Documentation: Part 2

1. Documentation: Part 2 Parenthetical Citations

2. Parenthetical Citations: What Are They? This term is a lot less complicated than it sounds. Let’s start by defining each of its words: • “Parenthetical” is the adjectival form of parentheses. • You know that citing something means to give credit to a source. • A citation is the noun form of the verb “to cite.”

3. So, what are parenthetical citations? They are just a way—a surprisingly easy way—to document sources by putting some key information in parentheses within the text of your paper. That is why they are sometimes also called “in-text citations.”

4. How and When to Use Them: Basically, when you use someone else’s ideas, whether you are quoting or paraphrasing, you put the author’s last name and the page number at the end of your sentence.

5. Examples • Let’s pretend I wrote a book about kayaking and you are paraphrasing something from page three. In your paper, the citation would look like this: Kayaking at Westport is particularly difficult during low tide (Sakson 3).

6. Examples, cont’d 2. If you mention the author’s name in the sentence, all you need is the page number: According to Mr. Sakson, kayaking at Westport is particularly difficult during low tide (3).

7. Websites If it is a website, put the article title in parentheses. If there is no article title, or if the article title would be confusing [many of my articles are titled “bicycles”], use the main title of the website. Be sure that the entire site is listed in the works cited/bibliography.

8. Examples, cont’d A direct quote would look like this: Mr. Sakson said, “don’t kayak during low tide” (3).

9. When there is no stated author: In a parenthetical citation, the author’s name points to the full source in the bibliography. If there is no author, use the first word or two of the bibliographical entry or the title that will appear in the bibliography: (Cats 6)

10. You may also abbreviate the title: (M.A.D. 22)

11. If you are using several articles from the same site, make it clear somehow: (History.org/Egypt 8)

12. Some Important General Facts about Parenthetical Citations: As you move forward with your academic careers, you will not need to use parenthetical citations for things that are commonly agreed upon facts. That means that even if you yourself didn’t know a particular fact, but it’s commonly known and agreed on within the field you are researching, you don’t need to use parenthetical citations, unless otherwise directed by a teacher.

13. Gen. Facts, cont’d For example, if you had no idea that there were three major pyramids on the Giza Plateau, but it is a fact you would find in any book on the topic (and you would), then a bibliography or “Works Cited” page should be enough. You would only need to use parenthetical citations if you were directly quoting something or paraphrasing someone else’s particular ideas or research.

14. VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!! Please read the next section for important information about how to use parenthetical citations in this course.

15. Parenthetical Citations in this Course For the two papers you will be producing in this class, you will be using parenthetical citations for virtually all of your information.

16. -----answick.blog Anything that you did not walk into this class already knowing or anything that is not a reasoned judgment will need to be cited parenthetically.

17. Luckily: This is very easy to do, since you have been keeping track of page numbers. Like I said, if you have good cards, it is just a matter of plugging in information for your citations and bibliography.

18. Exception • I will allow you, when citing several consecutive sentences in one paragraph, To do this: (Smith, 3; last 3 sentences). This does NOT mean: (Smith, 3; entire paragraph). • Know the difference, please.

19. Why? • 1. It requires you to take responsibility for what you are writing, learning, and using. • 2. It allows me to see that you are mixing sources within your paragraphs.