3. Paraphrasing Paraphrasing is one way to use a text in your own writing without directly quoting source material. Anytime you are taking information from a source that is not your own, you need to specify where you got that information.
4. A paraphrase is… Your own rendition of essential information and ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form. One legitimate way (when accompanied by accurate documentation) to borrow from a source. A more detailed restatement than a summary, which focuses concisely on a single main idea.
5. Paraphrasing is a valuable skill because… It is better than quoting information from an undistinguished passage. It helps you control the temptation to quote too much. The mental process required for successful paraphrasing helps you to grasp the full meaning of the original.
6. Proper Citation Remember that paraphrases, just like direct quotations, must be cited. While the words may be your own, the ideas are still borrowed, and you must acknowledge your source.
7. Note Taking and Paraphrasing Good note taking can improve your paraphrases. When taking notes, do not copy from a source unless you intend to quote that source. Rather, read carefully, think, and then write, in your own words, the main ideas you have read. Be sure to note the source for proper citation. You can also make notes with paraphrases as you annotate your reading. Skipping the note-taking step and paraphrasing directly from a source into your draft limits your ability to think through the ideas and increases the risk that you will commit negligent plagiarism.
8. Some Examples to Compare The original passage: “Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes.”
9. A legitimate paraphrase: In research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to minimize the material recorded verbatim (Lester 46-47).
10. An acceptable summary: Students should take just a few notes in direct quotation from sources to help minimize the amount of quoted material in a research paper (Lester 46-47).
11. A plagiarized version: Students often use too many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many of them in the final research paper. In fact, probably only about 10% of the final copy should consist of directly quoted material. So it is important to limit the amount of source material copied while taking notes.
12. The Wrong Way to Paraphrase #1: Failure to Cite Source Original Passage: “They desire, for example, virtue and the absence of vice, no less really than pleasure and the absence of pain.”
13. The Wrong Way to Paraphrase #1: Failure to Cite Source Paraphrase: People want morality just as much as they want happiness.
14. The Wrong Way to Paraphrase #1: Failure to Cite Source Explanation: This paraphrase is an accurate summary of the above passage, but is incorrectly paraphrased because it does not cite the source of its main ideas. The author of this paraphrase has plagiarized the ideas of another.
15. The Wrong Way to Paraphrase #2: Lack of Significant Rewording Original Passage: “To the young American architects who made the pilgrimage, the most dazzling figure of all was Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus School. Gropius opened the Bauhaus in Weimar, the German capital, in 1919. It was more than a school; it was a commune, a spiritual movement, a radical approach to art in all its forms, a philosophical center comparable to the Garden of Epicurus.”
16. The Wrong Way to Paraphrase #2: Lack of Significant Rewording Paraphrase: As Tom Wolfe notes to young American architects who went to Germany, the most dazzling figure was Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus School (10). Gropius opened the Bauhaus in the German capital of Weimar in 1919. It was, however, more than a school; it was a commune, a spiritual movement, a philosophical center like the Garden of Epicurus.
17. The Wrong Way to Paraphrase #2: Lack of Significant Rewording Explanation: This excerpt is not a paraphrase at all; it is too similar to the source. Rather than summarizing the ideas, it uses the same words and structure as the original. This author has committed plagiarism by misrepresenting another’s work as his own.
18. The Right Way to Paraphrase Original Passage: “The Republican Convention of 1860, which adopted plans calling for a tariff, internal improvements, a Pacific railroad and a homestead law, is sometimes seen as a symbol of Whig triumph within the party. A closer look, however, indicates that the Whig’s triumph within the party was of a very tentative nature.”
19. The Right Way to Paraphrase Paraphrase: Contrary to many historians, Eric Foner argues that the Republican platform of 1860 should not be understood as an indication of Whig dominance of the party (175).
20. The Right Way to Paraphrase Explanation: This paraphrase is properly cited and represents an accurate and concise summary of the source.
21. Sandwiching Paraphrases A well-integrated paraphrase should be sandwiched into your paragraph. Each paraphrase should have at least one sentence introducing the idea, the paraphrase itself, and then your comments on the paraphrase (Why did you include it? What’s so important about it? What do you have to add to it?)
22. Top piece of bread: at least one sentence to introduce the paraphrase Meat: paraphrase Bottom piece of bread: at least one sentence to explain or comment on the paraphrase
24. Paraphrasing Practice Take a short passage (a paragraph or less) from any of the essays that we have read thus far in the class and write a paraphrase. Then sandwich that paraphrase as if it were a paragraph in a piece of writing.
25. Vegas Grammar Review Game I will place you in groups Each group will receive $200 in grammar money You wager on each sentence before you see it Always a $10 minimum $50 maximum through sentence 5 $100 maximum through sentence 10 $200 maximum through sentence 15 No maximum wager through sentence 20 After I reveal the sentence, you have thirty seconds to select the correct answer. Remember, if the sentence is correct as is, select correct as is even if there are other correct answer choices. If you have the answer correct, you win your wager. If you answer incorrectly, I take your money. The group with the most money after sentence 20 wins three extra credit points.
