QUOTATIONS, PART I:
INTRODUCING, CITING,
AND EXPLAINING
Laura Sims
ENG 1320
Spring 2015
QUOTATIONS
 Frame every quotation
 Make a “quotation sandwich”: introduce the quote
beforehand and explain it afterwards.
Introduction
Quotation & Citation
Explanation
INTRODUCTIONS: THE AUTHOR
 Use the author’s full name the first time you mention
him or her; afterwards, only include the author’s last
name.
 According to John Humphrys, . . . . In other words, Humphrys
believes that . . . .
 You shouldn’t include titles like “Dr.” or “Ms.” in academic
writing.
 Never refer to an author by the first name only!
INTRODUCTIONS: VIVID VERBS
 Choose vivid verbs!
 Make sure that your introductions fit what the authors are
doing in their writing. Are they “claiming,” “verifying,”
“contradicting,” or “urging”?
 Don’t use phrases like “Orwell asserts an idea that . .
.” or “A quote by Shakespeare says . . .”
 These phrases are redundant and misleading!
 Use “Orwell asserts that . . .” or “Shakespeare writes . . . ”
INTRODUCTIONS: TENSE
 For MLA style, use the present tense to introduce quotations
unless you include a date that specifies the time of the
original author’s writing.
 Barbara Wilson affirms, “One of the most important tasks for
communicators is to know the audience” (S13).
 In 2002, the American Dietetic Association reported that “90% of
Americans believe that RDs are highly credible sources of
information on the epidemic of obesity” (Wilson S16).
 The same rule applies to works of literature:
 In his poem “The Second Coming,” William Butler Yeats describes the
first World War with these lines: “Things fall apart; the centre cannot
hold; / Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world” (lines 3 -4).
 In 1919, William Butler Yeats described the first World War with
these lines: “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; / Mere anarchy
is loosed upon the world” (lines 3-4).
INTRODUCTIONS: PUNCTUATION
 Use commas after verbs like “writes” or “argues,” unless
that verb is followed by the word “that.”
 Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst write, “the main
problem with quoting arises when writers assume that quotations
speak for themselves” (43).
 Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst write that “the
main problem with quoting arises when writers assume that
quotations speak for themselves” (43).
 Use a colon when you introduce a quotation with a full
sentence:
 Judith Warner describes Americans’ current relationship with
food in terms of excess and immediate gratification: “Eating
too much, indiscriminately, anywhere, at any time, in response
to any and all stimuli, is as central to our freewheeling,
mavericky way of being as car cupholders and drive-throughs”
(402).
PRACTICE
 Which of the following quotations has the best
introduction?
a. Humphrys predicts that, “Our written language may end up as
a series of ridiculous emoticons and everchanging
abbreviations.”
b. Humphrys predicted, “Our written language may end up as a
series of ridiculous emoticons and everchanging
abbreviations.”
c. John predicts “Our written language may end up as a series of
ridiculous emoticons and everchanging abbreviations.”
d. Humphrys predicts that “Our written language may end up as
a series of ridiculous emoticons and everchanging
abbreviations.”
PRACTICE
 Which of the following quotations has the best
introduction?
a. Thomas Friedman provides a challenging yet optimistic view of the
future, “We need to get back to work on our country and on our
planet. The hour is late, the stakes couldn’t be higher, the project
couldn’t be harder, the payoff couldn’t be greater” (25).
b. Thomas Friedman provided a challenging yet optimistic view of the
future: “We need to get back to work on our country and on our
planet. The hour is late, the stakes couldn’t be higher, the project
couldn’t be harder, the payoff couldn’t be greater” (25).
c. Thomas Friedman provides a challenging yet optimistic view of the
future: “We need to get back to work on our country and on our
planet. The hour is late, the stakes couldn’t be higher, the project
couldn’t be harder, the payoff couldn’t be greater” (25).
CITING YOUR SOURCE
 Whenever you quote or paraphrase information from
a source, you need to include an in-text citation and
an entry on your works cited page.
 In-text citations
 Place in-text citations at the end of the sentence containing
the quote, before the period.
 Include the author’s last name, if not already mentioned,
and the page number, if available.
 See BH pg. 583-595
 We will discuss your works cited page next week.
EXAMPLES
 According to David Crystal, “What novelty there is in texting
lies chiefly in the way it takes further some of the processes
used in the past” (339).
 Texting is not an entirely new phenomenon: “What novelty
there is in texting lies chiefly in the way it takes further some
of the processes used in the past” (Crystal 339).
 John Humphrys points out, “If the recipient of the message
has to spend ten minutes trying to translate it, those precious
minutes are being wasted.”
 Unfortunately, some textisms are dif ficult to decipher: “If the
recipient of the message has to spend ten minutes trying to
translate it, those precious minutes are being wasted”
(Humphrys).
PRACTICE
 Which of the following quotations is cited correctly?
a. Humphrys predicts that “Our written
a series of ridiculous emoticons and
abbreviations” (Humphrys 3).
b. Humphrys predicts that “Our written
a series of ridiculous emoticons and
abbreviations.”
language may end up as
everchanging
language may end up as
everchanging
PRACTICE
 Which of the following quotations is cited
correctly?
a. Crystal laments, “People seem to have swallowed
the stories that youngsters use nothing else but
abbreviations.” (338)
b. Crystal laments, “People seem to have swallowed
the stories that youngsters use nothing else but
abbreviations” (338).
c. Crystal laments, “People seem to have swallowed
the stories that youngsters use nothing else but
abbreviations (338).”
d. Crystal laments, “People seem to have swallowed
the stories that youngsters use nothing else but
abbreviations.” (338).
whole
whole
whole
whole
PRACTICE
 I ntroduce and cite the following quotation.
“Children could not be good at texting if they had not
already developed considerable literacy awareness.”
-From “2b or Not 2b?” by David Crystal, page 345
VARIATIONS
 If the author’s name is not available, use the title:
 According to an article from ABC News, “Quietly, gradually and
largely without protest, advertising is starting to reflect new
attitudes and new realities about who we are” (“JC Penney
Features Same-Sex Couple”).
 Citing an indirect source (source quoted in another
source):
 John Sutherland calls texting “bleak, bald, sad shorthand” ( qtd.
in Crystal 335).
EXPLANATION
 Be explicit!
 “The main problem with quoting arises when writers
assume that quotations speak for themselves” (Graff,
Birkenstein, and Durst 43).
 Remember, quotations are literally pulled out of their
context. Explain that context to your reader.
 When in doubt, add more explanation. This can give you a
chance to fully explain your own opinion as well!
PRACTICE
 Add an explanation to the quotation from your last
practice question.
“Children could not be good at texting if they had not
already developed considerable literacy awareness.”
-From “2b or Not 2b?” by David Crystal, page 345