how to quote in a literary essay

introduction. When you’re asked to write a paper analyzing a work of literature, your instructor probably expects you to incorporate quotations from that literary text into your analysis. But how do you do this well? What kind of quotations do you use? How do you seamlessly weave together your ideas with someone else’s words?

To cite a direct quote in APA, you must include the author’s last name, the year, and a page number, all separated by commas. If the quote appears on a single page, use “p.”; if it spans a page range, use “pp.” An APA in-text citation can be parenthetical or narrative.

Use quotations at strategically selected moments. You have probably been told by teachers to provide as much evidence as possible in support of your thesis. But packing your paper with quotations will not necessarily strengthen your argument.

Using a direct quote in your essay is a great way to support your ideas with concrete evidence, which you need to support your thesis. To select a good quote, look for a passage that supports your argument and is open to analysis. Then, incorporate that quote into your essay, and make sure you properly cite it based on the style guide you’re using.

Directly look at quote and replace the text with your words. It is vitally important to maintain the same meaning: Ex: In other words, Macbeth compares his existence to the condition of being a mere ghost.

Using quotes and evidence in essays. Use the following rules when inserting quotations or evidence into your essay: 1. Lead into the quote with an introductory phrase. Do not insert floating quotations! This means a quote must be introduced by the writer before inserting into the essay. Examples of introductory phrases: According to the text...

Step 1: Reading the text and identifying literary devices. The first step is to carefully read the text (s) and take initial notes. As you read, pay attention to the things that are most intriguing, surprising, or even confusing in the writing—these are things you can dig into in your analysis.

The quotation should include a signal phrase, or introductory statement, which tells the reader whom or what you are citing. The phrase may indicate the author’s name or credentials, the title of the source, and/or helpful background information. Sample signal phrases. According to (author/article) Author + verb. Some key verbs for signal phrases.

It is not enough simply to use quotations in your essay. All this does is show that you have found something in a book. The important thing is to engage with the quotations you use. You can do this by framing them with an introductory sentence before a quotation and a sentence or two of commentary after the quotation. For example:

1. Quote a complete sentence and introduce it with a sentence of your own and a colon: The Grimms’ tales do not actually promise that their heroes and heroines will live happily ever after.