Final answer:
In academic writing, use direct quotations for exact, effective language and paraphrasing to restate others' ideas in your own words while maintaining your voice. Always cite sources when paraphrasing, and include your analysis with the paraphrased content.
Step-by-step explanation:
When writing academic papers, it is important to integrate sources effectively to support your arguments. This can be achieved through direct quotations or paraphrasing. A direct quote is when you use someone else's words verbatim in your work, enclosed in quotation marks. However, an overuse of direct quotations can cause your essay to sound disjointed. Instead, use direct quotes when the author's exact words are particularly precise, clear, powerful, or vivid.
Paraphrasing, on the other hand, involves restating someone else's ideas in your own words while keeping the essential meaning intact. It is useful when the original text is too long, complicated, or contains jargon. This strategy helps maintain your own voice and writing style throughout the paper. When paraphrasing, always cite the original source to give credit to the original author.
To paraphrase effectively, you should restructure the idea to reflect the way you think and change the words to match your writing style and tone. You might also consider explaining the idea to someone not familiar with the topic, like a family member or roommate, to ensure clarity and simplicity in your expression. Remember that while paraphrasing, you should provide your own analysis and discussion alongside the paraphrased information to strengthen your argument.