STRATEGIES FOR EMBEDDING QUOTATIONS

There are three strategies you can use to embed quotations: set off quotations, build in quotations, or introduce quotations with a colon.

 

SET OFF QUOTATIONS

Set-off quotations are set off from the sentence with a comma. Capitalize the first word of the quote. Notice the signal phrases (in bold print) used in the following examples:

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·         As Jane Smith explains, “A duck’s quack doesn’t echo.”

·         “Cheese is the most stolen food in the world,” according to Jane Smith.

·         In the article, Jane Smith writes, “Snails can sleep for three years without eating.”

·         “Dolphins,” as Jane Smith notes, “have highly developed emotion centers in their brains.”

 

BUILD IN QUOTATIONS

Unlike set-off quotations, built-in quotations are built seamlessly in to a sentence. They are not set off with commas and usually use the word “that” along with a signal phrase. Do not capitalize the first word of these quotes.

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·         In the interest of animal sleeping habits, Jane Smith proposes that “dolphins sleep with one eye open.”

·         Jane Smith points out, in her article about the sun, that “only 55% of all Americans know that the sun is a star.”

 

INTRODUCE QUOTATIONS WITH A COLON

For this strategy, the signal is a complete sentence that goes before the colon. This sentence provides some information about the quotation to introduce it. The quotation follows the colon, and the first word in the quotation is capitalized.

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·         In her book about pets, Jane Smith discusses the benefits of owning a dog: “Dog owners are less likely to suffer from depression and have lower levels of stress than people who do not own dogs.”

·         Jane Smith argues that there are many good reasons for consuming dark chocolate: “Dark chocolate contains antioxidants, lowers blood pressure, and is high in vitamins and minerals.”

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(SEE ALSO FORMATTING)

 

 

 

 

http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/handouts/Embedding%20Quotations.pdf