Using and Managing Using and Managing Sources of InformationSources of Information

Making information your Making information your own, own, legallylegally

1. Evaluate

3. Document

2. Summarize

4. Organize

2. Summarize the 2. Summarize the information.information.► As soon as you finish reading a piece

(article, report, even an abstract), summarize it in your own words. the contents the relevance (or not) to your project

► Summarizing makes a manageable paragraph out of a much bigger work.

► Save your summaries in a Word file. You can use them in documents you write because those are your words.

Researchers Focus ContributionGraedel and Allenby (1995)

Industrial Ecology Best background source of information

Frosch (1995) Industrial Ecology Stages of industrial activities are linked across time, distance & economic sectors.

Richards, Allenby & Frosch (1994)

Industrial Ecology Majority of systems are Type 1 : linear, one-way flows

Asano, 1991 Water reclamation, reuse & recycling (WRR&R)

Proper WRR&R is planned and direct water reuse, not indirect reuse by discharging effluents

Shiklomanov (1990) WRR&R WRR&R technologies remain greatly underused.

Then add a column summarizing what Then add a column summarizing what that contribution means for your that contribution means for your work/project.work/project.

Researchers Contribution RelevanceGraedel and Allenby (1995)

Best background source of information

Audience will need summary of this.

Frosch (1995) Stages of industrial activities are linked across time, distance & economic sectors.

Basis for my motivation—this is widely applicable.

Richards, Allenby & Frosch (1994)

Majority of systems are Type 1 : linear, one-way flows

This linearity is a barrier for adoption.

Asano, 1991 Proper WRR&R is planned and direct water reuse, not indirect reuse by discharging effluents

This concept is not well-known, inhibits adoption of this technology.

Shiklomanov (1990) WRR&R technologies remain greatly underused.

This is the problem – need to fill this gap.

Integrate source material Integrate source material into your own work.into your own work.► Describing information in your own words Describing information in your own words

helps you integrate it into your own helps you integrate it into your own documents without worrying about plagiarism.documents without worrying about plagiarism.

► Be sure to differentiate between conclusions Be sure to differentiate between conclusions of of factfact and and inferenceinference..

“Extensive laboratory studies suggest that enhanced bioremediation might be applicable to stranded

oil on the beaches of Prince William Sound.”

3. Document your Sources3. Document your Sources

► Help yourself retrieve information later!► Help others learn from your work.► Establish your credibility as a technical

professional. Show your work as part of a continuum of

investigation. Even design projects very often have

multiple designers and previous work to start from.

Other Big Reasons to Document Other Big Reasons to Document SourcesSources

► To keep the distinction between what you said, developed, invented, discovered and what others discovered/said.

► To protect the expression of ideas (yours and others’). Patents Graphs/tables/figures Written expressions: parts of reports,

proposals, technical descriptions, web sites, etc., etc.

Important question:Important question:

► If you cite the source of the words, can you then use the same words without quotation marks? Answer: no, not if a reader might think

that those descriptive words were your words.

The federal Office of Research Integrity defines plagiarism as the “intention to deceive.” The problem is that ignorance is no excuse.

What about quoting, paraphrasing, What about quoting, paraphrasing, or citing or citing engineeringengineering writing?writing?

► Do the same plagiarism rules apply?► Don’t technical concepts and descriptions

have to be worded very precisely? So, how can we paraphrase?

► Isn’t the author of technical work unimportant? (After all, we don’t use “I” very often.)

How to use information from How to use information from sources:sources:► Quote in full, using quotation marks.Quote in full, using quotation marks.► Use part quotation and part paraphrase.Use part quotation and part paraphrase.► Paraphrase.Paraphrase.

All 3 of these uses require an in-text citation to the source and a complete Reference List at end of document.

Exact wording from a websiteExact wording from a website

An alternative to the common drain field is the

Seepage Pit (Dry Well). In this type, liquid flows

to a pre-cast tank with sidewall holes, surrounded

by gravel. (Older versions usually consist of a pit

with open-jointed brick or stone walls.) Liquid

seeps through the holes or joints to the

surrounding soil.

Quote in full, with your own Quote in full, with your own intro.intro.

