Recap: Academic vs. Professional Writing
Think back to the course material on the differences between academic writing and professional writing.
In college writing (writing in ENC 1101 and 1102, and writing research and final papers for most of your courses), you have various (somewhat arbitrary) guidelines to meet. But professional writing is different.
In college writing, your paper must be X pages long . . .
. . . to meet course level, departmental, WAC, instructor, and/or SUS minimum requirements.
In professional writing, your work must be long enough to accomplish the purpose, but not so long as to lose the audience’s interest or waste their time (there are no minimums or maximums).
In college writing, you must use X sources . . .
. . . to force you to use source material and/or scholarship in the field; to demonstrate understanding of how to read arguments.
In professional writing, you must rely on sources only if your text requires details, facts, or support that you don’t already have in your head, and only insofar as it helps you to accomplish your purpose.
In college writing, you must include X quotations . . .
. . . to force you to demonstrate that you can engage in “conversation” with noted voices on the topic.
In professional writing, you’re never required to use quotations (unless you’re providing recommendations or reviews from past clients or customers).
In college writing, you must demonstrate “college level diction” . . .
. . . to prove you’re “smart” enough to be in college/in the field.
In professional writing, you must write in a way that is clear and unambiguous in order to accomplish your purpose and communicate clearly to the audience.
In college writing, you must use college level diction & vocabulary . . .
. . . to demonstrate your understanding of vocabulary, concepts, nuance, etc; to prove your mastery of the subject matter.
In professional writing, you must demonstrate some understanding of the subject matter in order to be seen as credible.
In college writing, you must write in essay format with recognizable components (thesis statement, transitions, etc.) . . .
. . . because five paragraph essay form is easy to master and easy to assess.
In professional writing, you must write in whatever genre and style best suits your purpose, audience, and information.
In college writing, you must demonstrate some knowledge of the subject matter (to a teacher who already knows the subject matter) . . .
. . . to prove you’ve learned something in the class.
In professional writing, you writing to do something—to accomplish something using writing.
Why Use Quotations in Academic Writing?
- because using quotations is a requirement
- to make our papers longer (to make paper length requirements)
- to prove we can “converse” with other voices
- to prove that we’re credible speakers on a topic
- to show we’ve read credible speakers on a topic
- to give our own writing added credibility
- to prove we’ve done the work/mastered the course material
- to give our papers sentence level and voice variety
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Why Use Quotations in Professional Writing?
We don’t have to do all of that in professional writing.
Sometimes we do—depending on our purpose and audience. But not as a requirement… not for a grade.
Depending on your purpose and audience, of course you should use sources and cite sources—but consider summary and paraphrase before you consider quotation.
In professional writing, you should only use a direct quotation if there’s a good reason to use a direct quotation.
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To be clear, if you’re quoting, summarizing, paraphrasing, or otherwise using someone else’s ideas in your own work, you need to cite (citing is giving credit to the original source in the body of the text).
But always ask yourself if there’s a good reason to include a word-for-word quotation before you include one. Consider whether you can summarize or paraphrase instead.
. . .but if you really need to use a quotation (really really need) . . .
then you can find information on proper integration of quotations below.
Definitions: Summary, Paraphrase, Quotation
According to the Purdue OWL, the differences between summary, paraphrase, and quotation have to do with how close your writing is to the source’s writing:
Quotations must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author.
Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. A paraphrase must also be attributed to the original source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter than the original passage, taking a somewhat broader segment of the source and condensing it slightly.
Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s). Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original source. Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material.
Using Summary
A summary is when you summarize the source’s main ideas—the whole thing—in your own words. Using summaries, particularly with quotations, helps readers understand how the (whole) source fits into your work and helps establish your credibility as a writer.
example | summary of a 19 page journal article
Summaries need citations. In the example below, the author and article title are included in the beginning of the sentence.
Pamela Poovey’s article, “Dairy Farms and the Issue of Outdated Technology,” examines the effects of technological obsolescence on mid-sized dairy farms. She explains how outdated technology relegate mid-sized dairy farms to an untenable position—too big and too technologically dependent to market themselves as family farms, but too small and too technologically sluggish to keep up with large scale factory farms. Poovey argues this inability to shift markets will push mid-sized farms out of the dairy market within the next ten years.
bad example | writing without summary of source
Without a summary, the quote below seems stuck into the text. Also, the reader is concerned about several things: the writer’s confidence, source’s content, and how the quote relates to the topic.
In a Modern Piracy journal article, Riley states “four out of every five men of Pangu will participate in some form of sea piracy in their lifetimes” (78).
better example | same piece with a summary of source
Summary allows the reader to trust the writer; it allows the text to better develop; and, equally importantly, it sets up the quote.
In a Modern Piracy journal article, Riley explores anthropological research on the tiny Polynesian island of Pangu. Despite Pangunians relative isolation and small population—their economic fortunes are relatively stable due to their proximity to the Australia-Mexico sea trade routes. Riley’s article explains how even though “four out of every five men of Pangu will participate in some form of sea piracy in their lifetimes,” with a total population of just over 300, Pangu’s piracy has relatively little impact on the trade of surrounding nations (78).
Quotation: When and How?
When To Use Quotation
The Modern Language Association suggests:
“While quotations are common and often effective in research papers, use them selectively. Quote only words, phrases, lines, and passages that are particularly interesting, vivid, unusual, or apt, and keep all quotations as brief as possible. Over quotation can bore your readers and might lead them to conclude that you are neither an original thinker nor a skillful writer” [emphasis added] (MLA 56).
