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Grammar
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Quoting and Paraphrasing
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Quotation/Paraphrase, part 1
Using Quotations in Your Essay Many students
tend to overuse direct quotations in their essays. Direct quotations should
be used only when paraphrasing would change the effectiveness or meaning of
the author's words or when the author is a noted authority and the idea could
not be better expressed or said more succinctly. Although quotations are
common in essays in the humanities, they are used less extensively in the
social sciences, and rarely in scientific writing. NOTE: Remember that you
must reference the use of someone else's ideas or findings as well as direct
quotations. NOTE: Introduce the quotation with your own words and
integrate it grammatically into the sentence. Not Correct: Links: http://www.ivcc.edu/eng1001/handout_quotations.htm http://quotations.about.com/cs/quotations101/a/aa042603.htm Setting up
and following up a quotation Quotation
and other punctuation Modifying
words in a quotation
Problem with
quotation marks, capitalization, or italics with the title of a source text. The rule for the
capitalization of titles (of books, papers, and other creative works) is: * Capitalize the first
and last words of the title. * Capitalize the first
and last words of the subtitle. * Capitalize all other
words except for prepositions, articles, and conjunctions. See an example here. Use italics or
underlining for titles of books, journals, and other large works.
Use quotation marks for
titles of articles, book chapters, poems, and other short works. Links: Further In Eye on Editing 2,
see pages 136-138 In Read, Write, Edit:
Grammar for College Writers, see page 177
Quotation/Paraphrase, part 3 When you quote or
paraphrase from a source, use an author’s first and last name the first time,
then use the last name thereafter. Example: For many
millennia the cave’s inhabitants hunted and gathered for food. But by about
4,000 years ago they were growing crops—perhaps as many as 140 of them,
according to Charles R. Clement, an anthropological botanist at
the Brazilian National Institute for Amazonian Research. Unlike Europeans,
who planted mainly annual crops, the Indians, he says, centered
their agriculture on the Amazon’s unbelievably diverse assortment of trees:
fruits, nuts, and palms. “It’s tremendously difficult to clear fields with
stone tools,” Clement says. “If you can plant trees, you get
twenty years of productivity out of your work instead of two or three.” [2] Further In Eye on Editing 2, see pages 136-138 In Read, Write, Edit:
Grammar for College Writers, see page 177
Quotation/Paraphrase,
part 4
The quotation is not
well integrated into the sentence. Whenever possible, quote a fragment of source text and embed it into a sentence of your own words. Example: Intuitively, consumers know that free music is not really free: Aside
from any legal risks, it's a time-consuming hassle to build a collection that
way. Labeling is inconsistent, quality varies, and an estimated 30 percent of
tracks are defective in one way or another. As Steve Jobs put it at the
iTunes Music Store launch, you may save a little money downloading from
Kazaa, but "you're working for under minimum wage." [3] Here are some other strategies for
integrating quotations into your text and adding variety
to your quoting & paraphrasing grammar
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Prepositional phrase
(object = author or source; accompanies a clause) Example: According to her, Chekov is pessimistic. |
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According
to |
(general) |
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In
the words of |
(usually
accompanies a quotation) |
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In
the view of |
(accompanies
an opinion) |
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To,
for |
(accompanies
an opinion) |
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Verb (complement =
clause) Example: She says
Chekov is pessimistic |
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Says,
writes |
(general) |
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Asks
* |
(the
complement clause is a question, with if or other question word) |
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Believes,
feels, opines |
has
an opinion |
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Suggests
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(the
statement is supported by some evidence, but is not certain) |
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Replies,
responds |
tells
as a reply to a question or accusation |
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Repeats,
reiterates |
tells
for the second time |
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Agrees |
(the
statement is an opinion/conclusion reported earlier by another) |
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Confirms |
(the
statement is a fact reported earlier by another) |
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Admits,
concedes |
(the
statement appears to weaken or contradict the source’s position) |
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Reveals |
tells
a secret |
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Asserts,
argues |
takes
a position |
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Explains
* |
makes
clear |
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Contends,
insists |
tells
as a reply to a challenge or accusation |
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Holds,
maintains |
continues
to hold the position |
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Claims |
(you,
the writer, don’t trust the source’s opinions or facts) |
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Points
out, observes |
(you,
the writer, agree with the source’s opinions or facts) |
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Remarks
~, mentions ~ *, notes * |
(the
clause is a minor detail) |
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Reports |
(the
clause is a fact) |
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Infers |
