RE: Citing lectures

These articles are so helpful!!

The summary of the lecture notes.

1) This article tells us what source is and explains the difference between primary source and secondary source. Primary source is raw data that does not itself give us the analysis of your subject. Secondary source, on the other hand, does give us inference on your subject, and we may accept or object. The article goes on to say that it is our obligation, service, and advantage for us to disclose our sources. It not only gives us the creditability to discuss the subject, but also gives our readers an opportunity to verify our data.

2) This article lists the rule of integrating sources into a paper. It includes summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting source. The article explains in detail the principles of how to summarize, paraphrase, and quote the sources, as well as when to italicize and underline sources. The article also offers the general rule for quoting sources.

3) This article shows us when to and when not to cite the sources. We should cite the source when we use factual information or data found in a source; when we quote verbatim two or more words, or even a single word or label that is distinctive or striking; when we summarize, paraphrase ideas arrived by another person; when mention someone else’s work. We don’t have to cite the source when the source and page location of the relevant passage are obvious; when dealing with “common knowledge”; when using phrases that have become part of everyday speech; when draw on ideas or phrase that arose in conversation. The article also includes different methods of citing and how to acknowledge united sources.

4) This article explains what plagiarism is and the consequences of plagiarism. For instance, when not citing: information or data from its source, other people’s idea, a verbatim phrase or passage. The article also mentions special hazards of electronic sources and how to avoid high-risk situation; for example, don’t leave work until the last minute because some assignment takes a lot of time, and, when taking notes, make sure the distinguish your own thoughts and ideas from the sources you are citing from.

5) The final article teaches us many different ways to decorate the paper and make it look like million dollars according the format you are using, for instance, MLA, APA, etc. The article also says that MLA is normally used for humanities majors, and APA is more for social science and science with some exceptions. The article also shows us the way to list the references used and how to cite reference under different circumstances and according the format and style you are using.

They say, I say Summary

First, let me just say that this is a great book and an excellent resource for writing. I wish I have known about this book before! My writing life would have been so much easier! Absolutely love it!!

Here is the summary for each chapter:

1) The first chapter, “They Say”, tells us to find a way to engage our audience. It gave an example of a speaker in a conference arguing his position without telling the audience why. He left the audience clueless for the entire speech. It goes on to urge us, as writers, to explain what we are responding to before offering our argument so that our audience has an idea what we are talking about. In this chapter, the authors offer different ways using various templates to help us apply the ideas the authors trying to convey.

2) The second chapter, “Her point is”, shows the importance of summarizing what other people say. The authors argued that if a writer who can not or will not suspend his own beliefs when summarizing what other people say, he is more likely to produce summarized that are more biased then a writer who can and will. In addition, a writer who summarizes what other people say must not take the words or sentence out of context.

3) Chapter 3, “As He Himself Puts It”, suggests that, as writers, we should not quote any comments just because it is convenient. The quotes you use must support your argument, mean something in whatever you are writing, and relate to your context. The authors also demonstrate this concept by providing various templates to help us introduce quotations.

4) Chapter 4, “Yes/No/Oaky, But”, moves away from the “they say” from the previous chapters to “I say.” The authors show the ways we can respond to other people’s argument. We can agree, or disagree, or agree and disagree simultaneously. The authors also provide different templates to help us agree or disagree with others in various ways.

5) Chapter 5, “And Yet”, helps distinguish your own opinion from other people’s opinion as well as finding your own voice in writing. By clarifying who is saying what, it clears the ambiguity. In this chapter, the authors also offer many examples of applying the concept.

6) Chapter 6, “Skeptics May Object”, points out that while criticism is hard to receive sometimes, it can play to our advantage sometimes. The authors went on to ask us to write with other people’s objection in mind so that we can think more thoroughly while we write. This helps us become more responsible when we write. The authors also suggest learning the art of disagreeing, and demonstrate the difference between “bullying your readers and genuinely persuading them.” Again, they offer many different examples to apply the art of disagreeing.

7) Chapter 7, “So What? Who Cares?”, brings up the point of saying why what you say matters. This is to establish a purpose for your writing and tell your readers why they care about the topic you are writing. This can be done by asking yourself “so what? Who cares?” when you write, and try to answer this question. The authors offer different templates to help us apply the concept.

8) Chapter 8, “As a result”, instructs us to make the transition from one sentence to next more smoothly. It addressed the issue of connecting your writings. The authors list some transition words that help the reader go from one place to another. The transition words include words that compare, contrast, and conclude. In addition, when repeating your own words, it is best to repeat them differently so as to make the writing more interesting while connecting the parts of your writings.

9) Chapter 9, “Ain’t So/Is Not”, teaches that while we are taught to write differently from how we speak normally while writing, it is not necessarily true that we need to abandon our own voice. It points out that academic writing should be relaxed, easy to follow, and even have some fun. To succeed in college, the writer need not limit the language to the strictly formal language.

10) Chapter 10, “But Don’t Get Me Wrong”, shows us how to use metacommentary to clarify and elaborate. Metacommentary is to restate what other people’s words in your own words and voice your own opinion. The authors offer different templates for introducing metacommentary.

11) Chapter 11, “I take your point”, teaches us the courtesy we should have for others after they make their points, and we should not respond by going off on a total difference issue. We should acknowledge other people’s point when we enter a discussion.

12) Chapter 12, “What’s Motivating This Writer?” asks us to look deeper in what a writer is trying to say. It is not just to listen to what the writer is saying, but to understand the writer and be able to translate the writer’s word in your own words. The authors also suggest us to read more critically instead of just taking the word at its face value.

13) Chapter 13, “The Data Suggest”, teaches us the writing used for scientific writing. The writing starts with the data, then presents theories. Moreover, scientific writing is very different from other academic writing. The writer needs to explain what the data means and use it to make his argument. The authors provide different templates for us to use in scientific writing.

14) Chapter 14, “Analyze This”, suggests different approach for writing in the social sciences. Social science is the study of people. It requires different approach from scientific writing because human behavior is more complicated than data. In this chapter, the authors list some example of interpreting the writing for social science.

Annie Dillard Discussion Questions

Annie Dillard Discussion Questions:

1)I, too, engage in some sort of physical rituals as I prepare to write. I usually prepare a cup of tea (although caffeine free, not much of stimulant to my mind, but it gives me a bit of comfort). In the past, I had to clean up the area surrounding my desk as if there must be nothing to distract me while I write. Now, I can write even, in my pajamas, on my bed.

2) Sometimes, I do feel writing or rewriting is like knocking down a bearing wall. As she mentioned " the line of words is a hammer." Sometimes just as I feel like I have a support structure, and start building on the bearing wall, one idea comes up, I have to knock the all down and start over. I know exactly what she means.

3)I have not given much thought about using a metapor to describe the process of writing simply because most of the things I wrote were facts and data. I simply describe facts. I do, however, think writing something like personal narrative is like playing a puzzle. I don't know what I am going to write, but as I put pieces down on the paper, they all seems to fit together nicely after I move them around and rearrange them.

4)I don't think I share her sense of mysticism when it comes to writing. Maybe just because I am not a professional writer, or someone writes for living. For my work, I write facts, data, and memo that is more informative and straightforward. I do enjoy the metaphor whenever I read a book. I think metaphor makes a book so much more interesting to read.

5)I agree with you when you said "Dillard's thick prose, mystical descriptions, and constant use of metaphors are meant more entertain and intrigue us than to say anything concrete about writing." I think by maintaining a certain vagueness when writing about writing leaves more room for readers to imagin things that are unsaid. I bet each of us take away different ideas when we read her writing. Who is to say who is right and who is wrong?