Lecture 6

1. Common Knowledge (no need to cite)

2. Quoiting
3. Paraphrasing

1.Common knowledge
What is common knowledge?
Common knowledge is information that the majority of people either know or can
find in a number of sources. — for example, famous historical dates.

Common knowledge does not include data and statistics gathered in empirical
studies — you should always cite the source of such figures. It does not include
interpretations or arguments. If a statement can be disputed, you should provide a
citation.

The purpose of citation is to acknowledge the source of your information and

ideas, to avoid plagiarism, and to allow the reader verify your claims. You do not
need to cite common knowledge because it is widely known, undisputed and
easily verified, and it generally cannot be attributed to a specific person or paper.
If you are not sure whether something is common knowledge or not, go ahead
and provide a reference for it.

.
Examples of information that would not need to be cited include:

 The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.

 Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States in January 2009.
 There are four seasons in the year.
 There 365 days in a year.
 The U.S. entered World War II after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Some quick facts, such as statistics, are trickier. For example, the number of gun-related deaths
per year probably should be cited, because there are a lot of ways this number could be
determined (does the number include murder only, or suicides and accidents, as well?) and there
might be different numbers provided by different organizations, each with an agenda about gun
laws.
A guideline that can help with deciding whether to cite facts is to determine whether the same
data is repeated in multiple sources. If it is not, it is best to cite.
The other thing that makes this determination difficult might be that what seems new and
insightful to you might be common knowledge to an expert in the field. You have to use your
best judgment, and probably err on the side of over-citing, as you are learning to do academic
research. You can seek the advice of your instructor, a writing tutor, or a librarian. Knowing
what is and is not common knowledge is a practiced skill that gets easier with time and with your
own increased knowledge.

Examples of common knowledge

The examples below indicate the subtle differences in what is considered common
knowledge.

Yes: APA is a common citation style used by students.

This is an undisputed and easily verified fact.

Maybe: The APA reference style is mainly used in social sciences, business and
nursing.
For a reader familiar with research, this is likely to be accepted as common
knowledge.

No: The APA citation style is used in more than 90,000 papers per year.
This is not an undisputed fact, and should be attributed to one or more sources.
Sources:
https://integrity.mit.edu/handbook/citing-your-sources/what-common-knowledge
https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism/common-knowledge/#:~:text=In%20academic
%20writing%2C%20%E2%80%9Ccommon%20knowledge,citation%20to%20back
%20it%20up.
 2.Quote in academic writing
Quoting means copying a passage of someone else’s words and crediting the source. To quote a
source, you must ensure:

 The quoted text is enclosed in quotation marks or formatted as a block quote.

 The original author is correctly cited.
 The text is identical to the original.

The exact format of a quote depends on how long it is and which citation style you are using.
Quoting and citing correctly is essential to avoid plagiarism.

Example of a quote

“As natural selection acts solely by accumulating slight, successive, favourable variations, it can
produce no great or sudden modification; it can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin,
1859, p. 510).

Citing a quote in APA Style

To cite a direct quote in APA, you must include the author’s last name, the year, and a page
number, all separated by commas. If the quote appears on a single page, use “p.”; if it spans a
page range, use “pp.”

An APA in-text citation can be parenthetical or narrative. In a parenthetical citation, you place
all the information in parentheses after the quote. In a narrative citation, you name the author in
your sentence (followed by the year), and place the page number after the quote.
Punctuation marks such as periods and commas are placed after the citation, not within the
quotation marks.

Examples: APA in-text citation

 Evolution is a gradual process that “can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin,
1859, p. 510).

 Darwin (1859) explains that evolution “can act only by very short and slow steps” (p.
510).

Block quote:

A block quote is a long quotation, set on a new line and indented to create a separate block of
text. No quotation marks are used. You have to use a block quote when quoting more than
around 40 words from a source.In APA and MLA styles, you indent block quotes 0.5 inches
from the left, and add an in-text citation after the period. Some other citation styles have
additional rules.

When to use block quotes

Block quotes should be used when the specific wording or style of the quoted text
is essential to your point. How often you use them depends partly on your field of
study.

 In the arts and humanities, block quotes are frequently used to conduct in-
depth textual analysis.
 In social science research involving interviews or focus groups, block quotes are
often necessary when analyzing participants’ responses.

 In scientific writing, block quotes are very rarely used.

Block quote example

Although Brontë lived an isolated life, she writes about human emotion with remarkable insight,
as exemplified by Heathcliff’s impassioned speech:

Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest if I am living; you said I killed you – haunt me, then! The
murdered DO haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts HAVE wandered on earth. Be
with me always – take any form – drive me mad! only DO not leave me in this abyss, where I
cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I CANNOT live without my life! I CANNOT live
without my soul! (Brontë, 1847, 268)

How long is a block quote?

The minimum length of a block quote varies between citation styles. Some styles
require block quote formatting based on the number of words, while others
require it based on the number of lines.

