Page 225 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

192 Part 3 Putting Theory Into Practice

Tips and Tactics
How to Avoid Plagiarism

• Don’t just automatically cut and paste from sources. Make notes in your own
words about the main ideas.
• Keep printouts or photocopies. When doing the fi nal draft of a speech or pa-
per, be sure that any direct quotes are indicated by quotation marks and cited
in the body of the speech or paper, not just in the References or Works Cited.
• If a direct quotation is cut and pasted, use a different font to indicate that it is
a direct quote. For example, once we have cut and pasted the quotation, we
change the font color to red or put it in italics.
• Err on the side of full disclosure. A close paraphrase that is not cited is
considered plagiarism, even if it’s not a direct quote. If there’s any doubt,
it doesn’t hurt to cite the source, both in the speech outline or manuscript
and orally. For example, we discussed Robert Kennedy’s paraphrase of the
George Bernard Shaw quotation earlier in this chapter. Even though he didn’t
use the exact words, he would always say something like, “As George Bernard
Shaw was fond of saying . . .” Citing sources is not a sign of weakness; rather,
research has shown it enhances a speaker’s credibility.

Summary

The process of researching to support your speech is like the process of invent-
www.mhhe.com/brydon6
ing a new product: You need both a source of inspiration and the willingness to
To evaluate your understand- engage in hard work.
ing of this chapter, visit our
Online Learning Center Web • Begin by developing a research plan
site for quizzes and other
chapter study aids. • Analyze your rhetorical situation
• Choose an appropriate topic
• Formulate a specifi c purpose you want to accomplish
• Sources of information for your speech should meet tests of currency, rel-
evance, authority, accuracy, and purpose

Possible sources include:

• The Internet, but with particular attention to distinguishing authentic and
reliable Web sites from questionable ones
• Library resources, such as books, periodicals, and databases

• Interviews
Develop a recording system for both sources and data that avoids the dan-
ger of plagiarism and ensures accuracy. Be sure to cite sources orally for your
audience.