Narrative: I Went From Prison to Professor
11 Use of Evidence: Prison to Professor
This chapter focuses on the use of evidence in I Went From Prison to Professor.
-
-
- Paraphrasing Using Passive Voice
- Using Sources Responsibly
- Strategies for Using Evidence in Academic Writing
-
Paraphrasing Using Passive Voice
To prepare for writing a summary and response, it is important to locate the main ideas in the article and paraphrase them in your own words. This activity will help you prepare for writing a summary.
Some of the following Past Participles may be helpful to use in your paraphrases.
| associated (with) | attributed (to) | based (on) | called | chosen |
| classified | compared | described | designed | determined |
| discussed | estimated | examined | expected | explained |
| expressed | held | identified | incarcerated | intended |
| introduced | involved | known | left | limited (to) |
| linked (to/with) | located (at/in) | lost | needed | noted |
| observed | obtained | prepared | presented | recognized |
| related (to), | reported | required | qualified | viewed |
This is a sample summary planner, with one example.
| (1) | (2) | (3) |
| Point
Write one main idea from the article in each box in this column. |
Evidence
Select a quotation from the article that shows each main idea you identified in Column 1. Remember to use quotation marks. |
Paraphrase/explanation
Explain in your own words your understanding of the main idea from Column 1. This is not your opinion. It is your explanation of the author’s point. |
| People who have committed crimes in the past should be able to have access to higher education because it can help them change their lives. | “Education provides opportunities for people with criminal records to move beyond their experience with the penal system and reach their full potential.” | With the help of education, people who have been formerly incarcerated can be prevented from committing future crimes and can become productive members of society. |
Here is your planner:
| (1) | (2) | (3) |
| Point
Write one main idea from the article in each box in this column. |
Evidence
Select a quotation from the article that shows each main idea you identified in Column 1. Remember to use quotation marks. |
Paraphrase / Explanation
Explain in your own words your understanding of the main idea from Column 1. This is not your opinion. It is your explanation of the author’s main idea. (You will record your opinion in Column 5.) |
Using Sources Responsibly
Original Text from the Source
Paragraph 14 – Education provides opportunities for people with criminal records to move beyond their experience with the penal system and reach their full potential. The more education a person has, the higher their income. Similarly, the more education a person has, the less likely they are to return to prison.
Paragraph 15 – A 2013 analysis of several studies found that obtaining higher education reduced recidivism — the rate of returning to prison — by 43 percent and was four to five times less costly than re-incarcerating that person. The bottom line is education increases personal income and reduces crime.
The examples below are attempts at paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting the original text in the box. The original text is from paragraphs 14 and 15 in the text. In your group, evaluate each attempt to determine if there is revision needed related to quoting, paraphrasing, and/or or citing, or if the use of sources is correct and acceptable.
Attempt 1
Individuals who have been incarcerated will be able to avoid a life of crime by seeking educational opportunities. This will provide a stable life, as individuals will no longer need to lead a life of crime because they will have their own income.
Attempt 2
As Andrisse states, when individuals who have been incarcerated are able to take advantage of higher educational opportunities, they are more likely to take other paths in life and avoid prison in the future (14).
Attempt 3
Stanley Andrisse identifies that “several studies found that obtaining higher education reduced recidivism — the rate of returning to prison — by 43 percent and was four to five times less costly than re-incarcerating that person” (15). He further acknowledges that education is the key to improve the lives of those previously incarcerated.
Attempt 4
“The more education a person has, the higher their income” (14). This quote effectively summarizes the writer’s argument that education is all one needs to be successful.
