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Unit 9: How to do it!

Quoting in the text

Often it is better to paraphrase than to use direct quotes. Paraphrasing is putting text from source material into your own words. This demonstrates that you have understood the meaning and context of what you have read. You must always reference paraphrased material.

If a direct quote from a book, article, or other source, is used you must:

  • Use quotation marks. Either single or double quotation marks may be used but you should always be consistent and not switch between the two.

  • State the page number.

Example – Short quotation

Simpson (2002: p.6) declared that “the explosive behaviour was unexpected.”

  • Have a separate, indented paragraph for quotes over two lines.

Example – Long quotation

Boden (1998: p.72) states:

In 1664, the most common female crime prosecuted at the Quarter Sessions was that of battering men. This would suggest that women were not the passive and obedient members of society that men would have liked to believe they were.

Alternatively…

In 1664 the most common female crime prosecuted at the Quarter Sessions was that of battering men. This would suggest that women were not the passive and obedient members of society that men would have liked to believe they were.
(Boden 1998: p.72)

Alternatively…

Part of the original text may be omitted from the quotation as long as three dots are used to indicate this.

Example – Indicating that some words are omitted from the quotation

Boden (1998: p.72) states:

In 1664 the most common female crime prosecuted at the Quarter Sessions was that of battering men women beating or dominating a man was a particularly sensitive issue as it threatened the perpetuation of the patriarchal society …”

Duplication of charts, diagrams, pictures etc. should be treated as direct quotes in that the author(s) should be acknowledged and page numbers shown; both in your text where the diagram is discussed or introduced, an in the caption you write for it.

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SMILE by Imperial College, Loughborough University and the University of Worcester, modified by Marion Kelt Glasgow Caledonian University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License