Reading and Writing with Sources How to Avoid Misusing Source Material in Your Work Bloomsburg University s Writing and Literacy Engagement Studio wales@bloomu.edu
Credible and Ethical Use of Source Material I. Direct Quotation II. Summary and Paraphrase
I am confident that I know how to write ethically with sources. 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. Disagree 4. Strongly Disagree
On a blank piece of paper, paraphrase the paragraph below from Doris Lessing s The Prisons We Choose to Live Inside. 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 (Lessing 49-50).
Possible Responses to Upcoming Questions 1. The sample is accurate and ethical 2. Not enough credit for language 3. Not enough credit for ideas 4. Misrepresentation of source
GOOD DIRECT QUOTATION? 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). MY DIRECT QUOTATION OF THE While I believe that humans should behave in a civilized manner, Doris Lessing thinks of us as animals: We are group animals (49-50). 1. The sample is accurate and ethical 2. Not enough credit for language 3. Not enough credit for the idea 4. Misrepresentation of the source
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). MY DIRECT QUOTATION OF THE While I believe that humans should behave in a civilized manner, Doris Lessing thinks of us as animals: We are group animals (49-50). 4. Misrepresentation of source Quotation is placed in a new context that changes its meaning.
GOOD DIRECT QUOTATION? 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). MY DIRECT QUOTATION OF THE 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). 1. The sample is accurate and ethical 2. Not enough credit for language 3. Not enough credit for the idea 4. Misrepresentation of the source
GOOD DIRECT QUOTATION? 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). MY DIRECT QUOTATION OF THE 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). 4. Misrepresentation of source Omitted words change the meaning of the original.
What Punctuation Says to Readers 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 m going to use another author s language exactly as it appeared in the original. 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).
What Punctuation Says to Readers 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). EDITORIAL BRACKETS I have to make a change to the original language. 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)
What Punctuation Says to Readers 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). ELLIPSES I m taking out language, including a sentence break, but not changing the meaning in significant ways. 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).
What Punctuation Says to Readers 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 m finished using another author s language; after this I am using my own language again. 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).
What Punctuation Says to Readers 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). This idea can be found on these pages of the original source. You can consult my works cited or reference page for information about how to get to that source. 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).
Two Tools for Giving Credit Credit for language Quotation Marks. Credit for ideas name and parenthetical information. (page numbers or other information)
I am still confident that I know how to write ethically with sources. 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. Disagree 4. Strongly Disagree
Summary & Paraphrase
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). MY PARAPHRASE OF THE 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. 1. The sample is accurate and ethical 2. Not enough credit for language 3. Not enough credit for the idea 4. Misrepresentation of the source
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). MY PARAPHRASE OF THE 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. 3. Not enough credit for the idea Even if I am using my own language, I must credit the source from which I encountered the idea.
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). MY PARAPHRASE OF THE Some of my friends really changed when they went to college, and they don t even seem to realize it. They really need to better understand how they might be influence by their new peers and the people they hang around. Although it is normal to want to have friends and to belong, so to speak, it s not good to be oblivious to how that might change us (Lessing 49-50). 1. The sample is accurate and ethical 2. Not enough credit for language 3. Not enough credit for the idea 4. Misrepresentation of the source
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). MY PARAPHRASE OF THE Some of my friends really changed when they went to college, and they don t even seem to realize it. They really need to better understand how they might be influence by their new peers and the people they hang around. Although it is normal to want to have friends and to belong, so to speak, it s not good to be oblivious to how that might change us (Lessing 49-50). 3. Not enough credit for the idea Where did I stop presenting my own idea and start presenting Lessing s idea? My readers can t tell. Citing the author at the end of paragraph is not enough.
GOOD SUMMARY? 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). MY SUMMARY OF THE 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). 1. The sample is accurate and ethical 2. Not enough credit for language 3. Not enough credit for the idea 4. Misrepresentation of the source
GOOD SUMMARY? 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). MY SUMMARY OF THE 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). 2. Not enough credit for language Patchwriting Plagiarism Paraphrase is NOT CHANGING others language. That is editing. Paraphrasing is representing others ideas with our own language. The parenthetical reference (49-50) gives credit for the idea, not the language.
GOOD PARAPHRASE? 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 (12). 1. The sample is accurate and ethical 2. Not enough credit for language 3. Not enough credit for the idea 4. Misrepresentation of the source
MISUSE OF LANGUAGE or Patchwriting 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 (12). 2. Not enough credit for language Patchwriting Plagiarism Paraphrase is NOT CHANGING others language. That is editing. Paraphrasing is representing others ideas with our own language.
MISUSE OF LANGUAGE 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 (12).
DO FACULTY WANT THIS FROM STUDENTS? 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). 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 (12).
Before this workshop, I thought it was ok to replace synonyms and change words as seen on the previous slides. 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. Disagree 4. Strongly Disagree
Why This Might be Confusing You have always done this, and nobody has said there was a problem 1. Your teachers --can t change font color to make it stand out --may not have the original in front of him/her --have 50 to 100 papers to respond to --might not want to accuse you of plagiarism because patchwriting is not the same as downloading a paper
Editing vs. Paraphrase Paraphrase is not editing or changing another s language. Paraphrase is stating another s idea in your own language.
STRATEGY BECOME PROACTIVE Bring drafts and sources and questions to faculty before you turn work in to be evaluated. When paraphrasing 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. Come to the WALES and talk to us.
Works Cited Lessing, Doris. The Prisons We Choose to Live Inside. CBC Enterprises, 1986. Ong, Walter. The Writer s Audience Is Always a Fiction. PMLA, vol. 90, no. 1, 1975, pp. 9-21.