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Citing Sources Practice - Chicago Style

Be Careful

It's important to remember that plagiarism can be both intentional and unintentional.  However, unintentional plagiarism carries the same consequences.  There are steps you can take to avoid plagiarizing unintentionally:

  • Plan well: Make sure you give yourself enough time to properly research and write your assignment.  This will get rid of the temptation to plagiarize and make you less likely to make a careless mistake.
  • Take good notes: When taking notes, be sure to keep track of which source your information is coming from, which of your notes are direct quotes and paraphrases, and make sure to note where in the source your information is coming from.
  • Keep track of your sources: Be sure to note which books and articles you have used.  If you locate an article online make sure to either print out the article or save the bibliographic information so that you can find the article again for reference.

Resources

Citing Sources

Citing sources is important because it allows you to maintain academic integrity and gives your paper more credence by demonstrating that you have done your research.

To learn more about citing sources, check out this tutorial.

 

We also have a guide to citing sources.

How to Paraphrase

One way to avoid plagiarism is to paraphrase.  However, it is important to paraphrase correctly.  Simply changing a few words in a sentence is not enough.  In order to paraphrase properly, you must put the author’s ideas into your own words with your own style of expression.  This means changing both the words and the structure of the passage you’re paraphrasing.  Remember to always cite your source at the end of the paraphrase.

The following is a passage from the article "The Protester" which appeared in TIME magazine.

“Once upon a time, when major news events were chronicled strictly by professionals and printed on paper or transmitted through the air by the few for the masses, protesters were prime makers of history. Back then, when citizen multitudes took to the streets without weapons to declare themselves opposed, it was the very definition of news--vivid, important, often consequential. In the 1960s in America they marched for civil rights and against the Vietnam War; in the '70s, they rose up in Iran and Portugal; in the '80s, they spoke out against nuclear weapons in the U.S. and Europe, against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, against communist tyranny in Tiananmen Square and Eastern Europe. Protest was the natural continuation of politics by other means.” (Andersen et al., 2012)

Example of a bad paraphrase:

   In the past, when news was recorded in print or played on the radio, protesters were makers of history.  Back then, when people went to the streets without weapons and protested, it was news—intense, important, and momentous.  In the 1960s Americans marched for civil rights and protested the Vietnam War; in the ‘70s, people in Iran and Portugal rose up; in the ‘80s people protested against nuclear weapons, Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and communist tyranny in Tiananmen Square and Eastern Europe.  Protest was an example of politics by other means.  (Andersen et al., 2012).

This is a bad paraphrase because while some words are changed, the structure and style of expression are too close to the original quote.  Even though the source is cited, this could still be considered an example of plagiarism.

Example of a good paraphrase

   Prior to the internet age, protesters formed history.  It was the heart of news when groups of citizens gathered in public in peaceful opposition to speak out against the policies and events that affected them.  Examples of protests include marches for civil rights and against the Vietnam War in America in the 1960s, protests in Iran and Portugal in the ‘70s, and protests against nuclear weapons, Israeli occupation of Gaza, and communist tyranny in China and Eastern Europe in the ‘80s.  Protesting continued the tradition of “politics by other means” (Andersen et al., 2012).

 

Source: Andersen, K., Abouzeid, R., Ghosh, B., Hauslohner, A., Abend, L., Bhowmick, N., & ... Shuster, S. (2011). THE PROTESTER. (Cover story). Time, 178(25), 54-89.

 

From “Frederick Jackson Turner’s Frontier Thesis and the Self-Consciousness of America” by Tiziano Bonazzi

“Turner’s reversal of the traditional approach to American history, which focused on the Eastern states, a reversal on which the Frontier Thesis rests, is a splendid example of just how evolutionism helped him shape his historical discourse.  His emphasis on western expansion as the key to American history was born out of his early perceptions and research, but its rationale and the frame in which it is cast are based on his scientific credo” (Bonazzi 151).

Example of a bad paraphrase:

            Turner reversed the conventional approach to American history, which focused on Eastern states.  The Frontier thesis rests on this reversal, and this reversal is a great example of how evolutionism helped Turner form his historical discourse.  Turner’s emphasis on western expansion as central to American History originated from his early research and ideas; however, its reasoning and structure are based on his scientific beliefs (Bonazzi 151). 

Example of a better paraphrase:

            Turner’s Frontier theory rests on the fact that Turner’s approach to history was the opposite of the conventional approach.  Turner focused on Western expansion, seeing it as the key to American history, rather than focusing on the Eastern states.  Evolutionism was an important factor when Turner formed this historical dialogue.  His scientific beliefs formed the basis of the ideas and reasoning behind Turner’s Frontier theory (Bonazzi 151).

 

Source: Bonazzi, T. (1993). Frederick jackson turner's frontier thesis and the self-consciousness of america. Journal of American Studies, 27(2), 149-149. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/195673220?accountid=27881

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