28. 1. Michael was an excellent accountant. Having studied many years for his degree. Michael was an excellent accountant; having studied many years for his degree. Michael was an excellent accountant having studied many years for his degree. Having studied many years for his degree. Michael was an excellent accountant. All of the above Correct as is
29. 2. Ben sat upright in bed, he was frightened by a nightmare. Ben was frightened by a nightmare, he sat upright in bed. Ben sat upright in bed he was frightened by a nightmare. All of the above None of the above Correct as is
30. 3. The storm continued to rage through the night we had to light candles when the power went out. The storm continued to rage through the night. We had to light candles when the power went out. The storm continued to rage through the night, we had to light candles when the power went out. We had to light candles when the power went out the storm continued to rage through the night. All of the above Correct as is
31. 4. Francis had ate until he was full, but he still craved dessert. Francis had eaten until he was full, but he still craved dessert. Francis ate until he was full, but he still craved dessert. All of the above None of the above Correct as is
32. 5. Sam brought the lasagna in his lunch that he had made the night before. Sam brought the lasagna in his lunch; that he had made the night before. Sam brought the lasagna in his lunch. That he had made the night before. Sam bringed the lasagna in his lunch that he had made the night before. None of the above Correct as is
33. 6. Jim had stole the box of cigarettes, but he wanted to return them. Jim stole the box of cigarettes, but he wanted to return them. Jim had stolen the box of cigarettes, but he wanted to return them. All of the above None of the above Correct as is
34. 7. Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you are going to get. Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get. Life is like a box of chocolates you never know what you are going to get. All of the above None of the above Correct as is
35. 8. As the bell rung, Charlie headed into class. As the bell rings, Charlie headed into class. As the bell rang, Charlie headed into class. All of the above None of the above Correct as is
36. 9. Because he is the first person to cross the finish line. Dan gets the prize. Because he is the first person to cross the finish line, Dan gets the prize. Dan gets the prize. Because he is the first person to cross the finish line. Because he is the first person to cross the finish line; Dan gets the prize. Both A and C Correct as is
37. 10. Beth ran. Mary skipped. Julie walked. Marcia jogged. Beth ran, Mary skipped, Julie walked, Marcia jogged. Beth ran, Mary skipped, Julie walked, and Marcia jogged. Beth ran; Mary skipped, Julie walked; Marcia jogged. All of the above Correct as is
38. 11. One of the pandas at the zoo are sick. One of the pandas at the zoo is sick. The pandas at the zoo are sick. One of the pandas at the zoo could be sick. All of the above Correct as is
39. 12. Because he did not have enough money, Bob was unable to go to the movies. Because he did not have enough money Bob was unable to go to the movies. Because he did not have enough money. Bob was unable to go to the movies. Bob was unable to go to the movies because he did not have enough money. None of the above Correct as is
40. 13. Finn almost dropped the cake, Haley started laughing at him. Finn almost dropped the cake; Haley started laughing at him. Finn almost dropped the cake. Haley started laughing at him. Finn almost dropped the cake, so Haley started laughing at him. All of the above Correct as is
41. 14. In order to be a good baseball player, you need to practice three skills. Hitting, throwing, and catching. In order to be a good baseball player, you need to practice three skills; hitting, throwing, and catching. In order to be a good baseball player, you need to practice three skills: hitting, throwing, and catching. None of the above Correct as is
42. 15. I have chose whom I would like to accompany me to the football game. I have chosen whom I would like to accompany me to the football game. I choosed whom I would like to accompany me to the football game. I have chose whom I would likes to accompany me to the football game. None of the above Correct as is
43. 16. Either Brett or Aaron have to leave the field. Either Brett or Aaron has to leave the field. Brett or Aaron have to leave the field. All of the above None of the above Correct as is
44. 17. Paul has set the table for eight. Paul has setten the table for eight. Paul has setted the table for eight. Paul set the table for eight. None of the above Correct as is
45. 18. The doctor was unable to cure the deadly disease. He was able to treat some of the symptoms. The doctor was unable to cure the deadly disease, he was able to treat some of the symptoms. The doctor was unable to cure the deadly disease he was able to treat some of the symptoms. All of the above None of the above Correct as is
46. 19. French is a beautiful language, many of the words roll off the tongue. Many of the words roll off the tongue, French is a beautiful language. French is a beautiful language. Many of the words roll off the tongue. French is a beautiful language many of the words roll off the tongue. None of the above Correct as is
47. 20. While Sally lay on the couch, her husband cooked dinner. While Sally laid on the couch, her husband cooked dinner. While Sally lain on the couch, her husband cooked dinner. While Sally lays on the couch, her husband cooked dinner. None of the above Correct as is
48. Homework: Review for quiz Read and annotate “Alone Together: The Robotic Movement” on page 322 Write a 250 word response that includes a paraphrase of one paragraph of the essay with proper documentation and integration
