Quotation Integration In Text Citations

Title of Module: Citations Quotation Integration & In-Text Video 1: Direct Quotations The Importance of Direct Quotations in Your Writing In your academic writing, it is important to include direct quotations from your sources in order to establish the scholarly conversation that you are entering and to support your own ideas. Direct quotations are when you bring the exact words from a source into your own writing and attribute those words to the source via an in-text citation. When quoting directly from a source, you engage with that author or speaker by first acknowledging what is being expressed in the quote, and then by responding with your own perspective and analysis of that quote. In this way, you are clarifying the topic and point of view under discussion while also distinguishing your voice from others. Direct quotations are commonly used to provide support for your own point of view. By quoting an expert on your topic who holds a perspective similar to your own, you are providing additional support for your claim and making it more persuasive. Direct quotations are also useful, however, to establish diverse points of view on an issue and, therefore, the complexity of the conversation that you’re entering. By acknowledging alternate points of view, you are demonstrating to your reader that you are well informed on your topic and that you have considered many points of view. You can also better prepare your reader to understand the complexities and nuances of your own position on the issue as you begin responding to these diverse positions. It is also beneficial to quote sources with whom you disagree, whether partially or entirely. By acknowledging counter-arguments to your own position, you are again letting your reader know that you have broadened beyond your own perspective to consider potential challenges to your position on the issue. Engaging with counterarguments will strengthen your own argument and give your voice more authority. How to Choose and Use Quotations While quotations are essential for establishing the conversation, distinguishing your point of view, and supporting your claim, it is important to keep in mind that quotes should be used sparingly in your papers. It can sometimes become tempting to quote multiple passages and/or sources within a single paragraph; however, overuse of quotations can end up weakening your paper as they overpower and drown out your own voice. That is to say, when you pay too much attention to what your sources have to say, your own point of view can get lost. So, it’s important to be judicious about what quotes you include in your assignments, how long they are, and when you choose to use them. Quotes should not be used as a tactic to fill space and achieve a word count requirement! Instead, they should be used carefully to help you assert your own point of view and support it as effectively as possible. Here are useful tips on how to proceed in different cases: • The majority of your paper should contain your own words and ideas, so you want to quote only the most unique and memorable expressions from your source. If you feel as though you could summarize the information yourself and still retain the meaning, then use your own words. • If, however, your source expresses something in a way that would be very difficult to represent adequately, or if your purpose is to analyze someone’s original use of language in your source, quote it. Generally, you will want to restrict yourself to introducing only one or two quotations per paragraph. Consider the main point that you are making in the paragraph and then select only the one or two most effective quotes that can best help you develop your point of view and support your position. When you find a passage from a text that you’re considering using in your assignment, ask yourself how it connects to your main ideas: what purpose will it serve to help you develop your point of view? Consistently questioning the purpose of the quotes you’re including will help you maintain focus on your own perspective in the assignment rather than getting sidetracked by what your sources say. You will also want to choose mostly shorter quotes from the source. This way, you will avoid block quotations—equal to or longer than four lines. If you do find a longer sentence or passage, you can trim it down by deleting information that is not particularly pertinent or essential to the point you’re making. Once you decide in favor of a paraphrase over a quote, keep in mind the following: • maintain the accuracy and context of the original source when including any portion of it • eliminate the unnecessary words • make sure that the resulting sentence is grammatically correct In your quotation, you can use ellipses (…) to represent the material that you deleted. Keep in mind that you are not obligated to quote whole sentences from your source; you can also quote short fragments (a clause, phrase, or expression) as long as you do not misrepresent the ideas and the intention of the source. Video 2: Integrating Quotes into Your Writing The Importance of Quotation Integration in Your Writing Quotation integration is a process of framing a quotation with your own writing so that the quote does not exist on its own as an isolated sentence in your paper. In this way, the quotation will blend into your discussion organically and connect clearly and logically to your own ideas. Because your papers are intended to present your