Working with Secondary Sources Courtesy of Professor Baldwin English Department Prince George’s Community College Contents WHEN to cite WHY we cite SPECIAL PROBLEMS WHEN to Cite (and avoid plagiarism) WHEN to Cite (and avoid plagiarism) You must cite your source when you a) use another writer’s exact words, b) use another writer’s ideas, although you paraphrase her language (put it into your own words…), or c) base your own argument closely on the ideas of another writer. First, let’s understand exactly what constitutes plagiarism… You discover a paper (maybe from the Internet, maybe something that one of your co-workers wrote for his EGL 102 class), and you submit that paper, word for word, as your own. Is this plagiarism? First, let’s understand exactly what constitutes plagiarism… You discover a paper (maybe from the Internet, maybe something that one of your co-workers wrote for his EGL 102 class), and you submit that paper, word for word, as your own. Is this plagiarism? All of us, I hope, would recognize that submitting someone else’s work as one’s own is a clear-cut case of plagiarism… First, let’s understand exactly what constitutes plagiarism… And most of us (and all English professors!) would have “zero tolerance” for this kind of academic dishonesty!!! All of us, I hope, would recognize that submitting someone else’s work as one’s own is a clear-cut case of plagiarism… Example #2 You have read three articles on Iago’s character, and you include paragraphs from all three in your own paper, with a few changes made to the language. You don’t use quotation marks or parenthetical citations, but you do list the three sources in your Works Cited page. Is this plagiarism? Example #2 Yes! Even if you have You have read three acknowledged your use of the articles on Iago’s source material in the Works character, and you Cited page, you have not include paragraphs from indicated that you are quoting all three in your own directly from the sources (with paper, with a few quotation marks & changes made to the language. You don’t use parenthetical citations telling your readers the author and quotation marks or parenthetical citations, page…). This, too, is but you do list the three plagiarism, even if you have sources in your Works included some writing of your Cited page. Is this own and a Works Cited page plagiarism? at the end… Example #3 You’ve read a very fascinating article arguing that Iago fits the modern definition of a sociopath. Since you are a psychology major, you are especially interested in this idea. You write your own essay using this writer’s thesis and a few of his examples, as well as a few examples of your own. You do not list the original essay in your Works Cited list, although you do list three other sources that you quote from. Is this plagiarism? Example#3 You’ve read a very fascinating article arguing that Iago fits the modern definition of a sociopath. Since you are a psychology major, you are especially interested in this idea. You write your own essay using this writer’s thesis and a few of his examples, as well as a few examples of your own. You do not list the original essay in your Works Cited list, although you do list three other sources that you quote from. Is this plagiarism? YES!!! Example #3 Even though you have come up with some of your own examples and used other secondary sources in your paper, you do need to acknowledge that the idea for your paper (as well as some of your examples) came from another writer’s work. Without acknowledging your debt to that writer, you are presenting the thesis or idea as your own, when it was not… YES!!! Example #4 You’ve read an excellent article, and part of one paragraph says EXACTLY what you want to say… You try to paraphrase it, but the original is so perfect that you decide to include it word for word in your paper. You do remember to include a parenthetical citation, but you don’t use quotation marks around the direct quotation. Is this plagiarism? Example #4 You’ve read an excellent article, and part of one paragraph says EXACTLY what you want to say… You try to paraphrase it, but the original is so perfect that you decide to include it word for word in your paper. You do remember to include a parenthetical citation, but you don’t use quotation marks around the direct quotation. Is this plagiarism? Yes! Using another writer’s language without indicating your use with quotation marks is a form of plagiarism! Without the quotation marks, you are suggesting that you are the passage’s author. It’s okay ( and even encouraged) to quote in a research paper! But you MUST use quotation marks to show your readers that you are including words written by another writer. Example #5 Instead of presenting the material as a quotation, you paraphrase most of the paragraph, finding synonyms that fit some of the writer’s words and plugging them into the original sentence structure. Is this plagiarism? Example #5 Instead of presenting the material as a quotation, you paraphrase most of the paragraph, finding synonyms that fit some of the writer’s words and plugging them into the original sentence structure. Is this plagiarism? Yes! Even if you change SOME of the language, you are keeping the sentence structures, merely plugging in synonyms… If you can’t do a genuine paraphrase (truly put the material into your own words), I recommend presenting it as a quotation… Remember, quotations are allowed in research papers, as long as you present them correctly! Review: Cite your source if you… Base your own argument on an idea that you