Notes about quotes

Why do we quote other people anyway? To show that we know our stuff (AKA to pump up our ethos) To show our audience where they can go to form their own opinions about our topic

When to quote? There is such a thing as too much quoting. Can you think of any examples where it would be better to paraphrase than just quote? Questions to ask: Do the EXACT WORDS matter? Is it just descriptive/telling something that happened? Bonus: do you think there are some fields that quote more, and others that paraphrase more? Why?

Pie can't compete with cake Pie can't compete with cake. Put candles in a cake, it's a birthday cake. Put candles in a pie, someone's drunk in the kitchen. -Jim Gaffigan Quote or Paraphrase?

“I say if you love something, set it in a small cage and pester and smother it with love until it either loves you back or dies.” -Mindy Kaling Quote or Paraphrase?

Quote or Paraphrase?

What if a few different people say the same thing? Jim Gaffigan, Ms. Buchanan, and Mick Kelly all believe that kale tastes really gross—should I quote every one of them in a row? It is widely agreed that despite its nutritious value, kale is not actually delicious (Buchanan; Gaffigan; Kelly). Hint: this is a great way to cram some extra sources into your paper if you want to look like you REALLY know your stuff! 

The Quote Sandwich Lead-In Sentence(s) Quote Provides context Signals quote is coming "Evidential" transition words help: "for instance," "for example," or "in fact" Quote Succinct Directly relevant to point Analysis/connecting Sentence(s) Makes connection to significance FOR the reader Moves reader from quote to your own point

Sandwich Example Introduction: Although it is widely praised as a health food, comedian Jim Gaffigan finds kale unappetizing: Citation/quote: “That stuff tastes like bug spray . . . Kale is a superfood and its special power is tasting bad” (Gaffigan). Explanation: Kale is just one example of a food that is nutritious, but not delicious.

Dropped quote! No! NO: Although it is widely praised as a health food, many people find kale unappetizing. “That stuff tastes like bug spray . . . Kale is a superfood and its special power is tasting bad” (Gaffigan). YES: Although it is widely praised as a health food, comedian Jim Gaffigan finds kale unappetizing: “That stuff tastes like bug spray . . . Kale is a superfood and its special power is tasting bad” (Gaffigan). Kale is just one example of a food that is nutritious, but not delicious. YES: Although it is widely praised as a health food, many people find kale unappetizing. For example, comedian Jim Gaffigan jokes that kale “tastes like bug spray . . . Kale is a superfood and its special power is tasting bad” (Gaffigan). Kale is just one example of a food that is nutritious, but not delicious.

Avoiding Dropped Quotes http://www2.ivcc.edu/rambo/eng1001/quotes.htm Rule 1: Complete sentence: "quotation." (If you use a complete sentence to introduce a quotation, use a colon (:) just before the quotation.) Example: Thoreau ends his essay with a metaphor: "Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in."  Rule 2: Someone says, "quotation." (If the word just before the quotation is a verb indicating someone uttering the quoted words, use a comma. Examples include the words "says," "said," "states," "asks," and "yells." But remember that there is no punctuation if the word "that" comes just before the quotation, as in "the narrator says that.") Thoreau suggests the consequences of making ourselves slaves to progress when he says, "We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us.“ According to Thoreau, "We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us." Rule 3: If Rules 1 and 2 do not apply, do not use any punctuation between your words and the quoted words. Example: Thoreau suggests the consequences of making ourselves slaves to progress when he says that "We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us.“ Example: Thoreau argues that people blindly accept "shams and delusions" as the "soundest truths," while regarding reality as "fabulous."