Avoiding Common Problems with Quotes
1. Never put information that is common knowledge in quotations.
NOT: “Barack Obama was elected president of the United States in 2008.”
INSTEAD: In 2008, Obama became president.
2. Do not use quotes to report facts and statistics. Put information in your own words and use an in-text citation.
NOT: As Dana Smith of CBS News reports, “the number of teenagers using the Internet has grown 24 percent in the past four years” (Smith).
INSTEAD: As CBS News reports, more and more teens are on the Internet. Since 2010, 24 percent more have gone online (Smith).
3. Do not use quotes to avoid having to put material in your own words.
4. Do not overuse quotes. The focus should be on your ideas. Often, too long or too many quotes suggest you are copying word for word because you did not understand the material.
5. Do not use quotation marks if you are not using the source’s exact words.
NOT: General Zaroff said: “He does his best to preserve the amenities of civilization here.”
INSTEAD: General Zaroff comments, “We do our best to preserve the amenities of civilization here.”
Courtesy of P. Barnett 2014
NOT: “Barack Obama was elected president of the United States in 2008.”
INSTEAD: In 2008, Obama became president.
2. Do not use quotes to report facts and statistics. Put information in your own words and use an in-text citation.
NOT: As Dana Smith of CBS News reports, “the number of teenagers using the Internet has grown 24 percent in the past four years” (Smith).
INSTEAD: As CBS News reports, more and more teens are on the Internet. Since 2010, 24 percent more have gone online (Smith).
3. Do not use quotes to avoid having to put material in your own words.
4. Do not overuse quotes. The focus should be on your ideas. Often, too long or too many quotes suggest you are copying word for word because you did not understand the material.
5. Do not use quotation marks if you are not using the source’s exact words.
NOT: General Zaroff said: “He does his best to preserve the amenities of civilization here.”
INSTEAD: General Zaroff comments, “We do our best to preserve the amenities of civilization here.”
Courtesy of P. Barnett 2014