Outcome 2 (Integrating Ideas) – Be able to integrate their ideas with others using summary, paraphrase, quotation, analysis, and synthesis of relevant sources. (322 words)

One of my least favorite parts of my English classes in the past was taking sources and rewriting them in my own words. I was once told to put the source first, and just respond in a way that furthered the source’s ideas most of the time. This class, however, took a different approach to source material as a whole and made me rethink how I integrate the ideas of others. Emphasis was placed upon putting my ideas first and then connecting the authors to that, sandwiching their thoughts with my own interpretation and experience. I learned how to find and use quotes that strengthen my arguments more effectively, something I never really did in the past. Two techniques in particular that developed my idea integration skills were the Barclay Paragraph and the quote sandwich.

Something which I developed a lot in this class was connecting two separate sources with my own interpretation of those sources. The Barclay paragraph was a major development for me when it comes to providing those strong connections within my writing. It helped me by providing a guideline to follow as I took two related ideas and spun them in a way that supported my overall point. Here is a sample Barclay paragraph of mine that I think shows how much the format made it easy for me to connect these ideas:

A concept we covered in class, the “quote sandwich”, especially helped me to remember that an introduction before and a proper analysis after a quote helped to make it stronger inclusion in my writing. Here is a sample of one of my “quote sandwiches” in action:

Overall, I think there is a noticeable difference in my source inclusion, especially with how I put myself in contention with my sources. By learning to approach sources with the idea of putting myself in conversation with the author, my writing became more connected and my ideas became clearer.