How to borrow another brain using outside sources

007skaty The quotation sandwich method of essay writing

007skaty The direct quote scalpel technique

007skaty Limiting quotes to exceptionally powerful or historical phrasing prevents lazy writing where others do the thinking for you

Quiz

What punctuation mark must always enclose a direct quote from an outside source?

Quiz

When is it most appropriate to use a direct quotation in your writing?

007skaty Writers use the technique of paraphrasing to explain source material

007skaty Simply swapping words for synonyms is patchwriting, which remains a form of plagiarism

Quiz

What is 'patchwriting' in academic research?

Quiz

Why is paraphrasing often preferred over direct quoting in research papers?

Fun Fact

Shakespeare's borrowing: William Shakespeare rarely invented his own plots; he used outside sources like Holinshed's Chronicles to write plays like Macbeth and King Lear.

007skaty The summary telescope tool for writers

BETA

007skaty Scan articles with your scope to learn how to evaluate outside sources.

Quiz

When summarizing an entire book chapter, what should you leave out?

Quiz

How does a summary differ from a paraphrase in research writing?

Glossary

plagiarism (noun)
The practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. Educators often detect this academic dishonesty using advanced databases such as Turnitin to scan student papers.

007skaty The Quotation Sandwich Method

Introduce, quote, then analyze (yeah, that's the sandwich!)

Quiz

In the 'quotation sandwich' model, what is the purpose of the 'bottom bun'?

Quiz

What is a 'hit-and-run quote' in an essay?

Gossip

Which is harder to master when writing a research paper?