Academic skills…Using information from sources

Claims and evidence Quoting, summarising and paraphrasing Referencing

© University of Sydney Learning Centre 2007

Using information from sources

• Read the assignment question. What is the purpose of this assignment?

• Read the introduction and conclusion. What is the writer’s over-all view?

• Read the individual claims. How do they build the over-all view?

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Using information from sources

• Look at the list of source information. Which pieces of evidence support claims in the assignment?

• What should the writer do about the claims for which she/he has no evidence?

• What should the writer do about any evidence for which she/he has no claim?

© University of Sydney Learning Centre 2007

Using information from sources

• What is the difference between a quotation, a summary and a paraphrase?

• When would you use a quotation?

• When would you use a summary?

• When would you use a paraphrase?

• How does the referencing differ for each?

© University of Sydney Learning Centre 2007

Using information from sources

Paraphrasing and summarising

• Which words need to stay the same when you summarise or paraphrase?

• Which words should be changed?

• Should sentence structures be changed?

© University of Sydney Learning Centre 2007

Using information from sources

Paraphrasing and summarising

• What words or structures have been changed to paraphrase the information in source material 1?

• What words or structures have been changed to summarise the information in source material 2?© University of Sydney Learning Centre 2007

Using information from sources

Paraphrasing and summarising

• Read text a. Summarise the information to provide evidence for the claim below it.

• Read text b. Paraphrase the information you need to provide evidence for the claim below it.

© University of Sydney Learning Centre 2007

Using information from sources

Referencing

• If you quote information, do you always need a reference in the text?

• If you summarise information, do you always need a reference in the text?

• If you paraphrase only the parts of the information which you need, do you always need a reference in the text?

© University of Sydney Learning Centre 2007

Using information from sources

Referencing

• Is there more than one way to provide references?

• How do you know which way to provide references in your assignments?

© University of Sydney Learning Centre 2007