{"id":6876,"date":"2020-10-26T10:59:39","date_gmt":"2020-10-26T14:59:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techrhet.com\/3213\/?page_id=6876"},"modified":"2021-03-20T17:22:51","modified_gmt":"2021-03-20T21:22:51","slug":"if-you-must-quote","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"#","title":{"rendered":"
DO YOU REALLY NEED <\/div>QUOTATION(?)<\/span>"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Contents & Navigation<\/div>\n
academic vs. professional<\/a><\/div>\n
definitions<\/a><\/div>\n
using summary<\/a><\/div>\n
when and how to quote<\/a><\/div>\n
working with quotation<\/a><\/div>\n
quote integration methods<\/a><\/div>\n
short quotes<\/a><\/div>\n
long\/block quotes<\/a><\/div>\n
altering quotes<\/a><\/div>\n
all research & reports \u232a<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/span>\u2305<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n

Recap: Academic vs. Professional Writing<\/h3>\n

Think back to the course material on the differences between academic writing and professional writing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In college writing (writing in ENC 1101 and 1102, and writing research and final papers for most of your courses), you have various (somewhat arbitrary) guidelines to meet. But professional writing is different.<\/p>\n

In college writing, your paper must be X pages long\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.<\/div>\n
\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009to meet course level, departmental, WAC, instructor, and\/or SUS minimum requirements.<\/div>\n
In professional writing, your work must be long enough to accomplish the purpose, but not so long as to lose the audience’s interest or waste their time (there are no minimums or maximums).<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
In college writing, you must use X sources\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.<\/div>\n
\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009to force you to use source material and\/or scholarship in the field; to demonstrate understanding of how to read arguments.<\/div>\n
In professional writing, you must rely on sources only if your text requires details, facts, or support that you don’t already have in your head, and only insofar as it helps you to accomplish your purpose.<\/div>\n
In college writing, you must include X quotations\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.<\/div>\n
\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009to force you to demonstrate that you can engage in “conversation” with noted voices on the topic.<\/div>\n
In professional writing, you’re never required to use quotations (unless you’re providing recommendations or reviews from past clients or customers).<\/div>\n
In college writing, you must demonstrate “college level diction”\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.<\/div>\n
\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009to prove you’re “smart” enough to be in college\/in the field.<\/div>\n
In professional writing, you must write in a way that is clear and unambiguous in order to accomplish your purpose and communicate clearly to the audience.<\/div>\n
In college writing, you must use college level diction & vocabulary\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.<\/div>\n
\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009to demonstrate your understanding of vocabulary, concepts, nuance, etc; to prove your mastery of the subject matter.<\/div>\n
In professional writing, you must demonstrate some understanding of the subject matter in order to be seen as credible.<\/div>\n
In college writing, you must write in essay format with recognizable components (thesis statement, transitions, etc.)\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.<\/div>\n
\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009because five paragraph essay form is easy to master and easy to assess.<\/div>\n
In professional writing, you must write in whatever genre and style best suits your purpose, audience, and information.<\/div>\n
In college writing, you must demonstrate some knowledge of the subject matter (to a teacher who already knows the subject matter)\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.<\/div>\n
\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009to prove you’ve learned something in the class.<\/div>\n
In professional writing, you writing to do something\u2014to accomplish something using writing.<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Why Use Quotations in Academic Writing?<\/h4>\n
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  • because using quotations is a requirement<\/li>\n
  • to make our papers longer (to make paper length requirements)<\/li>\n
  • to prove we can “converse” with other voices<\/li>\n
  • to prove that we’re credible speakers on a topic<\/li>\n
  • to show we’ve read credible speakers on a topic<\/li>\n
  • to give our own writing added credibility<\/li>\n
  • to prove we’ve done the work\/mastered the course material<\/li>\n
  • to give our papers sentence level and voice variety<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

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Why Use Quotations in Professional Writing?<\/h4>\n
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We don’t have to do all of that in professional writing.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Sometimes we do\u2014depending on our purpose and audience. But not as a requirement… not for a grade.<\/p>\n

