The document discusses best practices for using quotations in writing. It explains that quotes should be integrated into the surrounding text and not left as "orphans" without context. Common knowledge does not need to be cited, but writers should cite sources to avoid "hit-and-run quotations" that are unclear without context. The "quote sandwich" method is recommended, with an introduction to the quote, the quote itself, and a conclusion that interprets and analyzes the quote.

1. THE ART OF QUOTING
C R E AT E D B Y J U S T I N E W H I T E

2. ORPHAN QUOTES
“In a sense, quotations are
orphans: words that have been
taken from their original
contexts and that need to be
integrated into their new
textual surroundings” (Graff
and Birkenstein 43).

3. COMMON KNOWLEDGE
• Common knowledge is information that does not need to
be cited.
• Common knowledge is defined as words with no
synonyms.
• It is information and ideas that you deem already known
or understood by your audience and widely accepted by
scholars, e.g.
• It is common knowledge that Pearl Harbor was bombed on
December 7, 1941, so it does not need to be cited.
• It can be found undocumented in many different credible
sources.
• It is listed in a general encyclopedia.
• It is considered factual and not controversial.

4. COMMON KNOWLEDGE CONT.
• Common knowledge is influenced and changed by three
things:
• Age—Your common knowledge base increases as you get more
life experience
• Education—Your common knowledge base increases as you
learn more
• Field of study—If you are in an advanced course, your instructor
will expect you to know everything that came before that course.
You will not need to cite it in a paper for that course. However, in
another course, like English, you would need to cite much more!
• When in doubt, cite your source!

5. HIT-AND-RUN QUOTATIONS
The source material
must be connected
to what you say
because
• without the proper
framework, quotes are
left hanging, their
meaning is unclear,
leaving the reader
dazed and confused.
• it is better to risk over-
analyzing or over-
explaining a quote than
to leave the quotation
dangling and readers in
doubt or suspense.

6. THE QUOTE SANDWICH

7. SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION TIPS
• Blend your words with the original author’s words using language
and tone that carefully reflects the original material.
• Avoid including the title of the article, and instead, use the author’s
credibility in the sentence.
• Avoid the he said/she said trap by using one of the following (see
the English Corner handout, Signal Verbs, for more):
Professor Smith criticizes…
Critic Robert Black predicts that…
Dr. Jones questions the usefulness of…
Researcher James Reed complains that…
adds questions criticizes announces
observes remarks declares responds
retorts opines complains proposes

8. FIND THE PARTS OF THE QUOTE SANDWICH
• Parts of the quote
• Introduction (the
bread)
• Quote (the meat)
• Interpretation (the
fixin’s)
• Commentary (the
bottom bun)
The challenge, as college professor Ned Laff
has put it, “is not simply to exploit students’
nonacademic interests, but to get them to see
those interests through academic eyes.” To say
that students need to see their interests
“through academic eyes” is to say that street
smarts are not enough. Making students‘
nonacademic interests an object of academic
study is useful, then, for getting students’
attention and overcoming their boredom and
alienation, but this tactic won’t in itself
necessarily move them closer to an
academically rigorous treatment of those
interests. On the other hand, inviting students
to write about cars, sports, or clothing fashions
does not have to be a pedagogical cop-out as
long as students are required to see these
interests “through academic eyes,” that is, to
think and write about cars, sports, and fashion
in a reflective, analytical way, one that sees
them as microcosms of what is going on in the
wider culture.

9. SUCCESSFUL QUOTING: THE BREAD
• The introduction or
lead-in, introduces
the speaker and sets
up the quote.
• It gives credibility to
the quote as well as
the author .
• Blend the words of
the original source
with your words.
The challenge, as college
professor Ned Laff has put it, “is
not simply to exploit students’
nonacademic interests, but to get
them to see those interests
through academic eyes.” To say that
students need to see their interests “through academic
eyes” is to say that street smarts are not enough. Making
students‘ nonacademic interests an object of academic
study is useful, then, for getting students’ attention and
overcoming their boredom and alienation, but this tactic
won’t in itself necessarily move them closer to an
academically rigorous treatment of those interests. On the
other hand, inviting students to write about cars, sports, or
clothing fashions does not have to be a pedagogical cop-
out as long as students are required to see these interests
“through academic eyes,” that is, to think and write about
cars, sports, and fashion in a reflective, analytical way, one
that sees them as microcosms of what is going on in the
wider culture.

10. SUCCESSFUL QUOTING: THE FIXIN’S
• The interpretation.
• Explain or translate
what the writer means
in easy to understand
terms.
• Interpret the quote in
relation to your
argument. Not all
quotes need to be
interpreted.
The challenge, as college professor Ned Laff has put it, “is
not simply to exploit students’ nonacademic interests, but to
get them to see those interests through academic eyes.”
To say that students need to see
their interests “through academic
eyes” is to say that street smarts are
not enough. Making students‘
nonacademic interests an object of
academic study is useful, then, for
getting students’ attention and
overcoming their boredom and
alienation, but this tactic won’t in
itself necessarily move them closer
to an academically rigorous
treatment of those interests. On the
other hand, inviting students to write about cars, sports, or
clothing fashions does not have to be a pedagogical cop-out
as long as students are required to see these …

11. SUCCESSFUL QUOTING: THE BOTTOM BUN
• The commentary
analyzes your quote. It
answers questions like
so what; who cares,
and why it matters.
• It ties back to your
central argument,
reminding the reader of
your thesis and/or
purpose.
…interests an object of academic study is useful, then, for
getting students’ attention and overcoming their boredom
and alienation, but this tactic won’t in itself necessarily
move them closer to an academically rigorous treatment of
those interests. On the other hand,
inviting students to write about
cars, sports, or clothing fashions
does not have to be a pedagogical
cop-out as long as students are
required to see these interests
“through academic eyes,” that is,
to think and write about cars,
sports, and fashion in a reflective,
analytical way, one that sees them
as microcosms of what is going on
in the wider culture.