Using Quotations in Your Writing

Quotations provide evidence to support your

claims & assertions

• Quotes must be tied to your sentences and your ideas

• Quotes must be introduced or embedded into your sentence.

• Never use a quotation as a complete sentence by itself.

The Basic Rules

Ehrenreich writes about her experiences in low wage jobs. “In fact, millions of Americans do it every day, and with a lot less fanfare and dithering” (6).

This leaves the quote like this:

ALWAYS Incorrect

1. Attribute Quotes

Attribute the quote to the AUTHOR who wrote the quote

Ehrenreich points out, “In fact, millions of Americans do it every day, and with a lot less fanfare and dithering” (6).

Correct

2. Introduce the Quote

Use appropriate and powerful verbs to introduce the quote.

Author is

neutral

Author

implies/

suggests

Author

argues/claims

Author

disagrees

Author

agrees

commentsdescribesexplainsinformsillustratesnotesobservespoints outrecordsrelatesremarksreportssaysseesstatestellsthinkswrites

addsanalyzesasksassessesconcludesfindspredictsproposesrevealsshowsspeculatessuggestssupposes

allegesarguesassertsclaimscontendsdeclaresdefendsdisagreesholdsinsistsmaintains

belittlesbemoanscomplainscondemnsdeploresdeprecatesderidesdisparageslamentswarns

admitsaffirmsagreesconcedesconcursgrants

VERBS to introduce QUOTES

3. Embed Quotes

A more effective use of quotations is to EMBED a part of the author’s sentence into your own writing.

Consider the quote to be like

a layer in your sandwich!

Ehrenreich plans to work in minimum wage jobs, which is exactly what “millions of Americans do” everyday of their working lives (6). These workers perform these menial jobs with “little fanfare and dithering” (6).

EXAMPLE

Other Things You Need to Know About Using Quotes

Quoting Quotes

Use single quotation marks around material that is already in quotations in the source you are quoting.

‘Single’ quotation marks are used only inside normal “double” quotation marks.

As originally written

So this is not a story of some death-defying “undercover” adventure.

As Ehrenreich observes, “So this is not a story of some death-defying ‘undercover’ adventure” (6).

Correctly Quoted

Ehrenreich shares Gail’s summary of working for a corporation: “’ They don’t cut you no slack. You give and you give and they take’”(22)

Correctly QuotedDirect Quote

Changing the Quote

Sometimes it is necessary to change the form of a word in a quotation (“walks” to “walked”) or to add/change a word of your own to make the sentence flow. Use brackets [ ] to indicate anything you have changed.

Use an ellipsis, three periods with spaces between them (…), within a quotation to show that part of the original text is left out.

An ellipsis at the beginning or end of a quotation is unnecessary.

Ellipsis

Original sentence: In fact, millions of Americans do it every day…

Ehrenreich concludes , “[M]illions of Americans do it every day…” (6).

EXAMPLE

Ehrenreich plans to work in minimum wage jobs, which is exactly what “millions of Americans do…with a lot less fanfare and dithering” everyday of their working lives (6).

EXAMPLE

Last but not leastExplain what the quotation means, and how it helps to establish the point you are making.

The quote is NOT a substitute for your ideas.