(the
clause is a logical conclusion) |
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Concludes |
(the
clause is a logical conclusion and may be a main point) |
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Warns
*, cautions * |
tells
as a warning |
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Denies
~ |
(the
clause is a statement that the source wants us to know is false) |
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Doubts
~ |
(the
clause is a statement that the source believes may be false) |
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Verb (complements =
audience noun + clause) Example: She tells us / We are told that Chekov is pessimistic |
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Tells,
asks * |
(general) |
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Informs,
teaches, instructs |
(the
statement is didactic) |
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Warns
*, cautions * |
tells
as a warning |
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Verb (complements =
topic noun1 + as + topic noun2 or adjective) Example: She speaks of Chekov’s pessimism as a panacea. |
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Speaks
of *, speaks about * |
(general) |
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Characterizes |
(general) |
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Cites |
(the
complement can be the topic OR the source) |
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Mentions
* |
(the
topic is a minor detail) |
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Depicts,
portrays |
(often
used to analyze characters in literature—fiction, poetry, drama) |
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Rejects,
Denounces |
(the
source strongly believes the topic is untrue or invalid) |
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Dismisses |
(the
source believes the topic is untrue, invalid, or not topic-worthy) |
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Exposes |
(the
source tells a secret about the topic that discredits the topic) |
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Verb (complements =
topic noun1 + topic noun2 or adjective) Example: She calls Chekov pessimistic. |
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Calls |
(general) |
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Labels |
(the
second complement—the noun2 or adjective—is often negative) |
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Verb (complement =
topic noun) Example: She speaks of Chekov’s pessimism |
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Speaks
of *, speaks about *, refers to |
(general) |
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Explains
* |
makes
clear |
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Describes |
provides
details about |
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Underscores,
emphasizes |
makes
a special point out of |
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Addresses,
discusses |
makes
a topic out of |
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Mentions
*, remarks on, notes |
makes
a minor detail out of |
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Lists,
Enumerates |
tells
all the items in a list (used with plural nouns) |
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Recounts |
tells
a story |
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Challenges,
questions, calls into question |
(the
source doesn’t believe the truth/validity of the topic) |
Expresses doubt
about
|
(the source may
doesn’t trust in the truth/validity of the topic)
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* means an expression is
in two or more sublists ~ means an expression
cannot come post-complement (He denies that Smith came, BUT NOT Smith came,
he denies) |
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Further
Reading:
In Eye on Editing 2,
see pages 136-138
In Read, Write, Edit:
Grammar for College Writers, see page 177
Quotation/Paraphrase, part 7
Wrong complement type after a reporting
verb
The complement
means the word, phrase, or clause after a reporting verb. The type of
complement that can be correctly used depends on the verb. For example:
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Incorrect: |
She said me
that she loved me. |
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Correct: |
She said that
she loved me. |
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Incorrect: |
She told that
she loved me. |
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Correct: |
She told me
that she loved me. |
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Incorrect: |
She talked that
she loved me. |
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Incorrect: |
She talked about
that she loved me. |
|
Correct: |
She talked about
how she loved me. |
For a list of verbs
along with the complement types that are allowed with each, see part 6 on this page.
For more examples,
see part 4 on this page.
Further
Reading:
In Eye on Editing 2,
see pages 136-138
In Read, Write, Edit:
Grammar for College Writers, see page 177
You are relying too much on quotation.
At times, you can make more impact by paraphrasing a quotation instead
of quoting it verbatim.
What is Paraphrasing?
Paraphrasing is a restatement of the quotation using your own words. When you
paraphrase, you don't rely on the words of the author of the quotation to
create an impact on your readers' minds. You use your own words.
Should one Always Paraphrase?
The answer is no. Your objective as a writer or speaker of a quotation is to
make an impact. Evaluate both choices - paraphrase and direct quote. Usually,
paraphrasing makes more sense if:
- the quotation is
long and wordy
- the words in the
quotation are not powerful
- the source of the
quotation is unknown or dubious
- you are capable
of making a good paraphrase without making it seem like plagiarism.
Here is an Effective Method of Paraphrasing a
Quotation:
- Carefully read
the original quotation and make sure to understand its central theme.
- Note down
anything that grabs your attention. If you feel that some element (word,
phrase, thought) contributes to the central theme of the quotation, make
a note of it.
