by George Brosi

Whenever you use the exact same words in sequence, word for word, as a written or oral source, you are quoting. The universal way of acknowledging direct quotations is by quotation marks--". Place quotation marks immediately before the first word you use from your source. Do not insert a space. Similarly, place quotation marks right after the last word you use from your source. For example: Nathan Hale said, "My only regret is that I have but one life to give for my country."

You do not have to scrupulously avoid using any of the same words your sources use. If you are writing about elephants and your source uses the word, elephant, you are not restricted from using that word because it is in the text, nor do you have to include it in quotation marks. You document what deserves to be credited to its author. The rule of thumb is to use quotation marks whenever you use more than four of the same words in a row. If you really do not intend to quote, simply phrase the idea in your words instead of the source's words. Note, however, that you are unlikely to experience any trouble expressing ideas in universal, mundane language. For example, it is probably o.k. to write, "Chinua Achebe was born on November 16, 1930, in Ogidi, Nigeria." Because that is so straight-forward, it may have been written before in exactly those words, but that does not matter a great deal. However, you are clearly plagiarizing if you copy a more unique way that I have expressed the same idea: "Janet and Isiah Achebe's fifth child crossed the threshold into life wiggling and screaming on November 16, 1930, in the picturesque Nigerian village of Ogidi." These words are unmistakably mine, and I deserve either the credit or the blame for phrasing them in this way!

Quotations are not employed very often in research papers mainly because the only time it makes sense to quote a source directly is when the source has said something in a truly unique and especially meaningful way. Ordinarily the important ideas of a source can be acknowledged in the research writer's own words--by paraphrasing and summarizing--in a way which provides the paper with good continuity. A research writer should avoid un-necessary quotations which are not especially well expressed.

In order to accomplish smooth transitions, sometimes it is necessary to slightly alter a quotation while staying within the spirit of the quote. To add words, put them in brackets--[]. To subtract words, supply ellipses--three dots with spaces between them-- . . . When you know that within quotation marks there is an error, follow it with [sic].