Depending on your purpose and audience, of course you should use sources and cite sources\u2014but consider summary and paraphrase before<\/strong><\/em> you consider quotation.<\/p>\n

In professional writing, you should only use a direct quotation if there’s a good reason to use a direct quotation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

To be clear, if you’re quoting, summarizing, paraphrasing, or otherwise using someone else’s ideas in your own work, you need to cite (citing is giving credit to the original source in the body of the text).<\/p>\n

But always ask yourself if there’s a good reason to include a word-for-word quotation before you include one. Consider whether you can summarize or paraphrase instead.<\/p>\n

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be sure to review the course material on Research Integration, Citation, & Documentation<\/a> first<\/div>\n
\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.but if you really need to use a quotation (really really need)\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.<\/div>\n
then you can find information on proper integration of quotations below.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/span>\u2305<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n

Definitions: Summary, Paraphrase, Quotation<\/h3>\n

According to the Purdue OWL<\/a>, the differences between summary, paraphrase, and quotation have to do with how close your writing is to the source’s writing:<\/p>\n

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Quotations<\/span> must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author.<\/p>\n

Paraphrasing<\/span> involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. A paraphrase must also be attributed to the original source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter than the original passage, taking a somewhat broader segment of the source and condensing it slightly.<\/p>\n

Summarizing<\/span> involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s). Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original source. Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>\u2305<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n

Using Summary<\/h3>\n

A summary is when you summarize the source\u2019s main ideas\u2014the whole thing\u2014in your own words. Using summaries, particularly with quotations, helps readers understand how the (whole) source fits into your work and helps establish your credibility as a writer.<\/p>\n

example | summary of a 19 page journal article<\/h5>\n
Summaries need citations. In the example below, the author and article title are included in the beginning of the sentence.<\/div>\n
Pamela Poovey’s article, \u201cDairy Farms and the Issue of Outdated Technology,\u201d examines the effects of technological obsolescence on mid-sized dairy farms. She explains how outdated technology relegate mid-sized dairy farms to an untenable position\u2014too big and too technologically dependent to market themselves as family farms, but too small and too technologically sluggish to keep up with large scale factory farms. Poovey argues this inability to shift markets will push mid-sized farms out of the dairy market within the next ten years.<\/div>\n
bad example | writing without summary of source<\/h5>\n
Without a summary, the quote below seems stuck into the text. Also, the reader is concerned about several things: the writer\u2019s confidence, source\u2019s content, and how the quote relates to the topic.<\/div>\n
In a Modern Piracy<\/em> journal article, Riley states \u201cfour out of every five men of Pangu will participate in some form of sea piracy in their lifetimes” (78).<\/div>\n
better example | same piece with a summary of source<\/h5>\n
Summary allows the reader to trust the writer; it allows the text to better develop; and, equally importantly, it sets up the quote.<\/div>\n
In a Modern Piracy<\/em> journal article, Riley explores anthropological research on the tiny Polynesian island of Pangu. Despite Pangunians relative isolation and small population\u2014their economic fortunes are relatively stable due to their proximity to the Australia-Mexico sea trade routes. Riley’s article explains how even though “four out of every five men of Pangu will participate in some form of sea piracy in their lifetimes,” with a total population of just over 300, Pangu’s piracy has relatively little impact on the trade of surrounding nations (78).<\/div>\n
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<\/span>\u2305<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n

Quotation: When and How?<\/h3>\n

When To Use Quotation<\/h5>\n
The Modern Language Association suggests:<\/div>\n
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“While quotations are common and often effective in research papers, use them selectively<\/strong>. Quote only words, phrases, lines, and passages that are particularly interesting, vivid, unusual, or apt<\/strong>, and keep all quotations as brief as possible<\/strong>. Over quotation can bore your readers and might lead them to conclude that you are neither an original thinker nor a skillful writer” [emphasis added] (MLA 56).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n