- Write a
paraphrase in your own words. Meticulously avoid using the original
words, phrases, and expression. At the same time, make sure that your
words convey the same central theme.
- If you need to
use an interesting word or phrase from the original text, use quotation
marks to indicate that it is not your own.
- Cite the author,
the source, and the date given in the text to credit the owner of the
quotation. Remember: Though the words of the paraphrase are your own,
the thought behind it isn't. To not mention the author's name is
plagiarism.
What is a Bad Paraphrase?
A bad paraphrase is one in which you simply substitute certain words with
their synonyms, while maintaining the structure of the original quotation. To
write a good paraphrase, borrow only the idea conveyed by the author. Express
the sentiment in your own words, in your own way.
How does a Paraphrase Differ from a Summary?
To the untrained eye, a paraphrase and a summary may look alike. However,
- A summary is an
abridged version of the original text.
- A paraphrase can be
shorter or longer than the original text.
- A summary
eliminates details, examples, and supporting points.
- A paraphrase
describes the original text in different words. It does not omit
details. [17]
Links:
When do I
use those three dots (…)?
Quotation/Paraphrase, part 9
When you quote or paraphrase a source, cite the
author and title.
If you quote or paraphrase the same source more
than once in succession, you may not need to cite the source each time.
Example:
The
historian Christopher Browning noted the
willingness to kill in Ordinary Men, his study of Reserve Police
Battalion 101 in Poland during World War ll. On the morning of July 12, 1942,
the battalion was ordered to shoot 1800 Jews in the village of Jozefow in a
day-long action. The men in the unit had to round up the Jews, march them
into the forest and one by one order them to lie down in a row. The victims,
including women, infants, children and the elderly, were shot dead at close
range. Battalion members were offered the option to refuse, an option only
about a dozen men took, although more asked to be relieved once the killing
began. Those who did not want to continue,
Browning says, were
disgusted rather than plagued by conscience. When the men returned to the
barracks they “were depressed, angered,
embittered and shaken.” They drank heavily. They were told not to talk about the event, “but
they needed no encouragement in that direction.” [18]
Further
Reading:
In Eye on Editing 2, see pages 136-138
In Read, Write, Edit:
Grammar for College Writers, see page 177
You have misquoted a word or phrase; check the
original.
Further
Reading:
In Eye on Editing 2, see pages 136-138
In
Read, Write, Edit: Grammar for College Writers, see page 177
Next
article
Quotation/Paraphrase, part 11
Wrong Verb Tense with a Quoted or
Paraphrased Source
Present
Tense
Use the present tense to make generalizations about your
topic or the views of scholars:
• The two
• Marxist historians argue that class
conflict shapes political affairs.
• At the end of the chorus, the sopranos repeat
the main theme.
Use the
present tense to cite an author or another source (except in science
writing, where past tense is used).
• The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights of 1948 reflects the idealism of the Second World War.
• The historian Donna Harsch states that "Social
Democrats tried to prevent the triumph of Nazism in order to save the
republic and democracy" (3).
(Note:
whether or not the author is still living is not relevant to selection of
tense.)
Past Tense
Use the past tense to describe actions or states of being
that occurred exclusively in the past:
• Hemingway drew on his experiences in
World War I in constructing the character of Jake Barnes.
• We completed the interviews in January,
2001
Present
and Past Tense Together
At times you will
use both present and past tense to show shifts between time
relationships. Use present tense for those ideas/observations that are
considered timeless and past tense for actions occurring in the past:
• The Padshahnama is an
ancient manuscript owned by the Royal Library at
• Flynn (1999) concluded that high school
students are more likely to smoke cigarettes if they have a
parent who smokes.
• Simon (2000) observed that neutered cats
spend less time stalking their prey.
Writing about
Literature
Use the present
tense to describe fictional events that occur in the text:
• In
• Voltaire’s Candide encounters numerous
misfortunes throughout his travels.
Also use the present
tense to report your interpretations and the interpretations of other
sources:
• Odysseus represents the archetypal epic
hero.
• Flannagan suggests that Satan is the
protagonist of
Use the past
tense to explain historical context or elements of the author's life that
occurred exclusively in the past:
• Hemingway drew on his experiences in
World War I in constructing the character of Jake Barnes.
(Source: http://www.hamilton.edu/academics/resource/wc/verbtense.html)
You have misrepresented the author’s idea; please
reread the source.
Topics: