How to Use Quotations and Paraphrasing
For information on APA and MLA citation styles, click on the links below:
APA Citation Style
MLA Citation Style
Quotations vs. Paraphrasing
A quotation is taken word-for-word from the original text, and the author(s) of the source must be acknowledged. A paraphrase requires the writer to reword a idea from the source text into his/her own words. Like a quotation, the source author(s) must be acknowledged.
Why use quotations and paraphrasing?
There are a number of reasons why using quotations and paraphrasing is useful. Among them, writers can:
- Enhance the credibility of writing
- Provide support for claims
- Offer examples of specific aspects of a topic
- Highlight a position the writer wishes to agree/disagree with
- Call attention to a particularly striking concept in a text
In producing an original piece of academic writing, students are expected to coherently incorporate the works of others into their own writing, whether through paraphrasing or in-text citations. Failure do so may result in an incomplete assessment of a topic, unclear writing,or even plagiarism. The best way to ensure that students effectively incorporate the works of others into their own writing is to adhere to a 3-step template.
1. Introduce the quote: set the context
Any time the writer is going to quote a text or paraphrase an idea from that text, it is necessary to construct a context in which the quote/paraphrase can be viewed as appropriate. For example, consider the following example:
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2. Provide the quote/paraphrased idea
3. Significance: What does this quote/idea illustrate?
avoid hit and run quoting
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