Paraphrase or Quote? ENL 111, Dr. Vavra

The Difference “Quoting” means putting the words from your source in quotation marks, and inside those quotation marks (with the exceptions noted in the following) every word, letter, and punctuation mark should be exactly as it is in the original text. “Paraphrasing” means stating the ideas from your source in your own words.

Paraphrasing and Quoting Note, by the way, that you need documentation for ideas, etc., not just for material that you quote. Note, by the way, that you need documentation for ideas, etc., not just for material that you quote. As far as documentation is concerned paraphrases and quotations are treated in the same way.

Using Brackets within Quotations According to Bruce Kellner, “[Sammy] comes to learn ‘how hard the world was going to be... hereafter.’ So, perhaps, does the reader who looks closely at Updike's canny tale.” (2) Why is “Sammy” in brackets?

The Uses of Brackets within Quotations Within quotations, brackets are used to show that you have changed something within the quotation. It may be a word, as in the preceding slide, or it may be a change from a capital letter to small or vice versa. Thus a capital “I” in the original may become a small “[i]” in your quotation. Within quotations, brackets are used to show that you have changed something within the quotation. It may be a word, as in the preceding slide, or it may be a change from a capital letter to small or vice versa. Thus a capital “I” in the original may become a small “[i]” in your quotation. The other primary use of brackets is “[sic].” Put this immediately after such things as a word that is misspelled or something that does not make sense. The other primary use of brackets is “[sic].” Put this immediately after such things as a word that is misspelled or something that does not make sense.

Single-Quotes within Quotations According to Bruce Kellner, “[Sammy] comes to learn ‘how hard the world was going to be... hereafter.’ So, perhaps, does the reader who looks closely at Updike's canny tale.” (2) According to Bruce Kellner, “[Sammy] comes to learn ‘how hard the world was going to be... hereafter.’ So, perhaps, does the reader who looks closely at Updike's canny tale.” (2) Why is there a single quote before “how” and after “hereafter”?

Single-Quotes within Quotations According to Bruce Kellner, “[Sammy] comes to learn ‘how hard the world was going to be... hereafter.’ So, perhaps, does the reader who looks closely at Updike's canny tale.” (2) If something you are quoting already includes quotation marks, in your quotation the original marks are reduced to ‘single quotes.’

Three Periods within Quotations According to Bruce Kellner, “[Sammy] comes to learn ‘how hard the world was going to be... hereafter.’ So, perhaps, does the reader who looks closely at Updike's canny tale.” (2) The three periods between “be” and “hereafter” indicate that words have been left out.

A Final Note about Quoting For some reason, many students quote inaccurately. This is a major problem. (You can’t copy correctly?) It is unfair to the writer of the source, and it borders on plagiarism. I may take 10 points off the paper grade for every inaccurate quotation. For some reason, many students quote inaccurately. This is a major problem. (You can’t copy correctly?) It is unfair to the writer of the source, and it borders on plagiarism. I may take 10 points off the paper grade for every inaccurate quotation.

The Importance of Paraphrasing Perhaps as much as 90% of the material that you take from a source should be paraphrased— not quoted. Paraphrasing indicates that you understood the material. Any middle school student can copy and paste information in a paper. Perhaps as much as 90% of the material that you take from a source should be paraphrased— not quoted. Paraphrasing indicates that you understood the material. Any middle school student can copy and paste information in a paper.

How to Be Sure of Paraphrasing To be sure that you are paraphrasing and not quoting, close the source material so that you cannot see it. Then write your paraphrase. To be sure that you are paraphrasing and not quoting, close the source material so that you cannot see it. Then write your paraphrase.

Combining Paraphrases with Quotations The best way to use source materials is to combine the two by paraphrasing most of the material but quoting the important words. The best way to use source materials is to combine the two by paraphrasing most of the material but quoting the important words.

An Example Golding believes that most people, even those who claim to think, really do not. Instead they base their ideas on emotions. As he puts it, “grade-three thinking... is feeling, rather than thought.” (19) Golding believes that most people, even those who claim to think, really do not. Instead they base their ideas on emotions. As he puts it, “grade-three thinking... is feeling, rather than thought.” (19)