own views on an issue, it is important for quoted sources to link directly to your ideas. In this way, the dominant voice in your paper will remain yours. How to Integrate Quotes Effectively It is important to integrate your quotes so that your reader can understand the connections between your source and the point you are making. Some instructors metaphorically refer to quotation integration as a “quote sandwich”: your quotation serves as the contents or filling of your sandwich while the top layer of bread represents the essential contextual information to introduce your source to your reader, and the bottom layer of bread represents your follow-up explanation of the quotation’s importance to the point you’re making in your paragraph. In this way, the quote is surrounded (or framed) by your own words and directly connected to your own ideas. Because all quotes should be framed by your own writing, you will want to avoid beginning or ending a paragraph with a quotation. Sandwich image source: Clipart Panda. So, to integrate your quotes effectively, you will want to follow three separate steps: 1. Introduce and contextualize your quotation. Provide your reader with any information about the source and any content of the quotation that would be helpful for understanding the passage. Who is speaking? What is taking place in the text leading up to what you’re quoting? Are any names mentioned in the quote? If so, to what/whom do they refer? 2. Quote and cite your source. Integrate your source into your own sentence with an active signal verb and proper punctuation (if necessary). There are several ways to integrate quotations into your own sentence. Here are the 3 most common methods: • • Integrate the quotation with an independent clause (complete sentence) and a colon (:) Ø Leonard holds a pessimistic view about the consequences of globalization and consumerism: “we are on the road to the fastest rate of linguistic and cultural destruction in history” (146). Here, the material prior to the colon (:) forms a complete sentence to introduce the quotation. Integrate the quotation with an introductory phrase or dependent clause and a comma (,). An active and appropriate signal verb can help to signal the words from your source. Ø Leonard pessimistically acknowledges, “we are on the road to the fastest rate of linguistic and cultural destruction in history” (146). Here, the signal verb is “acknowledges,” and the material prior to the comma (,) forms an incomplete sentence. The quotation then completes that sentence. When using this method to integrate your quotations into your sentences, make sure to place your signal verb in the present tense, and be careful not to repeat the same signal verb each time you quote. Also, avoid vague signal verbs such as “says,” “writes,” and “states”; instead, select more active and accurate signal verbs that reflect the intention of the speaker. Here is a helpful list of useful signal verbs to get you started: acknowledge admit agree argue ask assert assume believe caution challenge claim clarify consider criticize declare demand disagree discuss emphasize exclaim explain express highlight illustrate imply implore insist interpret list object observe offer oppose point to present propose prove question recognize recommend remark reply report request reveal signal speculate stress suggest suppose think urge warn wonder Following your quote, include a proper in-text citation to credit your source. • Integrate the quotation so that it blends grammatically into your own sentence and requires no punctuation. Ø Leonard pessimistically acknowledges that “we are on the road to the fastest rate of linguistic and cultural destruction in history” (146). Using the word “that” stands in place of a comma, introducing the quotation as the object of the signal verb (the quotation is what Leonard acknowledges). Therefore, no punctuation is necessary. Ø According to Leonard, the world is “on the road to the fastest rate of linguistic and cultural destruction in history” (146). Here again, the quotation is the complement of the verb “is” and no punctuation should separate the two. *Important note: There are only two punctuation marks used to integrate quotations into your own sentence: the colon and the comma. 3. Explain and analyze your quotation. Once you quote and cite your source, provide a thorough explanation of the relevance of the quote to the point you’re making and analyze its significance. Why is it important to your discussion? What are the implications of the quotation for your own argument? How does it help you develop your point of view? Review: Important Guidelines Let’s review some of the important guidelines: 1. Because each quotation should be framed by your own writing, avoid beginning or ending a paragraph with a quotation. (The first sentence of your paragraph should be your topic sentence, asserting the point you will be making in your paragraph in connection to your claim. The final sentence of your paragraph should be concluding with your own ideas.) 2. Avoid over-quoting. Keep quotes short and accurate. 3. Vary your signal verbs and keep them in the present tense, typical of most academic writing. 