How to cite text from a reference without ambiguity

[PainterGuy]

Hi,

Suppose I need to cite some information from a source. I think it'd be easier to explain using an example.

In the text below titled "Example Text", I have added the sentences, "Hall effect encoders are also called magnetic encoders. They are very popular with hobbyists these days and have many Arduino libraries readily available.", but the rest of text is exactly taken from reference #1.

The reader might think that only the second paragraph is taken from reference #1 and the paragraph #1 is my own words. How do I clarify it to the reader?

I would prefer to keep the as it is in two paragraphs.Example Text:
Hall effect encoders are also called magnetic encoders. They are very popular with hobbyists these days and have many Arduino libraries readily available. Magnetic encoders use a combination of permanent magnets and magnetic sensors to detect movement and position. A typical construction uses magnets placed around the edge of a rotor disc attached to a shaft and positioned so the sensor detects changes in the magnetic field as the alternating poles of the magnet pass over it.

The simplest configuration would have a single magnet, with its north and south poles on opposite edges of the rotor, and a single sensor. Such a device would produce a sine wave output with a frequency equal to the rotational speed of the shaft. [1]

REFERENCES
[1] G. Monari, "Understanding Resolution In Optical And Magnetic Encoders," [Online]. Available: https://www.electronicdesign.com/te...ng-resolution-in-optical-and-magneticencoders.
[November 18 11 2021].

 

[jtbell]

Block quotes are normally indented. A Google search for "block quote format" turns up many hits such as this one:

MLA Formatting Quotations (Purdue University) [see the section "Long Quotations"]

So I would split your first paragraph into two: one for your own text, and another for the quoted material. You would then have three paragraphs, from which you would format the second and third as a block quote.

 

[Haborix]

You could also use square brackets inside the quote to replace "magnetic" with "Hall effect." Then you could delete your first sentence. I would also move your second sentence to the end or delete it if it is extraneous.

 

[jack action]

I think this is pretty clear:

Example Text:
Hall effect encoders are also called magnetic encoders. They are very popular with hobbyists these days and have many Arduino libraries readily available.

Magnetic encoders use a combination of permanent magnets and magnetic sensors to detect movement and position. A typical construction uses magnets placed around the edge of a rotor disc attached to a shaft and positioned so the sensor detects changes in the magnetic field as the alternating poles of the magnet pass over it. [1]

The simplest configuration would have a single magnet, with its north and south poles on opposite edges of the rotor, and a single sensor. Such a device would produce a sine wave output with a frequency equal to the rotational speed of the shaft. [1]

 

[vela]

I'll second @jtbell advice. The indented text makes it clear you're quoting from the source, rather than paraphrasing information and merely citing the source.

 

[PainterGuy]

Thank you, everyone!

You could also use square brackets inside the quote to replace "magnetic" with "Hall effect." Then you could delete your first sentence. I would also move your second sentence to the end or delete it if it is extraneous.

I understand that it's extraneous but I just made it up so that I could easily illustrate what was confusing me.

I'll second @jtbell advice. The indented text makes it clear you're quoting from the source, rather than paraphrasing information and merely citing the source.

I do agree. Anyway, my next related question is about paraphrasing.Suppose I'm citing paraphrased information from page #22 of a certain book. By doing this, I'm informing the reader that whatever I'm saying is backed up by the information which could be found on page #22 of the referred book. But what's the guarantee that whatever is being paraphrased is really backed up by the information on page #22. It's my personal interpretation or paraphrasing of the information on page #22 and my interpretation/paraphrasing could be wrong. It's equally possible that the information on page #22 doesn't really and exactly support whatever I'm claiming in my article.Helpful links:
1: https://libraryguides.vu.edu.au/ieeereferencing/gettingstarted (check section titled "How to use quotes")
2: https://www.bath.ac.uk/publications...-referencing/attachments/ieee-style-guide.pdf
3: /watch?v=MmBzv-cw9D8 (add youtube.com in front)

 

[jack action]

But what's the guarantee that whatever is being paraphrased is really backed up by the information on page #22.

None. But what is your question exactly? That is one of the reasons why the citation is there: For the reader to verify your interpretation.

 

[PainterGuy]

But what is your question exactly?

I think you've answered it when you said, "That is one of the reasons why the citation is there: For the reader to verify your interpretation". Thanks!

 

[PainterGuy]

This question is an offshoot of my original question.

In the text below titled "Example Text", I have added the sentences, "Hall effect encoders are also called magnetic encoders. They are very popular with hobbyists these days and have many Arduino libraries readily available.", but the rest of text is my paraphrasing of reference #1.

