From From Reading Reading RhetoricallyRhetoricallyby by John C. Bean, Virginia A. John C. Bean, Virginia A. Chappell, and Alice GillamChappell, and Alice Gillam

““Making Knowledge: Making Knowledge: Incorporating Reading into Incorporating Reading into Writing”Writing”

Guidelines for three methods of Guidelines for three methods of incorporating source material into your incorporating source material into your own writing:own writing: SummarizingSummarizing ParaphrasingParaphrasing Using Direct QuotationsUsing Direct Quotations

SUMMARY:SUMMARY: Effective in the following situations:Effective in the following situations:

Source directly supports your thesis or presents Source directly supports your thesis or presents idea you will challenge or analyze.idea you will challenge or analyze.

Source offers important background for your ideas.Source offers important background for your ideas. When you need to provide readers with an overview When you need to provide readers with an overview

of a source’s whole argument before analyzing of a source’s whole argument before analyzing particular ideas from it.particular ideas from it.

When you want to condense and clarify ideas from When you want to condense and clarify ideas from a source. a source.

CAUTION…CAUTION…

Only summarize points that are essential Only summarize points that are essential to your argument.to your argument.

Make sure your summary accurately Make sure your summary accurately represents the original text’s meaning. represents the original text’s meaning.

Practice with SummaryPractice with Summary Using today’s reading, select an Using today’s reading, select an

appropriate part of the text to summarize appropriate part of the text to summarize into your own sentence.into your own sentence.

Be sure to use parenthetical citation. If Be sure to use parenthetical citation. If you use the author’s name in your you use the author’s name in your sentence, then only include page number sentence, then only include page number in parenthesis.in parenthesis.

Share with a partner.Share with a partner.

PARAPHRASE: PARAPHRASE: Restates all of the original Restates all of the original passage’s points in your own words.passage’s points in your own words.

Effective in the following situations:Effective in the following situations: When you want to emphasize especially When you want to emphasize especially

significant ideas by retaining all of the points significant ideas by retaining all of the points or details from the original.or details from the original.

When you want to clarify ideas that are When you want to clarify ideas that are complex or language that is dense, complex or language that is dense, technical, or hard to understand technical, or hard to understand

CAUTION…CAUTION… If your wording is too close to the original wording you If your wording is too close to the original wording you

may be guilty of plagiarism. Because you have not may be guilty of plagiarism. Because you have not used quotation marks, the reader will assume these used quotation marks, the reader will assume these are your words, not the author’s words that you have are your words, not the author’s words that you have recast. recast.

Be sure you fully understand any passage you are Be sure you fully understand any passage you are paraphrasing, if you struggle to put the ideas into your paraphrasing, if you struggle to put the ideas into your own words, you will give the impression you don’t fully own words, you will give the impression you don’t fully understand the ideas you are trying to paraphrase. understand the ideas you are trying to paraphrase.

Long paraphrases draw too much attention to Long paraphrases draw too much attention to themselves and can be a distraction to the point you themselves and can be a distraction to the point you are trying to make by using the idea in the first place. are trying to make by using the idea in the first place.

Do not distort the original text’s meaning or point.Do not distort the original text’s meaning or point.

GUIDELINES FOR GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE PARAPHRASE:EFFECTIVE PARAPHRASE:

Avoid mirroring the sentence structure or organization of the Avoid mirroring the sentence structure or organization of the original.original.

Simplify complex ideas by pulling them apart and explaining Simplify complex ideas by pulling them apart and explaining each smaller component of the larger idea.each smaller component of the larger idea.

Use synonyms for key words in the original and replace Use synonyms for key words in the original and replace unfamiliar or technical vocabulary with more familiar terms.unfamiliar or technical vocabulary with more familiar terms.

As a check, try paraphrasing the passage twice, the second As a check, try paraphrasing the passage twice, the second time paraphrasing your own paraphrase; then compare your time paraphrasing your own paraphrase; then compare your second paraphrase with the original to make sure you have second paraphrase with the original to make sure you have sufficiently recast it into your own language.sufficiently recast it into your own language.

Practice with ParaphrasePractice with Paraphrase Using today’s reading, select an Using today’s reading, select an

appropriate part of the text to paraphrase appropriate part of the text to paraphrase into your own sentence.into your own sentence.

