In general, if you have to change more than two items in a short quotation, it’s better to find another way to write it. This quotation is technically correct (notice also the correct use of single quotation marks for dialogue), but three changes within such a short quotation render it a bit awkward. SOMEWHAT SMOOTHLY INTEGRATED QUOTATION: The new and supposedly improved Dee tells her mother that she doesn’t "’have to call by if want to’" (234). ORIGINAL: "You don’t have to call me by it if you don’t want to," said Wangero. Look again at the above change of the original word "she" to "." Here’s another example: Use brackets to indicate any changes you make to quotations while fitting them into your sentences (for reasons of style, verb tense, or general understanding). Also, do not use an ellipsis to indicate that you have left out the beginning of a sentence only missing words from the end or somewhere in the middle of a sentence need to be indicated with an ellipsis.Ĭhanging or adding words within a quotation Note that when you quote just a word or a short phrase, no ellipsis is necessary. Ellipses indicate, of course, that some unnecessary words have been left out of a quotation. Please notice that there ARE SPACES between each dot. Notice the ELLIPSES in the above quotations. However, this "look" really demonstrates a sense of intuition rather than any magical powers. For example, Glaspell describes her "look of seeing into things, of seeing through a thing to something else. Peters sometimes appears to be almost supernatural. ORIGINAL: That look of seeing into things, of seeing through a thing to something else, was in the eyes of the sheriff’s wife now. A similar shadow gradually develops over their relationship. After her quarrel with the man, "he shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain. SMOOTHLY INTEGRATED QUOTATION: Hemingway uses the image of a momentary darkness to suggest the woman’s growing disillusionment. ORIGINAL: The shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain and she saw the river through the trees. To integrate a quotation properly within a paragraph, a good writer usually writes one sentence to introduce the quotation, a second sentence that includes the quotation, and a third sentence to comment on the significance of the quotation. Preparing for and following up on a quotation Keep paraphrasing to a minimum because it is your ideas, your argument that counts to convince your readers.Īt one point the mother says, "I used to think hated Maggie, too" (233),Īt one point the mother admits that she "used to think hated Maggie, too" (233). Remember, you must indicate a source even when paraphrasing. If a quotation is long, or if you can say it better or more concisely, paraphrase it (restate it in your own words). Save direct quotations for brilliant comments, controversial statements, certain statistics, and personal testimony that you believe will strengthen your argument. Quote only sentences, passages, or words that are especially succinct, memorable, or powerful. If punctuation, pronouns, and verb tenses don’t flow with your own words, paraphrase and cite the needed material, or make minor changes within the quotation, surrounding them with brackets. They should be grammatically consistent with the rest of your essay. Quotations should fit into your argument, not appear out of thin air. Too many quotations, too many voices, can overpower your own.