Mrs. Southworth’s
WRITING Parenthetical Citations:
QUOTES and PARAPHRASES
Works Cited Tools:
1. Google: “Bedford Bibliographer” http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/bbibliographer/bbib_frameset.htm
2. Additional Help: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/
3. Citation Fox: http://library.albany.edu/cfox
WHY??
**Use outside sources to support, defend, strengthen YOUR arguments.
TWO MAIN PURPOSES!
1. To point out the difference between the thoughts of the “experts” and your original work.
2. To direct your reader to the original documents you refer to.
3. BUT… WHEN do I use a quotation vs. a paraphrase?
When should I quote? Use a quotation if:
1. Everything the author writes is important (well-worded and necessary).
2. You haven't used many quotations already.
3. The quotations support or illustrate your own points.
When should I paraphrase? Paraphrase when:
1. The author’s words will be difficult for your reader to understand.
2. The author’s exact wording is not as important as his or her message.
How do I include quotations and paraphrases in my paper?
Citing sources within your paper is called parenthetical citation.
Using a Quote
In general, a citation should include the author’s last name and page number. *The general rule is to write whatever the first word or two are from the Works Cited entry. Take note of the sections BOLDED here to show you:
It has often been argued that, “with most of its population imprisoned in serfdom and the remainder living provincial lives revolving about agriculture, and having little or no education, Russia had no middle class” (McGill par. 12).
If the author is mentioned in the text of the paper, the citation should only include the page reference. This is called a signal phrase:
Smith assumes that, “Caroline’s flaw steadily becomes worse with each new awareness of the hate around her” (253).
Verb List for Signal Phrases
adds / concludes / establishes / offersargues / contends / exaggerates / presents
aspires / contrasts / feels / reasons
assumes / defends / illustrates / remarks
believes / demonstrates / introduces / shows
calculates / derives / justifies / specifies
challenges / differs / maintains / stresses
claims / disagrees / objects / suggests
compares / disputes / questions
Using a Block Quotation
Generally, if the quotation is one to three lines long you can include it inside a paragraph. If it is more than three lines you should create a block quote.
One psychologist writes, “The study of birth order in a family is a fascinating topic to many people” (Smith 8). This topic is very fascinating in terms of family dynamics:
Families with more than one child will experience growing pains especially when the children are near the same ages. The first born often take on the role of a leader when older. This can be very difficult for the first born child and it is important for parents to be sure that too much responsibility is not placed on this child or he may become resentful of siblings. (Smith 14)
To create block quotes, do the following:
o start the quote on a new line
o indent twice (hit the tab key twice) and double-space the lines within the block
o do not use quotation marks (putting the quote in a block signals to the reader that why are reading a quote)
o put a period at the end of the last sentence
A rule of thumb – use block quotes sparingly.
Using a Paraphrase
Restate the words from the original source using your own words. The paraphrase will be about the same
length as the original. If you are getting the information/ideas from somewhere, then you must cite the information!!
New York City with its diverse immigrant population and manufacturing base became a
microcosm of the social, political, and economic changes resulting from industrialization and immigration (Smith 170).
If you have more than one work by the same author, give the title (or a shortened version) after the author’s name followed by the page number:
The author spent all his time inside with his mother. In other words, he became the classic example of a mother’s boy (O’Connor An Only Child 20).
Works Cited
York, Anthony. "Doctor Group Wants Pot Legal." Los Angeles Times. 16 Oct 2011: A.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 14 Nov 2011.
TEXT SOURCE
It is the first major medical association in the nation to urge legalization of the drug, according to a group spokeswoman, who said the larger membership was notified Saturday.
There are even some in the medical field, including the California Medical Assn., who argue that marijuana has benefits that outweigh its risks, warranting legalization. York reports that the CMA is “the first major medical association in the nation to urge legalization of the drug” (York par. 2).
