Quoting Sources in an Academic Paper: Part 2

Well chosen quotes can enliven your papers but only if they are properly executed. Poorly executed quotations send up red flags that distract readers from the points you are trying to make. To keep your readers' attention and build their trust in you as an analyst, you have to do more than choose the right quotes and frame them properly. You have to avoid common mistakes that tempt your readers to think you might be misusing or abusing your sources. When we intentionally obscure the authorship of a source that's plagiarism; we misuse sources when we fudge the citation or introduce errors of logic or form that are not in the original. 

The following quote has numerous flaws in it. It does not clearly show the source of the quote; there are spelling and punctuation errors in the quote itself; it is not clear how the content of the quote relates to the writer's point; the syntax of the quote does not fit into the frame to form a complete sentence. 

Some professors resent the fact that the students take up their precious time. Dan Smith writes in an article about how some of his colleagues go out of their way to avoid their students. They go as far as making strange office hours to avoid contact. (p. 9) “There is no decent, adequate, respectable education, in the proper sense of that much-abused word, the personal involvment by a teacher with the needs of and concerns of students is at odds with the everyday reality confronting universtiy professors in the United States.“ (p. 10).

Misuse of sources spills into downright plagiarism when a direct quote from a source lacks any formal indication that it is a direct quote. Quotation marks must appear at the start and end of all direct quotes; a citation at the end of a paragraph is not sufficient credit for phrases and sentences that come from another source. Careful readers can often detect that a writer is using someone else’s words without credit because of a significant change in writing style in a single paragraph or section. The highlighted sentence in the following example is suspicious because it lacks the errors of grammar, diction, spelling, and punctuation found in the neighboring sentences.

Students that do sports really like there schools and enjoy playing even if they've got tests the next day. Their very competative people. These athletes identify more closely with their college and tend to be more competitive than other students.This competitive nature is not only seen on the sports field, but in other social circumstances that require teamwork and patience. It is also recognized that for many of the athletes their success on the sporting fields will also increase their attractiveness for the opposite sex including cheerleaders and none sporting males and females, which we must remember may put a strain on their academic studies. (MacDonald 128)

Writing handbooks and websites frequently advise students to “avoid plagiarism” in academic writing. We recommend instead that you make an effort in your writing to demonstrate that you understand that properly quoting and citing material in your paper adds excitement and authenticity, makes you a more credible source by association with respected authorities, and showcases your grasp of the issues you are addressing. Proper quoting of relevant sources does more than avoid plagiarism: it makes your paper original and classy, like you. 

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