Academic writingLesson 1 of 1 in the course Evaluation or Review: Would You Recommend It?

Selecting, Integrating, and Citing Quotations in Academic Writing

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Direct quotations preserve a source’s exact words. In reviews and other writing, they can provide concrete evidence for your ideas and let readers hear a source’s voice. This lesson explains how to choose quotations that support a point rather than distract from it.

A direct quotation is the exact wording spoken or written by someone else. It provides specific evidence from a primary or secondary source. An opinion or observation on its own may be too general to persuade readers; a relevant quotation can show the evidence behind it.

All flashcards

Direct quotation
The exact words spoken or written by a source, reproduced as evidence.
Ellipsis in a quotation
Three spaced periods indicating omitted words; the omission must preserve the source’s meaning.
Brackets in a quotation
Marks enclosing words added by a writer to clarify a quotation.
Signal phrase
A phrase that identifies or introduces a source and connects its words to a sentence.
Parenthetical citation
Source information in parentheses that helps readers identify where quoted material came from.

Quiz questions

  1. When a writer inserts a clarifying noun into a quotation, what do brackets show?Answer: The noun was added by the writer, not present in the source.
  2. What is the role of a signal phrase in academic writing?Answer: It identifies or introduces a source and connects that source to the sentence.
  3. In the MLA-style punctuation pattern described, where does a parenthetical citation go after a quotation?Answer: After the closing quotation mark and before the sentence’s final period.
  4. A writer shortens a quotation with an ellipsis. What must the edited quotation still do?Answer: Preserve the source’s meaning relevant to the writer’s point.
  5. Does introducing a quotation with a signal phrase automatically remove the need for a required citation?Answer: No; the writer must still provide any citation required by the assignment.

Based on Writing Guide with Handbook by Michelle Bachelor Robinson, Maria Jerskey, featuring Toby Fulwiler (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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