Quote mining
Quote mining is looking through large amounts of material for quotes that can be taken out of context or otherwise distorted. Quote mining is especially popular among creationists, but is probably found in any controversial subject. Often times these quotes take on a life of there own, being passed down from one author to the next like family jewels; typically there appears to be little if any going back to the original source to check for accuracy. Other popular techniques include the use of elipsis, those sets of three dots that indicate that material has been omitted, and claims that some obscure author speaks for a whole movement or scientific discipline.
Some examples:
NEW The Quote Mine Project from talk.origins
QUOTE-MINING...THE TRADITION CONTINUES by Karen E. Bartelt, Ph.D.
Unquote by me
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Written by Jim Norton
Visit my anti-environmental myths home page.
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The text on these pages may be freely copied, distributed and posted as long as my name, this statement and the URL (http://info-pollution.com/mining.htm) are included.