2. Why use quotations?
Provide vital pieces of evidence and
gives a solid and convincing perspective
to your writing.
Bolster the arguments and intensify the
level of credibility.
Infuse the fresh voices to your narrative.
Spice up your writing!
3. General Principal
shiftsmoothly from the original source
information to your arguments.
Find the relevant sources
Give a general idea about the quotation;
explain the reasons why you use it.
Paraphrase the author‟s words
Keep your quotations and writing on the
same page.
5. General idea & Reasons
It‟s essential to introduce the quotation, generally
with its author‟s name to give the readers the
notice of relevance of quotation.
“It was jolting to view pieces…on the vine,” wrote
columnist Karen Heller in the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2006
after visiting Woodbury Outlets in NY.
The quotation above is well- introduced. It gives not only the
author‟s name, but provides the relevant background of her
expertise at fashion industry, which can intensify the
argument Dana wrote in her book.
6. Find relevant source
The relevant quotations can help you to enhance
your credibility of the argument.
For NY jeweler Fred Leighton, the Via Bellagio shop
had its highest sales per square foot. “Bellagio
kicked up the caliber of shopping in Las Vegas.”
By selecting the appropriate quotation and inserting
it at the particular point. Dana Thomas supports her
point with the compelling evidence.
7. Infuse fresh voices
In 2001, fourteen million people visited Rodeo Drive
and it was averaging $1 Million a day in retail sales.
“We don’t want to be on Rodeo Drive anymore,” says
Mario Grauso, president of the Puig Fashion
Group, which includes Nina Ricci, Carolina
Herrera, and Paco Rabanne. “That’s not the shopping
experience anymore. You don’t want a busload of
tourists out front taking pictures.”
This quote does a good job providing the context to
understand what was said.
Gives a summary prior to the quote so you will
understand the meaning of the quote.
Uses says instead of words given in They Say/I Say
8. Verb Choice for Introducing
Quotations and Summaries
In Agreement: Making a Claim: Questioning/Disagreeing: Making Recommendations:
Acknowledge Argue Complain Advocate
Admire Assert Complicate Call for
Agree Believe Contend Demand
Claim Contradict Encourage
Celebrate the
Emphasize Deny Exhort
fact that
Insist Deplore the tendency to Implore
Corroborate Observe Qualify Plead
Do not deny Remind us Question Recommend
Endorse Report Refute Urge
Extol Suggest Reject Warn
Praise Renounce
Reaffirm Repudiate
Support
Verify
9. Verb Choice and Quotations From
Deluxe, “The Sweet Smell of
Success
“By the 1930s, Coco Chanel was earning $4 million a
year and reportedly had assets of $10 million. „Under
her glossy façade,‟ opined a French baker, „she is a
shrewd, calculating peasant‟”(147).
Thomas uses a clever verb, “opined,” that differs
from the usual, less descriptive verbs such as “said” or
“explained”
The statement‟s construction provides a good
transition between the separated quote, and the
strong verb helps to bring the whole statement
together
Relates to the idea of “signal verbs” from They Say/I
Say with how the unusual and interesting verb
“opined” maintains the emphasis of the statement
10. Activity
Get into groups of three or four, in your
groups, search any of the chapters in
Deluxe and pick three quotations that you
believe Thomas could have introduced in a
different way. Using the verbs for
introducing quotations from They Say/ I
Say, re-write the quotation in a way that you
think would be better.