Be sure to use parenthetical citation. If Be sure to use parenthetical citation. If you use the author’s name in sentence, you use the author’s name in sentence, then only include page number in then only include page number in parenthesis.parenthesis.

Share with a partner.Share with a partner.

DIRECT QUOTATION:DIRECT QUOTATION: When you use an When you use an author’s exact wording, you must use quotation author’s exact wording, you must use quotation marks to signal the beginning and ending of the marks to signal the beginning and ending of the author’s ideas and cite this correctly.author’s ideas and cite this correctly.

Effective in the following situations:Effective in the following situations: When the language you are citing is vivid, or When the language you are citing is vivid, or

distinctive or memorable.distinctive or memorable. When the quotation supports a key point in When the quotation supports a key point in

your paper.your paper. When the person is a well-known authority When the person is a well-known authority

on the matter and their ideas will carry on the matter and their ideas will carry weight.weight.

Practice with using Direct Practice with using Direct QuotationQuotation

Using today’s reading, select an Using today’s reading, select an appropriate part of the text to incorporate appropriate part of the text to incorporate a direct quote into your own sentence.a direct quote into your own sentence.

Be sure to use parenthetical citation. If Be sure to use parenthetical citation. If you use the author’s name in your you use the author’s name in your sentence, then only include page number sentence, then only include page number in parenthesis.in parenthesis.

Share with a partner.Share with a partner.

Sample Direct Quotation 1:Sample Direct Quotation 1:

She says that romance writers are “producing She says that romance writers are “producing mass-market entertainment that appeals to it’s mass-market entertainment that appeals to it’s consumers for much the same reason as consumers for much the same reason as McDonald’s and Burger King appeal to theirs: McDonald’s and Burger King appeal to theirs: It’s easy, it makes you feel good, and it’s the It’s easy, it makes you feel good, and it’s the same every time. The point of a romance same every time. The point of a romance novel is not to dazzle its reader with originality, novel is not to dazzle its reader with originality, but to stimulate predictable emotions by means but to stimulate predictable emotions by means of familiar cultural symbols.”of familiar cultural symbols.”

Sample Direct Quotation 2:Sample Direct Quotation 2:

She describes romance fiction as “mass-She describes romance fiction as “mass-market entertainment” that appeals to market entertainment” that appeals to people because “it’s easy, it makes, you people because “it’s easy, it makes, you feel food, and it’s the same every time.” feel food, and it’s the same every time.” Its purpose, she says, is not to stimulate Its purpose, she says, is not to stimulate thinking and the imagination, “but to thinking and the imagination, “but to stimulate predictable emotions by means stimulate predictable emotions by means of familiar cultural symbols.”of familiar cultural symbols.”

CAUTION…CAUTION…

Too many direct quotes or quotes that are Too many direct quotes or quotes that are too long undermine your credibility.too long undermine your credibility.

Be sure that you do not quote someone Be sure that you do not quote someone out of context or misconstrue or out of context or misconstrue or misinterpret the original meaning of the misinterpret the original meaning of the text. text.

Do not use quotes as a short cut around Do not use quotes as a short cut around difficult ideas.difficult ideas.

GUIDELINES FOR USING DIRECT GUIDELINES FOR USING DIRECT QUOTATIONS EFFECTIVELY:QUOTATIONS EFFECTIVELY:

Prefer short quotations, as longer quotations Prefer short quotations, as longer quotations will distract from the focus of your will distract from the focus of your discussion.discussion.

Whenever possible instead of quoting whole Whenever possible instead of quoting whole sentences, work quotations of key phrases sentences, work quotations of key phrases into your own sentences.into your own sentences.

Be absolutely accurate in the wording and Be absolutely accurate in the wording and punctuation of direct quotations.punctuation of direct quotations.

You must fairly and accurately represent the You must fairly and accurately represent the original.original.

Attributive Tags Attributive Tags All three strategies work best with All three strategies work best with

attributive tagsattributive tags such as “Ariel Jones such as “Ariel Jones says” or “According to Ariel Jones”. says” or “According to Ariel Jones”.

These attributive tags connect or These attributive tags connect or attribute attribute material to its source. material to its source.

