How to Write a Quote in an Essay
How to write a quote in an essay is a question that comes up quite often. There are a few basic guidelines that you need to follow to get the most out of a quote. These include short and long quotes, setting up and following up the quotation, and citing a quote. Fortunately, there is no need to panic. This article will cover all the basics you need to know to make a great quote work for your essay.
Short quotes
In the case of an essay, citing a quote from another source is essential. You should never use direct quotes in your essay, and you should also avoid using quotations from the work of famous authors. Instead, use quotes that are related to your topic and have something to do with it. Make sure that you provide a brief analysis of the quote. It should serve as a stimulus to your discussion, not a complete replacement.
Long quotes
While using long quotes in an essay can add a hefty word count, it’s important to keep them short. Usually, quotations should be no longer than two lines of the writing page. Whenever possible, it is best to only quote important phrases and leave out the rest of the sentence. Also, teachers often frown upon using long quotes in essays because they tend to pad the word count and make you look weaker than you really are.
Setting up and following up a quotation
The words around a quotation are as important as the quote itself, so make sure to add a bit of bread for your reader. Use vivid language and include supplemental information, such as the full name of the person quoted or the event they were speaking of. Also, be sure to indicate any nonstandard grammar, spelling, or terminology. Ultimately, the quotation should answer the essay question. Follow these simple guidelines to use quotations effectively.
Citing a quote
In MLA style, a short quote is four lines or fewer. If a passage is longer, it must be cited using double quotation marks. The author, title, and page number should be cited. The quote should be introduced with a colon. In addition to the author’s name, the page number should be written at the end of the paragraph. Adding a little commentary before the quote is cited is also acceptable.
Adding supplemental information
When using a quotation, be sure to give credit to the author by using an attribution tag or inserting a brief commentary. The citation will help your readers understand who is talking and how their perspective relates to the quote. You can also introduce a quote by mentioning the author’s full name or a specific event in the quote. When quoting an author, you must also cite your sources correctly.
