Our goal: To learn how to integrate supporting quotes into your essays so that the quotes flow smoothly out of your own words. That way, the quotes are given a context, they become part of your argument, and they do not distract the reader from your ideas.

 Do try to work quoted material into your sentence.  At this moment, Whitney knew she was “destined for greatness”(54). Quotation “Don’ts”  Don’t “announce” quoted material.  This quote shows that…  This means that…  On page 43 it says …  In chapter five the author says…

 Do eliminate irrelevant material using an ellipsis.  Original: The girl, the one with very brown hair, will be delivering the speech.  Modified: Matt declared that “The girl…will be delivering the speech”(447). Quotation “Don’ts”  Don’t make quoted material its own sentence. All quotes must have lead-ins.  Wrong: They were all shocked. “The windmill was in ruins”(71).  At this moment, Whitney knew that “she was destined for greatness” (54).

Another example of using lead ins. Do not leave your quotes "naked." Make sure they are clearly connected to the argument you are trying to make. NO: After June's humiliating piano recital, Waverly adds insult to injury. "You aren't a genius like me" (Tan 151). YES: After June's humiliating piano recital, Waverly adds insult to injury by declaring, "You aren't a genius like me" (Tan 151).

 Do use brackets to indicate changes you made to make the sentence clear.  Original: He demonstrated his anger toward the city council.  Modified: “[Mayor George Smith] demonstrated his anger toward the city council”(33). Quotation “Don’ts”  Don’t use quotes to merely repeat and support plot points or just for the sake of having a quote; the quotes should support an analysis.  NO: Piggy gives him the glasses to “light the fire”(17).  NO: Piggy showed that others were coming by saying, “There’s one!”(14).

 Do use a comma for brief introductions.  As the animals recall, “there was a definite ruling against beds”(79). Quotation “Don’ts”  Don’t create fragments. Your quote, with its lead-in, must be a grammatically correct sentence.  Wrong: Terence says, “And I myself a sterling lad”(34).  Right: Terence calls himself “a sterling lad”(34).

Ex.: When Lena shows Ying-Ying around her new house, Ying-Ying complains that " the slant of the floor makes her feel as if she is ‘ running down ’" (Tan 163).  If there is a quote within the quote you are using, then use single quotation marks to set off the inner quote.

Ex.: Lady Macbeth calls on supernatural powers so that she can assist in Duncan's murder:... Come you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood. Stop up th'access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose.... ( Macbeth ) Lady Macbeth thus reveals the all-consuming nature of her ambition: she is even willing to give up her identity as a woman to get what she wants. (And the paper goes on from there.)  When your quote is longer than four lines, "block it off" from the rest of your paragraph. This is the quote analysis connecting the quote to your argument.

An example paragraph integrating quotes….

Courtesy the Odegaard Writing & Research Center Adapted from UW Expository Writing Program handout. Quotation Sandwich image courtesy Edward Chang