THEY DO NOT KNOW How to Help Students Avoid Misusing Source Material in Their Work

Credible and Ethical Use of Source Material I. Direct Quotation II. Summary and Paraphrase

Problems to Avoid 1. plagiarism (kidnapping) of language 2. plagiarism (kidnapping) of ideas 3 intentional misrepresentation of source through omission or alteration of context 4. misrepresentation of a source through error

GOOD DIRECT QUOTATION? ORIGINAL The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) Direct Quotation While I believe that humans should behave in a civilized manner, some people think of us as animals: “We are group animals” (Lessing 49-50).

GOOD DIRECT QUOTATION? ORIGINAL We are group animals The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) Direct Quotation While I believe that humans should behave in a civilized manner, some people think of us as animals: “We are group animals” (Lessing 49-50). MISREPRESENTATION—Quotation is placed in a new context that changes its meaning.

GOOD DIRECT QUOTATION? ORIGINAL The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) Direct Quotation Doris Lessing says that “[w]e are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with …. not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us” (49-50).

GOOD DIRECT QUOTATION? ORIGINAL The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) Direct Quotation “[w]e are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with …. not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us” (49-50). Doris Lessing says that “[w]e are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with …. not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us” (49-50). MISREPRESENTATION—Omitted words change the meaning of the original.

PUNCTUATION ORIGINAL The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) Direct Quotation Doris Lessing says that “ [w]e are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with …. not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us” (49-50).

PUNCTUATION ORIGINAL The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) Direct Quotation Doris Lessing says that “ [ w ] e are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with …. not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us” (49-50). (CMS and APA do not require editorial brackets for uppercase and lowercase changes)

PUNCTUATION ORIGINAL The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) Direct Quotation Doris Lessing says that “[w]e are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with …. not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us ” (49-50).

CITATION ORIGINAL The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) Direct Quotation Doris Lessing says that “[w]e are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with …. not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us” (49-50).

IT IS NEVER LEGITIMATE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO ANOTHER’S LANGUAGE WITHOUT SHOWING YOUR READERS WHAT CHANGES YOU HAVE MADE.

Summary & Paraphrase—Problems to Avoid 1. plagiarism (stealing) of language 2. plagiarism (stealing) of ideas 3. intentional misrepresentation of source through omission or alteration of context 4. misrepresentation of a source through error

GOOD SUMMARY? ORIGINAL (paragraph 4) The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) In “Group Minds” Doris Lessing claims that what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, but not understanding the group laws that govern us (49-50).

GOOD SUMMARY? ORIGINAL (paragraph 4) (49-50) The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) In “Group Minds” Doris Lessing claims that what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, but not understanding the group laws that govern us (49-50). PLAGIARIZED--I am giving Lessing credit for the idea, but I’m stealing her language (even though I’m not stealing it word for word).

GOOD PARAPHRASE? ORIGINAL “ “ Readers over the ages have had to learn this game of literacy, how to conform themselves to the projections of the writers they read, or at least how to operate in terms of these projections. They have to know how to play the game of being a member of an audience that ‘really’ doesn’t exist” (Ong 12). MY PARAPHRASE In addition to discussing how successful writers can fictionalize an audience, Ong also discusses how readers have had to learn the game of literacy by conforming themselves to be the imagined audience of the writers they read. They have to know how to play the game of being a member of an audience that doesn’t actually exist (Ong 12).

GOOD PARAPHRASE? ORIGINAL “ Readers over the ages have had to learn this game of literacy, how to conform themselves to the projections of the writers they read, or at least how to operate in terms of these projections. They have to know how to play the game of being a member of an audience that ‘really’ doesn’t exist” (Ong 12). “MY” PARAPHRASE In addition to discussing how successful writers can fictionalize an audience, Ong also discusses how readers have had to learn the game of literacy by conforming themselves to be the imagined audience of the writers they read. They have to know how to play the game of being a member of an audience that doesn’t actually exist (Ong 12).

What I Actually Wrote ORIGINAL “ “ Readers over the ages have had to learn this game of literacy, how to conform themselves to the projections of the writers they read, or at least how to operate in terms of these projections. They have to know how to play the game of being a member of an audience that ‘really’ doesn’t exist” (Ong 12). “MY” PARAPHRASE In addition to discussing how successful writers can fictionalize an audience, Ong also discusses how In addition to discussing how successful writers can fictionalize an audience, Ong also discusses how readers have had to learn the game of literacy by conforming themselves to be the imagined audience of the writers they read. They have to know how to play the game of being a member of an audience that doesn’t actually exist (Ong 12).

GOOD PARAPHRASE? The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) I am a firm believer that while it is fine for us to always be in groups, what might be harmful to us is not realizing how we are affected by them.

GOOD PARAPHRASE? The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) I am a firm believer that while it is fine for us to always be in groups, what might be harmful to us is not realizing how we are affected by them. PLAGIARIZED--Now I’m using my own words to steal Lessing’s idea and pass it off as my own.

GOOD PARAPHRASE? The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) In “Group Minds” Doris Lessing claims that it is dangerous to belong to groups, especially if we don’t understand the group’s laws that govern us (49-50).

GOOD PARAPHRASE? The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) In “Group Minds” Doris Lessing claims that it is dangerous to belong to groups, especially if we don’t understand the group’s laws that govern us (49-50). MISREPRESENTATION—Probably through error rather than intention.

SUCCESSFUL PARAPHRASE ORIGINAL (paragraph 4) The fact is that we all live our lives in groups…. Most people … are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for another. We are group animals still, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is dangerous is not the belonging to a group, or groups, but not understanding the social laws that govern groups and govern us. (49-50) In “Group Minds” Doris Lessing claims that though it is normal to belong to many groups, we might be affected by our inability to recognize the ways those groups might influence our thoughts, beliefs, or actions (49- 50).

STRATEGY Read and interpret the idea to yourself. Close the book/laptop/screen. Paraphrase what you understand. Reread the original asking two questions a)Am I illegitimately borrowing language? b)Have I adequately captured the idea? If you are satisfied, move on. If not, do it again.

Ways To Use This Presentation 1.Assign challenging reading material as homework. 2.Have students paraphrase in class. 3.Group activity--“Accidentally” misuse a source in one of the ways discussed. Next, pass the group’s work to the next group and have them try to identify the problem. (See handout).

Works Cited Lessing, Doris. The Prisons We Choose to Live Inside. Toronto: CBC Enterprises, Print.