Why and how you should quote

In writing an essay, you may be tempted to copy straight from the ‘sources’ – materials or evidence you need for your argument – because you do not think you can write as well as the original writer, or you think that the reader might not know the original source. Copying directly from another author is called ‘plagiarism’. You must avoid this as it is a form of intellectual theft. You can avoid plagiarism by using the correct methods of quoting, paraphrasing, and referencing.

When you quote someone, you state their exact words in your text, using quotation marks (inverted commas) and providing the reference. Keep quotations as short as possible by quoting only the essential part of what the author says. Try to restrict yourself to quoting only if the original statement is forceful, well written, or contains ideas that are so controversial that you feel it is best to use the exact words of the author, so that there can be no misunderstanding.

Whereas quoting means using the exact words of another author, paraphrasing means restating the words or ideas from a book or article in your own words. You can make the ideas fit into your writing style. You should follow the rules of paraphrasing carefully in order to avoid being accused of plagiarism.

Make sure that you include the reference directly after the paraphrase in your text so that it is clear where you got the information from. There are many ways of showing that you are reporting the words of others.

In-text referencing is used when you are quoting or paraphrasing sources in your essay. A bibliography is a list at the end of your paper that shows which sources you have read or used to help you prepare your work.

Editing your writing

Editing is the process you go through when revising drafts of your essay. It can take a long time so you need to include proofreading and editing in your timetable. All essays need revising at least once. It is easier to proofread a printed page than text on a computer screen.

 

2. Précis

A summary of a passage from a book, report, newspaper, article etc, which conveys the main idea of the original is called a précis. The word “précis” which is French and the English “precise” both come from the same Latin verb meaning “to cut short”. “To be precise” is to be accurate, definite, exact, brief and to the point.

A well-written précis should be a serviceable substitute for the original work. The goal is to preserve the core essence of the work in a manner that is both clear and concise. At a minimum, the précis should include the topic or main thesis, the purpose of the research, what was studied, what methods were used, what results (or insight) were gained, and a conclusion.

A précis is normally made in about ONE THIRD (or less) of the original. So, compress and clarify a lengthy passage, article, or book, while retaining important concepts, key words, and important data.

- Remove what is superfluous and retain the core essence of the work.

- Give a brief description of key terms.

- Give a brief description of methods ­ an idea of the general approach used by the researchers.

- State the purpose of the research or piece of writing (why was it important to conduct this research or write on this topic?)

Do not forget that a précis is NOT a personal interpretation of a work or an expression of your opinion of the idea; it is, rather, an exact replica in miniature of the work, in which you express the complete argument! So, the writer is not supposed to introduce his own judgement or comments, nor can he use direct speech, conversations or dialogues in précis writing. These should be paraphrased before being condensed. Thus, paraphrase is a first practical step to précis writing.

Paraphrase

Paraphrase is the translation of a dialogue or conversation into ordinary prose language. Care should be taken not to confuse it with reported speech which is purely grammatical. Perhaps the main difference between paraphrasing and reporting speech is that we do not stick as closely to the wording of the speaker or author in paraphrasing as we do in reporting speech. That is, in paraphrasing, we attempt to put the ideas of the speaker or writer in our own words. You are given the thought in one form and have to change it into another form. Exclude personal judgment and accurately state the main points of the original, omitting nothing important, and include nothing that is minor. Paraphrase thus gives excellent practice in expression – the thoughts, ideas and emotions are supplied, and all that is necessary is to thoroughly understand and express them in simple prose language.

Here is a sample list of some commonly used words and phrases which may help you to interpret your passage clearly and accurately:

to wonder if (why, when, how, etc)…

to think/ believe, suppose that…

to be sure/ convinced that…

to doubt/ deny that…

to admit/ acknowledge/ assume that…

to reproach smb for…

to allege/ announce/ claim/ state that…

to suggest that smb should do smth

to remind smb of smth

to offer/ refuse to do smth

to persuade smb to do smth

to argue with smb about smth

to forbid smb to do smth

to suspect smb of smth

to insist on smth

Here are some more tips to help you make appropriate paraphrase:

- Avoid verbs like tell, say, ask, answer which are typical of reported speech.

- Paraphrase conversations if they are essential for your précis.

- When paraphrasing a passage consult the section “Aspects of Cohesion” for logical connection of facts or ideas. Make the relationship between the parts of the statement clear to a reader.

- Keep to one tense form, past or present.

Summary

A summary and a précis have much in common because a summary also conveys the main idea of a passage, an article, etc. However, there are certain points of difference between them.

· A précis is a close summary of a paragraph in the proportion 1 to 3, while the length of a summary varies depending upon the amount of detail required in it. It may be a single sentence if that is enough to convey the general idea. The normal proportion of a summary, however, is about 1 to 10 of the original.

· Since a summary requires a greater degree of generalization, the writer should use his own words.

