Integrating Quotations
Introduce, quote, paraphrase, cite, and explain source material without dropping quotations or losing the writer voice.
A lesson of English 9, in Research, Media, and Speaking, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to introduce, integrate, and cite quotations from literary and secondary sources correctly, using MLA format.
The Three Parts of a Quotation
Every time you use a quotation in an essay, you need three parts:
- Introduction: who says it? In what context?
- Quotation: the exact words from the source (in quotation marks)
- Analysis: what does it mean? How does it connect to your argument?
The ratio should be roughly: 1 sentence of introduction + quotation + 2-3 sentences of analysis.
Introduction Methods
Attributive phrase: name the speaker or author before the quotation.
"As Golding writes, 'the conch lay shattered and the beast sprawled' (181)."
Contextual introduction: provide context before the quotation.
"When Simon enters the clearing for the last time, the description shifts: 'the sticks fell and the mouth of the new circle crunched and screamed' (152)."
Grammatical integration: weave the quotation into your own sentence.
"Simon is described as a figure who 'found for them the fruit they could not reach' (56), establishing him from the start as one who serves others without expectation of recognition."
Punctuation with Quotations
Comma before quotation (after says/writes): Golding writes, "..."
Colon to introduce a long or formal quotation: The novel's climax arrives: "..."
No punctuation when integrating: The boys "crunched and screamed" (152) as Simon fell.
Quotation within a quotation: use single quotes inside double quotes.
The narrator recalls that Atticus said, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view."
MLA Citation Basics
In-text citation: (Author last name page number) or just (page number) if author is clear.
"The conch lay shattered" (Golding 181).
No comma between author name and page number.
Works Cited page: lists all sources used; alphabetical by author last name.
Basic book entry:
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. Faber and Faber, 1954.
Article from a database:
Last, First. "Article Title." , vol. #, no. #, year, pp. ##-##.