Quotation Integration

Quotation Integration

Created by Saint Michael’s College’s Writing Center¹:

• It is important to make a smooth transition from your own words to those of another source. Never simply drop a quotation into a paragraph. A quotation can never stand in a sentence by itself without an introduction. For example:

T.S. Eliot, in his "Talent and the Individual," uses gender-specific language. "No poet, no artist of any art, has his complete meaning alone. His significance, his appreciation is the appreciation of his relation to the dead poets and artists" (Eliot 29).

In this example, the reader is not prepared for the quote and will become confused as a result.

• To avoid dropping quotes in, use signal phrases. These are phrases which precede the quotation. They may include the author’s name and a verb (argues, compares, suggests, demonstrates, points out, etc.). An example is the following:

T.S. Eliot, in his "Talent and the Individual," uses gender-specific language. He argues, for instance, that "no poet, no artist of any art, has his complete meaning alone. His significance, his appreciation is the appreciation of his relation to the dead poets and artists" (Eliot 29).

• One could also incorporate a colon into the sentence to integrate the quote properly.

T.S. Eliot, in his "Talent and the Individual," uses gender-specific language: "No poet, no artist of any art, has his complete meaning alone. His significance, his appreciation is the appreciation of his relation to the dead poets and artists" (Eliot 29).

The above examples will be easier for the reader to understand as you are making it clear that the quotation is coming from that specific source.

• It may not always be necessary to use an entire passage to prove your point. To use only a phrase you must weave the quote into your own sentence.

I find it striking that though "women novelists have probably dominated American literature since the middle of the nineteenth century," our literary tradition is still incredibly gender specific (Schweickart 201).

1. “Integration of Quotes.” Writing Tips, Saint Michael’s College. http://academics.smcvt.edu/writingctr/Quotes.htm. Accessed 20 May 2020.