[Handling Information] How to Quote and Cite Sources (Middle Grades)
Hello everyone! In Japanese language class, you are having more and more opportunities to write reports and give presentations on things you have researched, aren't you? Have you ever thought, "I found this amazing sentence in an illustrated reference book, and I really want to use it in my own writing!"?
Borrowing words directly from books, encyclopedias, or other sources to introduce them in your own writing is called quoting (citation). Clearly stating which book or source you found that information in is called citing your source.
It might sound a little tricky at first, but as long as you learn the rules, you will do great! Let's learn them step by step in an easy-to-understand way.
*While learning how to compare and sort information (comparison and classification) is also part of "Handling Information," in these notes we will focus specifically on "How to Quote" and "How to Cite Sources."
---1. What is a Quote (Citation)?
Why do we use quotes?
When sharing your ideas or research findings with others, using not just your own words but also borrowing trusted words from reference books or encyclopedias gives your explanation persuasive power (the power to make readers think, "Aha! That makes sense!").
For example, using a quotation as a reason or an example to back up your thoughts makes it much easier for readers to feel confident that what you are saying is true.
The Two Golden Rules of Quoting
When quoting, there are two crucial rules you must always follow:
① Clearly separate your own words from the borrowed words
Make sure readers can tell at a glance exactly where the words borrowed from another book start and end.
② Copy the words exactly, without changing a single character
The words you quote—including all punctuation marks (such as commas "、" and full stops "。")—must be identical to the original text. You must never rewrite them just to make them convenient for your writing.
[Key Point]
Writing someone else's words as if you came up with them yourself is against the rules. It is very important to be honest and clearly show: "From here to here are the words I borrowed from a book!"
2. How to Write Quotations Correctly
Let's look at how to actually include quotations in your sentences. In the middle grades (Grades 3 and 4), you mainly learn how to quote using Japanese quotation marks (「 」, kagi-kakko).
Quoting Part of a Passage (For Short Sentences)
Use quotation marks (「 」) right in the middle of your sentence to include the quote.
<Example of how to write>
In the book, it states, 「ツバメは春になると南の国から日本へやってくる。」 ("Swallows come to Japan from southern countries when spring arrives."). From this, we can see that there is a deep relationship between the seasons and the movements of birds.
By enclosing the quoted section in quotation marks 「 」, it is easy to see exactly which words were borrowed!
Quoting Long Passages
When the text you want to quote is long and spans several lines, you can use the following layout techniques:
・Start a new line from your own writing.
・Indent the quoted lines by 1 to 2 spaces (grid squares).
・Once the quote is finished, start another new line to continue your own text.
By doing this, anyone looking at your page can tell right away: "Ah, this indented part is the quote!"
[Common Mistakes]
・Changing the particles (te-ni-o-ha) or word endings in the quoted sentence on your own.
・Forgetting to close the quotation marks (」), making it unclear where the quote ends.
When quoting, look closely at the original text and copy it down accurately and neatly!
3. How to Cite Sources
What is a Source (Shutten)?
The origin or place where you found the quoted information is called the source (shutten).
By citing your source properly, readers who wonder "Did it really say that?" or "I want to learn more about this!" can find the original book and check it for themselves.
What to Include in a Citation
When quoting from books, illustrated reference books, or encyclopedias, you usually include the following details:
・Book Title: In Japanese, book titles are often enclosed in double quotation marks (『 』, futatsu-kagi).
・Author's Name: This shows who wrote the book.
・You can also include the Publisher, Year of Publication, and Page Number.
<Examples of how to write>
Quoted from 『〇〇のひみつ事典』 (Published by △△)
The book states, "......" (From 『〇〇図鑑』, p. 〇).
[Helpful Tip] Using Single and Double Brackets
Using single quotation marks 「 」 for quoted words and double quotation marks 『 』 for book titles keeps your writing neat, organized, and very easy to read!
4. Summary and Review
If you follow the rules for quoting and citing sources carefully, your research projects and written reports will become much clearer and far more convincing!
[Key Takeaways]
1. Quoting (Citation) = Borrowing words directly from other books or reference materials.
2. Rules = Use quotation marks (「 」) to separate the quote from your own words, and copy the text without changing a single character.
3. Source = Clearly state information like the book title (using 『 』) and the author.
Whenever you write a report about something you researched in Japanese class or summarize facts using an encyclopedia, be sure to try using these rules for quoting and citing sources!