Intellectual Property & Plagiarism - 3) Using Information

Using Information

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT:

There are two methods of including sources in the body of your paper: through direct quotations or by paraphrasing the information. This module will explain the differences and the best practices for using each. (Note: Although we will be using the APA citation style throughout this page, the general principles are the same for other citation formats.)

WHAT TO DO:

Review the information and the examples.
Answer the self-check questions at the end.
Go to Part 4, Citing Information.

Direct Quotations

Common Properties

Short direct quotations are indicated by using quotation marks around the quoted content within an original sentence.

Full sentences, worked into the body of your paper, may also be direct quotations.

Examples

SHORT QUOTE: Frodo continues his journey, laboring on "despite his fear of the known and dread of the unknown" (Reynolds, 1977, p. 12).

FULL SENTENCE: “But the poem discloses more of Frodo's character; despite his fear of the known and dread of the unknown, Frodo still bravely chooses to continue his journey” (Reynolds, 1977, p. 12).

Block Quotations

About block quotations:

Special type of direct quotation used very rarely
Use only when your quote is *very* long
- APA: more than 40 words
- MLA: more than four lines
- Chicago: more than five lines
Especially useful when quoting dialogue from plays

Formatting a block quote:
Provide an introduction to the quote
Begin the block quote on a new line
Do not use quotation marks
Indent each line of the block quote by ½ inch
Punctuate the quoted material with a period after the end of the quoted information – with no additional punctuation after the in-text citation

Block Quotation Example

There are many examples in literature that describe sleeping in the woods at night. Some depict the experience as terrifying:

The nights were the worst. It then became pitch-dark—not what you call pitch-dark, but really pitch: so black that you really could see nothing. Bilbo tried flapping his hand in front of his nose, but he could not see it at all. Well, perhaps it is not true to say that they could see nothing: they could see eyes. They slept all closely huddled together, and took it in turns to watch; and when it was Bilbo’s turn he would see gleams in the darkness round them, and sometimes pairs of yellow or red or green eyes would stare at him from a little distance, and then slowly fade and disappear and slowly shine out again in another place. (Tolkien, 1994. p. 132)

PRO TIP: Instead of using block quotations, paraphrase the information whenever possible! Block quotations should be used only in rare cases. They are most common in literature courses when it is necessary to quote a block of text from a literary work like a novel, play, or poem. Block quotes can overwhelm your paper and drown out your voice, plus they make reading your paper more difficult.

When should I use direct quotations?

Analysis paper: In a paper analyzing a specific work, it makes sense to use direct quotations as you discuss specific words and phrases from the text.
Research paper: If you are doing research, it is common to use direct quotations to:
- show that an authority supports your point
- present a passage whose meaning may be lost if paraphrased, like a specific theory or position

PRO TIP: Generally speaking, using direct quotations are easier than paraphrasing, but this is not always the best method to present a source's information!

Paraphrasing

What is Paraphrasing?

Put simply, paraphrasing is expressing someone else's work by using your own words.

Common Properties

Paraphrased information is added seamlessly to the narrative of the paper being written.
Quotation marks are not used.

Example

Tolkien often uses poetry and song to convey deep emotion. The poem Frodo sings as he departs Rivendell highlights his strength and his willingness to carry the ring to Mordor despite how scared he is (Reynolds, 1977). Other songs, like Samwise Gamgee's Stone Troll Song, are a way to relieve the tension caused by a difficult situation.

If direct quotations are easier, why use paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing source information makes your paper easier to read because it's not "chopped up" by too many quotes.
Using your own words ensures the tone of writing remains the same throughout.
Using paraphrased - and properly cited - sources signal to your instructor that you understand the material and can convey that information in your own words.

When should I paraphrase?

Paraphrase when you need to convey broad or general ideas and concepts and do not need the source's specific language.
Paraphrase when writing your summary of an idea is shorter than quoting it outright.

PRO TIP: When paraphrasing several parts of the same source, only create an in-text citation the first time that source appears. You do not need to cite it again until you use a different source or a direct quotation. If you pick up the first source again later, cite it again.

Reynolds, W. (1977). Poetry as metaphor in The Lord of the Rings. Mythlore, 4(4), 12–16. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26808288

Tolkien, J. R. R. (1994). The Hobbit. Houghton Mifflin Company.

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