IMPORTANT MLA Tip Sheet
- Inserting a full quote in a sentence
o Ex: One doctor writes, “The study of birth order is a fascinating topic” (Smith 8).
o Notice:
§ if you use a quote that is a complete sentence, put a comma after the last word leading into the quote (like the comma after “writes,”)
§ in-text citation is the author’s last name and page # without a space between
§ period for the entire sentence after the in-text citation.
- Putting the quote at the start of the sentence
o Ex: “The study of birth order is a fascinating topic,” writes one doctor (Smith 8).
o Notice:
§ put a comma after the last word in the quote
§ still put the citation at the end and the period after it
- Splitting a quote (a sophisticated idea)
o Ex: “The study of birth order,” writes one doctor, “is a fascinating topic” (Smith 8).
o Notice:
§ put a comma after the last word in the first half of the quote
§ put a comma after the last word in the text between the halves of the quote
§ still put the citation at the end and the period after it
- Inserting 1/2 of a quote in a sentence
o Ex: One doctor argues that “…research on the birth order of a child in a family effects the child’s behavior” (Smith 5).
o Notice:
§ use an ellipse to signal words from the quote you left out
§ place the in-text citation after the quotation mark
§ because the quote is not a complete sentence (doesn’t start with a capital letter) do not use a comma after “that”
- Inserting your words into the quotation.
o Brackets allow you to insert words of your own into quoted material in order to clarify or keep a sentence grammatically correct.
o Ex. William James argues that “what [man] lives for is its thrills and excitement” (10).
- Using a signal phrase (an author’s name) in the sentence (a sophisticated idea)
o Ex: Psychologist Joe Smith argues that “…research on the birth order of a child in a family effects the child’s behavior” (5).
o Notice:
§ the author’s name is not included in the in-text citation (because in the sentence)
- Unknown author
o If no author is named, mention the title of the document in a signal phrase or give the first word or two of the title in parentheses.
o Ex: The author spent all his time inside with his mother. In other words, he became the classic example of a mother’s boy (An Only Child).
- Paraphrasing text, but not directly quoting it
o Ex: In contrast to later-borns, first-borns defend the status quo (Sulloway 79).
o Notice:
§ no quotations used because student used a majority of her own words
§ still put the in-text citation with a period at the end
- What if the in-text citation is from an internet source?
o If the website lists an author for the article, type the in-text citation with the author’s last name and the paragraph/screen number, and put a comma between them.
§ Ex: (Jones, par. 4).
(Jones, screen 5).
o If no author is given on the site, use the title of the article
§ Ex: (“This Life of Mine,” par. 4).
AN Electronic document
Cite an electronic document as you would any other document. Electronic sources may lack authors’ names or dates. In addition, they may lack page numbers. If an online source lacks numbering, omit numbers from the parenthetical references. If a source includes fixed page numbers or section numbering, such as numbering of paragraphs (pars.), cite the relevant numbers.
- Helpful Tips
o Do not use a quote without having other explanatory info in the sentence also
§ Ex: “I have nothing to lose” (Smith 5). = BAD
Smith once argued, “I have nothing to lose” (5). = GOOD
o Explain your quote/paraphrase in the sentence immediately after the quote or paraphrase
§ Ex: say what it means, why important to the essay, context of the info
o When mentioning an author/character for the first time in the essay, use the full name. Use the last name for the rest of the essay.
o When quoting or paraphrasing an author, refer to the author in present tense
§ Ex: Researching the lives if first-borns, Sulloway observes that they can be very competitive.
§ Using “observed” would be incorrect because the info comes from a piece of text, which is happening in the present tense every time the reader reads it.
o Do not type that an author “says” something (were you there to hear the author say it?) Instead type that the author “observes, illustrates, or writes.” You could also type “…according to Smith….”
o To avoid monotony (boredom), try to vary both the language and the placement of your signal phrases:
In the words of lion researcher Maurice Hornocker, “…”
As Kevin Hansen noted, “…”
Karen McCall and Jim Dutcher point out that “…”