Using citations in your essay is a way to support your ideas with the concrete evidence you need to strengthen your thesis statement. To choose a good quote, look for sentences that support your argument and are open to analysis. Then, include it in the essay, and make sure you state the source in the bibliography according to the guidelines used.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Inserting Short Quotes
Step 1. Insert short quotes directly into sentences
Short quotes are shorter than 4 typed lines. When using a short quote, include it directly in the paragraph, in your own words. To help readers understand the quote and why you're using it, write complete sentences that include the quote, rather than taking sentences from other posts for granted.
- For example, here's a quote you might want to use: "Brown leaves symbolize the death of their relationship, while green buds represent new opportunities that will open up."
- If you just type the sentence and enclose it in quotation marks, the reader will be confused. Instead, include something like this, "The comparison in the story reflects what happened in Lia's love life, because 'the brown leaves symbolize the death of their relationship, while the green buds represent new opportunities that will open up.'"
Step 2. Use the introduction to introduce the quote
The function of the introduction here is to provide context so readers know that you are presenting evidence or support, as well as where that support is coming from. Usually, you'll need to provide the author's name, but that's not always required. Here's an example of a brief introductory quote:
- "Critic Alex Li said, 'Repeated references to the color blue indicate that the family is struggling to cope with the loss of their mother.'"
- "According to McKinney research, 'Adults who do yoga at least three times a week have lower blood pressure, better sleep patterns, and are less frustrated.'"
- "Based on several recent studies, people are more likely to sit on park benches in the shade of trees."
Step 3. Enclose direct quotations in quotation marks
Use quotation marks whenever you enter other people's words. This lets readers know that you are borrowing another author's ideas. As long as you use quotation marks and state the source, you may use other people's ideas without being accused of plagiarism.
- Even if you only quote a few words, you should still use quotation marks.
- When in doubt, be careful and use quotation marks.
Step 4. Provide a comment after the quote to explain how the quote supports your idea
Quotations won't support an idea unless you link it back to the thesis. After the quote, write 1-3 sentences explaining what the quote means, why it supports the topic sentence, and how it supports your argument.
For example, you might use the quote, “According to McKinney research, 'Adults who do yoga at least three times a week have lower blood pressure, better sleep patterns, and are less frustrated.'” Then, write a comment like this, “This shows that yoga has a positive impact on human health so incorporating such routines into the workplace can help improve employee health. Since yoga makes employees healthier, it is likely that insurance costs will be reduced.”
Step 5. Paraphrase the quote if you can restate the author's idea in your own words
Paraphrasing is restating someone else's idea in your own language. This is a great way to incorporate evidence into an essay without always having to use direct quotes. While you don't need to put quotes, you must include the source.
When paraphrasing, you should still provide comments that relate the material to your own thesis and ideas
Part 2 of 4: Using Long Quotes
Step 1. Insert long quotes directly in blocks
Long quotes are usually more than 4 typed lines. Long quotes are presented in different blocks of text from the content of other paragraphs. Because it's included in a block, you don't have to enclose it in quotation marks.
The reader will know that the statement there is a direct quote because of its separate position from the rest of the text. Therefore, quotation marks are not needed. However, you should still include the source at the bottom
Step 2. Write an introductory sentence to give the reader an idea
For block quotes, you can write a full sentence explaining what the reader should know after reading the quote. End the sentence with a colon symbol. Then, write the quote. Here's an example of an introductory sentence for a block quote:
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In The Things They Carried, items that soldiers carried in the Vietnam War are used to describe their characters and tell the reader the burden they carried:
The items they carry are generally determined by need. Among the mandatory or semi-mandatory necessities are P-38 can openers, pocket knives, hot plates, watches, military necklaces, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, cigarette gum, salt tablets, Kool-Aid packs, macis, lighters, sewing tools, military dollars, canned rations, and two or three bottles of water. (O'Brien 2)
Variation:
When citing two or more paragraphs, you should use block quotes, even if the sentence is less than 4 lines long. The first line of each paragraph should indent about a quarter of an inch or half an inch. Then, use the three dots (…) at the end of the paragraph to move on to the next paragraph.
Step 3. Insert an indented block quote 0.5 inches or 1.3 cm from the left margin
Press the tab key to enter a row. Make sure that all quotations are indented so that readers will recognize them because of their different positions.
Block citations use the same spacing as the body of the essay, and are usually double-spaced
Step 4. Use three dots to remove certain words from direct quotations
Sometimes you need to abbreviate the quote to help the reader better understand the support for your argument. You may also need to cut out non-essential words. The trick, you only need to replace the words in question with a three dot (…).
- For example, “According to Li, “Rosa was the first to pick roses because she was the only one who started to be able to continue living after their mother's death” could be written as “According to Li, “Rosa was the first to pick roses because she … was starting to get on with life. after their mother's death."
- Do not omit words to change the meaning of the original text. The example sentence “plants do not grow faster when exposed to poetry” should not be changed to “plants … grow faster when exposed to poetry.”
Step 5. Place square brackets on the words you need for clarification
Sometimes, you have to add certain words to the quote to make the reader understand. This helps you explain the pronouns used in direct quotations or explain what the quotation means. Square brackets also allow you to add or replace words, as long as they don't change the meaning of the text.
