When you write a paper or an essay, you are expected to write the results of your research in your own words. That is why copying another author’s paper or, at the very least, using an idea from a source without citing the author is termed plagiarism. Plagiarism is a major form of academic dishonesty that attracts severe punishment and humiliation.
However, you can use the ideas from a source without plagiarizing either by paraphrasing or quoting. Paraphrasing is the method of using the idea in a source material without using the text in the source the way it was written. Also, paraphrasing is the author’s rendition of the text in a source material that is presented in a new form while still expressing the same idea.
Quotation, unlike paraphrasing, is copying the exact text of source material and including it in your work with the inclusion of a quotation mark to show the words are not yours.
To avoid plagiarism, you need to give credit to the author or creator of the original idea anytime you use them either by paraphrasing or by quotation. The method of paraphrasing or quoting a source is dependent on the writing format you are using for your paper or essay.
This article illustrates how paraphrasing and quotation can be done successfully in Chicago format.
Quotation in Chicago Format
Short Quotation
When you are taking a text from a source that is less than 100 words, you are expected to incorporate the text in your paragraph with the inclusion of quotation marks. The citation for the quotation should come after or before the quotation mark in parenthesis. The page number where the text was taken should be included in the citation.
For example
Johnson (2005, 154) stated that “Morning routines are one of the defining factors that predict if a person will have a great day.”
If there is any information being left out, three dots (…) must be used to indicate that there is missing information.
For example
Alexander (1999, 201) argued that “having or creating a morning routine is not focused on who can achieve or check off the most boxes……. but it is about making sure you start your day with peace”.
Longer quotation
When you have to use a text from a source that is more than 100 words, you are expected to incorporate the text in a new paragraph. Plus, the text should be writing as a free-standing block of text. Also, the text should be indented by one-half inch to the right, and the text should be written in double space. The citation with page number should be placed at the end of the paragraph after the punctuation.
For example
Internet ethics is a subset of computer ethics; it is a relatively young discipline that has now become one of the most important branches of ethics as a philosophical field. In the early 1980s, ethical issues in computing became one of the important issues of philosophers, computer scientists, and scholars (James and John, 2009, 312).
Paraphrasing in Chicago Format
Paraphrasing entails rephrasing the idea in the source material in your own words. Paraphrasing still requires that you cite the original source. When paraphrasing, you are not expected to include your own idea in the text. The idea behind paraphrasing is to express ideas in your own words so it can flow better with your writing.
When paraphrasing, you are expected to change the sentence structure and expression using alternative expression and synonyms. When citing the source for a paraphrased sentence in Chicago style, the page number of the original text should be included.
For example
Akbulut et al. (2008) identified the several types of academic dishonesty behavior that can be linked to internet usage, and these behaviors include plagiarism, fraudulence, and many more. (213)
You may also want to read Paraphrasing and Quotation in MLA Format!
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