· A summary must have an introduction which clearly states the title, the author’s name, the source from which the text is taken and the subject the summary is concerned with.

· The writer of a summary should avoid such phrases as “the author says”, “the article reports” and so on. Instead he should simply say what the author says without noting that he does so.

Outlining

· Formal outline

- All headings and subheadings are complete sentences.

- If you use one subheading, you must use at least one more.

a) For every A, there must be a B; for every 1, there must be a 2.

b) You can have more than two subheadings – for example, in this outline there are three subheadings under II.A and four under II.B.

- Formal outlines are normally typed and are best suited for term papers, research projects and other more formal pieces of writing, and they are often submitted along with the writing itself.

· Jot outline. Effective for any type of short- to medium-length paper.

a) Recommended for essay examination questions and other types of tests and writing where time is limited.

b) Can be turned into a formal outline, if desired.

· The writer quickly jots down as many ideas as possible about a subject, whether or not they seem to belong or make sense.

a) Such a jot outline can take as little as five minutes to prepare.

b) Numbers, letters, headings and subheadings are not necessary.

c) After the writer has jotted down everything that comes to mind about a subject, he or she then eliminates “jots” that won’t be used.

d) Writer puts remaining “jots” in the order they will be presented.

 

CONTENTS

 

Предисловие ……...……………………………………………..……………….. 3

UNIT I. Home and Housekeeping. Family Budget and Social Security.

Welfare and Charity

Text 1. The Thorn Birds (an extract)……………………………………...……….5

Exercises……………………………………………………………………....9

Text 2. One Pair of Hands (an extract)……………………………....…………...30

Exercises…………………………………………………..…………………34

Text 3. There’s No Time for “Housewife’s Blues”…......………….……...……..52

Exercises..……………………………………………….…………………..55

Text 4. Taking Over……………………………...……………….…………..…..65

Exercises………………………………………………………….…………68

REVISION……………………………………………………………………......79

GENERAL DISCUSSION..………………………………………………………81

Text 5. Family Budget………...………………………………………………….83

Exercises...…………………………………………………………….…….87

Text 6. Class Distinctions in Modern Britain…………………………………...101

Exercises..…………………………………………….………………....…107

FINAL DISCUSSION……………………………………………………….…..127

UNIT II. Food and Dieting. Health and Healthy Lifestyle

 

Text 1. The Three Fat Women of Antibes..………………………….....…….…130

Exercises………………………………………………...……………….…141

Text 2. Ten Tips to Healthy Eating………………………………...……………166

Exercises…………………………………………………………………....169

 

REVISION………………………………………………………………………181

GENERAL DISCUSSION………………………………………………….…...184

Text 3. Valley of the Dolls………………………………………………...…….186

Exercises……………………………………………………………………191

Text 4. Louise…………………………………...…………………...………….207

Exercises…………………………………………………………………....214

Text 5. A Woman of Substance…………………...……………………..……...227

Exercises……………………………………………………………………234

FINAL DISCUSSION…………………………………………………………...240

UNIT III.Family and Marriage

Text 1. Rich Man, Poor Man…………………………………………….…..…..242

Exercises……………………………………………………………………245

Text 2. The Love Nest…………………………………….……………………..258

Exercises……………………………………………………….……….…..265

Text 3. To Marry Someone You Are Crazy about Is the Greatest Blessing

of Your Life……………………………………….……………………………274

Exercises……………………………………….……………………….…..276

Text 4. The Downsized Male………………………………….………………...287

Exercises…………………………….……………………………….……..294

REVISION………………………………………………………………………304

FINAL DISCUSSION…………………………………………………………...308

UNIT IV. Parent-Child Relationship. Generation Gap. Juvenile Delinquency

 

Text 1. Rich Man, Poor Man………………...…………………………………..311

Exercises……………………………………………………………………317

Text 2. The Old Folks’ Christmas……………………………………………….335

Exercises……………………………………………………………………342

Text 3. Teenagers in Turmoil……………………………………………………356

Exercises……………………………………………………………………359

Text 4. All Over bar the Shouting……………………………………………….371

Exercises……………………………………………………………………375

Text 5. Absolute Truths……...………………………………………………….394

Exercises……………………………………………………………………398

Text 6. Thicker Than Water….……………………………………………….....418

Exercises………………………………………………………………........429

FINAL DISCUSSION..………………………………………………………….444

READER

Text 1. The Politics of Housework..………………………………………….…448

Text 2. Being a Househusband..……………………………………………...…451

Text 3. The US Public Welfare...…………………………………..…………....453

Text 4.Imagine a World of Givers………………………………………….…..459

Text 5. Control Your Food Cravings……………………………………..……..461

Text 6.Another Gene Genie Out of the Bottle.…………………………………464

Text 7. Connie, 70, Campaigns for Legal Recreational Drugs……………….....468

Text 8. Beauty of the Body..…………………………………..……………...…470

Text 9. Health: a Game of Skill or a Game of Chance?….…………….………..475

Text 10. The Family Unit………………………..………….…………………...476

Text 11. City Girl…………………………..……………………………………481

Text 12. Perfect Match……………………..……..………………….………….483

Text 13. What’s Wrong with Marrying for Love..……………..……………..…485

Text 14. Romantic Love…………………..…………………..…..……………..486

Text 15. Margaret Thatcher. Biography..…………..……………………..…..…489

Text 16. Parents Are Too Permissive with Their Children Nowadays................ 492

