Inserting Evidence into Your Writing
1. Introduce your quotations.
A quotation should never suddenly appear out of nowhere. Some kind of information about the quotation is needed, even if it’s
just a brief introduction or mention of the author. For example:
a. But John Jones disagrees with this point, saying, "Such a product would not sell."
b. In an article in Time Fred Jackson writes that frogs vary in the degree of shyness they exhibit: "The arboreal tree
frogs seem to be especially. . . ."
***Be careful of overusing the author’s name, and NEVER address the author only by his or her first name!***
2. Discuss your quotations. (COMMENTARY) Do not quote someone and then leave the words hanging as if they were self
explanatory. Clarify the significance of the evidence as it pertains to your assertion and the effect of the language on the
audience. Quotations are like examples: discuss them to show how they fit in with your assertion and with the ideas you are
presenting. Remember: quotations support or illustrate your own points. They are not substitutes for your ideas and they do not
stand by themselves.
It is often useful to apply some interpretive terminology after a quotation, to show the reader that you are explaining the
quotation and that it supports your argument. You can say that the evidence:
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Exemplifies (is an example of)
Conveys
Suggests
Expresses
Demonstrates
Illustrates
Allows
Elicits
3. Use some variety in introducing quotations.
a. Pick the quotation verb which seems in each case to fit your purpose most exactly. For example:
In this essay Green tells us, "Hope increases courage."
Note that the particular verb you choose helps orient your reader toward your opinion of the statement. "Jones says" is
neutral; "Jones informs us" is positive, "Jones alleges" is somewhat negative. Other verbs to choose from include:
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says
writes
observes
notes
remarks
adds
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declares
informs us
alleges
claims
states
comments
thinks
affirms
asserts
explains
argues
b. Sometimes you might want to use a colon introduction. For example:
Kumquat offers this explanation: "Deep thinkers talk little."
Or Kumquat
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prefers a different argument:
distinguishes between the two:
c. An introductory phrase may sometimes be best. For example:
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In the words of Fisher, "Art is a mirror of belief" (342).
As Ted Fisher has remarked, "Life imitates art."
As Fisher reminds us, "Monkey see, monkey do."
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reminds us of his youth:
believes we should talk less:
4. Sometimes you might want to begin your quotation in the middle of the writer's sentence. For example,
Joe's Text:
I live in the country where life is slow and soft.
Your quotation:
Joe believes that "life is slow and soft" in the country (Living Easy 288).
Or, Boz's Text:
Sally, I love the delicious metaphors you make.
Your quotation:
Boz tells Sally that he loves "the delicious metaphors" she makes (433).
(Note: for embedded phrases like these, do not use ellipses on either side.)
5. Sometimes leave out some words to condense the quotation. Mid-sentence ellipses use three spaced dots. Example text:
The surf on the beach at Mazatlan beat against the shore.
Your quotation:
Smith says of his wave watching, "The surf . . . beat against the shore" (Jones 788).
Ellipses at the end of a sentence use an end-of-sentence period and then three spaced dots. Example text:
Rule 5 says, "Sometimes you will want to leave out some words. . . ."
6. Rather than always quoting the text directly, mix it up and occasionally paraphrase instead. Overusing direct quotes can
cause your own voice and opinion to get lost. Example text:
“Because the intracellular concentration of potassium ions is relatively high, potassium ions tend to diffuse
out of the cell. This movement is driven by the concentration gradient for potassium ions. Similarly, the
concentration gradient for sodium ions tends to promote their movement into the cell. However, the cell
membrane is significantly more permeable to potassium ions than to sodium ions. As a result, potassium
ions diffuse out of the cell faster than sodium ions enter the cytoplasm. The cell therefore experiences a net
loss of positive charges, and as a result the interior of the cell membrane contains an excess of negative
charges, primarily from negatively charged proteins.”¹ (p. 204).
Here is an Appropriate Paraphrase of the above material:
A textbook of anatomy and physiology¹ reports that the concentration of potassium ions inside of the cell is relatively
high and, consequently, some potassium tends to escape out of the cell. Just the opposite occurs with sodium ions.
Their concentration outside of the cell causes sodium ions to cross the membrane into the cell, but they do so at a
slower rate. According to these authors, this is because the permeability of the cell membrane is such that it favors
the movement of potassium relative to sodium ions. Because the rate of crossing for potassium ions that exit the cell
is higher than that for sodium ions that enter the cell, the inside portion of the cell is left with an overload of
negatively charged particles, namely, proteins that contain a negative charge.
7. Sometimes it’s also appropriate to summarize. Do not substitute summary for commentary! Example text:
“Henry, slow down, dammit!” Uncle Henry ignored him for a few more harrowing minutes, finally pulling over at a
rest stop. Minutes later Daddy’s car, full of Mommy and the rest of the kids, screeched up behind us. Daddy jumped
out of his car so fast his hat flew off…Walter had to restrain Daddy, and Henry, the oldest of the brothers, backed off
an apologized.
Sample Summary:
Hunter Jordan (Daddy) was incensed that his brother had endangered his family’s life in such a reckless way.