Presenting Your Evidence Accurately

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Presenting Your Evidence Accurately
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Use a Single Quotation or a String of Quotations
Scudder narrates, At last a happy thought struck
meI would draw the fish and now with surprise I
began to discover new features in the creature
(Scudder 9).

• Rules for quoting
• Start with a lead-in phrase.
• Quote very precisely and accurately.
• End with a parenthetical citation.
• Only quote diamonds.

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The Lead-in Phrase
Scudder states
explains claims observes says tells
us notes suggests argues
The author asserts inquires
narrates recalls recounts
wonders hints describes
questions challenges asks
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Use a Single Quotation or a String of Quotations
Scudder reports that Professor Agassizs teaching
was encouraging and infectious, that he used
repeated injunction and urgent exhortation
with his students. (Scudder 8-10).

• Rules for quoting
• Start with a lead-in phrase.
• Quote very precisely and accurately.
• End with a parenthetical citation.
• Only quote diamonds.

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Use a Straight Summary
To begin with, Professor Agassizs teaching
methods motivated Scudder to become a dedicated
learner. Scudder relates how the professor
repeatedly left him alone with the fish, and he
forbade him from using any scientific instruments
that might have helped him see the fish more
clearly. Further, Scudder adds that every time
he thought he was finished looking at the fish,
the professor told him to continue observing.
Scudder reports that although he was initially
frustrated by Agassizs behavior, he soon
developed his own methods for successfully seeing
the fish (Scudder 8-9).

• Rules for summarizing
• Start with a lead-in phrase.
• Borrow only two words in-a-row (no more!).
• End with a parenthetical citation.
• Do not contaminate the summary.

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Do Not Contaminate the Evidence
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To begin with, Professor Agassizs teaching
methods motivated Scudder to become a dedicated
learner. Scudder relates how the professor
repeatedly left him alone with the fish, and he
forbade him from using any scientific instruments
that might have helped him see the fish more
clearly. The professor knew that the best way to
teach students was to leave them alone with their
studies. Agassiz believed that most teachers gave
students too much assistance, whether from
themselves or from scientific instruments,
causing them not to be able to learn on their
own. Scudder reports that although he was
initially frustrated by Agassizs behavior, he
soon developed his own methods for successfully
seeing the fish (Scudder 8-9).
Do not contaminate the summary !
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Use a Summary with Short Quotations Inserted
Most importantly, Professor Agassizs standard of
excellence motivated Scudder to apply himself to
his learning. Scudder describes in detail the
professors lessons about the process of
observing. Specifically, Agassiz prompted
Scudder to analyze the fish not just for hours
but for days he often responded to Scudder as
if expecting more, telling him to look again,
look again! and he taught Scudder that although
observable facts were important, the scientist
should notbe content with them (Scudder 8-10).

• Rules for summarizing with added quotations
• Start with a lead-in phrase.
• Borrow only two words in-a-row (no more!).
• Insert quotations smoothly.
• End with a parenthetical citation.
• Do not contaminate the summary.

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Most importantly, Professor Agassizs standard of
excellence motivated Scudder to apply himself to
his learning. Scudder describes how Agassiz
drilled into him that scientists should be
patient and selfish while they are conducting a
new experiment. He also notes that the professor
always expected more, always told Scudder to
look again, and always warned that students
should notbe content with facts because
basically facts will not get you the correct
answers (Scudder 8-10).
Do not contaminate the summary !