Books Quote by Amélie Nothomb
““They went on to support their thesis by citing authors with esoteric names, whose works they themselves had not read, a fact which enabled them to speak about them penetratingly.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Art of Citation", 2003
Citing obscure authors without reading them creates false authority and superficial scholarship.
In simple terms: Citing without understanding undermines credibility.
Key Takeaway
Read sources before citing.
Themes
scholarship
integrity
intellectual honesty
citation
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
academic
reflective
When to use this quote
- academic writing
- peer review
- education
Key Concepts
academic ethics
critical thinking
research methodology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify sources?
- What drives you to cite without reading?
A Different Perspective
Superficial citations can mislead readers.
![“Nearly all the writing of our time is likely to disappear in a hundred years. Certainly most readers - and nearly all critics - feel that [Kurt] Vonnegut started to repeat himself, to grow increasingly self-indulgent and meandering, and to sometimes just blather in his later work. But his books up…” quote by Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ed7/michael-dirda-3414_1960s_nearly-all-the-writing-of-our-time-is-li_13506.jpg)
![“If I knew what I was thinking [...] I would never have become a writer.” quote by Amélie Nothomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6f1/amelie-nothomb-1581_knew_if-i-knew-what-i-was-thinking-i-would-ne_267765.jpg)
