2. Why do we have to use quotes?  Everything you write is an argument. Yes, everything. No matter what you are writing, you are claiming that your opinion is accurate and what is on the paper is true.  It is not enough to just have an opinion – you need to be able to back up that opinion with evidence.  This is true in English class, Science class, Social Studies, and life in general!

3. “I know I have to use quotes, but I don’t know how to do it!” Things to remember…  You can’t isolate quotes and just “hang them out there” or “plop” them in the middle of your paragraph!  You must not leave the reader to fill in the blanks!  You need to explain why you have chosen the quotes that you have chosen.  To do this, you must successfully use the CQC method…

4. First, you need a thesis statement: Your thesis statement must clearly reflect something that you are going to prove. For example, this is your assignment: Write an essay in which you defend which of the four pieces of Romantic literature we’ve read this quarter best represents Romanticism in general. My thesis could look something like: “The Raven,” by Edgar Allen Poe, is clearly the best representation of Romantic Literature we’ve read this semester. This is what I will prove

5. No “I”! When writing anything (other than your personal memoirs or a work of fiction) you must use the formal third person voice. This means you may not use “I”, “You”, “We” or any other first or second person pronouns. The only exception to this is if you are quoting directly from another source.

6. Examples: NO  I think the “The Raven” is the best… YES Clearly, “The Raven” is the best… NO  You can see that the author show us … Yes The reader can see that the author is showing his audience…

7. I’ve got my thesis, now what? Prove what your thesis statement says!How?  Clear topic sentences that explain what your paragraph will be about.AND  CLAIM– make your point  QUOTE—provide evidence that supports the point you just made  COMMENT– explain how the evidence you just offered proves your claim. Answer the question: so what?

8. CLAIM – make a statement! Although we often think that the quotes or examples we choose to back up our thoughts speak for themselves, they usually don’t. We know what we are thinking, but the reader doesn’t. Your job is to provide the reader with context, a frame of reference, for the evidence (quote) you are going to provide. This should indicate who is involved in the quote, why this happened, what is going on in general, when this is all happening (in terms of the story), and/or where this is all taking place.

9. Quote To clarify: a “quote” is any word or words you take from a piece of writing. It does NOT have to be dialogue. Dialogue – The characters are speaking: "The old charts call it `Ship-Trap Island,"' Whitney replied." A suggestive name, isn't it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don't know why. Some superstition--“ Narration – The narrator is speaking: Desperately he struck out with strong strokes after the receding lights of the yacht, but he stopped before he had swum fifty feet. A certain coolheadedness had come to him; it was not the first time he had been in a tight place. Either of these is a Quote

10. Quote (continued) When choosing a proper quote to support your topic sentence (and this is ALL about supporting the thesis), it is important to choose wisely. A. Choose quotes that expand upon your main point (the thesis) and allow for elaboration or analysis (in other words, pick quotes about which you have something to say.) B. Avoid quotes that simply repeat what has already been said.

11. Comment (THE ANALYSIS)  This is the most important part of the paragraph because it is where your ideas come into play.  This is where you explain to the reader why you think the quote you have chosen supports your point—thus, proving it! A. The comment portion must clearly explain the connections that you see. Remember that the reader may not see this connection—your job is to make it as clear as possible! B. During the comment portion, be sure NOT to simply re-state what the quote says. Also AVOID phrases like "this quote shows,” “this quotes says that,” etc. C. Give your reader the “SO WHAT?” What is the point of the quote? You need to make this clear to the reader.

12. Example - BAD The first place the reader can see the Romantic qualities of the story is when author establishes a dark and gloomy mood at the beginning of the story through the narrator’s description. The narrator explains that the house is dark and dreary. The narrator says, " I know not how it was -- but, with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit. ” (215). This quote shows that feeling of the house is gloomy. Topic sent. Claim Quote Comment Note how this quote only repeats what you already said. It does not actually explain or analyze anything.

13. Example - GOOD: The first place the reader can see why “The fall of the House of Usher” is the best work of Romantic writing is at the beginning of the story, when author establishes a dark and gloomy mood. When the narrator approaches the house, the reader feels a growing sense of gloominess. He explains “There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart ” when he first sees the house. He then goes on to describe a feeling of “unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of the imagination could torture into aught of the sublime” (215). Here, he explains how the house is having a physical impact on him, and that he cannot shake his feeling of terror. One of the key characteristics of Romantic writing is a creepy setting and Poe does an excellent job of immediately creating this type of situation for his reader. Topic Sent Claim Quote Comment This example actually does explain how the “dark” and “gloomy” mood is created AND ties back to the your topic sentence!!

14. Now, it’s your turn…