Using Quotes Barry 2010

Using Quotes  Literary essays require the use of quotes to ground arguments in the work being analyzed.  Quotes need to be  1. incorporated well into your writing, and  2. cited correctly.

Using Quotes  First, let’s look at an example excerpt from an essay that does not incorporate a quote smoothly into the writing.

Using Quotes  In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury creates a dystopian society where books are outlawed. “So now do you see why books are hated and feared? They show the pores on the face of life” (Bradbury 83). Books are not allowed in Montag’s world.

Using Quotes  Now, let’s look at an example excerpt from an essay that does incorporate a quote smoothly into the writing.

Using Quotes  In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury creates a dystopian society where books are outlawed. Montag begins to understand why when he speaks with Faber, a former English professor. Faber asks, “’So now do you see why books are hated and feared? They show the pores on the face of life’” (Bradbury 83). Faber’s words reveal that because people are afraid of the realities of life, they have removed books that focus on those realities from their society completely. This lack of books causes several problems for the society.

Using Quotes  Notice: it took a great deal of text to support the use of the quote.  There was a smooth lead-in to the quote,  and the quote was explained afterward.

Citing Quotes  Now let’s talk about citing quotes appropriately.  There are two types of citation in MLA:  1. in-text citations  2. citations in the Works Cited

Citing Quotes: In-text Citations  MLA in-text citations include  the author’s last name and  the page number of the quote.  The citation is in parentheses.  The period comes after the closing parenthesis.  Capitalization of the first letter of the quote depends on how the quote is used.

Citing Quotes: In-text Citations  Example: Faber asks, “‘So now do you see why books are hated and feared? They show the pores on the face of life’” (Bradbury 83).  This quote introduces a piece of dialogue, so the first letter is capitalized.

Citing Quotes: In-text Citations  Example: Faber says that books “‘show the pores on the face of life’” (Bradbury 83).  This quote was incorporated into the sentence, so the first letter was not capitalized.

Citing Quotes: In-text Citations  Example: At the beginning of the book, Montag loves to burn books. “It was a pleasure to burn” ( Bradbury 3).  This quote was not incorporated into the sentence, so the first letter was capitalized.

Citing Quotes: In-text Citations Did you notice?  MLA in-text citations include  the author’s last name  the page number of the quote  The citation is in parentheses.  The period comes after the closing parenthesis.  Capitalization of the first letter of the quote depends on how the quote is used.

Citing Quotes: In-text Citations Exceptions  Sometimes the author’s last name is used in the set-up of the quote. In this case, the author doesn’t need to be included in parentheses.  In Ray Bradbury’s Farenheit 451, Faber says that books “‘show the pores on the face of life’” (83).

Citing Quotes: In-text Citations Exceptions  Also, if the same source was used for the last quote, the author’s name does not need to be included.  Thus, in this paper, you only need the author’s name the first time you use a quote from the book.  Faber says that books “‘show the pores on the face of life’” (83).

Citing Quotes: In-text Citations What is wrong here? “Montag walked but did not feel his feet touch the cement and then the night grasses.” (Bradbury 115) “‘Montag walked but did not feel his feet touch the cement and then the night grasses (Bradbury 115).’”

Citing Quotes: In-text Citations What is wrong here? “Montag walked but did not feel his feet touch the cement and then the night grasses.” (Bradbury, 115) “Montag walked but did not feel his feet touch the cement and then the night grasses.” (Bradbury 115).

Citing Quotes: In-text Citations Now you practice! Write out this quote with the correct in- text citation: p. 113 Montag’s face was entirely numb and featureless. p. 29 “Oh, they don’t miss me,” she said. “I’m antisocial, they say.”

Citing Quotes: Works Cited  The works cited page is usually a new page at the end of the MLA paper.  To save paper since you will only cite one source, just include it at the end of your last page, not on a new page, for this paper only.

Citing Quotes: Works Cited  The title is “Works Cited” and it should be centered.  The whole page should be double- spaced, just like the body of the paper.  The entries themselves use a hanging indent.

Citing Quotes: Works Cited Format for a book (From the OWL writing lab): Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Original Year of Publication. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication.

Citing Quotes: Works Cited Format for a book (From the OWL writing lab): Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine New York: Perennial-Harper, Print.