Integrating QuotationsIntegrating Quotations

NEVER just drop a quotation NEVER just drop a quotation into your paper. Always into your paper. Always introduce itintroduce it and and explain itexplain it with your own writing.with your own writing.

There are three main ways to There are three main ways to introduce quotations. These introduce quotations. These include:include:

1. Introduce the quotation with a complete sentence and a COLON.

Bob’s description of Madge emphasizes Bob’s description of Madge emphasizes her fake appearance:her fake appearance: “She was a “She was a peroxide blonde with a large-featured, peroxide blonde with a large-featured, overly made-up face, and she had a overly made-up face, and she had a large, bright-painted, fleshy mouth” large, bright-painted, fleshy mouth” (Jones 14).(Jones 14).

Richard Wright explains his reasons for Richard Wright explains his reasons for writing:writing: “I was striving for a level of “I was striving for a level of expression that matched those of the expression that matched those of the novels I read” novels I read” (152).(152).

2.2. Use an introductory or explanatory phrase, but not a complete sentence, separated from the quotation with a COMMA.

To describe his childlike To describe his childlike consciousness, Wright explains,consciousness, Wright explains, “Each “Each event spoke with a cryptic tongue. event spoke with a cryptic tongue. And the moments of living slowly And the moments of living slowly revealed their coded meanings” revealed their coded meanings” (42). (42).

After going to Memphis and boarding After going to Memphis and boarding with Mrs. Moss, Wright wonders,with Mrs. Moss, Wright wonders, “Was it wise to remain here with a “Was it wise to remain here with a seventeen-year-old girl eager for seventeen-year-old girl eager for marriage and a mother equally marriage and a mother equally anxious to have her marry me?” anxious to have her marry me?” (67).(67).

You should use a comma to separate your own words from the quotation when your introductory or explanatory phrase ends with a verb:

Adds writes points outClaims denies assertsEmphasizes thinks notesIllustrates demonstrates arguesAdmits suggests insists

You should also use a comma when you introduce a quotation with a phrase such as "According to”

According to Thoreau, "We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us”

3. 3. Make the quotation part of your own sentence WITHOUT using any punctuation.

As Bob is being beaten, he hopes heAs Bob is being beaten, he hopes he “will become unconscious but [he] “will become unconscious but [he] can’t.”can’t.”

Bob appraises Mrs. Harrison derisively, Bob appraises Mrs. Harrison derisively, stating thatstating that “she looked so complacent, “she looked so complacent, sitting there in her two-hundred dollar sitting there in her two-hundred dollar chair [. . . ] bought with dough her chair [. . . ] bought with dough her husband had made overcharging poor husband had made overcharging poor hard-working colored people for his hard-working colored people for his incompetent services, that I had a crazy incompetent services, that I had a crazy impulse to needle her.”impulse to needle her.”

4. Use SHORT quotations--only a few words--as part of your own sentence.

Thoreau argues that people blindly accept "shams and delusions" as the "soundest truths," while regarding reality as "fabulous."

An Irish saying reminds us that friends that “gossip with you” may also be friends that gossip about you.

Punctuating Punctuating QuotationsQuotations

Use an ellipsis . . . to indicate material omitted from the quotation.

Hamlet tells Ophelia, "you jig and amble . . . and make your wantonness your ignorance" (III.i.140-142).

Punctuating Punctuating QuotationsQuotations

Use brackets [ ] add words or modify the verb.

Flaubert writes, "She looked carefully for the place where [Elizabeth] had entered the garden" (65).

Flaubert says that "she [has] an excess of energy" (97).

Citing Quotes in Your TextCiting Quotes in Your Text Author’s last name and page Author’s last name and page

number(s) of quote must number(s) of quote must appear in the textappear in the textRomantic poetry is characterized Romantic poetry is characterized by theby the “spontaneous overflow of “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings”powerful feelings” (Wordsworth (Wordsworth 263).263).

Wordsworth stated that Romantic Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by apoetry was marked by a “spontaneous overflow of “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings”powerful feelings” (263).(263).

Citing Quote with No Citing Quote with No AuthorAuthorIf no author is identified, use the title of the source—be sure to include proper punctuation.

High school students admit they even feel the pressure to swear in some peer groups in order to “not get dissed” (“Profane Pressure”).

Block a quotation if it is four lines or Block a quotation if it is four lines or longerlonger. Indent the quotation one half . Indent the quotation one half of an inch on both sides, and punctuate of an inch on both sides, and punctuate it like the following example. it like the following example. Wright describes how his mother’s illness Wright describes how his mother’s illness

affected him:affected him:

My mother’s suffering grew into a My mother’s suffering grew into a

symbol in my mind, gathering to symbol in my mind, gathering to itself itself

all the poverty, the ignorance, the all the poverty, the ignorance, the

helplessness; the painful, baffling, helplessness; the painful, baffling,

hunger-ridden days and hours; the hunger-ridden days and hours; the

restless moving, the futile seeking, restless moving, the futile seeking, the the uncertainty, the fear, the dread.uncertainty, the fear, the dread. (Wright 29) (Wright 29)

CreditsCredits

The Citadel Writing and Learning Center by Amy Battle http://www.citadel.edu/citadel/otherserv/wctr/quotes.html#when

Formatted and revised by Patricia Burgey