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  • Even if you're the cleverest person

  • in the world,

  • you still need to refer

  • to other people's work

  • when writing assignments.

  • And you need to acknowledge

  • the source.

  • You can't let the

  • reader think these words

  • and ideas came from you.

  • That would be plagiarism,

  • which is bad news.

  • So, let's imagine you've found

  • some really good sources.

  • What next?

  • How do you use these sources

  • in your work?

  • Most importantly,

  • you always need to reference the source.

  • You do this whether quoting,

  • paraphrasing

  • or summarising.

  • We'll look at those in a moment.

  • But first off,

  • how do you reference

  • someone else's work

  • in your writing?

  • You can give

  • a short reference in the main text,

  • like this,

  • including the author's name and

  • the year the

  • source was published.

  • And at the end of the essay

  • you include more information

  • about the source material.

  • For example:

  • author's name,

  • year of publication,

  • title and chapter of the book or journal,

  • publisher,

  • place of publication.

  • What to write varies among

  • different institutions, so check

  • your own requirements.

  • Now, we're referencing

  • economist Adam Smith's book

  • The Wealth of Nations.

  • He originally wrote this:

  • "The rich consume little

  • more than the poor,

  • and in spite of their natural selfishness

  • and rapacity

  • they divide with the poor

  • the produce of all their improvements..."

  • Quite long isn't it?

  • And complicated.

  • So we can summarise it.

  • We take only the main ideas

  • and express them

  • in a shorter form.

  • "… and thus, without intending it,

  • without knowing it,

  • advance the interests

  • of the society,

  • and afford means

  • to the multiplication of the species."

  • A related skill is paraphrasing.

  • Here, you take a short section

  • and rewrite it in your

  • own words.

  • Let's look at Adam Smith again.

  • Take a good look at this:

  • "The rich are led

  • by an invisible hand

  • to make nearly the same distribution

  • of the necessaries

  • of lifeamong all its inhabitants."

  • We can paraphrase like this:

  • "Smith (1776) believes

  • an unseen force

  • guides the wealthy,

  • which ensures wealth is shared

  • out almost equally in society."

  • See how the words changed?

  • And we also changed the grammar.

  • For example, from passive voice

  • to active.

  • Remember, your writing should

  • always be as clear as possible.

  • What about quoting?

  • Well, Adam Smith's theory

  • is best known as

  • the 'invisible hand' theory.

  • It would be strange

  • to paraphrase this to

  • the 'unseen force' theory.

  • So when the source

  • material has expressed something

  • in a particularly interesting

  • or convincing way,

  • we often prefer

  • to quote directly.

  • For example:

  • "Adam Smith's view is

  • that the wealthy

  • "are led by an invisible hand",

  • which ensures their

  • wealth is shared out

  • through society."

  • But be careful not

  • to rely on quotes too much.

  • You should use them to

  • back up your point,

  • not to make the argument.

  • Remember to use

  • your own words

  • to express the main point, and

  • then use the quote as evidence.

  • And, if you're being asked

  • to discuss, evaluate

  • or compare,

  • remember to include alternative

  • points of view.

  • There we go.

  • Follow these tips

  • to help you write strong essays

  • and avoid plagiarism.

  • After all,

  • you are the

  • cleverest person in the world.

Even if you're the cleverest person

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B1 adam smith smith adam paraphrase invisible quoting

Study Skills – Using sources

  • 19 1
    林宜悉 posted on 2020/07/01
Video vocabulary

Keywords

material

US /məˈtɪriəl/

UK /məˈtɪəriəl/

  • noun
  • Cloth; fabric
  • Supplies or data needed to do a certain thing
  • Substance from which a thing is made of
  • Supplies needed for a task or activity.
  • other
  • Fabric or cloth.
  • Information or data used for a particular purpose.
  • A substance from which something is made or can be made.
  • adjective
  • Relevant; (of evidence) important or significant
  • Belonging to the world of physical things
  • Relating to physical matter or substance.
alternative

US /ɔlˈtɚnətɪv, æl-/

UK /ɔ:lˈtɜ:nətɪv/

  • adjective
  • A different choice
  • noun
  • Something different you can choose
quote

