Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarizing in APA

Summary

This video explains the differences between quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing, and how to effectively incorporate external sources into academic writing. It emphasizes the importance of citing all information not considered common knowledge, including images and graphs, to avoid plagiarism. The video provides guidance on when to use direct quotes, how to paraphrase or summarize effectively, and how to properly format in-text citations. Additionally, it offers strategies for smoothly integrating sources into essays and discussion posts to strengthen arguments and support research.

Takeaways

• 📖 Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing are distinct ways of integrating outside resources into academic writing.
• 📚 Citing outside sources gives credibility to your writing and helps support your claims with evidence.
• 💡 Direct quotes highlight impactful phrases or sentences and should be cited with the author’s name, year, and page number.
• 📜 Paraphrasing involves restating detailed ideas in your own words, without adding your own opinions or interpretations.
• 📝 Summarizing condenses the main ideas of a source into a brief restatement using your own words.
• 📊 Images, charts, and graphs that are not your own must be properly cited, even when copied from textbooks or online sources.
• ✍️ Effective integration of quotes requires leading into the quote with an introductory sentence and explaining its relevance afterward.
• 🛑 A good paraphrase avoids using more than three consecutive words from the original text and always includes an in-text citation.
• 🔍 Multiple sentences that cite the same source must each contain an in-text citation, not just at the end of the paragraph.
• 📅 Practicing paraphrasing and summarizing takes time, and it is important to fully understand the source before attempting either.

Q & A

What is the importance of citing outside sources in academic writing?

Citing outside sources in academic writing provides support for claims, enhances the writer's credibility, and showcases various perspectives on a topic. It also ensures proper credit to the original authors of the ideas used.

What is the difference between quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing?

Quoting involves using the exact words from a source, paraphrasing is restating the main ideas in detail in your own words, and summarizing is a brief restatement of the source's main points in your own words.

When should you use direct quotes in your writing?

Direct quotes should be used when the original wording is impactful or when rephrasing would diminish its meaning. It's also important to introduce the quote and explain its significance to the argument.

Why is it necessary to cite paraphrased or summarized information?

Even when information is paraphrased or summarized, it must be cited because the original ideas come from another source. Failure to cite could lead to plagiarism.

What information must always be cited?

You must cite any information that is not common knowledge, including direct quotes, paraphrased ideas, images, graphs, and charts from other sources.

What is the 'rule of three' in paraphrasing?

The 'rule of three' suggests that if three consecutive words from the original source are identical in your paraphrase, they should be considered a direct quote and properly cited.

How can you avoid plagiarism when paraphrasing?

To avoid plagiarism when paraphrasing, read the entire passage, understand it fully, write down the key points, set aside the original, and then rewrite it in your own words using the key information.

What are the citation requirements for direct quotes?

For direct quotes, the citation must include the author's last name, publication year, and page or paragraph number (for sources without page numbers like websites).

How should in-text citations be used if a paragraph relies heavily on one source?

Citing only at the end of the paragraph is insufficient. Instead, you should cite the source throughout the paragraph to make it clear which ideas come from the source.

Why is it important to integrate your own voice when using outside sources?

Integrating your own voice ensures that your paper remains a reflection of your analysis and understanding. Outside sources should support your arguments, not replace your own ideas.