How to Work with Information from Sources

Understanding Quotations and Their Use

Quotations can be used to introduce an idea, to support or clarify a point or term, or to illustrate positions on an issue. You should use direct quotations when:

• you want to use an author's or expert's exact words.
• you want to use the exact words of someone who has firsthand experience with the issue you are researching.
• a passage in a source features an idea that you want to argue for or against.
• a passage in a source provides a clear and concise statement that would enhance your project document.

Quotations can be parts of sentences (partial), whole sentences (complete), or long passages (block).