How to Paraphrase, Summarize and Cite Your Sources Documentation of Sources How to Paraphrase, Summarize and Cite Your Sources

Remember… You must give credit to the author for every idea of his/hers you use in your essay. You have three ways you can use another person’s information: direct quote, paraphrase, summarization.

Direct Quote Use the quote exactly as written and using quotation marks. “Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes” (Lester 46-47).

Paraphrasing is… your own rendition of essential information and ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form. one legitimate way (when accompanied by accurate documentation) to borrow from a source. a more detailed restatement than a summary, which focuses concisely on a single main idea.

Let’s see how it is done…incorrectly Original Quote Plagiarized Paraphrase “Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes” (Lester 46-47). Students often use too many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many of them in the final research paper. In fact, probably only about 10% of the final copy should consist of directly quoted material. So it is important to limit the amount of source material copied while taking notes.

Now let’s see how it is done…correctly Original Legitimate paraphrase “Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes” (Lester 46-47). In research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to minimize the material recorded verbatim (Lester 46-47).

Parenthetical Documentation How to do it: Examples: Include author or title and page number if available to the end of the borrowed material. This information goes within parenthesis at the end of the sentence. The period goes after the parenthesis. Book: (author pg. #) (Smith 12) Database with author listed: (author) (Jones) Database/Website without author listed: (“title”) (“How to Cite a Quote”)

Works Cited Page A separate page at the end of your paper where you list all of your information sources. Use correct MLA format Double space all citations, but do not skip spaces between entries. Citations are listed by author or editor name. Author names are written last name, first. List works with no known author by their title.

Where do I find this Information? Books – front and back of the Title Page Use the latest Copyright date listed The author of an article in a book might be listed at the beginning or end Websites – at the bottom of the page, often on the homepage Subscription databases – look at the bottom or check for an icon linking to source information

Works Cited Page Works Cited "Blueprint Lays Out Clear Path for Climate Action." Environmental Defense Fund. Environmental Defense Fund, 8 May 2007. Web. 24 May 2009. Clinton, Bill. Interview by Andrew C. Revkin. “Clinton on Climate Change.” New York Times. New York Times, May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009. Dean, Cornelia. "Executive on a Mission: Saving the Planet." New York Times. New York Times, 22 May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009. Ebert, Roger. "An Inconvenient Truth." Rev. of An Inconvenient Truth, dir. Davis Guggenheim. Rogerebert.com. Sun-Times News Group, 2 June 2006. Web. 24 May 2009. Gowdy, John. "Avoiding Self-organized Extinction: Toward a Co-evolutionary Economics of Sustainability." International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology 14.1 (2007): 27-36. Print.

Important Pay attention to details. This takes patience and time. Always give credit to the owners of words, pictures, sounds, videos, etc. This applies to papers AND presentations. Learn this now because college teachers do not teach MLA; they assume you know how to cite sources.