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Micropaper 5Paraphrasing as an Act of AnalysisOver the last several weeks, the 70B teaching team has encouraged you to analyze the quotations that you integrate into your writing. Often times, quotations do not have self-evident meaning. They require you – the author – to restate and interpret their meaning. We call this paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is to take a quotation and put it in your own words. In this act of translation, historians are simultaneously interpreting their evidence – they are explaining why their evidence is significant. Paraphrasing is one of the most vital skills of academic writing – it communicates mastery over the material and helps the reader to understand your analysis of evidence.Assignment: In this micro-paper assignment, you will practice the art of paraphrasing as a form of critical analysis. Paraphrase both quotations provided below from Philomena Essed’s Understanding Everyday Racism (1984). Write 3-5 sentences that paraphrase each quotation (6-10 sentences total). Explain what the chosen quotation means and what it reveals about the author’s broader argument. This requires you to draw connections between the quotation and the rest of the text. Do not use any direct quotations in your responses. Quote 1: “The old colonial model of ‘race’ exploitation and cultural oppression rationalized with pseudoscientific ‘race’ theories is loosing ground. In this process the cultural elements of racism become more prominent. At the same time ‘ethnic’ forms of oppression have emerged that are fed by strong (nationalistic) identification with the cultural heritage of the group.” (p. 13)Quote 2: “Everyday racism can be defined as a process in

which (a) socialized racist notions are integrated into meanings that make practices immediately definable and manageable, (b) practices with racist implications become in themselves familiar and repetitive, and (c) underlying racial and ethnic relations are actualized and reinforced through these routine or familiar practices in everyday situations.” (p. 52) Learning goals: to paraphrase evidence and explain significance. To understand the theory of everyday racism.Example: let’s take a quotation – again! – from an imaginary book about Chihuahuas“Demure but also aggressive, the chihuahua is a beguiling breed.”In this passage, the author identifies the contradictory behavior of Chihuahuas, defining typical Chihuahua attitudes as simultaneously shy and mean. As the author explains throughout the text, it is this dual nature of the Chihuahua that leads to the breed’s universal adoration and ineffable charisma.Notice that the above example translates the meaning of the quote, including words that may not be very easy to understand and connects it to a broader, running theme throughout the text. Bravo!Now, a less great example would be:This passage says that Chihuahuas are demure and aggressive and also beguiling, which means charming or enchanting.This example is less strong because it has not 1) done the work of translating the original text into one’s own words and 2) because it does not explain how the chosen quotation is relevant to understanding the broader text.Rubric:4 points – translated the text into own words4 points – explains how the passage is representative of the author’s argument2 points – clarity and organization of writing