UNDERSTANDING

RESEARCH
SKILLS
 Citing Sources

▰Quoting
▰Paraphrasing
▰Summarizing

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 Why quote, paraphrase & summarize?

▰ Provide support for claims or add credibility to your writing

▰ Refer to work that leads up to the work you are now doing
▰ Give examples of several points of view on a subject
▰ Call attention to a position that you wish to agree or disagree with
▰ Highlight a particularly striking phrase, sentence, or passage by quoting the
original
▰ Distance yourself from the original by quoting it in order to cue readers that the
words are not your own
▰ Expand the breadth or depth of your writing

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1] QUOTING
outside sources
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 QUOTING
Using a quotation means bringing the original words of a writer into your work. They can
be valuable:

▰ when the original words express an idea in a distinctive way

▰ when the original is more concise than your summary could be
▰ when the original version is well known

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All quotations should be introduced by a phrase which shows the source and also
explains how this quotation fits into your argument:
Introductory
Author Reference Verb Quotation Citation
phrase

‘Inflation is the
one form of
This view is taxation that can
(Friedman,
widely shared; as Friedman stated: be imposed
1974:93).
__________ without
legislation’
__________

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 Quoting . . .

a) Short quotations (1–2 lines) are shown by single quotation marks.

Quotations inside quotations (nested quotations) use double quotation
marks:

As Kauffman remarked: ‘his concept of “internal space” requires close

analysis’.

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 Quoting . . .

b) Longer quotations (3 or more lines) are either indented (given a

wider margin) and/or are printed in smaller type. In this case
quotations marks are not needed:

Similarly, she says:

One of the many things that people need to be able to do, if their life is to be worthy
of human dignity, is to have access to the legal system on terms of equality with other
people…. The due process rights… are also fundamental opportunities to act and be treated
as a fully equal citizen.

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 Quoting . . .

c) Page numbers should be given after the date.

(Nussbaum, 2011a, p. 28)

d) Care must be taken to ensure that quotations are the exact words of
the original. If it is necessary to delete some words which are
irrelevant, use dots (…) to show where the missing section was:
‘Few inventions … have been as significant as the mobile phone’.

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 Quoting . . .

e) It may be necessary to insert a word or phrase into the quotation to clarify a point.
This can be done by using square brackets []:
‘… modern ideas [of freedom] differ radically from those of the ancient world …’
f) If you want to point out a mistake in the original text, use [ sic]:
He claimed that ‘the company was to [ sic] big to fail’.
g) If a writer has published more than one book or article in a year, it is necessary to
add a/b/c to the date:
(Nussbaum, 2011a, p. 28)

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“ NOTE:
Make sure to explain your quotations.
Provide explanation or insight as to why
this quotation is important, or comment on
the importance of the quotation.

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2]
PARAPHRASING
outside sources
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 PARAPHRASING
Paraphrasing and summarizing are normally used together in essay writing, but
while summarizing aims to reduce information to a suitable length, paraphrasing
attempts to restate the relevant information.

Use Paraphrasing…
▰ As another option to quoting.
▰ To rewrite someone else's ideas without changing the meaning.
▰ To express someone else's ideas in your own words.
▰ To support claims in your writing.
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For example, the following sentence:
There has been much debate about the reasons for the Industrial Revolution
happening in eighteenth-century Britain, rather than in France or Germany.

could be paraphrased:
Why the Industrial Revolution occurred in Britain in the eighteenth century, instead
of on the continent, has been the subject of considerable discussion.

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 Paraphrasing . . .

Note that an effective paraphrase usually:

• has a different structure to the original
• has mainly different vocabulary
• retains the same meaning
• keeps some phrases from the original which are in common use (e.g.
‘Industrial Revolution’)

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How to Paraphrase . . .

▰ Read the text carefully. Be sure you understand the text

fully.
▰ Put the original text aside and write your paraphrase in
your own words. Consider each point of the original text,
how could you rephrase it? Do not simply replace every
third or fourth word of the original passage.

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 How to Paraphrase . . .

a) Changing vocabulary by using synonyms:

argues >claims eighteenth century >1700s wages > labor costs

b) Changing word class:

explanation (n.) > explain (v.) profitable (adj.) > profitability (n.)

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 How to Paraphrase . . .

c) Changing word order:

… the best explanation for the British location of the Industrial Revolution is
found by studying demand factors. >> A focus on demand may help explain the
UK origin of the Industrial Revolution.

Note that in practice all these three techniques are used at the same time. Do not attempt to paraphrase every
word, since some have no true synonym (e.g. demand, economy).

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 How to Paraphrase . . .

▰ Review your paraphrase. Does it reflect the original text but is in your own words and style?
Did you include all the main points and essential information?
▰ Include an in-text citation in the expected formatting style (APA, MLA, etc.)
▰ Explain why the paraphrased information is important. To do so, ask yourself the following
questions:
▻ What am I trying to show or prove with this information?
▻ Why is it important to what I am saying? What is its significance?
▻ How does this information add to what I am trying to prove in this paragraph?

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3] SUMMARIZING
outside sources
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 SUMMARIZING
Summarizing is a common activity in everyday life. It is used to describe the main
features of the subject in order to give a clear and simple impression. Use a summary:

▰ when a passage from a source is too long to quote or paraphrase

▰ when only the main ideas of a source are relevant to your paper
▰ when the details in a text might distract, overwhelm, or confuse readers

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Summarizing is a flexible tool. You can use it to give a one-sentence outline of
an article, or to provide much more detail, depending on your needs.
Generally, a summary focus on the main ideas and excludes examples or
supporting information.

For example, if you have been to Tokyo, you might tell a friend:

Tokyo is a huge city with mainly modern buildings and a dense network of public transport. It
has many busy shopping centers which are crowded day and night.

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 How to Summarize . . .

1. Read the original text carefully and check any new or difficult
vocabulary.
2. Mark the key points by underlining or highlighting.
3. Make notes of the key points, paraphrasing where possible.
4. Write the summary from your notes, reorganizing the structure if needed.
5. Check the summary to ensure it is accurate and nothing important has
been changed or lost.

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 the issue of
PLAGIARISM
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 PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own, with or without
their consent, by incorporating it into you work without full acknowledgment. All
published and unpublished material, whether in manuscript, printed or electronic form, is
covered under this.

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