When doing research based academic work, most student writers understand that they must use their research sources in their writing, but many believe that as long as you cite the source, you can just drop in a quote as needed to meet the requirements of the assignment. Further, this often leads to the research-based writing practice I call the "quote slalom": students identify the requisite number of sources and quotes, lay them out, and then write in such a way that allows them to slalom from quote to quote. But writers, no matter the medium, do not use quotes just because. Rather, we use them to support our work, to strengthen our argument, to add evidence and depth to our insights, to build in complexity, to offer competing or complimentary perspectives. Quotes do not stand alone. Rather, like bricks in a building, they have to be integrated, situated, and aligned--otherwise they detract from the overall work.
To combat these early-writerly tendencies, I encourage students (undergraduate and graduate alike) to adopt the 3Cs approach for integrating quotes/source material into one's writing. Those Cs stand for Context, Contribution, and Consideration, and addressing all three for each source that writers include (especially in the case of quotes) helps ensure the words and ideas and evidence of other writers gets integrated into one's own work.
Context
The primary element most novice academic writers miss is providing meaningful context of the work being referenced/cited. Who wrote the work? What was it about? Where was it published? How are the ideas positioned? etc.
For each source element, be sure to offer readers some context for the work.
- Not ok: "Three out of every five college students get a C in first-year composition."
- Better, but still not good: According to the Made-Up Chronicles, "Four out of every five college students get B+ or higher in first-year composition."
- Somewhat better: According to a report in the Made-Up Chronicles, written by Herman Smith, "Four out of every five college students get a B+ or higher in first-year composition" (2).
- Somewhat better: In "The Great Grade Inflation Pandemic," Herman Smith tells us that "[f]our out of every five college students get a B+ or higher in first-year composition" (2).
- Better yet: In the spring 2022 issue of Made-Up Chronicles, education researcher Herman Smith tells us that "[f]our out of every five college students get a B+ or higher in first-year composition" (2). These numbers come from Smith's research team, who reviewed first year composition grade performance data from the past two years at NonExistent University.
Contribution
It is important for writers to understand what, precisely, is needed from the source material. Sometimes it is a full quote--especially if it is particularly significant, uniquely worded, or if the quote itself adds context. But often the same can be accomplished by paraphrasing or summarizing the material.
But beyond just determining what the exact contribution should be, contribution considerations also include in-text citation practices (i.e., making sure attribution is provided and done so in keeping with the chosen citation style).
- Not ok: "Three out of every five college students get a C in first-year composition."
- Better: In "The Great Grade Inflation Pandemic," Herman Smith writes, "Four out of every five college students get a B+ or higher in first-year composition" (2).
- Better yet: In the spring 2022 issue of Made-Up Chronicles, education researcher Herman Smith tells us that "[f]our out of every five college students get a B+ or higher in first-year composition" (2).
- Alternatively: In "The Great Grade Inflation Pandemic" (2022), education researcher Herman Smith tells us that four of five students at NonExistent University earned a B+ or greater in first-year composition (2).
NOTE: end of sentence punctuation for quotes (i.e., parenthetical information) goes OUTSIDE the quotation and BEFORE the period.
Consideration
A good habit of practice is to provide guidance on why the quote or source matters in the context of your own writing. Meaning, just adding a quote and moving on doesn't necessarily tell readers why that quote or source material matters. I always tell students, you should take at least as many words to situate the quote in your work as there are words in the quote.
- Not ok: College grades are really getting out of control. "Three out of every five college students get a C in first-year composition" (Smith 2). Students aren't sure if this is good or not.
- Better: In "The Great Grade Inflation Pandemic" (2022), education researcher Herman Smith tells us that four of five students at NonExistent University earned a B+ or greater in first-year composition (2). While Smith's research was limited to just one institution, this is not a throw away detail. Students all across the country are using public grade distribution data to determine which instructors and courses to take. So this kind of grade inflation is impacting enrollments, instructor course evaluations, and many other considerations.
Once you are done with your first solid draft, go back through and review each quotation/source material use in your writing. Study each. Have you provided context? Is the contribution appropriate and effectively included? Have you situated it meaningful in the context of your own argument? If yes to all three, then you have integrated the material. If not, then you may want to take a few minutes to revise/edit to address these elements.
Credits:
Created with images by Sergey Yarochkin - "Paper documents in archive" • mariusz szczygieł - "pile of newspapers and magnifying glass" • Stephen VanHorn - "highlighted text" • Africa Studio - "Laptop and stack of magazines on table isolated on white"