How To Effectively (and Correctly) Use Quotes In Your Writing

Why use quotes? "Quotations" are funny little things.  People like to use them to start essays, in the body of essays, and at the end of essays.  They are an integral part of research papers and add merit and credibility to essays. However, there is a specific way to use them.  If quotations are used incorrectly, they can cause much more harm than they are worth.  Here are some tips so that you will know always how to use a quotation in an essay. The plant analogy; You quote to show that the text supports your assertions. You quote when your source says something in a way that is more eloquent, profound, or picturesque than you could ever say about it. You quote when you want to establish some distance from your source—i.e., She [the source] is saying this; these aren’t my words/thoughts.

Integrating Quotes Quotations should add impact to your essay, but they should also flow smoothly through your writing. In other words, a reader should not have to stop and notice the quote. Below is an example of a poorly inserted quote: The narrator regularly makes commentary on growing up and the differences between adults and children. “Adolescence ends lots more than it begins” (1). In this case, the quote is simply tossed in without any real introduction or explanation.

Integrating Quotes Continued Here is the same example with the quote used capably: The narrator explains that he will “get to liking” Thaddeus once the child starts growing up, as “Adolescence ends lots more than it begins” (1). This statement implies that the onset of adolescence puts an end to many childish characteristics the narrator finds unnerving. In this example, the quote flows smoothly with the writing and is explained afterwards.

Other ways to set up your quote Sometimes writers describe quotations in their own words before using them. In this case, use a colon to indicate the beginning of the quotation. Sir Winston Churchill made a witty remark on the attitude of a pessimist: "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

Ways to set up your quote Sometimes the sentence in which the quotation is embedded does not describe the quotation, but merely introduces it. In this case, do away with the colon, and use a comma instead. Sir Winston Churchill once said, "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

Ways to set up your quote If the quotation is three lines or longer, set it off as a block quotation. See the example below: One of the main purposes of “Come On, Wagon” is to explain the loss of childhood oddities and wonders, as illustrated by the narrator’s lengthy observations: Each time you teach a kid something, you teach him a hundred things that are impossible because that one thing is so. By the time we grow up, our world is so hedged around by impossibilities that it’s a wonder we try anything new. (1) Block quotes should be used only when it’s absolutely necessary to include that much information as a direct quote. Instead, think about paraphrasing or cutting the quote down.

Ways to set up your quote Quotes can be manipulated to fit your purposes. You do not need to use the entire quote. Here is the original quote in its entirety: “Especially when I get the answer that kids and grown-ups live in two worlds so alien and separate that the gap can’t be bridged even to save a life” (8). Here it is shortened to fit the needs of the paper: After Clyde’s death, the narrator laments that “kids and grown-ups live in two worlds so alien and separate that the gap can’t be bridged” (8). However, be careful not to change the meaning of the quote to fit your purpose. In other words, don’t take quotes out of context or chop it up so thoroughly that the original meaning is lost. Running quote—quote is made object of the verb

Citation and Punctuation You must cite your quote properly! Improper citation is not only plagiarism, but it also makes readers question your sources. Regardless of where the quote comes in the sentence, omit the punctuation at the end of the quote and place it at the end of the sentence after the citation. Consider the following example: The narrator explains that he will “get to liking” Thaddeus once the child starts growing up, as “Adolescence ends lots more than it begins” (1). [QUO-PAR-PUNC] QUO-PAR-PUNC rule

Citation and Punctuation Continued The only exception is when a quote ends in exclamation points or question marks. In that case, include the punctuation inside the quotation marks. Even Thaddeus’s mother questions her son’s disposition, wondering aloud “Do you suppose he’s got all his buttons?” (1). Of course, there’s always an exception. If your sentence continues after the quote ends, place a comma after the citation. Thaddeus’s mother asks her family, “Do you suppose he’s got all his buttons?” (1), implying that even she can recognize the strangeness in her son.

Final Thoughts “I quote others only in order the better to express myself.”  ~Michel De Montaigne