DROPPED QUOTES What they are, Why they are a problem, How to fix them

WHAT ARE THEY?  Dropped quotes (oftentimes called “dumped quotes”) are direct textual evidence that stand alone as sentences or are incorporated into sentences in a grammatically incorrect manner.  For example: Another instance of a lack of power in The Crucible is the people of Salem and the Church. Since Salem is a theocracy they are very strict about their Puritan religion The witchcraft is a big deal for them because it goes against their religion and since it involves the Devil, the people are scared and are in a frenzy. “I’d not call it sick; the devil’s touch is heavier than sick. It’s death, y’know, it’s death drivin’ into them, forked and hoofed.”

WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM?  They demonstrate a lack of mastery over the material.  They do not supply enough context for the quoted information.  They make your writing look unpolished and lazy.  They leave the reader asking questions that you – as the writer – should have answered: Who is saying this? Why? What does it mean? How does it relate to your thesis?

HOW DO I FIX THE PROBLEM?  There are three fixes.  1. Use a “signal phrase.”  For example: Another instance of a lack of power in The Crucible is the people of Salem and the Church. Since Salem is a theocracy they are very strict about their Puritan religion The witchcraft is a big deal for them because it goes against their religion and since it involves the Devil, the people are scared and are in a frenzy. An example of this frenzy is when Goody Putnam claims “I’d not call it sick; the devil’s touch is heavier than sick. It’s death, y’know, it’s death drivin’ into them, forked and hoofed” (14).

HOW DO I FIX THE PROBLEM?  2. Choose only the key words and phrases from a longer quote and blend them into your own sentence.  Ask yourself: How much of this quote do I really need to prove my point?  For example: Another instance of a lack of power in The Crucible is the people of Salem and the Church. Since Salem is a theocracy they are very strict about their Puritan religion The witchcraft is considered “the devil’s touch” and rather than sickness, the people of Salem see it as “death drivin’ into [the children], forked and hoofed” (14).

HOW DO I FIX THE PROBLEM?  3. Use a block quote if your quotation is longer than four lines.  Make sure to properly introduce the material if you plan on using this fix. And don’t use this fix for all your quotes – it looks lazy. Another instance of a lack of power in The Crucible is the fact that Salem is a theocracy and therefore very strict about their Puritan religion. That witchcraft might be among them is a monumental realization. As such, the people are scared and frantic, as seen in this scenario with the Putman’s visiting Betty Parris: Mrs. Putnam, with vicious certainty: I’d not call it sick; the Devil’s touch is heavier than sick. It’s death, y’know, it’s death drivin’ into them, forked and hoofed. Parris: Oh, pray not! Why, how does Ruth ail? Mrs. Putnam: She ails as she must - she never waked this morning, but her eyes open and she walks, and hears naught, sees naught, and cannot eat. Her soul is taken, surely. (14)

Now you try it…  In the beginning of the story when the author first introduced him he was shown as a hardworking man. “I have hardly stepped off my farm this sevenmonth” (23).  Take a minute to think about how to fix this dropped quote: signal phrase, blended quote, block quote. Jot down your ideas and get ready to share…

Try again…  Abigail has lied a considerable amount of times making her a liar in most cases. “We did dance, uncle, and when you leaped out of the bush so suddenly, Betty was frightened and then she fainted. And there’s the whole of it” (10).  Take a minute to think about how to fix this dropped quote: signal phrase, blended quote, block quote. Jot down your ideas and get ready to share…