How to Introduce a Quote in an Essay

This article covers the lowdown on how to slip a quote into an essay – we’re talking about the quote itself, not the hassle of citing it, which – let’s face it – can be a real pain. You’ll need to include the author’s name, the year it was published, the relevant page number, etc.

To be blunt, when introducing a quote, you’ve got a couple of options:

• You can use a complete sentence to set it up
• Integrate the quote seamlessly into your own writing
• Or use a simple intro word or phrase to get the ball rolling

In the sections that follow, we’ll delve deeper into each of these methods and give you some examples of how to do it right.

Quotes can be a holy grail for proof that you know your stuff or a top-notch way to back up your argument – especially when you follow them up with some thoughtful analysis. And by doing so, not only do you show you understand what you’re talking about, but you’re also giving a pretty good indication of what kind of student you are. Typically, this process can be broken down into three key steps:

1. Making a statement
2. Introducing a quotation
3. Analyzing

Note: For an APA and MLA Style guide, read our article — How to Cite Sources in Essays.

As for other types of academic writing, there are exceptions. But, before delving deeper, let’s revise the basics.

How to Use Quotation Marks (Inverted Commas)

When you use a quote without changing it, remember to place quotation marks around it. This shows that the information comes directly from a source and hasn’t been altered.

There are a few differences between the American and British styles of using inverted commas.

Style	Outside	Inside	Comma	Period
American	Double	Single	Inside	Inside
British	Single	Double	Outside	Outside

American:

As Freeman reported, “Van Dusen could be heard being outraged, ‘I can’t believe she said, “Can you help me?”!’”

British:

As Freeman reported, ‘Van Dusen could be heard being outraged, “I can’t believe she said, ‘Can you help me?’!”’

Exception: in APA and MLA styles, the last punctuation mark goes after the citation information given in parentheses.

APA example:

Taylor (2016) thinks the response to punishment is anger: “Punishment, especially if its justice is doubtful,…coarsens the human soul and hardens it” (p.72).

MLA example:

Spencer defines social evolution as a “transition from a state of relative uncertainty, incoherence, and homogeneity to a state of relative certainty, connectedness, and versatility” (54).

In terms of punctuation, you can introduce a quote with:

1. A comma, if you use signal verbs like “says,” “states,” “explains,” etc. (See the full list in the next chapter)
2. A colon, if you use a complete sentence before inserting the quotation.
3. No marks, if you use words like “that,” “as,” or if you seamlessly integrate the quotation or its parts in your text.

What introductory words can I use for quotations?

Apart from the standard words like “believes” or “notes,” you can use dozens of synonyms as quote starters. But be careful, as each of those conveys its own connotation, so you might find it tricky to pick the right word. The word examples below are generally placed after the phrase “the author” or the author’s last name. We show the usage after the list.

VERBS	SYN	SYN	SYN	SYN	SYN	SYN	SYN	SYN
Announce	claim	mention	note	point to	refer	remark	report	state
Answer	react	reply	respond	retort
Approve	accept	acknowledge	admit	agree	allow	confirm	endorse	praise
Argue	disagree	disapprove	dispute	object	oppose	protest	urge
Ask	beg	demand	explore	insist	investigate	plead	question	request
Assume	hypothesize	imagine	imply	infer	speculate	theorize	think	wonder
Call	brand	designate	label	name	stamp	tag	title
Decide	agree	conclude	judge	opt for	take a stand
Denounce	accuse	blame	censure	condemn	correct	criticize	slander	vilify
Deny	decline	refuse	refute	reject
Describe	characterize	compare	express	formulate	report
Discuss	analyze	comment on	conclude	debate	evaluate	review	suggest	talk about
Explain	clarify	define	demonstrate	elaborate	expound	illustrate	make clear	portray
Inform	acquaint	advise	caution	instruct	notify	reassure	warn
Repeat	rehash	reiterate	restate	retell
Say	allege	assert	assert	comment	enounce	pronounce	speak	voice
Show	display	emphasize	expose	indicate	manifest	note	point out	reveal
Tell	cite	narrate	quote	report	review

Another popular way of introducing a quotation in an essay is by using the phrase “according to.”

According to Harlow (2006), nominalists “denied the existence of a single Divine entity …, oriented researchers away from theological problems, and considered natural phenomena the subject of scientific knowledge” (p.22).

