June 24

For writing into the day, we wrote what we believe to be the differences between paraphrasing and summarizing.

We defined summary (a shortened version of the text that addresses all of the main or important points).  Then, we write a summary of one of our sources.

Next, we discuss paraphrasing with slides 114-120 on the PowerPoint.  To practice paraphrasing, we individually paraphrased the first paragraph on page 243 in Models for Writers.  We read them in groups of 5 and chose the best paraphrase from each group.  That paraphrase was read aloud to the class.

Next, we talked about block quotes with slides on the PowerPoint 121-122.  We answered the questions on slide 123 on the PowerPoint in the following ways:

• Using block quotes instead of paraphrasing might be quicker because you want to say something that is directly from the source.
• The length of what you’re trying to quote.  If you are using a one-sentence quote, it might be easier to paraphrase.  But if you want a large portion of the work, you might block quote. 
• The reader might have a better understanding if you use the block quote instead of putting it in your own words.
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• You might use too many.
• You might get the format wrong and confuse the reader.
• Depending on what the assignment is, you might not want to use a block quote.  You might have to use your own ideas more than the source’s ideas.
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• It would be up to the writer.
• As a writer, I would use what I am stronger with.  If I am weak at paraphrasing, I might want to block quote.
• If there’s a point in the information you want to use and you think paraphrasing would be ineffective, you should block quote. 
• You might want the reader to understand it better and the block quote is the best way to do it because then you can ensure that all of the writer’s information is included.

Finally, we discussed punctuation to be used with direct quotations (see slides 124-126 on the PowerPoint). 

• Use ellipses when you are removing information from the middle of a quotation.  Do not use ellipses at the beginning or end of a direct quote.
• Use brackets if you are adding or changing words in the direct quote.
• Use single quotation marks where the original sources used double quotations marks.
• If a word is misspelled in the original text, you can use [sic] in the direct quote.  So, if the original sentence is “She threuw the ball” you can write “She threuw [sic] the ball.”  This tells your reader that you did not have a typo.

Homework:

• Post the reflection on instructor comments
• Finish all dialogic journals
• Bring dialogic journals, sources, Easy Writer and Models for Writers to class tomorrow