How to introduce quotes

Summary

Many writers get in trouble for incorrectly using quotes because they fail to 1) effectively introduce whose quote it is and 2) tie it to their own ideas through a connecting phrase. Below is a quick example of how to do this.

Quick reference

List of signal phrase words D.G. Jerz on how to integrate quotes in MLA format D.G. Jerz on integraing quotes effectively

How to determine your signal phrase

• What’s going the most efficient (concise) way to get to the quote?
• Do I need to explain who’s saying the quote?
• Do I need to explain how the quote relates to my previous/subsequent sentences?
• Do I need to use the whole quote?

Example 1: Introducing a scholarly quote

Which of the examples below is the best way to integrate this quote into an academic paper?

(A) College textbooks often fail to help students retain knowledge because they don’t explain how the words and ideas fit into any larger concept. “Games always situate the meanings of words in terms of the actions, images, and dialogues they relate to, and show how they vary across different actions, images and dialogues” (Gee 8).

(B) College textbooks often fail to help students retain knowledge because they don’t explain how the words and ideas fit into any larger concept. Sociologist James Paul Gee argues “Games always situate the meanings of words in terms of the actions, images, and dialogues they relate to, and show how they vary across different actions, images and dialogues” (8).

(C) College textbooks often fail to help students retain knowledge because they don’t explain how the words and ideas fit into any larger concept. Sociologist James Paul Gee argues that video games do just this, explaining that “Games always situate the meanings of words in terms of the actions, images, and dialogues they relate to, and show how they vary across different actions, images and dialogues” (8).

(D) College textbooks often fail to help students retain knowledge because they don’t explain how the words and ideas fit into any larger concept. Sociologist James Paul Gee argues that video games do just this, explaining that they “always situate the meanings of words” within events going on in the game and explain how they are different from other “actions, images and dialogues” (8).

In this example, choice (D) is best for the following reasons:

• The quote is not a fact, so we need to know whose idea it is: Sociologist James Paul Gee argues
• We need to connect our previous sentence (about textbooks) to Gee’s claim (about videogames): that video games do just this, explaining that
• Parts of the quote can be better said in our own words: within events going on in the game and explain how they are different from other

Example 2: Introducing a textual quote

What’s wrong with the original signal phrase? How could you improve it?

Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013) showcases a grotesque amount of gender bias stereotypes. For example, in a scene that takes place between Kirk and Pike, look at the dialog the communicated between each other.
Pike: "That was an epic beating."
Kirk: "Yeah, that was a good fight."

Improvement

Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013) showcases a grotesque amount of gender bias stereotypes. For example, in a scene between Kirk and Pike, the former voices an overtly masculine stereotype about enjoying violence:
Pike: "That was an epic beating."
Kirk: "Yeah, that was a good fight."

What changed?

• The phrase begins to explain the quote, not just state that there is a quote
• It uses more “academic” vocabulary (look at, “former”, “overtly masculine stereotype”)