read about in someone else’s work (Example #3). Use a signal sentence, paraphrase, and entry in your Works Cited page. Paraphrase another writer’s language (put the ideas into your own words) in your paper. Here, you would need to acknowledge your debt in a parenthetical citation (and probably a signal sentence) and an entry in the Works Cited page. Use another writer’s exact language (Examples 2, 4, and 5). You need a parenthetical citation AND quotation marks around the section(s) that you are quoting as well as Works Cited entry. WHY we cite WHY we cite And, no, the answer isn’t to make your life more complicated!!! Let’s say that you’ve written an essay about Iago’s character, something that interests me very much… As I read your essay, I find myself very interested in one of your sources… I decide to go to the library and track down the interesting articles that you’ve used in your own discussion…… The entries on your Works Cited page tell me exactly where to find the sources! For instance, I know the volume, page numbers, and publication dates for journal articles, the author and title (and publisher and publication date) of the books that you have used, as well as the urls for any internet sources… If I decide to do further reading on your topic, you have provided me with the information to do so! Bibliography vs. Works Cited A bibliography is a list of sources on a particular topic. I could provide you with a bibliography on Othello, for example, that would list books, journal articles, and other material on the play. A Works Cited page lists only the materials cited (quoted or paraphrased) in your essay. Instead of a list of sources on the topic, it is a list of sources CITED in your essay. Bibliography vs. Works Cited A bibliography is a list of sources on a particular topic. I end What if I don’t actually could provide you up using a source that I withina my bibliography read paper (in other on Othello, words, I don’tfor quote it or paraphrase any of it), but I example, that would think it did influence list books, journal my thinking theother topic? articles,on and material on the play. A Works Cited page lists only the materials cited (quoted or paraphrased) in your essay. Instead of a list of sources on the topic, it is a list of sources CITED in your essay. Works Cited vs Works Consulted List only the works that you CITE in the paper (quote or paraphrase) in the Works Cited page. Include a separate Works Consulted page if you “consulted” (i.e. read) materials that you believe influenced your ideas but not in such a way that you include them directly in the paper. MLA Format vs. APA Format Most disciplines in the humanities use MLA (Modern Language Association) format for documentation. Since English departments are usually given the responsibility for teaching documentation, most students learn this format first. APA (American Psychological Association) format is preferred by the social sciences. One difference: instead of a “Works Cited” page, you list sources on a page titled “References.” MLA Format vs. APA Format Each academic Most disciplines in thediscipline requires a APA (American standard method of documentation humanities use MLA Psychological the reason explained earlier (so (ModernforLanguage Association) format is that scholars have access to Association) format for interestingSince sources).preferred Althoughby thethe documentation. differ slightly, all include social sciences. One English formats departments citations of the instead of are usually givenwithin the the body difference: paper as of sources at responsibility forwell as a list a “Works Cited” the paper’s end. teaching page, you list sources documentation, most on a page titled students learn this “References.” format first. MLAInFormat vs. APA Format future classes, you’ll want to find out whichin method Most disciplines the of documentation APA (American youruse professor humanities MLA (and the discipline) Psychological The information is the (Modernprefers… Language same,format but thefor way that you presentformat is Association) Association) this information differs somewhat preferred by the documentation. Since (in ways that may seem social sciences. One English departments inconsequential…): keep in mind are usually given the difference: instead of that the reason for these differences responsibility a has “Works Cited” is that for each discipline identified teachingits own standard method… page, you list sources documentation, most on a page titled students learn this “References.” format first. SPECIAL PROBLEMS This section is for problems that students have asked about in the past… If you encounter another problem, please email me. SPECIAL PROBLEMS For “how-to” cite, I suggest that you check out the section on documentation in your textbook, which shows you how to set up parenthetical citations and Works Cited page entries. You will also find examples of student essays involving research in our text… Take advantage of all of these models! Problem 1: Long passage… I’m writing about race in Othello, and I have found a lot of relevant background information about Moors. I want to include this material, but I’m not sure how to do so effectively. What should I do? Problem 1: Long Passage Solution: Present the material as a paraphrase, perhaps in one long paragraph (or series of paras). Be sure to BEGIN with a signal sentence, “signalling” your readers that you are working with source material. In her book Moors in Renaissance Europe, Sandra Johnson describes how a man like Othello could have