Integrating quotations Tips on how to integrate textual support smoothly into your own writing

The Big Idea You have written an insightful claim and found a great piece of supporting evidence. Now, you need to put the quote into your writing. How should this be done? We will review 4 methods for quote integration: Method #1 – Incorporate Method #2 – Attribute Method #3 – Use a Sentence Method #4 – Block Quote

Why is this important? Integrating quotations effectively into sentences is just as important as finding the correct quotations to use. When done properly, it shows control and sophistication in your writing. Effective Quoting: Adds Authority Adds evidence Adds a more sophisticated level of writing

Common Pitfall The Orphan (dropping a quote in the middle of a sentence with no support) Quotes need to be incorporated within your writing. If not, they are disconnected from your other ideas.

Examples of orphan quotes Edmond Dantes lost all hope when he was imprisoned at Chateau d’If. For example, “Dear God, have pity on me” (Dumas 46). Markus Zusak, in “The Book Thief,” uses various forms of literary devices to capture the reader. “The sky was like soup, boiling and stirring” (Zusak 12).

How do we Fix it? Use signal words Learn the 4 methods to integrate your quote Some signal words: suggests insists according to demonstrates claims argues indicates explains discusses contends proposes believes notes Postulates maintains expresses

Method #1: Incorporate Incorporate a short quotation – only a few words– as part of your sentence. In “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For,” Thoreau states that his retreat to the woods around Walden Pond was motivated by his desire “to live deliberately” and to face only “the essentials of life” (21).

Method #1: Incorporate If you must change an element within the quote to make it work grammatically, use brackets to indicate the change. Although Thoreau “drink[s] at” the stream of Time, he can detect how “shallow it is” (97).

Method #2: attribute Introduce a full-sentence quotation by using an attributive signal phrase like “he suggests,” “she claims,” and so on. Jacob Needleman claims, “A dream is a vision or truth, of what can be and ought to be, and a dream is a deception”(10). Elaine Pagels asks, “Whom do we include in the ‘American Dream’?”(124).

MEthod#3 = Use a sentence Use a full sentence of your own to introduce a full sentence by the quoted author. You must use a colon to introduce the quotation in this case. Jacob Needleman expresses it best: “A dream is a vision or truth, of what can be and ought to be, and a dream is a deception” (10).

Options for Integrating Quotations: Colon or comma? Jacob Needleman expresses it best: “A dream is a vision or truth, of what can be and ought to be, and a dream is a deception” (10). Underlined portion = a complete sentence; introduce quote with colon Jacob Needleman believes, “A dream is a vision or truth, of what can be and ought to be, and a dream is a deception” (10). Underlined portion = a fragment; introduce quote with comma

Method #4: Block Quotes: 4+ Lines Use block quotes sparingly, if at all. (Teacher note, don’t do it! If you do, make sure it is 100% necessary; otherwise, it just looks like you are trying to use up the word count!) The more your quote, the more you must explain! If you really must use a block quote, remember these guidelines…

Block Quotes: Usage Rules Begin quote as a new line of text. Indent 1” from left margin. No quotation marks Parenthetical citation goes outside final punctuation within quote.

Block Quotes: Example In his poem “The Problem," Ralph Waldo Emerson explores the inner philosophical struggle of a religious yet unorthodox man: I like a church; I like a cowl; I love a prophet of the soul; And on my heart monastic aisles Fall like sweet strains, or pensive smiles: Yet not for all his faith can see Would I that cowlëd churchman be. (1-7)

Punctuation Rules: The Basics Capitalize the first letter of any complete sentence you quote unless you introduce it with “that.” In her book about pets, Jane Smith claims, “People who own dogs have lower stress levels” (1). In Jane Smith’s book about pets, she claims that “people who own dogs have lower stress levels” (1).

Punctuation Rules: The Basics If the quotation is broken into two parts, do not capitalize the first letter of the second part. “Our team is bound to win," announced the coach, "because HHS students are excellent Ultimate Frisbee players” (4).

Punctuation Rules: Question Marks, Exclamation Points, and Dashes If a question mark, exclamation point, or dash is part of the original quotation, place it within the closing quotation mark. Elaine Pagels asks, “Whom do we include in the ‘American Dream’?” (5).

Punctuation Rules: Question Marks, Exclamation Points, and Dashes If a question mark, exclamation point, or dash is part of your sentence that includes the quotation, place it outside of the closing quotation mark.   Do other teachers agree with the claim that “our team is bound to win because HHS students are excellent Ultimate Frisbee players” (4)?

Your Turn Using the source you printed for class, find a quote you anticipate using in your essay. Use Method #1, 2 and 3 for integrating quotations. Try using a different signal phrase for each one. WORDS TO AVOID: Said Wrote Mentioned

Integrating quotations: Time to practice…