Introducing summaries and paraphrases (Chicago)

Chicago-27

As with quotations, you should introduce most summaries and paraphrases with a signal phrase that mentions the author and places the material in context. Readers will then understand where the summary or paraphrase begins.

Without the signal phrase (in color) in the following example, readers might think that only the quotation at the end is being cited, when in fact the whole paragraph is based on the source.

According to Jack Hurst, official Confederate policy was that black soldiers were to be treated as runaway slaves; in addition, the Confederate Congress decreed that white Union officers commanding black troops be killed. Confederate Lieutenant General Kirby Smith went one step further, declaring that he would kill all captured black troops. Smith’s policy never met with strong opposition from the Richmond government.10

When to use a paraphrase

When to use a summary

Related topics:

Chicago-28

Marking boundaries between your words and the source’s words

Putting direct quotations in context

Integrating statistics and other facts