As experts have noted, the drain field is not the only

possible septic system. “An alternative to the

common drain field is the Seepage Pit (Dry Well). In

this type, liquid flows to a pre-cast tank with

sidewall holes, surrounded by gravel. (Older

versions usually consist of a pit with open-jointed

brick or stone walls.) Liquid seeps through the holes

or joints to the surrounding soil” (Miller 2004).

Note the smooth introduction to the quotation.

Part paraphrase, part Part paraphrase, part quotationquotation► P. Miller describes the Seepage Pit (Dry Well) as

an alternative to the drain field. “In this type,

liquid flows to a pre-cast tank with sidewall holes,

surrounded by gravel. (Older versions usually

consist of a pit with open-jointed brick or stone

walls.) Liquid seeps through the holes or joints to

the surrounding soil” (2004). First sentence is your paraphrase of first sentence of

Miller’s description.

All paraphraseAll paraphrase

► P. Miller describes the Seepage Pit (Dry Well) P. Miller describes the Seepage Pit (Dry Well) as an alternative to the drain field (2004). In as an alternative to the drain field (2004). In this drainage method, liquid seeps into the this drainage method, liquid seeps into the soil surrounding the pre-cast tank into which soil surrounding the pre-cast tank into which it has first flowed.it has first flowed.

When you paraphrase, the author’s name can quite naturally become part of your sentence.

Plagiarism is a matter of Plagiarism is a matter of accountability.accountability.► If you copy Miller’s description and don’t

use quotation marks, you become responsible for the truth and accuracy of his statements. Even his statement in parentheses becomes your responsibility: “(Older versions usually consist of a pit

with open-jointed brick or stone walls.)”

► If you just cite Miller’s work, we cannot be sure which specific ideas you got from him..

What if you use these words from What if you use these words from the McDonald’s website without the McDonald’s website without quotation marks?quotation marks?

► McDonald's has a long-standing commitment to environmental protection. Our restaurants around the world have innovative programs for recycling, resource conservation, and waste reduction.

“McDonald's has a long-standing commitment to environmental protection. Our restaurants around the world have innovative programs for recycling, resource conservation, and waste reduction” (McDonald’s, accessed 2007).

In these paragraphs from the In these paragraphs from the Introduction to a report . . . Introduction to a report . . .

► Where are ideas or words obviously taken Where are ideas or words obviously taken from somewhere other than the writer’s from somewhere other than the writer’s own brain?own brain?

► Where do you have questions about the Where do you have questions about the content because it’s not general knowledge content because it’s not general knowledge and you might like to know more?and you might like to know more?

► Where do you want to see evidence of the Where do you want to see evidence of the author’s credibility? – i.e., “How does author’s credibility? – i.e., “How does he/she know that?”he/she know that?”

Be careful about unintentionally Be careful about unintentionally plagiarizing.plagiarizing.► If you copy words, you must do two things:If you copy words, you must do two things:

1.1.Document (cite) the source Document (cite) the source andand

2.2.Use quotation marksUse quotation marks

► Remember: facts that are “established Remember: facts that are “established knowledge” don’t have to be cited and knowledge” don’t have to be cited and documented, but specialized information (exact documented, but specialized information (exact figures and results from published studies) figures and results from published studies) does. does.

► If in doubt about whether to cite source, cite it!If in doubt about whether to cite source, cite it! Improper citation is way better than no citation. Improper citation is way better than no citation.

Other Resources to Help You Other Resources to Help You Avoid PlagiarismAvoid Plagiarism► UT’s Scholastic Dishonesty policyUT’s Scholastic Dishonesty policy

► PRiME Module on plagiarismPRiME Module on plagiarism► Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana

UniversityUniversity Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and

Avoid ItAvoid It

Document your Document your sources as you do the sources as you do the research.research.

1.1. Collect information when you locate Collect information when you locate source.source.

2.2. Format documentation according to Format documentation according to guidelines.guidelines.

Collect these pieces of informationCollect these pieces of information:: author, date, title of work, title of author, date, title of work, title of

larger work, publication info.larger work, publication info. For electronic sources, add this information:For electronic sources, add this information:

electronic address, date of accesselectronic address, date of access

4. Organize the Information4. Organize the Information

►Store source information in one word-processing file. Cut and paste between browser and word

file Collect enough info. to get back to that

source. Copy and paste citation data from library’s

online catalog Be sure to save all info in one file – might as well alphabetize right from the start!