1. Building an Essay: Integrating Quotes
© Worth Weller

2. adds authority to your essays by
Your essays must be your own words with your own thoughts and your own voice.
However, quoting sources in your essays:
shows your reader
exactly how you arrived at a
particular thought of your own.
adds authority to your essays by
illustrating that you are
presenting informed opinions

3. “ ” In fact, essays can be comprised of three components:
your own thoughts about something you have read or an issue you are studying
quotes from your textbook, reading, or assignment (primary source)
quotes from outside sources (secondary sources)
“ ”

4. Most of your essay is in your own words, but you use quotes to:
Back up your own thinking
Illustrate your own thinking
Prove that you are correct
Reveal that an opposing point of view
is incorrect

5. How do you know what to quote?

6. Rule 1: Quote Sparingly Keep quotes to one or two sentences.
Quotes should rarely take up more than
four typed lines.
Remember that your words are more
important.

7. Rule 2: Quote Just the Good Stuff
Memorable statements
Powerful quotes
Ideas that further your support
Clear explanations
Controversial arguments

8. What does good integration look like?

9. Quotes and Paragraphs:
Your introduction generally will not have a quote in it; it will be entirely your own words.
Your body paragraphs should use quotes to support your ideas.
Your conclusion will usually
not have a quote in it.

10. A couple of rules of thumb:
Do not start a paragraph with a quote.
Do not end a paragraph with a quote.
Use only one or two fairly short quotes per paragraph (unless otherwise noted).

11. A well-integrated quote is a lot like a sandwich:
On top you have a sentence that
is your own thought and
summary, setting the context for the
quote that you intend to use to illustrate a
point.
Then you have the quote (with author
tag/signal phrase) to back up your thought.
Then on the bottom you have a sentence
of your own that reflects back on the quote.

12. How can you fine tune your integration?

13. The Three “I’s”: Introduce Integrate Interpret
Set up the quote with your own thoughts.
Integrate
Integrate the quote using signal phrases and/or author tags.
Interpret
Explain the significance of the quote in regards to your paper; use your own thoughts.

14. Avoid the following phrases:
This quote shows…
In this quote…
Here’s a statement…
As shown here…
In the previous quote…

15. Some examples of signal phrases with author tags
According to Jane Doe, "..."
As Jane Doe goes on to explain, "..."
Characterized by John Doe, the society is "..."
As one critic points out, "..."
John Doe believes that "..."
Jane Doe claims that "..."
In the words of John Doe, "..."

16. List of Signal Phrases
acknowledges, adds, admits, affirms, agrees, argues, asserts, believes, claims, comments, compares, confirms, contends, declares, demonstrates, denies, disputes, emphasizes
endorses, grants, illustrates, implies, insists, notes, observes, points out, reasons, refutes, rejects, reports, responds, states, suggests, thinks, underlines, writes

17. Examples

18. Telling Romeo to forget about Rosaline, Benvolio argues that “one fire burns out another’s burning; / One pain is less’ned by another’s anguish,” which suggests that Benvolio knows Romeo is playing a game (I.ii.46-47). If falling in love is easy, Benvolio seems to be saying, then so is falling out of love.

19. The Marquis stands as the ultimate symbol of the French aristocracy during the eighteenth century. He illustrates to Charles that “repression is the only lasting philosophy. The dark difference of fear and slavery…will keep the dogs obedient to the whip…” (Dickens 119). In the Marquis’ mind, the only way to properly rule is to regard the peasants as lowly servants, who obey only through fear.

20. Summary

21. Introduce, Integrate, Interpret.
Keep your quotes short.
Just quote the good stuff.
Use author tags and/or signal phrases with ALL quotes.
Do not start/end paragraphs with quotes.
Use MLA Format.