Annoying Ways People Use Sources: The Handout

Kyle Steadman, “Annoying Ways People Use Sources,” in Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, vol. 2.  Available at http://writingspaces.org/essays

Armadillo Roadkill: Dropping in a quotation without introducing it first

Example: We should all be prepared with a backup plan if a zombie invasion occurs. “Unlike its human counterparts, an army of zombies is completely independent of support” (Brooks 155).  Preparations should be made in the following areas….

Fix: We should all be prepared with a backup plan if a zombie invasion occurs. Max Brooks suggests a number of ways to prepare for zombies’ particular traits, though he underestimates the ability of humans to survive in harsh environments.  For example, he writes, “Unlike its human counterparts, an army of zombies is completely independent of support” (Brooks 155).  His shortsightedness could have a number of consequences….

Dating Spiderman: Starting or ending a paragraph with a quotation

Example: [End of a preceding paragraph]… Therefore, the evidence clearly suggests that we should be exceptionally careful about deciding when and where to rest.
         “When taking a nap, always rest your elbow on your desk and keep your arm perpendicular to your desktop” (Piven and Borgenicht 98).  After all, consider the following scenario….

Fix: [End of a preceding paragraph]… Therefore, the evidence clearly suggests that we should be exceptionally careful about deciding when and where to rest.
Even choosing a safe place to rest might not prevent injury, unless you are careful to use proper napping techniques.  Piven and Borgenicht provide useful practical advice for library nappers.  They advise “when taking a nap, always [to] rest your elbow on your desk and keep your arm perpendicular to your desktop” (98).  After all, consider the following scenario….

Uncle Barry and his Encyclopedia of Useless Information: Using too many quotations in a row

Example: Addressing this issue, David M. Potter comments, “Whether Seward meant this literally or not, it was in fact a singularly accurate forecast for territorial Kansas” (199). Of course, Potter’s view is contested, even though he claims, “Soon, the Missourians began to perceive the advantages of operating without publicity” (200).  Interestingly, “The election was bound to be irregular in any case” (201).

Fix: Robin Toner’s article, “Feminist Pitch by a Democrat named Obama,” was written a week after the video became public and is partially a response to it. She writes, “The Obama campaign is, in some ways, subtly marketing its candidate as a post-feminist man, a generation beyond the gender conflicts of the boomers.” Subtly is the key word.  Obama is a passive character throughout the video, never directly addressing the camera. Rather, he is shown indirectly through speeches, intimate conversations with supporters and candid interaction with family. This creates a sense of intimacy, which in turn creates a feeling of trust.

Am I in the Right Movie: Failing to integrate/embed a quotation into the grammar of the previous sentence

Example: Therefore, the author warns that a zombie’s vision “are no different than that of a normal human.

Fix:  Therefore, the author warns that a zombie’s vision “is no different than that of a normal human.

I Swear I Did Some Research: Dropping in a citation without making clear what information or ideas came from what source

Example: It’s possible that a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the universe will open new doors of understanding. If theories from sociology, communication, and philosophy joined with physics, the possibilities would be boundless. This would inspire new research, much like in the 1970s when scientists changed their focus from grand-scale theories of the universe to the small concerns of quantum physics (Hawking 51).

Fix:  It’s possible that a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the universe will open new doors of understanding. I believe that if theories from sociology, communication, and philosophy joined with physics, the possibilities would be boundless. This would inspire new research, much like the changes Stephen Hawking describes happening in the 1970s when scientists changed their focus from grand-scale theories of the universe to the small concerns of quantum physics (Hawking 51).