Attributive tags:Attributive tags: Help readers distinguish your sentences and ideas from those Help readers distinguish your sentences and ideas from those

in your sources.in your sources. Enhance your credibility by showing readers that you are Enhance your credibility by showing readers that you are

careful with your sources and remain in charge of paper.careful with your sources and remain in charge of paper. Enhance your text’s credibility by indicating the credentials or Enhance your text’s credibility by indicating the credentials or

reputation of an expert you are using as a source.reputation of an expert you are using as a source. Provide a quick method of showing readers the published Provide a quick method of showing readers the published

context of your source material.context of your source material. Give you the opportunity to shape the reader’s responses to the Give you the opportunity to shape the reader’s responses to the

material you are presenting. material you are presenting. Can offer a variety of information in accordance with the writer’s Can offer a variety of information in accordance with the writer’s

purpose and the intended audience’s background knowledge purpose and the intended audience’s background knowledge (publisher, date, credentials, etc.).(publisher, date, credentials, etc.).

Attributive Tags Sample 1: Attributive Tags Sample 1: What’s the difference?What’s the difference?

Romance readers insist on formulaic plots of Romance readers insist on formulaic plots of “childlike restrictions and simplicity,” and as a “childlike restrictions and simplicity,” and as a result, these books lack “moral ambiguity” result, these books lack “moral ambiguity” (Gray and Sachs 76).(Gray and Sachs 76).

The The Time Time article mentioned earlier claims that article mentioned earlier claims that romance readers insist on formulaic plots of romance readers insist on formulaic plots of “childlike restrictions and simplicity,” and says “childlike restrictions and simplicity,” and says that as a result these books lack “moral that as a result these books lack “moral ambiguity” (Gray and Sachs 76)ambiguity” (Gray and Sachs 76)

Enhance your text’sEnhance your text’s credibility by credibility by indicating the credentials or reputation indicating the credentials or reputation of an expert you are using as a source.of an expert you are using as a source.

““high school teacher Sam Delaney,”high school teacher Sam Delaney,” ““Molly Smith, an avid fan of romance Molly Smith, an avid fan of romance

literature”literature” ““Josephine DeLoria, a controversial Josephine DeLoria, a controversial

defense lawyer,”defense lawyer,”

Practice enhancing your text’s credibility by Practice enhancing your text’s credibility by indicating the credentials or reputation of an indicating the credentials or reputation of an expert you are using as a source.expert you are using as a source.

Using today’s reading, write an attributive Using today’s reading, write an attributive tag that demonstrates this technique.tag that demonstrates this technique.

Shape the reader’s responses to the Shape the reader’s responses to the material you are presenting by using material you are presenting by using attributive tags. attributive tags.

What kind of attitude do the following tags What kind of attitude do the following tags convey:convey: A July 2000 A July 2000 Time Time magazine article verifies this magazine article verifies this

claim.claim. Research by Carskadon and her colleagues Research by Carskadon and her colleagues

documents the scope of the problem.documents the scope of the problem. Predictable plots, so the argument goes, offer Predictable plots, so the argument goes, offer

escape.escape. Some literary critics claim that the books depend too Some literary critics claim that the books depend too

much on magic.much on magic.

Practice shaping the reader’s responses Practice shaping the reader’s responses to the material you are presenting. to the material you are presenting.

Using today’s reading, write an attributive Using today’s reading, write an attributive tag that demonstrates this technique.tag that demonstrates this technique.

Remember…Remember…

Attributive tags work best near the Attributive tags work best near the beginning of the sentence, but can be beginning of the sentence, but can be placed after other introductory phrases.placed after other introductory phrases.

In some cases, the author’s name is not In some cases, the author’s name is not as interesting as where the article as interesting as where the article appeared.appeared. A July 2000 A July 2000 Time Time magazine article verifies magazine article verifies

this claim… (Gray and Sachs 76).this claim… (Gray and Sachs 76).

Parenthetical CitationsParenthetical Citations Basic MLA: Basic MLA:

Author’s last name plus, for a quote or Author’s last name plus, for a quote or paraphrase, the page number):paraphrase, the page number):

(Name 00) (Name 00) Note how there is no comma or abbreviation Note how there is no comma or abbreviation

for page.for page.

Citation on Cupcake DayCitation on Cupcake Day You may use author’s last name or You may use author’s last name or

Source and letter of source:Source and letter of source: (Smith)(Smith) (Source B)(Source B)

Note how neither indicates a page reference. Note how neither indicates a page reference. Since you will only have excerpts of texts, page Since you will only have excerpts of texts, page numbers may not be available.numbers may not be available.