Introducing quotations and paraphrases - Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing sources - Writing your paper

Student's guide to writing college papers, Fourth edition - Kate L. Turabian 2010

Introducing quotations and paraphrases
Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing sources
Writing your paper

You can introduce an independent quotation or paraphrase with a phrase, clause, or sentence before the quotation:

In Diamond's view, . . .

Diamond says, . . . or Diamond says that . . .

Diamond shows that no society can expect to thrive forever: “The histories . . .”(417).

That introductory part usually names the source, but it does not have to:

As a recent study has shown, “The histories . . .” (Diamond, 417).

If there is one thing that America should learn from the past, it's that nothing lasts forever: “The histories . . .” (Diamond, 417).

You can also identify a quotation at its middle or end, although that may feel backward to readers.

“The histories of the Fertile Crescent and China . . . hold a salutary lesson for the modern world,” according to Jared Diamond, because “circumstances change, and past primacy is no guarantee of future primacy” (417).

“The histories . . . future primacy,” according to Diamond (417).

“The histories . . . future primacy,” argues Diamond (417).

Most of those introductory clauses take the form of Source says:

Diamond says, “The histories of . . .” (417).

Diamond says that there is a lesson in “the histories of . . .” (417).

Experienced writers use many verbs in place of says because the verb that introduces a quotation or paraphrase tells readers how you want them to think about that information and its source. For example, you can indicate whether you think the information is reliable: “Diamond wants to think that” vs. “Diamond proves that.” Or you can indicate whether the information is factual or contested: “Diamond reports that” vs. “Diamond maintains that.” So think carefully about what readers will infer from the verb you use to introduce information from a source.

Verbs for Introducing a Quotation or Paraphrase

We can't give you a complete guide to the shades of meaning in the verbs that introduce quotations and paraphrases, but we can give you some ways to use them:

All-Purpose Verbs

Use these verbs for claims, facts, opinions, inferences, guesses, or any other kind of information in a source.

These are neutral:

Source says that . . .

Also: writes, adds, notes, comments

These indicate how strongly the source feels about the information:

Source emphasizes that . . .

Also: affirms, asserts, explains, suggests, hints

These indicate that the information is a problem for the source:

Source admits that . . .

Also: acknowledges, grants, allows

Verbs for Argued Claims

These are neutral:

Source claims that . . .

Also: argues, reasons, contends, maintains, holds

These indicate that you find the claim convincing:

Source proves that . . .

Also: shows, demonstrates, determines

Verbs for Opinions

These are neutral:

Source thinks that . . .

Also: believes, assumes, insists, declares

These indicate that you find the opinion weak or irresponsible:

Source wants to think that . . .

Also: wants to believe, just assumes, merely takes for granted

Verbs for Matters of Judgment

Source judges that . . .

Also: concludes, infers