When to Use Quotes

Obviously, you should not just randomly insert quotations here and there in your essay. That will make no sense and confuse your reader. Keep this in mind when choosing a direct quote:

Pick a quotation that supports your argument and convinces your reader. Usually, it is the results of credible research, an opinion of a subject matter expert, or confirmed statistics. You can also quote from the text you’re reviewing or critiquing to back up your opinion.

Don’t leave a quotation without proper analysis. Your analysis must connect the excerpt you use to your argument or idea. Can’t explain how a quote relates to the point you’re making? Then just don’t include it in your essay!

Don’t abuse direct quotations and insert them sparingly. Essays are always about showing your point of view. A maximum of one quote per paragraph is the unspoken rule you must remember here. If you still think you need to include another citation, paraphrase.

Note: Don’t start or end a paragraph with a quote!

You need to be careful when using quotes because your tutor wants to see how you understand the topic, not those ten field experts you have cited.

Introducing a Short Quote

Signal words or phrases:

In his book, Winstanley (2009) says, “With developed eidetic memory, a person can ‘see’ a missing object down to the smallest detail” (p.13).

A full-sentence introduction:

According to Jung (1997), these spheres are essentially opposites: “The unconscious is like a reflection of a mountain in a lake, a mirror image, the back of the conscious … the unconscious is regarded as performing a compensatory function” (p.298).

Seamless quote integration:

The difference between rational and irrational functions is that the former “base their modus operandi on the judgment of the mind,” whereas the latter — “on the sheer perception” (Jung, 1998, p.720).

Introducing a Block Quote

The APA Style manual defines block quotes as those that exceed four lines of text in your essay and do not require quotation marks. However, be sure to verify the specific formatting style you need to use, as definitions may vary.

Such excerpts might help you add more depth to your essay. However, block quotations require you to elaborate more on the post-analysis. Take a look at some examples:

The methods for curing patients in the medieval and early modem time periods would probably be considered torture today:

The hospital regime was a mixture of punishment and religious devotion—chains, manacles, locks, and stocks appear in the hospital inventory from this time. The shock of corporal punishment was believed to cure some conditions, while isolation was thought to help a person “come to their senses.” (“From Bethlehem”)

Introducing Paraphrases and Summaries

When you express information from a source in your own words instead of using a direct quote, there’s no need for quotation marks. However, it’s important to include all the essential details afterward and to offer your own insights or analysis of the paraphrase or summary.

Original:

“Every bit of incoming information presents a choice: whether to pay attention, whether to reply, and whether to factor it into an impending decision. But decision science has shown that people faced with a plethora of choices are apt to make no decision at all” (Begley 30).

Summary:

More options make it harder for people to make a decision, Begley argues (30).

Paraphrase:

We have to process all the data we receive and figure out what to do with it, from ignoring it to using it for a decision (Begley 30). Too much of this can leave us unable to decide, “decision science” says (30).

Can I alter quotes?

Absolutely! You can condense the original passage if you feel certain details can be left out. This approach is encouraged, as shorter quotes are often more effective. To remove unnecessary parts, you can use an ellipsis, but make sure to adhere to a few important guidelines:

• Don’t place an ellipsis if you use only a short phrase from the source.
• Don’t omit information if its absence distorts the original meaning of the quote.
• Put a period before the ellipsis if you skip one or more sentences.

Wilde absolutizes art, affirming its dominant position in the world: “A great artist invents a type, and Life tries to copy it … Literature always anticipates life. It does not copy it but molds it to its purpose” (11).

You can also use square brackets to show that you changed or added some words. That is necessary if you need some previous context to understand the meaning of the quote or if you want to make sure that pronouns agree with their antecedents.

Taylor reports, “He [Jonathan] tried to persuade me of his innocence, but all the evidence was against him” (55).

As Robert Ballard recounts, “It [the final resting place of the RMS Titanic] is a quiet and peaceful place—and a fitting place for the remains of this greatest of sea tragedies to rest” (Eckholm).

When you include a poem, show where the line breaks by using a slash (/).

Heaney directly compares poetry writing to the digging his ancestors did: “Between my finger and my thumb / The squat pen rests. /I’ll dig with it” (line 29-31).

The list of references

1. Suggested Ways to Introduce Quotations — Columbia College
2. Words That Introduce Quotes or Paraphrases — Gallaudet University
3. Integrating Quotes — Ashford University