Contextualizing and Punctuating Quotes

Senior Literature
Contextualizing and Integrating Quotations Exercise

You should never have a quotation standing alone as a complete sentence, or, worse yet, as an incomplete
sentence, in your writing.

After June's humiliating piano recital, Waverly adds insult to injury.
"You aren't a genius like me" (Tan 151).

Do not leave your quotes "naked." Make sure theyre clearly connected to the argument youre making.

For each quotation you include in your essay, it must be both contextualized and punctuated properly.

Contextualized = We must know where in the novel we are, who is speaking, to whom, and what he or she is
speaking about.
After Mr. MacPherson voiced his frustration to his peers, Mr. Coldwell suggests, Damn it, John, strap
the little bastard and put an end to this nonsense (25).

Punctuated: Quotes cannot be their own sentences; they must be attached to the sentence before.

There are 4 ways to punctuate a quote.
1. Introduce the quotation with a complete sentence and a colon.
This is an easy rule to remember: if you use a complete sentence to introduce a quotation, you need a colon
after the sentence. Be careful not to confuse a colon (:) with a semicolon (;). Using a comma in this situation
will most likely create a comma splice, one of the serious sentence-boundary errors.
Example
After June's humiliating piano recital, Waverly adds insult to injury: "You aren't a genius like me" (Tan 151).

2. Use an introductory or explanatory phrase, but not a complete sentence, separated from the quotation
with a comma.
You should use a comma to separate your own words from the quotation when your introductory or
explanatory phrase ends with a verb such as "says," "said," "thinks," "believes," "pondered," "recalls,"
"questions," and "asks" (and many more). You should also use a comma when you introduce a quotation with a
phrase such as "According to Thoreau."
Example
Thoreau suggests the consequences of making ourselves slaves to progress when he says, "We do not ride on
the railroad; it rides upon us (262).

3. Make the quotation a part of your own sentence without any punctuation between your own words and
the words you are quoting.
Notice that the word "that" is used in the examples below, and when it is used as it is in the examples, "that"
replaces the comma which would be necessary without "that" in the sentence. You usually have a choice, then,
when you begin a sentence with a phrase such as "Thoreau says." You either can add a comma after "says"
(Thoreau says, "quotation") or you can add the word "that" with no comma (Thoreau says that "quotation.")
Example
Thoreau argues that "shams and delusions are esteemed for soundest truths, while reality is fabulous (42).

4. Use short quotations--only a few words--as part of your own sentence.
When you integrate quotations in this way, you do not use any special punctuation. Instead, you should
punctuate the sentence just as you would if all of the words were your own. No punctuation is needed in the
sentences above in part because the sentences do not follow the pattern explained under number 1 and 2
above: there is not a complete sentence in front of the quotations, and a word such as "says," "said," or "asks"
does not appear directly in front of the quoted words.
Example
Thoreau argues that people blindly accept "shams and delusions" as the "soundest truths," while regarding
reality as "fabulous (42).

For the examples below, decide if each quotation is

a) Contextualized and punctuated properly.
b) Contextualized properly, but not punctuated properly.
c) Not contextualized.

If the quote is not contextualized, rewrite the sentence before the quotation, or add a sentence, to make sure
that it is both contextualized and punctuated properly.

Practice: Place a checkmark next to the statement that best describes each quote.

SAMPLE THESIS: Celebrities humorous Tweets give us valuable insight into their values and beliefs.

QUOTE #1
Raisin cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies are the reason I have trust issues. (Will Ferrell)
a. Contexutalized and punctuated properly:
b. Contextualized properly, but not punctuated properly. Correct the punctuation with visible ink.
c. Not contextualized. Rewrite the quote with proper contextualization. If the punctuation is incorrect as
well, correct the punctuation.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

QUOTE #2
Kanye West reveals much about his literary influences when he claimed to have seen Wicked 4 times! Other
than loving the acting, music, and costumesits [his] story!! (West).

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

QUOTE #3
Comedian Jim Gaffigan shows his introverted nature in his Tweets. You know whats easy than applying
sunscreen? Not going outside (Gaffigan).

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Assignment: Contextualizing and Integrating Quotations

For this assignment, list 3 quotations from your essay. Make sure they are contextualized and punctuated
properly. You need the sentence before the quotation, and the quotation, thats it. (You dont need to include analysis
after the quotation.

You will earn 2 points for each quote that is both Contextualized and Punctuated properly.

Your text must be double-spaced and formatted according to guidelines or it will not be accepted.
Example (yours must be double spaced and in 12-point font):

Your Name
Senior Literature
Ms. Green
Due Date
Contextualizing and Integrating Quotations Exercise
EXAMPLE: After Mr. MacPherson voiced his frustration to his peers, Mr. Coldwell suggests, Damn it, John, strap the
little bastard and put an end to this nonsense (25).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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Contextualizing and Integrating Quotations Exercise

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