Why do we need to use quotations? My teacher says I need them. Then I don’t have to think of as many of my own words. I need them to support my ideas.

How do I pick the most effective quotations? Ask yourself these questions: How does this prove my point? Is the word choice in the quotation important? The reason you are quoting instead of paraphrasing is that the words the author chose are significant to character development, thematic development, etc.

Which of the following quotations best shows that Madame Loisel’s character has greatly changed? “She did the laundry, washing shirts and dishcloths which she hung on the line to dry…” (614). “She had become the sort of strong woman, hard and coarse, that one finds in poor families” (614).

Which of the following quotations best shows that the narrator’s love for Doodle in “The Scarlet Ibis”? “After weeks of practicing he stood for a few seconds… I grabbed him in my arms and hugged him, our laughter pealing through the swamp like a ringing bell” (484). “Finally I could see…Doodle was my brother and he was going to cling to me forever, no matter what I did…” (483).

Now that I have chosen my quotation, how do I include it in my paragraph? To embed a quotation, pick out specific phrases that prove your point and weave them into your own sentences. If you were to read the sentence aloud,you would not hear a break between your words and those of the author.

Let’s take another look at the quotation about Madame Loisel: “She had become the sort of strong woman, hard and coarse, that one finds in poor families” (de Maupassant 614).

Example of Embedded Quotation: Madame Loisel’s life has obviously changed. While she used to be beautiful and charming, ten years of harsh household chores have transformed her into a “strong woman” who is now “hard and coarse” (de Maupassant 540).

Let’s take another look at the quotation about the narrator: “After weeks of practicing he stood for a few seconds… I grabbed him in my arms and hugged him, our laughter pealing through the swamp like a ringing bell” (Hurst 484).

Example of Embedded Quotation: Despite feeling anger and shame towards Doodle, the reader can see that the narrator does love him. When Doodle stands for the first time, the narrator takes his brother into his arms, “their laughter pealing through the swamp like a ringing bell” (Hurst 484).

Easy, right? Sometimes it is easy to embed a quotation, but it can be tricky, particularly if there is a portion of the quotation you do not want to use, or when the quotation is written in first person. Don’t worry! You have a tool in your toolbox just for that type of situation…

The ellipsis!

Let’s see how the writer uses an ellipsis to help embed the quotation… Use an ellipsis if you need to omit some part of the quotation. Here is an example from “The Most Dangerous Game” when Rainsford realizes Zaroff knows where he is hiding: “Rainsford’s second thought was even more terrible. It sent a shudder of cold horror through his whole being” (22). Let’s see how the writer uses an ellipsis to help embed the quotation…

Use an ellipsis if you need to omit some part of the quotation Use an ellipsis if you need to omit some part of the quotation. Here is an example from “The Most Dangerous Game”: In the tree, Rainsford suddenly realizes that Zaroff is in total control and this “second thought… sent a shudder of cold horror through his entire being” as he discovers he is truly at the mercy of a madman (22).

BRACKETS!!! When you need to add or change a word or two to embed a quotation, put the replaced/added word in brackets. This indicates that it is not exactly the same as the word in the original text. Use these if you want to eliminate 1st/2nd person or change tense.

Example: The narrator begins to “believe in [his] own infallibility” and pushes Doodle to perform physical tasks that are beyond his ability (Hurst 484). This story uses first person, so the original quote said “my” instead of “his.”