REFERENCE: HUMPHREY, S., LOVE, K., & DROGA, L. (2011). WORKING GRAMMAR: AN INTRODUCTION FOR SECONDARY ENGLISH TEACHERS. VICTORIA: PEARSON. Using Citation to support or challenge positions

Citation – its uses Citation occurs when a writer or speaker refers to the words or views of another source. Citation is an effective tool to use in persuasive writing to lend support to your own ideas or viewpoints (Humphrey et al., 2011, p. 93). Citation can also be used as part of a concessive or contrasting strategy in which you are inferring or arguing that your own ideas are better or more valid. Citations include what is thought, said and believed as well as what is found through studies or experiments (Humphrey et al., 2011, p. 93).

How to cite a source The most common way of citing sources is to use a reporting verb in a quote or paraphrase: e.g. QUOTE: Some have asked, ‘Why apologise?’ PARAPHRASE: The title refers to a quote by William Yeats. (Humphrey et al., 2011, p. 93) source reporting verb what is said

Resources for Citing Sources (Humphrey et al., 2011, p. 93) Grammatical resource SayThink or feelFind Reporting verbs Saying verbs: state, say, report, tell, announce, write, stress, argue, respond, claim, suggest Thinking/feeling verbs: think, feel, believe, reckon, assume Action verbs: find, demonstrate, discover (that), show Reporting nouns statement, saying, report, claim, announcement, argument, response, commitment, call thought, feeling, belief, assumption, opinion, view findings, results, study Reporting phrases According to …, In the words of …, As Palmer explains …, … (Jones 2000, p. 34) In Jones’ view

Using citation – grammatical resources explained Reporting verbs: the most common way of citing sources an active form of language Reporting nouns: important for summarising what is said, believed or found so that it can be referred to in various ways within the argument are types of nominalisation which are valuable grammatical resources for packing in a lot of information (e.g. ‘statement’, ‘argument’) Reporting phrases: draw attention to the source often used at the beginning of sentences (Humphrey et al., 2011, p. 93)

The importance of recognising citation  Citation is used extensively in the media, in interviews and in research reports.  Learning to unravel the often complex layers within reporting texts enables you to accurately recognise the source of information within the texts and thus to judge how reliable that information is.  Information in complex reporting texts often comes from a variety of sources – e.g. eyewitness statements, research studies (check which institution the research was conducted through), interviews, hearsay from related observers etc.  Being able to make judgements on the reliability (and thus validity) of the information that you read is a very valuable skill.  Being able to give reasons for why you assess information as reliable or not is equally important.

Exercise 1 1. In pairs or small groups, list as many types of information sources as you can think of (for any type of exposition or information for public consumption). 2. Next to each source, comment on its level of reliability and reasons for this (some sources may have different levels of reliability within that source, so note this down too). 3. Do a class summary table and share your findings. (See table on next slide)

Source types table – class summary Type of sourceReliability levelWhy?

Exercise 2 (Humphrey et al., 2011, p. 94) 1. Read the text on the next slide – an article by a Year 10 student, introducing a variety of different viewpoints from different sources about the issue of mobile phone use. The text uses a variety of grammatical resources, which are underlined. 2. Fill in the table following the article, identifying each grammatical resource and its source. The first ones are done for you. (Table taken from Humphrey et al., 2011, p. 94)

‘ Saving kids from the unthinkable’, by Jamie (Year 10) (Humphrey et al., 2011, p. 94) A new study undertaken by Monash University has reported that, soon, kids will be unable to think. Their findings suggest that the next generation of teenagers will be unable to think, spell or concentrate because of the increase in the use of mobile phones, and text messaging. ‘We are not just pulling these figures out of nowhere’, a representative from the university said. ‘Over time, text messages and the many forms of passive entertainment have decreased the ability of teenagers to form extensive or coherent sentences’. The university has called for a ban on mobile phones for under 18s. This, researchers argue, will encourage a more focused learning environment. This argument has been met with mixed responses. Some parents and teenagers support the call for a ban on mobile phones; however, teenagers have expressed strong disagreement. Kelly Brackenberry, students representative from Burmont High School, has responded to the call for a ban with a clear statement: ‘On behalf of the students of this school, I’d like to say that we are strongly opposed to the idea of such a law. In fact, there is an argument that the abbreviations used in text messaging allow for much quicker communication and allow kids to be creative with language. Without further evidence this study cannot be taken seriously’. Kids at war with adults is nothing new but this battle is expected to last for a while.

Reporting resourceGrammatical resourceSource has reportedsaying verbMonash University study findingsreporting nounMonash University suggestsaying verbMonash University findings said has called for argue argument support the call expressed disagreement has responded the call statement like to say argument study

Reflection Questions on article 1. What is the writer’s viewpoint? 2. How do you justify your response to Question 1? 3. Which source is used the most in the citations in the article? 4. Does this support or negate the writer’s argument? How?

Final reflection 1. If you were doing a persuasive exposition on a topic, which types of sources would you cite to support your arguments and why? 2. Are there any types of sources you would avoid citing and why? 3. Which types of sources could you possibly cite to negate opposing arguments?