US /kwot/

UK /kwəʊt/

  • noun
  • A group of words taken from a text or speech and repeated by someone else.
  • Written statement of the cost of something
  • The (often wise or famous) words of another person
  • other
  • To repeat or copy out (words from a text or speech written or spoken by another person).
  • To state the price for a piece of work.
  • To give the current price of a stock or commodity.
  • verb
  • To tell someone how much a task will cost
  • To repeat precisely what a person said or wrote
evidence

US /ˈɛvɪdəns/

UK /'evɪdəns/

  • noun
  • Factual proof that helps to establish the truth
  • Facts, objects, or signs that show that something exists or is true.
  • other
  • To indicate clearly; to be evidence of.
  • To show clearly; prove.
  • other
  • Information used in a court of law to prove something.
  • Facts, objects, or signs that make you believe that something is true.
  • other
  • Information presented in court to prove or disprove alleged facts.
  • Facts, objects, or signs that make you believe that something exists or is true.
force

US /fɔrs, fors/

UK /fɔ:s/

  • other
  • To break open (something) using force.
  • To compel (someone) to do something.
  • To cause (a plant or crop) to develop or mature prematurely in a greenhouse or under artificial conditions.
  • To cause (a plant or flower) to grow or develop at an increased rate.
  • To use physical strength to break open or move (something).
  • other
  • Coercion or compulsion; strength or power exerted to cause motion or change.
  • Strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement.
  • other
  • Coercion or compulsion; strength or power exerted to cause or affect.
  • An influence or effect.
  • Physical strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement.
  • Strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement.
  • noun
  • Coercion or compulsion, especially with the use or threat of violence.
  • Group of persons trained for military action; army
  • A body of people employed and trained for a particular task or purpose.
  • An influence or effect.
  • A body of people employed and trained for law enforcement.
  • A body of soldiers or police.
  • An influence that can cause a body to accelerate.
  • Pressure; attraction
  • Strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement.
  • The use of physical strength/violence to persuade
  • Strength or power of expression or argument.
  • verb
  • To use physical strength or violence to persuade
convince

US /kənˈvɪns/

UK /kən'vɪns/

  • verb
  • To persuade someone, or make them feel sure
  • other
  • To persuade someone to do something or believe something.
consume

US /kənˈsum/

UK /kən'sju:m/

  • verb
  • To eat, drink, buy or use up something
  • To take all your energy; focus the attention
  • other
  • To destroy completely; to engulf.
  • To eat, drink, or ingest (food or drink).
  • To eat or drink something
  • To completely fill someone's mind
  • To completely engross or absorb someone's attention or energy.
  • To use up (resources or energy).
express

US /ɪkˈsprɛs/

UK /ɪk'spres/

  • noun
  • A system for the rapid delivery of goods or messages.
  • A system for sending something quickly.
  • Fast train or bus
  • A train, bus, or other vehicle that travels rapidly with few or no stops.
  • adjective
  • Clearly and explicitly stated; not merely implied.
  • Traveling or able to travel at high speed.
  • Sent by a fast mail service
  • Moving or operating rapidly and directly.
  • Traveling at high speed
  • verb
  • To send something by fast mail
  • To state or show what you think or how you feel
  • other
  • To show (a feeling, thought, etc.) by words or actions.
  • To convey thoughts or feelings in words or by gestures and conduct.
  • To send (something) speedily to a destination.
imagine

US /ɪˈmædʒɪn/

UK /ɪ'mædʒɪn/

  • verb
  • To think creatively about; form mental picture of
  • Form a mental image or concept of something.
  • Suppose or assume something.
  • other
  • To form a mental image or concept of something.
  • To suppose or assume something.
divide

US /dɪˈvaɪd/

UK /dɪ'vaɪd/

  • noun
  • A separation or distinction.
  • other
  • To separate or be separated by a boundary.
  • To cause to disagree; disunite.
  • To share out; distribute.
  • To perform mathematical division.
  • To perform mathematical division.
  • To separate into parts; split or break up.
  • verb
  • To split numbers by another number, e.g. 6 / 2 = 3
  • To separate something into equal pieces
  • other
  • To cause people to have different opinions.