They Say/I Say: Chapter 3
“As He Himself Puts It: The Art of Quoting”
Quoting = Credibility
“Quoting someone else’s words gives a tremendous
amount of credibility to your summary and helps
ensure that it is fair and accurate. In a sense, then,
quotations function as a kind of evidence, saying to
readers: ‘Look, I’m not making this up. She makes this
claim and here it is in her exact words.’” (39)
Major pitfall: Most writers quote too little!
Hard work to find the right quote
Takes good record-keeping
Uncertainty about citation conventions
Other Pitfalls:
Quoting too much
Lack of confidence can summarize properly
Use as filler
Don’t assume quotes can speak for
themselves!
Quotations as “orphans”
Have been torn from original context
Need to be integrated into new surroundings
Quoting what “they say” MUST be
connected to what “you say”!
Quote only RELEVANT passages
Make sure the quotation serves a purpose within your
paper—not just to show you’ve read the source!
Sometimes quote is SO GOOD, write part of paper so
can include it
Make relevance clear by FRAMING quotations
Avoid “dangling” quotations
Watch out for “hit and runs”
QUOTATION SANDWICH
All quotes need a lead-in and a follow-up.
INTRODUCE QUOTE
QUOTE
EXPLAIN QUOTE
By using framing, you blend the author’s
words with your own.
Framing (lead-ins + follow-ups) helps you integrate the
quote into your text, creating a hybrid blend.
Blending gives the quote the spin you want—
emphasizing certain aspects without misrepresenting
the text you are quoting.
The longer and more complex the quote, the more
framing you need.