come to Venice. She writes that Moors often rose to positions of leadership… (12-15). By beginning with a signal sentence, you show your readers where you end and the source begins; the page numbers tell us that you are paraphrasing or summarizing material found on these pages in the source. Problem 2: Long passage… which I can’t paraphrase… Okay, I’m trying to paraphrase the long passage, but I’m overwhelmed. What if I can’t find another word for some of the words she uses? Do I have to find another word for Moor? Help! Problem 2: Including some quoted material in your paraphrase Solution 1: First of all, no, you don’t need to find another word for “Moor!” When you summarize or paraphrase, you will certainly need to use some of the same words as your source. If you use a striking phrase, or a word that stands out, then you do need to acknowledge that the word choice was not your own. You can include some quotes in your paraphrase… For example, Problem 2: Including some quoted material in your paraphrase In his book Ethiops Painted White, Anthony Barthelmy goes so far as to label Iago the “internal playwright” (161) of the play; he is the one who casts Othello in the role of cuckold and Desdemona – the honest wife – in the role of adulteress. Because I thought “internal playwright” was so key to Barthelmy’s point, and impossible to paraphrase, I used quotation marks to show that this phrase (or term, or word choice) was not mine, but his. Problem 2: Long passage… which I can’t paraphrase… … Solution 2: Let’s say that the prospect of paraphrasing or summarizing the material really does overwhelm you. Although you don’t want your paper to become one string of long quotations, if you feel that the material is important, and you feel that something would be lost if you paraphrased it, present it as a long quotation! Just make sure that you… Problem 2: Long passage… which I can’t paraphrase… … 1. Begin the paragraph with a signal sentence. (In his book, Derek Jones discusses the treatment of women during the Renaissance:) [Note that I have used a colon to set up the quotation). 2. Indent the quotation, since it will be longer than one line. (See the handout for example of long indented quotation). 3. Conclude the paragraph with some commentary of your own (maybe pull something out of the quote that you can connect to the play). Never, ever present a long quotation as your entire paragraph! Always begin or end with your own sentence(s)! Problem 3: Partial quote… One of my sources has a great paragraph, and I want to include the first two sentences of it and the last sentence as a quote, but the middle part doesn’t go with my topic. Do I have to quote the entire thing? Problem 3: Partial quote… Solution: This one is easy! Use an ellipsis (. . . ) to indicate that you’ve omitted part of the original quotation. (You’ll find an example of this in my handout, but here’s a shortened version.) Dauber writes: Othello reads Desdemona as a figure of heavenly grace. . . Othello keeps nothing in reserve, his faith riding on Desdemona alone. (131) The ellipsis (. . . ) tells the reader that something (a word, a sentence, many sentences?) has been left out here… Problem 4: Great quote from another source… I’ve found a quotation that I REALLY want to include in my paper, but it happens to be a quotation that my source is quoting… What should I do? Do I credit the original source, or do I credit the source that I found the quotation in? Problem 4: Great quote from another source… Solution: Ideally, you could check the source’s Works Cited page and locate the original source yourself… (Think about it: if that quotation is so great, chances are the entire article or book would be useful!) I know from my own experience, however, that it isn’t always possible to track down these sources, so here’s the next best solution… Problem 4 Solution: the (qtd. in --) solution! You’ll find information about quoting a quotation from one of your sources in any good handbook… Present the quotation just as you would any other, but make sure that you name the author of the ORIGINAL work and its title (in other words, the author of the quotation) in your signal sentence. Then, in your parenthetical citation, you’ll include information about the source where you FOUND the quotation. Type (qtd. in Baldwin 108). “qtd in” tells us that the quotation was quoted in Baldwin on page 108. In other words, if I flipped to your Works Cited page and looked for Baldwin, I would find the work where you found the original quotation. Problem 5: Internet (electronic) sources How do I quote from sources that I’ve found on the Internet? Problem 5: Internet sources Solution: Check a recent handbook for information on how to document internet sources. Because the internet is so new, the way that we document these sources is still evolving… Our text gives instructions for electronic sources on pages 1483-1484. Because some internet sources don’t list authors or titles, it can be challenging. Make sure you follow the book’s format as closely as possible, and ALWAYS include the url (address) for the cite as well as the date of your visit to the site! These details may seem tedious or overwhelming at first, but they’re really not that complicated… Remember that you must always list a source used (either as a direct quotation, a paraphrase, or as an idea that influenced your thinking) in your Works Cited list, and you must always include a parenthetical citation within the paper to give credit to those sources where relevant. Good luck on your own essay!