2. Structure for Analysis Paragraph
The first sentence should introduce the title and author.
• The next few sentences should provide some general
information leading up to the quote.
• Right before the quote, use a signal phrase: The
author explains, shows, states, argues, illustrates…
• Chose and insert a meaningful quote.
• After the quote, provide a few sentences of
commentary.
3. Step 1: Introduce the author, book, and
general overview of work
Never assume that your audience already knows the work that you
referring to even if the audience is your professor. Instead, imagine your
audience is anyone on campus who may come across your work.
Title of Book: The Compadre
Author: Dr. Jose Torres
__________________________________________
In his book The Compadre, Dr. Torres explores the
complexities of relationships.
6. Step 2: Provide a few sentences of
background/context leading up to the
quote
In his book The Compadre, Dr. Torres explores the
complexities of relationships. Conventional wisdom
has it that friends are easy to maintain. However,
Dr. Torres emphasizes that friendships can be very
difficult to keep up, and one of the challenges can
be communication.
7. Step Three: Chose a meaningful quote
and introduce it by using a signal phrase
A signal phrase is group of words that signals that a quote will be introduced
Adapted from:
Graff, Gerald And Cathy Birkenstein. They Say, I Say. New York: Norton and Company. 2006. Print.
According to Dr. Torres, “____________________” (50).
Dr. Torres states, “__________________________” (35).
Dr. Torres complicates matters further when he writes that “__________”
(56).
The author demonstrates this concept “________” (4).
Notice the format of the page number in parentheses following the
quote with the period at the end.
8. Step Three: Introduce a quote by using a
signal phrase
In his book The Compadre, Dr. Torres explores the
complexities of relationships. Conventional wisdom has it
that friends are easy to maintain. However, Dr. Torres
emphasizes that friendships can be very difficult to keep up,
and one of the challenges can be communication.
The author demonstrates this when the character “Joe, in a
fit of rage, screams at his friend Sue” (Torres 4).
9. Introducing the Author for MLA
This is demonstrated when the character “Joe, in a fit of rage,
screams at his friend Sue” (Torres 4).
Dr. Torres demonstrates this when the character “Joe, in a fit
of rage, screams at his friend Sue” (4).
Either introduce the author’s last name in the sentence leading up to the quote
or in the parentheses following the quote.
11. Step 4:
Provide commentary/analysis after the
quote
Adapted from:
Graff, Gerald And Cathy Birkenstein. They Say, I Say. New York: Norton and Company. 2006. Print.
In other words, __________________
To put it another way,_________________
____________ is important because_____________
Although ______________ may seem trivial, it is in fact crucial in terms of
today’s concern over____________.
Ultimately, what is at stake here is___________________
12. Step 4:
Provide commentary/analysis after the
quote
In his book The Compadre, Dr. Torres emphasizes the
complexities of relationships. Conventional wisdom has it that friends
are easy to maintain. However, Dr. Torres emphasizes that friendships
can be very difficult to keep up, and one of the challenges can be
communication. The author shows this when the character “Joe, in a fit
of rage, screams at his friend Sue” (Torres 4). Ultimately what is at stake
here is the relationship. When arguments turn into screaming matches,
friendships can be damaged. Rather than screaming, friends should
calmly explain their problems, which can perhaps preserve a friendship.
13. Block Quotes
If you choose a quote that is longer than four sentences, use the following
format:
Dr. Torres provides a keen observation about friendship:
The best friends are the ones who can teach you
and who you can teach them. This type of friendship
has balance. The best friendships continually push
one another to grow, to change, to evolve, learn,
and to love. (112)
Notice that the first sentence is a complete sentence that ends with a
colon. The quote is indented 1 inch. There are no quotation marks. The
quote ends with a period. The page number in parentheses follows next.
14. Ellipses: indicate that something has been omitted in the original quote
Use a set of three periods with a space before and after each (. . .)
If the material you are omitting occurs between sentences, add a fourth period
to mark the end of the first sentence.
In an essay on urban legends, Jan Harold Brunvand notes that "some individuals
make a point of learning every recent rumor or tale . . . and in a short time a lively
exchange of details occurs" (78).
Brackets: indicate a small changes has been made so the quote fits grammatically
with your sentence.
[ ] found around changed part
can change pronouns (he to him); tenses, pluralities; change capitalization
also enable you to add clarifying information
Jan Harold Brunvand, in an essay on urban legends, states, "some individuals [who
retell urban legends] make a point of learning every rumor or tale" (78).
Adapted from “MLA Formatting Quotations.” Purdue Online Writing Lab. October 25 2012. Web.
Special Considerations
15. Paraphrase vs. Direct Quote
When we paraphrase we use an idea from an outside source
but put the idea into our own words. We still have to give
credit to the author and identify the page number.
The character in Dr. Torre’s essay is full of anger and yells at
his friend (4).
When we use a direct quote, we copy word for from the
source and use quotation marks.
Dr. Torres demonstrates this when the character “Joe, in a fit
of rage, screams at his friend Sue” (4).
16. Think of the parts of the sandwich!
Bread on top Introduce
quote
Good stuff Quote
in the middle
Bread on Commentary on
bottom quote
17. An “open-face” sandwich would be like starting a sentence with a quote or ending a
quote without providing follow-up commentary. Neither is appropriate for academic
writing.
The conventions of academic writing can be confusing. “Students should avoid
starting sentences with quotes” (Weigand 4).
The conventions of academic writing can be confusing. The MLA guide
as well as most composition instructors argue that “students should avoid
starting sentences with quotes” (Weigand 4).
18. Avoid the following mistakes
Failing to introduce the title of the work and the
author.
Starting a sentence or (paragraph) with a quote.
Remember, you need to introduce the quote using a
signal phrase.
Ending a paragraph with a quote. Remember, you
need to follow every quote with some of your own
commentary or analysis. (This is the bottom piece of
bread to your sandwich!)