Citation style Block quote minimum

length

Harvard 30 words

APA 40 words
Vancouver

ACS 50 words
Citation style Block quote minimum
length

Chicago 100 words

APSA

MLA Four lines of prose

Three lines of poetry or verse

Some Rules

A paragraph should never end with a block quote. Directly after the quote, you
need to comment on it in your own words. Depending on the purpose of the block
quote, your comment might involve:

 Analyzing the language of the quoted text

 Explaining how the quote relates to your argument
 Giving further context
 Summarizing the overall point you want to make

https://www.lib.sfu.ca/about/branches-depts/slc/writing/sources/quoting

https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/block-quote/#:~:text=A%20block
%20quote%20is%20a,40%20words%20from%20a%20source.

https://research.wou.edu/apa/apa-block-quote
 When should you use quotes?
In academic papers and essays, you should avoid relying too heavily on quotes. When you want
to refer to information or ideas from a source, it’s often best to paraphrase, which means putting
the passage in your own words. This shows that you have fully understood the text and ensures
your own voice is dominant.

However, there are some situations in which quotes are more appropriate.

1.When focusing on language

If you want to comment on how the author uses language (for example, in papers about
literature, linguistics, communication and media), it is necessary to quote so that the reader can
see the exact passage you are referring to.

Example

You are writing a paper about the novels of a modernist author. You will have to quote
frequently from the novels in order to analyze their language and style.

2.When giving evidence

To convince the reader of your argument, interpretation or position on a topic, it’s often helpful
to include quotes that support your point. Quotes from primary sources (for example, interview
transcripts or historical documents) are especially credible as evidence.

Example

You are working on a paper about the causes of a historical event, and you have studied
documents and letters written at the time. You can quote from these sources as evidence in
support of your argument.

3.When presenting an author’s position or definition

When you’re referring to secondary sources such as scholarly books and journal articles, the
occasional concise quote can be used to present other authors’ theories, arguments or ideas. You
can quote to show that your point is supported by an authority on the topic, or to critique a
position that you disagree with.

Try to put others’ ideas in your own words when possible. But if a passage does a great job at
expressing, explaining, or defining something, and it would be very difficult to paraphrase
without changing the meaning or losing the impact, it could be worth quoting directly.

Example

Your interpretation of survey data is supported by a well-known theory on your topic. You find a
sentence that perfectly sums up the theory, so you quote the author before elaborating on your
understanding of the theory.

How many quotes should you use?

The amount of quotes you should include depends on your subject of study and topic of research.In
scientific subjects, the information itself is more important than how it was expressed, so quotes should
generally be kept to a minimum. In the arts and humanities, however, well-chosen quotes are often
essential to a good paper.

In social sciences, the amount of quotes you use depends partly on whether you’re doing qualitative or
quantitative research. If you’re dealing mainly with numbers and statistics, you shouldn’t include many
quotes, but if you’re dealing mainly with words, you will need to quote from the data you collected.

As a general guideline, we recommend that quotes take up no more than 5–10% of your paper. If in
doubt, check with your instructor or supervisor how much quoting is appropriate in your field.
3.Paraphrasing

Techniques of Paraphrasing
1. Synonym Replacement

a) Violent crime is on the rise among teenagers

b) Violent offences are rising among adolescents (not young people)

2. Changing the Parts of Speech

a) This is apparently a good proposal. (Apparently - adverb) This appears to be a good

proposal (appears-verb)

b) It is apparent that this is a good proposal. (Apparent - adjective)

3. Changing word order

a. As languages such as Chinese, French and English become more widely used, there is a
fear that many minority languages may die out

b. There is dismay that many lesser used languages may pass away, as languages such as
English, Chinese and French become more broadly spoken.

4. Active to passive voice

a. They say that women live longer than men.

b. Women are said to live longer than men.

5. Reduction of clauses

a. While I understand where you are coming from, and truly respect your opinion, I wish
you would express yourself more clearly, like Rama does.

b. I understand your point of view and respect your viewpoint, but I wish you were more
like Rama and communicated more clearly.
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iParaphrase app

Load shedding is one of the common incidents in our life. We almost every day
experience load shedding. When the power supply can not meet the demand, it
leads to load shedding. It causes a crisis in the electricity supply. The unplanned
distribution of electricity is the main cause of load shedding. The reason can be
the illegal connection and shortage of the production of electricity. People suffer
a lot because of load shedding. They can’t work properly.
গবেষণা ক্ষেত্রে অন্যের কাছ থেকে কোন ধরনের আইডিয়া প্রত্যক্ষ অথবা পরোক্ষভাবে
নেওয়ার বেলায় অবশ্যই রেফারেন্সিং করতে হবে । তবে শুধুমাত্র Common
Knowledge নেওয়ার বেলায় রেফারেন্সিং করা বাধ্যতামূলক নয় ।
অন্যের কাছ থেকে কোন কিছু নেওয়ার বেলায় রেফারেন্সিং দিলেও সেটি সরাসরি
নেওয়া যাবে না । কারণ সরাসরি নেওয়া হলে গবেষণা সফট্ওয়ারে আপনার
সিমিলারিটি রিপোর্টে বেশি মান আসবে । ফলে আপনার রিপোর্ট টি বাতিল হতে পারে।
তবে শুধুমাত্র Quoiting করার বেলাতে আপনি সরাসরি অন্যের কাছ থেকে একটা
লাইন কপি করতে পারবেন । এজন্য আপনাকে Paraphrasing করতে হবে না ।
.