Citing Textual Evidence: Direct Quotations Grade 10 ©Copyright by Write Score LLC

Use Direct Quotes When: you want to add CREDIBILITY to your writing by supporting your points claims with evidence. HOW the author said something is as important as WHAT they said. the author used a key phrase that cannot be easily summarized or paraphrased.

Using Direct Quotes General rules: Always introduce the quote. It should not just appear. Follow the quote with your own words and ideas. DO NOT end your essay with a quote. The conclusion should include YOUR thoughts/words.

Direct Quotes: Punctuation Commas are most often used to introduce direct quotes. In the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln famously opened with the lines, “Four score and seven years ago.” In his eloquent closing, Lincoln hoped, “this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Direct Quotes: Punctuation Colons are used to introduce direct quotes that could stand as a sentence on its own. The Declaration of Independence lists several grievances against the king. One of the most notable: “He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.”

Direct Quotes: Punctuation Colons are also used to introduce quotations of two or more sentences. Well before the Declaration of Independence was written, Patrick Henry warned of Great Britain’s trespasses against the colonies: “Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love?”

Direct Quotes: Changing/Adding Words When you change or add words in a quotation, use brackets around the new word(s). Doug Harris, in an article about flight security, states, “over 90% [of the attempts to breach security] are successful" (24).

Direct Quotes: Omitting Words If you leave out part of the quote use ellipses to replace missing text. Original: For decades, researchers have debated whether Santa Catalina is sinking or rising. Now there is a new study that makes the case that the island is sinking, albeit very slowly. A Stanford University researcher says new underwater imaging suggests Catalina could be completely submerged in 3 million years, though that remains in dispute. He also contends the movement could pose a tsunami risk for Los Angeles and Orange counties (par. 2). In-text Citation with Ellipses: “A Stanford University researcher says new underwater imaging suggests Catalina could be completely submerged in 3 million years...and also contends the movement could pose a tsunami risk for Los Angeles and Orange counties (par. 2).” Excerpt from: Researcher Says A Sinking Santa Catalina Could Pose Tsunami Threat By Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times