A quotation is one kind of evidence: the exact words of a source. You know the punctuation from Quotation Marks and Dialogue. Here is how to use a quotation well in an essay.
- Introduce it with a signal phrase: who said it, and why they matter.
- Quote exactly, in quotation marks. Use an ellipsis (…) for words you leave out and square brackets for a word you change, and never change the meaning.
- Cite it: the author and page, in the style your class uses.
- Explain it: after the quotation, say what it shows and how it supports your point.
Key idea
Introduce the quotation, quote the words exactly, cite the source, and explain what the quotation shows. A quotation is a piece of evidence, not a replacement for your own words.
Why it works
A quotation that appears out of nowhere leaves the reader asking who said it and why it is there. The signal phrase answers the first question; your explanation answers the second. Quote only when the exact words matter: they are vivid, authoritative, or the very thing you are discussing.
Worked example: From dropped to introduced
Improve: “Sleep matters. ‘Students who slept nine hours recalled more of the previous day’s lesson’ (Delgado 205).”
- The quotation is dropped in with no introduction.
- Add a signal phrase: who is speaking, and their role.
- Add a sentence of explanation after it.
Answer: “The researcher Maria Delgado found that ‘students who slept nine hours recalled more of the previous day’s lesson’ (205). Sleep, in other words, helps students keep what they learn.”
Worked example: Fair or unfair trimming?
Original: “The new park is popular, but it is not safe after dark.” A writer quotes: “The new park is … safe after dark.” Is that allowed?
- The ellipsis removed “popular, but it is not.”
- The quotation now says the opposite of the original.
- An ellipsis may shorten a quotation, never change its meaning.
Answer: No. It reverses the meaning, which misquotes the source.
Common mistake
Dropping a quotation in with no introduction, or ending a paragraph on a quotation without explaining it. Check: before each quotation, is there a signal phrase? After it, is there at least one sentence of your own? The sources in these examples are invented for practice: the authors, titles and publishers are made up.