Direct Quote
Direct quotes are the text you copy directly from your source. You must include a parenthetical citation when you use a direct quote, or you will be plagiarizing.
It is best to use direct quotes when:
● An idea is especially well-stated
● A passage is memorable
● The exact quotation is important due to literary/historical merit
How do you decide which quotes to choose? Here are some tips:
1. Go back to your thesis statement or main objective and choose quotes that support your argument or topic.
Example:
You are writing a paper about the French Revolution. You want to include a paragraph about the storming of the Bastille. Which quote would you use?
A. The Bastille had “eight towers, 100 feet high, linked by walls of equal height and surrounded by a moat more than 80 feet wide” (“Bastille”).
B. The Bastille was a “symbol of the despotism of the ruling Bourbon monarchy and held an important place in the ideology of the Revolution” (“Bastille”).
Choose B! The first quote might be informative, but you are not writing a paper about the architecture of the Bastille. It does not support your topic.
2. Choose powerful statements from your source. These are quotes that have impact on the reader. They are both informative and effective.
Example:
You are writing an argumentative paper about graffiti. Your argument is that graffiti is art. Which quote would you use?
A. Graffiti is a “democratizing art form that affords anyone, whether a trained artist or not, a vehicle for self-expression in public” ("Graffiti: Is graffiti art?").
B. “Despite law enforcement efforts, graffiti is not likely to disappear” (“Graffiti: Is graffiti art?”).
Choose A! The first quote has much more impact than the second quote. You are making an argument about the positive aspects of graffiti, so use a quote that makes your argument strong.
3. Choose short and to-the-point statements. You normally want to pick single sentences and make the point in as little words as possible.
Example:
You are writing a literary analysis about the use of vision as a metaphor in To Kill A Mockingbird. Which quote would you use?
A. “Moreover, descriptions of physical eyes and references to shades of light metaphorically denote philosophical and social concerns the novel expounds and suggest Emerson's idea that we can truly see only with an unconquered eye”(Champion 237).
B. “Atticus wears glasses, cannot physically see well, yet he has insight and wisdom” (Champion 237).
Choose B! The first quote is too long and while it makes an interesting point, it does not do it succinctly. The second quote makes a similar point just as well and with much fewer words.
⚡ TIP: You might choose the first quote to paraphrase so you can shorten it and put it into your words.