4. Make sure that your quote is part of a grammatically correct final sentence. Video 3: In-Text Citations The Importance of In-Text Citations in Your Writing In-text citations are parenthetical citations that you will insert into the text of your paper whenever you quote, paraphrase, or summarize a source. The purpose of an in-text citation is to document the source of your information, most commonly with the author’s last name and the page number of the passage you’re paraphrasing or quoting, and to direct your reader to the complete source information on your Works Cited page at the end of your paper. So, when readers come across a parenthetical citation in your paper, they can skip to the Works Cited page, find the author’s last name, and immediately see the full source information, such as the author’s full name, the title of the source, and the publishing information. In-text citations are important because they: • attribute the paraphrased or quoted material to its source, thereby ensuring that you are avoiding plagiarism; • help your readers to locate your research; and • reaffirm your position as a reliable, responsible, and well-informed writer with authority on your topic. It is important to note, however, that not all sources require citation. For example, it is not necessary to cite common knowledge or familiar proverbs (such as “absence makes the heart grow fonder” or “don’t bite the hand that feeds you”). That said, if you have any uncertainty about whether information is considered common knowledge or not, it is better to include a citation just in case (“better to be safe than sorry”!). How to Create In-Text Citations in MLA Style In MLA style, the required content of your parenthetical citation will depend upon: • the medium of the source (whether you are citing a printed text, web page, or movie, etc.), • the source’s corresponding information in the Works Cited page, • and the identifying source information that you already provide in your writing when introducing passage. The citation is placed after your paraphrase or quotation, usually at the end of your sentence. If you are continuing your sentence after the quote, then include your citation when there is a pause (for example, before a comma or semicolon). For printed sources such as books or scholarly articles, your citation will most commonly include the author’s last name and the page number of the passage that you’re referencing. Ø As a result of consumerism and the globalization of English, “we are on the road to the fastest rate of linguistic and cultural destruction in history” (Leonard 146). Here, the parenthetical citation tells your reader that the quoted information can be found on page 146 of a work by an author named Leonard. Your reader can then jump ahead to your Works Cited page and quickly find the name “Leonard,” followed by the full source information. Notice that there is no punctuation between the author’s name and the page number in the parenthetical citation. However, if you reference the author’s name when introducing the passage in your sentence, then it is not necessary to repeat the author’s name in the parenthetical citation. Instead, you will only include the page number in the citation. For example: Ø Leonard argues that, as a result of consumerism and the globalization of English, “we are on the road to the fastest rate of linguistic and cultural destruction in history” (146). Now, because Leonard’s name is already given in the sentence introducing the quote, the parenthetical citation simply lets the reader know that this information can be found on page 146 of his text. Also, notice that the period ending the sentence comes after your citation. If you quote a question or an exclamation, you will include the quotation mark or exclamation point inside the quotation marks before your parenthetical citation. Then include your period after the citation as usual. For example: Ø The author acknowledges the debate he is entering at the very beginning of his essay: “Will the steady pace of globalization make the world better or worse?” (Gleiser 8). Because Gleiser’s own question is being quoted, the question mark is included inside the end quotation mark. The citation then contains Gleiser’s name since he was not named in the sentence, along with the page number. A period then comes after the parenthetical citation to end the sentence that the quote has been integrated into. If, however, you are using quoted material to help you form your own question in your paper, then you would wait and include a question mark after the parenthetical citation rather than inside the quotation mark. For example: Ø Is a global village possible despite our “evolved tribal natures” (Gleiser 9)? Here, Gleiser’s words have been used to help formulate a question about globalization. Gleiser’s name is not mentioned, so it is included in the parenthetical citation along with the page number. The question mark is not placed inside the quotation marks since the quoted material is not a question in itself; instead, the quoted material helps complete a question that has already been started, so the question mark is placed after the citation. For Internet sources, your parenthetical citation will connect with your Works Cited information for that source. You may wonder what to include in the parenthetical citation for an Internet source because web pages do not contain page numbers. Often, however, if you introduce the author and/or the name of the Internet source prior to the passage you’re quoting or paraphrasing, you will not need to include a citation at all. Ø In his 2011 opinion piece for NPR.com titled “Globalization: Two Visions of the Future of Humanity,” Marcelo Gleiser asserts that cultural homogenization is “unattainable due to our evolved tribal natures.”