The reader might think that only the second paragraph is paraphrasing taken from reference #1 and the paragraph #1 is my own words. How do I clarify it to the reader?

Even if I go with Example Text #2 style where I've also used citation at the end of paragraph #1, the reader could still be misled into thinking that all of paragraph #1 is paraphrasing though it also contains my own addition. What do we do in such situations?Example Text #1:
Hall effect encoders are also called magnetic encoders. They are very popular with hobbyists these days and have many Arduino libraries readily available. Magnetic encoders use a combination of permanent magnets and magnetic sensors to detect movement and position. A typical construction uses magnets placed around the edge of a rotor disc attached to a shaft and positioned so the sensor detects changes in the magnetic field as the alternating poles of the magnet pass over it.

The simplest configuration would have a single magnet, with its north and south poles on opposite edges of the rotor, and a single sensor. Such a device would produce a sine wave output with a frequency equal to the rotational speed of the shaft. [1]Example Text #2:
Hall effect encoders are also called magnetic encoders. They are very popular with hobbyists these days and have many Arduino libraries readily available. Magnetic encoders use a combination of permanent magnets and magnetic sensors to detect movement and position. A typical construction uses magnets placed around the edge of a rotor disc attached to a shaft and positioned so the sensor detects changes in the magnetic field as the alternating poles of the magnet pass over it. [1]

The simplest configuration would have a single magnet, with its north and south poles on opposite edges of the rotor, and a single sensor. Such a device would produce a sine wave output with a frequency equal to the rotational speed of the shaft. [1]

 

[jack action]

What's wrong with my suggestion in post #4?

A paragraph usually deals with a single thought or topic. If the first two sentences are your own, it's logical that they deserve their own paragraph. Then you have two other paragraphs (which should mean two different thoughts or topics), both being paraphrasing from the same reference.

 

[PainterGuy]

Thank you!

Writing it as was suggested in post #4 above is one solution but personally I don't like it because in many situations, as the one shown below, it makes the paragraph structure look bad. IMHO, a paragraph consisting of just one or two sentences doesn't look nice. What do you say? Thanks for the help!Example Text #2:
Hall effect encoders are also called magnetic encoders. They are very popular with hobbyists these days and have many Arduino libraries readily available.

Magnetic encoders use a combination of permanent magnets and magnetic sensors to detect movement and position. A typical construction uses magnets placed around the edge of a rotor disc attached to a shaft and positioned so the sensor detects changes in the magnetic field as the alternating poles of the magnet pass over it. [1]

The simplest configuration would have a single magnet, with its north and south poles on opposite edges of the rotor, and a single sensor. Such a device would produce a sine wave output with a frequency equal to the rotational speed of the shaft. [1]

 

[jack action]

it makes the paragraph structure look bad. IMHO, a paragraph consisting of just one or two sentences doesn't look nice. What do you say?

I don't agree. I'm more on the text-for-the-web side and thus prefer short paragraphs - which I usually do with great difficulty. Walls of text are boring and hard to read.

I found this article about paragraph length, which basically suggests going with what feels best. But what is noticeable is the fact that in the article, most paragraphs have only one sentence.

Also, in the presented Example Text #2, you have two sentences per paragraph in every paragraph. Why is it OK for the last paragraph and not the first ones?

Another suggestion could also be:

Example Text #2:
Hall effect encoders are also called magnetic encoders. They are very popular with hobbyists these days and have many Arduino libraries readily available.

Magnetic encoders use a combination of permanent magnets and magnetic sensors to detect movement and position. A typical construction uses magnets placed around the edge of a rotor disc attached to a shaft and positioned so the sensor detects changes in the magnetic field as the alternating poles of the magnet pass over it. The simplest configuration would have a single magnet, with its north and south poles on opposite edges of the rotor, and a single sensor. Such a device would produce a sine wave output with a frequency equal to the rotational speed of the shaft. [1]

Your idea is in the first paragraph and the one you are paraphrasing from your reference is in the second paragraph.

 

[StevieTNZ]

If you're writing an assignment, consult your university for the correct format for referencing. Here in NZ, the typical usage is the APA (https://owll.massey.ac.nz/referencing/apa-interactive.php)

 

[StevieTNZ]

Just a further thought:

If you're quoting a paragraph from a book, make a footnote reference (or whatever). For the summary paragraph (in your own words), don't cite the reference on that page (or place [1] at the end). Just note your source in the bibliography at the end of the assignment.