Quoting
“The systematic development of literacy and schooling meant a new division in society, between the educated and the uneducated” (Cook-Gumperz, 1986, p. 27).
Use a Quote…
- when the author's words convey a powerful meaning
- when you cannot possibly say the information any better
- to introduce an author's position that you want to discuss
- to support claims in your writing or provide evidence for the points you are making
How to Quote:
If you want to include a quotation into your writing, make sure to introduce, cite, and explain the quotation. This technique is known as the ICE method.
INTRODUCE
Introduce your quotes by stating the author’s last name, any necessary background information, and a signal verb. According to APA guidelines, signal verbs should be written in the past tense.
For example:
As stated by Cormac McCarthy in his 2006 novel The Road: "You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget" (p. 12).
CITE
Provide in-text citations for all quotes. For each quotation, include the author’s last name, the year the text was published, and the page number (p. #) or paragraph number (para. #) the quote was found on. Place every quotation between quotation marks (" ") and copy the text word-for-word, including the text’s original punctuation and capital letters.
EXPLAIN
Make sure to explain your quotations. Provide explanation or insight as to why this quotation is important, or comment on the importance of the quotation. To help with your explanation, ask yourself the following questions:
- What is this quote saying?
- How does this information add to what I am trying to prove in this paragraph?
- Why is it important to what I am saying? What is its significance?
- What am I trying to show or prove with this information?
Never leave any room for interpretation. It is your responsibility as the writer to explain the quoted information for your reader.
Source: The Writing Center at Ashford University.