for Long Quotations: For quotations of more than four typed lines, indent ten spaces from the left margin, and double-space within the quotation. End the last sentence before the quotation with a colon, which indicates the continuation of your sentence and replaces the "set up" seen in green on the previous slide. Consult MLA Guidelines

How do I Paraphrase? Whenever you paraphrase, remember these two points: 1. You must provide a reference (citation). 2. The paraphrase must be entirely in your own words. You must do more than merely substitute phrases here and there. You must also completely alter the sentence structure.

What is an easy way to paraphrase? It can be difficult to find new words for an idea that is already well expressed. The following strategy will make the job of paraphrasing a lot easier:

Paraphrase Strategy #1 When you are at the note-taking stage, and you come across a passage that may be useful for your essay, do not copy the passage verbatim unless you think you will want to quote it.

Paraphrase Strategy #2 If you think you will want to paraphrase the passage, make a note only of the author's basic point. You don't even need to use full sentences.

Paraphrase Strategy #3 In your note, you should already be translating the language of the original into your own words. What matters is that you capture the original idea.

Paraphrase Strategy #4 Make sure to include the page number of the original passage so that you can make a proper reference later on.

Paraphrase Strategy #5 When it comes time to write the paper, rely on your notes rather than on the author's work. You will find it much easier to avoid borrowing from the original passage because you will not have recently seen it.

Paraphrase Strategy #5 Cont. Follow this simple sequence: Convert the ideas from your notes into full sentences. Provide a reference. Go back to the original to ensure that (a) your paraphrase is accurate and (b) you have truly said things in your own words.

Paraphrasing Process Original Passage: 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.

Paraphrasing Process Cont. A legitimate 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).

Paraphrasing Process Cont. A plagiarized version: 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.

What about the Summary? Summary moves much farther than paraphrase away from point-by-point translation. When you summarize a passage, you need first to absorb the meaning of the passage and then to capture in your own words the most important elements from the original passage. A summary is necessarily shorter than a paraphrase.

Summary Process The original passage: 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.

Summary Process Cont. An acceptable summary: Students should take just a few notes in direct quotation from sources to help minimize the amount of quoted material in a research paper (Lester 46-47).

Practice Makes Perfect Follow these steps: Read the entire text, noting the key points and main ideas. Summarize in your own words what the single main idea of the essay is. Paraphrase important supporting points that come up in the essay. Consider any words, phrases, or brief passages that you believe should be quoted directly.

Directions: Practice summarizing the following paragraph, using paraphrases and quotations as you go. There are several ways to integrate quotations into your text. Often, a short quotation works well when integrated into a sentence. Longer quotations can stand alone. Remember that quoting should be done only sparingly; be sure that you have a good reason to include a direct quotation when you decide to do so.