There
are several different ways to disseminate reliable content. However, after one
has collected research results, the next step is to convert them into usable
information. The best way to utilize textual information from secondary sources
is to quote, paraphrase, and summarize the material. Two other means of
circulating information involves analyzing numeric data while drawing
conclusions without making mistakes or misinterpretations.
Quoting,
paraphrasing, and summarizing are the most accurate forms of converting
researched information into practical information. First off quoting a source
means you reproduce the material exactly as you found it (giving full credit to
the source, of course) (Bovée and Thill). This is a great way to enhance the
argument being portrayed in the authors work and avoid the possibility of
plagiarism if used accurately. Nevertheless, be cautious to avoid choppy
sentences when inserting quotes and always use correct grammar when using
quotation marks. Provided is an example of quoting from Purdue Owl:
Put commas and periods within quotation marks, except when a
parenthetical reference follows.
He said, "I may forget your
name, but I never forget a face."
History is stained with blood
spilled in the name of "civilization."
Mullen, criticizing the apparent
inaction, writes, "Donahue's policy was to do nothing" (24).
Second, one can often maximize the impact of secondary
material in their own writing by paraphrasing it, or by expressing someone
else’s ideas in their own words (Bovée and Thill). Paraphrasing helps one
maintain consistent tone, present information using vocabulary more familiar to
the audience, and avoid the choppy feel of too many quotations. Plagiarism
should remain at the forefront utilizing another’s work. One should insert a
footnote, endnote, or in-text citation to credit the author and/or authors. The
authors of “Business Communication Today” provide great tips to paraphrase
effectively. For example, read and reread until one has acquire the meaning of
a passage, restate the central ideas of the passage into one’s own words,
compare/check your version of the source to circumvent altering the overall
meaning, correctly use quotation marks, and record the source properly to
provide credit to the author (Bovée and Thill). Below is an example of
legitimate paraphrase versus a plagiarized paraphrasing from Purdue Owl:
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. Lester,
James D. Writing Research Papers. 2nd ed. (1976): 46-47.
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).
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.
Lastly, summarizing is similar to paraphrasing but distills
the content into fewer words (Bovée and Thill). By identifying the main ideas
and points from the material without providing minor details, examples, and
other information that is less important to the audience one will effectively
utilize summarizing. However, correct accreditation must be given like with
quoting and paraphrasing. An example from Purdue Owl on summarizing is:
Example summary: Roger Sipher makes his case for
getting rid of compulsory-attendance laws in primary and secondary schools with
six arguments. These fall into three groups—first that education is for those
who want to learn and by including those that don't want to learn, everyone
suffers. Second, that grades would be reflective of effort and elementary
school teachers wouldn't feel compelled to pass failing students. Third, that
schools would both save money and save face with the elimination of
compulsory-attendance laws.
Questions:
What forms of disseminating material or data do you find most effective?
Works Cited
Bovée, Courtland L., and John V. Thill. "Achieving Success Through Effective Business Communication." Business Communication Today. 12th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2014. 17-25. Print.
"Online Writing Lab." Purdue OWL. The Writing Lab, The OWL at Purdue, & Purdue University. Web. 7 Apr. 2015. <https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/>.
