Bibliography

The first thing to do after you have chosen your topic is to make a list or bibliography of information on your subject: books, manuals, pamphlets, articles, etc. You will find it far more satisfactory to make such a list on cards, 3 x 5, 4 x 6, or whatever size you wish, putting the following bibliographical information on the card, ONLY ONE ENTRY TO A CARD:

1. The author's name (if given)—last name first, first name, middle name. Since some books, manuals, booklets, and even articles do not use an author's name, then start with the title.

2. The title of the work. If the work is a separate publication (book, handbook, manual, booklet, dictionary, etc.), the title should be underlined once. This is the printer's cue to put these words in italic type. If the work is not a separate publication but an article in a journal or magazine, a chapter in a book, a section in a handbook, then put double quotation marks around the title. (See Figures 1 and 2 on the facing page.)

3. If the book has gone into several editions, indicate this in parentheses immediately following the underlined title.

For a book:

4. The name of the publisher.

5. The place of publication.

6. The date of duplication.

[Maybe, we should provide examples only in this section and above]?

For an article:

4. The title of the magazine or journal.

5. The volume and the number.

6. The date of the magazine.

The inclusive pages on which the article appeared.

In Figure 3 we have a note card that is a direct quotation from the source. Quotation marks are necessary. This is not true of the note card in Figure 4, because this is a paraphrase of the information between pages 40 and 57 of the source.

Topic A direct quotation from this source page

Routine Business Letters 1 "No matter what kind of letter you write, treat it as a unique opportunity to spend a few moments of your busy day with your customer, friend. Inquiries, replies, acknowledgements too often are considered as merely 'routine'. This should not be!" p.61

Key Number

Figure 3. A note card (quotation)

Topic A paraphrase of the information or substance in this reference page

Letter Planning 2 Successful business letters just don't happen—they are carefully planned according to this formula: A I D C A + CSP = O. K. This means: Attract your reader's favorable attention, arouse his Interest, make him Desire (want) to do what you ask. Convince him he ought to do it, and then you'll get the Action you want. Add a Central Selling Point and you'll have a successful letter—one that will get results. pp. 40-57

Key Number

Figure 4. A note card (citation)

4. Paraphrase

A paraphrase is. . .

• your own rendition of essential information and ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form;

• one’s legitimate way (when accompanied by accurate documentation) to borrow from a source;

• a more detailed restatement than a summary, which focuses concisely on a single main idea.

Paraphrasing is a valuable skill because. . .

• it is better than quoting information from an undistinguished passage.

• it helps you control the temptation to quote too much.

• the mental process required for successful paraphrasing helps you to grasp the full meaning of the original.

Steps to Effective Paraphrasing

1. Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning.

2. Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card.

3. Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the subject of your paraphrase.

4. Check jour rendition with the original to make sure that your version accurately expresses all the essential information in a new form.

5. Use quotation marks to identify any unique term or phraseology you have borrowed exactly from the source.

6. Record the source (including the page) on your note card so that you can credit it easily if you decide to incorporate the material into your paper.