2. Why do we quote sources?
Provides background information
Explains terms or concepts
Supports claim
Lends authority to argument
Counters objections
3. Introduce source with signal phrase that names its
author.
Follow material cited by a page number in
parenthesis.
List the works cited (or quoted) in a works cited
page.
In the 2001 Wall Street Journal article
“Droughtbusters,” legal reporter Adam Sandler
states, “All is not well in the world of water” (45).
4. Should I use a comma or not?
Adam Sandler states, “All is not well in the world
of water” (45).
(This first instance introduces a sentence, but the second
instance uses “that” to introduce a section of a sentence
being quoted.)
Derek Zoolander notes that “to achieve fame is to learn to
turn left” (65).
5. Use brackets to insert your own words into
quoted material.
In the 2001 Wall Street Journal article
“Droughtbusters,” legal reporter [and famous actor]
Adam Sandler states, “All is not well in the world of
water” (45).
To indicate a misspelling in the quote, insert [sic]
with brackets after the error.
6. Avoid dropping quotes into the essay!
Some experts argue that water will be the catalyst
for the next world war. “Countries should act now to
begin a network that will provide support for
countries who feel the effects of drought first”
(Smith).
Who is Smith? Why should the reader care what he
or she says?
7. Introduce the credentials of the source in the signal
phrase.
U.S. EPA President Adam Sandler asserts, “Countries should
act now to begin a network that will provide support for
countries who feel the effects of drought first” (24).
In his 2012 bestseller How to Manage Anger, actor Mel Gibson
notes, “Anger was my real issue. Drinking was only a coping
mechanism” (45).
8. Author who has been previously named in a
signal phrase:
“Companies can monitor employees’ keystrokes
without legal penalty, but they may have to combat
low morale as a result” (Lane 129).
9. Author unknown:
Either use the complete title of the article in the signal phrase or use a
short form of the title in parenthesis.
“Companies can monitor employees’ keystrokes without legal penalty,
but they may have to combat low morale as a result” (“Secrets”, 129).
Original article title: “Dirty Secrets of Companies in the Age of the
Internet”
Condensed title: “Secrets”
Remember to use the full title on the works cited page!
10. Page number unknown:
Many Web sources lack page numbers. Introduce the
adequate information in the signal phrase:
As a 2005 study by Salary.com indicates, the
Internet ranked as the top choice among
employees for ways of wasting time on the job”
(Martinez, par. 4).
11. Two or three authors:
Amy Kaster and Edward Norton argue that
“employee monitoring is a dependable, capable, and
very affordable process of recording all employee
activity at work” (2).
12. Organization as author:
According to a 2001 survey by the U.S. EPA,
“Employee monitoring is a dependable, capable, and
very affordable process of recording all employee
activity at work” (2).
13. Indirect source:
According to Bill Murray, playing a character who is
masquerading as a zombie is “about as much fun as
playing an actual zombie” (qtd. in Coleman 2).
Your original source, Coleman, is listed on your
works cited page.
14. The ellipses:
According to Bill Murray, playing a character who is
masquerading as a zombie is “not only the highlight
of my career, but . . . about as much fun as playing
an actual zombie” (qtd. in Coleman 2).
This allows the writer to leave out the boring part.
