Parenthetical Citations

Parenthetical Citations English II—Academic Research Writing

Peer Edit • Read through your partner’s paper. • Circle the topic sentence. • Underline the explanation sentences. • Squiggly the support/quote/statistic. • Box the closing sentence. • Write comments and suggestions to improve their background and first body paragraphs.

Plagiarism • Plagiarism: the use of someone else’s words or ideas while claiming them as your own. • It is a form of stealing

Plagiarism • Two Forms: • Stealing Words • Stealing Ideas

Stealing Words • If you use three or more words exactly as they are written, cite your source. Also, put those words you use into quotation marks. • This includes even well-known phrases • “I have a dream” (MLK Jr.) • Even if you only use a few of the words, and you sprinkle those words throughout your sentence. • Ms. Muselin promised her students “fun prizes” that she said would only come if students offered “wonderful” or “insightful” answers (Ms. Muselin).

Stealing Ideas • If the idea you put into your paper is not common knowledge or if the idea is a product of someone else’s analysis, cite the source. • In Of Mice and Men, the river bank was symbolic of the Garden of Eden since this is where Lennie and George fell from grace. (someone else’s analysis) • Over 2/3 of Americans are obese. (a statistic that is not common knowledge)

Exceptions to the rule • When using ideas, statistics, and dates that are known by many people or are very easy to find, you do not need to cite that information. • Oprah Winfrey is the one of the wealthiest women in the world. (common knowledge) • The War on Terror unofficially began on September 11th, 2001 with the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. (most people know this date, and if they do not, it would be very easy to find it in a reference book.

To Cite or Not To Cite • “There is nothing to fear but fear itself” • Should we cite this?

To Cite or Not To Cite • YES!!!!!!!! • Always cite direct quotations regardless of how well known the quote.

To Cite or Not To Cite • Franklin Roosevelt had to analyze the feelings of Americans during the Depression to recognize that they were afraid their economic system was a failure. • Should we cite this?

To Cite or Not To Cite • YES!!!!!!!! • Always cite a source when you paraphrase or summarize some other writer’s conclusions based on his or her analysis.

To Cite or Not To Cite • The president knew that over 53.6% of his constituents were out of work and that there was no work to be found. • Should we cite this?

To Cite or Not To Cite • YES!!!!!!!! • Always cite statistics that are not common knowledge.

To Cite or Not To Cite • Roosevelt was known as the President who brought the country out of the Depression. • Should we cite this?

To Cite or Not To Cite • NO!!!!!!! • Do not cite common knowledge

To Cite or Not To Cite • The first year of the Roosevelt administration was 1932. • Should we cite this?

To Cite or Not To Cite • NO!!!!! • Dates like this are known to many people and are found in millions of textbooks and reference books. Dates, like this one, qualify as common knowledge.

Parenthetical (…) Citations • Prevents plagiarism • Helps keep your paper flowing smoothly • The citation follows the information you are using. • Example: • Just 15 percent of the student body visited the area when the tar pits were opened in the 1980’s (Evers and Boulton 6).

How to use Parenthetical Citations • Must always include the author’s name and the page number. • Two ways to do this: • Author’s name in text • Author’s name in citation

Parenthetical Citations • Markham believes that both authors have created a variation in presenting time which he calls “non-linear fusion” (9). • The particular presentation of time used by both authors has been called “non-linear fusion” (Markham9).

Parenthetical Citations