- Use quotation sparingly—too many quotes are distracting; the reader needs to hear your voice.
- Use quotation strategically—use to bolster your credibility.
- Use quotation only when the language is so unique that you must use it; that is, the language adds color, power, nuance, character, or credibility, to your project.
How To Use Quotation
- Identify quotes with frames that precede, follow, or interrupt.
- Use appropriate verb of attribution, typically present tense.
- Punctuate correctly.
- Quotes should be syntactically correct and integrated into your own language.
Working with Quotation
When employing quotations in your writing, you must frame them by explaining them, contextualizing them, or otherwise introducing them in your text. In other words, you should avoid “drop in” quotes — quotes that are standalone sentences without your words to introduce them.
INCORRECT | unintegrated (drop in) quote:
It is important to understand that positive change does not necessarily occur without human effort. “Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability” (17).
CORRECT | example of a successfully integrated quote:
It is important to understand that positive change does not necessarily occur without human effort. King proclaimed that “progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability” (17). With these words, King asserts that change may not be easy; it does not “roll in” and it is not predetermined that it will occur at all. King believes that oppressed people must, therefore, initiate change in order to achieve the freedom they desire. This assertion has significance and validity since…
Methods of Quote Integration
direct quote:
Lincoln forewarned, “A house divided against itself shall not stand” (212).
- signal phrase followed by a comma
- first letter of the quote is capitalized because it is capitalized in the original
direct quote introduced with a colon after an independent clause:
Lincoln expressed this sentiment in a clear statement: “A house divided against itself shall not stand” (212).
- quote is introduced by a complete sentence that sets up the idea in the reader’s mind
- first letter of the quote is capitalized since it is capitalized in the original
indirect quote with a signal phrase:
Lincoln forewarned that “a house divided against itself shall not stand” (212).
- no comma and no capital letter with the opening of the quote (not necessary with indirect quote)
- “that” connects the signal phrase to the quoted material
fully blended quote (no signal phrase):
A nation in the middle of the civil war is “a house divided against itself” (Lincoln 212).
- no signal phrase, no comma, no capital letter
- quote is completely blended into the writer’s sentence structure
Short Quotes
Appropriate for a passage shorter than four lines and incorporated into your sentence. Note the positions of the quotation marks, citation, and period at the end of the sentence. If the quotation ends with an exclamation point or question mark, that punctuation is included INSIDE the quotation mark. The period after the parenthetical reference is also retained.
Chillingsworth’s prying character is revealed early in the novel: “The eyes of the wrinkled scholar glowed so intensely upon her, that Hester Prynne clasped her hands over her heart, dreading lest he should read the secret there at once” (Hawthorne 76).
Hawthorne emphasizes the prying character of Roger Chillingsworth early in the novel: “The eyes of the wrinkled scholar glowed so intensely upon her, that Hester Prynne clasped her hands over her heart, dreading lest he should read the secret there at once” (76).
Long/Block Quotes
Appropriate for a passage four lines or longer (in your text) requires offsetting that passage and indenting 1/2 inch from the left margin. End quote with punctuation, then citation in parentheses. No quotation marks. Maintain double spacing.
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.
It was so artistically done, and with so much fertility and gorgeous luxuriance of fancy, that it had all the effect of a last and fitting decoration to the apparel which she wore; and which was of a splendor in accordance with the taste of the age, but greatly beyond what was allowed by the sumptuary regulations of the colony. (Hawthorne 54)
Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?
Altering Quotes
altering for length:
If you omit part of a quote, replace the missing words with an ellipsis.
full quote integrated into the sentence:
The quarterback told the reporter, “It’s quite simple. They played a better game, scored more points, and that’s why we lost.”
quote with omitted material integrated into the sentence:
The quarterback told the reporter, “It’s quite simple. They . . . scored more points, and that’s why we lost.”
altering at the beginning or end:
MLA requires ellipsis before or after the words used when you quote more than just a word or a phrase. However, writers only need to use ellipsis if it’s unclear that the quotation does not completely reproduce the original passage.
original:
It also requires you to listen to emotions, not just to facts, and to understand the players – speaker and audience – intended and otherwise.
parts omitted:
Bryan, Cameron, and Allen emphasize that listening “. . . requires you to listen to emotions . . .” (147).
altering between sentences:
If you quote from one sentence, skip over some text, and then quote from a later one, you need four ellipsis points to indicate that you’ve quoted material from two separate sentences:
“The village lay under two feet of snow. . . .[and] the Dipper hung like icicles.”
altering for context, clarity, & correctness:
You may add a few words to provide clarity. Enclose the added material in brackets.
added material:
The quarterback told the reporter, “It’s quite simple. They [the other team] played a better game, scored more points, and that’s why we lost.”
altering for emphasis:
You may add emphasis, usually with boldface that wasn’t in the original, as long as you indicate the added emphasis.
“While quotations are common and often effective in research papers, use them selectively. Quote only words, phrases, lines, and passages that are particularly interesting, vivid, unusual, or apt, and keep all quotations as brief as possible. Overquotation can bore your readers and might lead them to conclude that you are neither an original thinker nor a skillful writer” [emphasis added] (MLA 56).