Text 17. What’s in a Name?..…………………….………………………….…..494

Text 18. Confessions of a Totally Cool Mom……………………..………..…...497

Text 19. Payback for a Punk..……………………………………………..…….499

Text 20. Should It Be a Crime to Hit Your Child?……..………………..……...501

Text 21. When Parents Become Victims..…………………….………………...503

Text 22. The Instant Family that Fell Apart..………………..…………………..509

Text 23. Raising a G-Rated Child in an X-Rated World………………...……...512

Text 24. Crime in America: It is Going to Get Worse.………...………………..517

SUPPLEMENT

FEATURES OF DISCOURSE...………………………………………………...521

I. Ordering Information……………………………………………………..521

II. Rhetoric and Paragraphing………………………………………………526

III. Aspects of Cohesion……………………………………………………528

IV. Appropriate Language……………………………………………….....535

MAKING A COMMENT..………………………………………………...…....544

ACADEMIC WRITING………………………………………………………...550

Essay………………………………………………………………………550

Précis……...………………………………………………………………554

Summary……………………………………………………………….....556

Outlining..…………………………………………………………………557

 

Учебное издание

И.В. Баринова, Н.Н. Иванова, Е.В. Рыжкина

 

ОБСУЖДАЕМ СОЦИАЛЬНЫЕ

И НРАВСТВЕННЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ

СОВРЕМЕННОГО ОБЩЕСТВА

 

Учебное пособие

по культуре речевого общения

для студентов III курса

 

Английский язык

Часть I

 

Пособие подготовлено в авторской редакции

 

Компьютерная верстка Г.П. Лопатиной

 

Подписано в печать 23.10.2007

Объем 20.0 п.л. Формат 60ч90/16 Тираж 500 экз.

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ООО «Типография «Сарма»

1 Hoover – a make of vacuum-cleaners

1 A home equity loan is a form of credit which allows you to borrow money, using your home as collateral – property that you pledge as a guarantee that you will repay the debt.

 

1 Maternity benefit/ allowance – (in Britain) money provided by the government to a woman before and after the birth of her child if she doesn’t receive maternity pay; (Statutory) maternity pay (SMP) – money paid to a woman by her employer before and after the birth of her child if she has worked for that employer for more than six months (LDC).

 

1 There is an old stereotype that people think of in connection with this word. The typical spinster is thought of as a middle-aged woman who lives alone, is not very attractive, and has never been asked by any man to marry him. But the word “spinster” is now old-fashioned and is not much used.

 

1 Paul Bragg pioneered a crusade for a healthy lifestyle in the US; his best known book is The Magic of Fasting («Чудо голодания»).

1 People in the US usually call the darker type of beer ale or dark beer. The pale yellow, carbonated form of the drink is simply called beer in the US and in most other countries.

 

1 I take thee for my lawful wife (husband) – to have and to hold, to cherish and obey, from this time forward for better and for worse, in richness and in poorness, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish forsaking all others, until death do us part.

 

 

1 The idiom resulted from an ellipsis of the saying Love in a cottage with water and crust is cinders, ashes and dust (now quite rare).

 

[1] Old Nick is a humorous nickname of the devil.

1 Manual Trades School, a school for training skilled workers.

 

1 (sl) plead guilty to a criminal charge in order to receive a lighter sentence than if one pleads innocent, is tried, and found guilty.

1 In Europe, the basic types of insurance are made mandatory by law. As a result, for example, the number of Europeans without health insurance is very small, other than in the US.

2 FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) – money which is taken from your pay by the government to be used for social security.

 

1 In continental Europe, welfare states are also facing similar challenges in recent years, as the population is aging and the number of contributors dwindling, while there are more and more beneficiaries.

1 Private Eye – a British humourous magazine known for making fun of well-known people,

including politicians and the Royal Family.

 

1 X-rated: an X-rated film is one that people under the age of 18 are not allowed to see, because it includes a lot of sex and violence; X-rated stories, jokes etc are all about sex. The letter G is used in the US to mark a cinema film that has been officially approved as suitable for people of any age. In the UK, films like this have the letter U.

 

1 John J, DiIulio, Jr., director of The Brookings Institution Center for Public Management, is an authority on criminal justice and has written widely on crime policy.

 

1 The paragraph is a basic writing unit for organizing your ideas and for grouping your sentences.