- For example, you might want to use the quote “Everyone feels more relaxed and calm after 6 months of yoga.” This does not indicate who is being spoken of. So you could use square brackets to state, “All [teachers in the study] felt more relaxed and calm after 6 months of yoga.”
- However, if you know that the study is about teachers, you can use square brackets to state, “All [participants] felt more relaxed and calm after 6 months of yoga.”
Step 6. Comment after the quote to explain its support for your idea
Block quotes require more comments than direct quotes. At a minimum you should write 2-3 sentences of analysis and link the quote back to the thesis. However, it may take longer comments to fully explain the quote.
If not well explained, quotes can't help the idea. You can't expect the reader to attribute the quote to the thesis by itself
Step 7. Paraphrase the quote to condense it into 1 or 2 sentences, if possible
Paraphrasing is a great way to avoid using long quotes. Rewrite the quote in your own words, unless the author's original words are absolutely necessary to make the point. Try to condense the original author's ideas into 1 or 2 sentences that support the argument. Then, insert the paraphrase into the paragraph without using quotation marks. However, include the source so readers know where the idea came from.
For example, you may prefer to use long quotes to indicate the author's style of writing. However, if you're using a journal article to provide a critic's perspective on the author's work, there's no need to quote entire paragraphs verbatim to make your point. In that case, it's best to use paraphrasing
Tip:
If you're in doubt, think about the following question, "Can I paraphrase this in more concise language and not lose support for my argument?" If the answer is yes, direct quotes are not required.
Part 3 of 4: Writing a Bibliography
Step 1. Enter the author's last name and page number in parentheses for an MLA-style citation
Write the author's last name, then the page number. You don't need to be separated by commas, and you don't need to write "p." or "pg." before the page number.
- Here's an example of an MLA bibliography: (Lopez 24)
- For sources with multiple authors, separate their names with the word “and”. For example, (Supardiman and Kusmadi 55-56) or (Taylor, Gomez, and Austin 89)
- If you include the author's name in the introductory sentence, you only need to provide the year of publication in brackets: According to Luz Lopez, “green grass symbolizes new beginnings for Lia (24).”
Step 2. Enter the author's last name, year, and page number in APA format
Write the author's name, followed by a comma. Add the year and another comma. Finally, write "p." or "pg." followed by the page number.
- The following is an example of an APA bibliography: (Ronan, 2019, p. 10)
- If you quote several authors, separate their names with the word “and”: (Sumardjan, Kusmadi, and Susilo, 2019, p. 85)
- If you include the author's name in the introduction, write only the year and page number: Based on Ronan's analysis (2019, p. 10), “coffee breaks can increase productivity.”
Step 3. Use the last name, date, and page number for the Chicago Style
Write the author's last name and then the date, but don't put a comma in between. After the date, place a comma and then the page number. No need to write "p." or "pg."
- Here's an example of a Chicago Style bibliography: (Alexander 2019, 125)
- If you cite sources with multiple authors, separate them with the word “and”: (Sumardjan, Kusmadi, and Susilo 2019, 175)
- If you have already included the author's name in the citation, enter only the year and page number. According to Alexander, “the scent of roses increases feelings of happiness” (2019, 125).
Step 4. Prepare the References or Works Cited page
There are separate requirements for each style. So make sure you follow the style guide for the format used in the essay. For the MLA format, prepare a Cited Works page, the APA format requires a Reference page, and the Chicago Style format requires a Reference or Bibliography page. On this page, list all sources alphabetically, along with publishing information. This allows readers to find the source you are using.
- For MLA, create a bibliography like this: Lopez, Luz. "A Fresh Blossom: Imagery in 'Her Darkest Sunshine.'" Journal of Stories, vol. 2, no. 5, 2019, p. 15-22.
- In APA, the bibliography looks like this: Lopez, Luz. (2019). A Fresh Blossom: Imagery in "Her Darkest Sunshine." Journal of Stories, 2(5), 15-22.
- For Chicago Style, here are the sources: Lopez, Luz. "A Fresh Blossom: Imagery in 'Her Darkest Sunshine.'" Journal of Stories 2 no. 4 (2019): 15-22.
Part 4 of 4: Choosing Quotes
Step 1. Choose a quote that supports the argument
Quotations should serve as “evidence” so that readers believe what you are saying. This may include expert opinion, study results, or statistics. If you are writing about a literary work, you can quote directly from the work to illustrate your point or quote the words of a critic to support your claim about the work.
Tip:
Quotations are most effective when the original language or the quoted text deserves to be repeated verbatim.
Step 2. Make sure you can analyze the quote
Don't just include quotes in paragraphs, then continue writing. It doesn't help support the argument because you don't attribute the quote to your own idea. Without analysis, you can't get your point across to the reader.
If you're having trouble explaining a quote or linking it to an argument, it's possible that those words don't need to be included in the essay
Step 3. Don't include too many direct quotes
Excessive use of direct quotes will cloud your own ideas. The power of the argument will diminish and you yourself will lose credibility in the eyes of the reader. Try not to use more than one direct quote in a paragraph. Instead, use paraphrases or summaries to support ideas.
