paraphrasing, quoting and summarizing

JOHN FLORENTINO E. ECHON

Learning how to paraphrase your sources properly will help you avoid "accidental" plagiarism.

What is a paraphrase? Paraphrasing is following the author's original presentation of ideas, but restating those ideas in your own words.

• you want to express the author's idea but not necessarily the author’s language; support your ideas.

When is a paraphrase useful?

STEPS IN PARAPHRASING1.Introduce the source in a signal phrase. Here is a

common formula you can use: In "[name of article]," [author] writes… [State the main point of the text first.]

2. It should be about the same length as the original source.

3. Compare your version to the original. Make sure that you used your own words and sentence structure. 4. Remember that if you used any key words or phrases, enclose them in quotation marks. 5. Include a parenthetical citation.

APA style, developed by the American

Psychological Association, is used in the fields of

psychology, education, communication studies,

business and some pure sciences.

Direct Quotations

A direct quotation reproduces the

words of another writer verbatim

and is displayed in quotation marks

(if the quotation is fewer than 40

words) or as a block quotation (if

the quotation is 40 words or more)

A quotation is a word-for-word

repetition of written or spoken

language. When you include a direct

quotation in a paper, include the author,

date, and page number on which the

quotation can be found (or other

location information) in the citation.

How to Cite Direct Quotations

All of the following citations of a direct quote are in correct APA Style,

citing the author, year, and page number.

Examples

1. According to Palladino and Wade (2010), “a flexible mind is a healthy

mind” (p. 147).

2. In 2010, Palladino and Wade noted that “a flexible mind is a healthy

mind” (p. 147).

3. In fact, “a flexible mind is a healthy mind” (Palladino & Wade,

2010, p. 147).

4. “A flexible mind is a healthy mind,” according to Palladino and

Wade’s (2010, p. 147) longitudinal study.

5. Palladino and Wade’s (2010) results indicate that “a flexible

mind is a healthy mind” (p. 147).

LONG QUOTATIONS

If the source you are quoting is 40 or more words, start it on

a new line and indent the entire quote about a half inch from

the margin (same position as a new paragraph). Double

space and do not use quotation marks. Note different

position of period.

Miele (1993) found the following:

The “placebo effect,” which had been verified

in previous studies, disappeared when

behaviors were studied in this manner.

Furthermore, the behaviors were never

exhibited again even when reel [sic] drugs were

administered. Earlier studies were clearly

premature in attributing the results to a

placebo effect. (p. 276)

What if there is no page number?

Some sources such as websites may not have page

numbers. APA encourages you to put as much

information as possible for the reader. You may put the

paragraph number or the title of a heading and

paragraph number under that heading. Remember you

only need a page number for direct quotations, not

paraphrased or summarized information.

Basu and Jones (2007) went so far as to suggest

the need for a new “intellectual framework in

which to consider the nature and form of

regulation in cyberspace” (para. 4).

In their study, Verbunt, Pernot, and Smeets (2008)

found that “the level of perceived disability in

patient. . . physical condition” (Discussion section,

para. 1).

Secondary Sources

When referring to another work mentioned in the

source you are reading, give the author’s name of

the original source in your text. Cite the secondary

source in the parentheses using the words, “as

cited in.” Include the secondary source in the

references, but not the original work.

Hawkins was the first to study the long term effects

of abuse (as cited in Caruso et al., 2003).

Hawkins’ study found “no evidence of mistreatment”

(as cited in Caruso et al., 2003, p. 49).

Signal Verbs

The list of signal verbs below will help you integrate others’ ideas

into your sentences.

acknowledges concludes emphasizes replies advises

concurs expresses reports allows reveals

responds interprets agrees confirms criticizes

answers declares objects says believes

disagrees offers suggests lists writes

charges discusses opposes thinks claims

disputes remarks

The cross-pollination and fusion of musical genres over the last 2 decades

has exposed children to a diversity of musical styles (Viglione, 2010).

Technology has also made possible the distribution and sharing of music in

exciting new ways (Viglione, 2010). Music is shared through social media

sites, analyzed and tailored for the individual listener via sites like Pandora,

and simply given away by musicians on their websites (Viglione, 2010). As

a result, in the future, children will likely develop eclectic musical tastes

early and expect a diversity of musical styles at younger and younger ages

(Viglione, 2010).

SUMMARIZING

Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into

your own words, including only the main point(s).

Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized

ideas to the original source. Summaries are

significantly shorter than the original and take a broad

overview of the source material.