The Ethics of Teaching Rhetorical Intertextuality

Three approaches to intertextual writing are available college instructors: mechanical, ethical, and rhetorical. The mechanical approach, a staple of instruction, teaches the use citation styles such as MLA or APA; methods citing sources; conventions quotation. ethical approach is primarily concerned with character individual writers their adherence community standards categorized “academic integrity.” great majority source-based instruction attends one both these approaches. A third rhetorical intertextuality, overshadowed by concerns that currently permeate educational institutions. Rhetorical intertextuality does promote textual ethics, but in positive way, through building meaning target text collaboration source texts. brings texts themselves life (rather than merely mining them for information) aims engage audience conversation Drawing on Citation Project data, we advocate hails students authors, not transgressors. can provide frame writing, facilitates deep engagement texts; intellectual paraphrasing summarizing; an emphasis choices make they encounter respond ideas others. objective dialogic interface between writer, audience, sources—a conversation.