Quotations: Its Forms and Usages

Arthur Marwick in his The New Nature of History points out that “the relationship between ‘history’, ‘the past’ and ‘sources’ make it necessary for all historical knowledge to contain direct quotations from the source material.” Quotations are frequently used by research scholars and students in the body of their study as well as in footnotes. Quotations of a lengthy nature are often found in the appendices.

Quotations are words or sentences containing ideas or opinions of prominent scholars borrowed to highlight or substantiate the thesis or thoughts of a researcher or writer. Louis Gottschalk in Understanding History: A Primer of Historical Method says that quotations can be used for the “picturesqueness of language, exactness of word or phrase, original testimony, new information, moot points and the like.”

In General, a quotation – whether a word, phrase, sentence, or more – should correspond exactly to its source in spelling, capitalization and interior punctuation. Short quotations are to be placed within double inverted commas. A quotation within such a quotation is to be put within single inverted commas. In the case of a third quotation, which is placed within the second quotation, is to be within the double inverted commas. In case quotations are quite lengthy it can be placed in a separate paragraph.

When to Use Quotations

a)     Quotations can be used when the quotation itself became the subject of discussion.

b)     To validate a point, statement, or argument.

c)    Quotation can be used when the original words of an author are expressed so consciously and convincingly that the student cannot improve on these words.

d)    Direct quotations can be used for documentation of a major argument where the footnote would not suffice.

e)    Quotations are used when students are required to comment upon, refute or analyse ideas expressed by another writer.

f)   Direct quotations may be used when paraphrasing might cause misunderstanding or is liable to be misinterpreted.

g)    Direct quotations can be used when citing scientific and mathematical data or formulas.

h)  Quotations are used when doubt or disagreement arises as to the real meaning or a statement or assertion.

i)    Direct quotations can be used in biographical studies to highlight the style or elegance of an author or statesman’s language or speech.

How to Quote

1)   Quotations should be accurate in words, spelling, punctuation, etc. In case of errors, they are to be reproduced as in the original and the user can point out the errors by using the word ‘sic’ immediately after the error. The name of the author of the quotation is also to be given.

2) If the tense of the quotation does not fit the introduction of the quotation, interpolations/insertions may be used in square brackets.

3)  Omissions made in the original quotation forms when certain portions are considered irrelevant are indicated by three full stops (…) referred to as ‘Ellipsis’. When the quotation consists of more than one sentence and the beginning words of the second sentence are omitted, four full stops or ‘Ellipsis’ are used (….).

4)   Quotations are not to be used out of the context giving scope for misrepresentation of the original statement.

5)    The source of the quotation should be easily identifiable.

6)  Extensive quotations from the published works require the permission of the copyright holder.

Use of Quotations: Precautions and Limitations

             i) In historical narrative or exposition, it is the historian’s re-interpretation of what the documents teach that ought to be the prime objective. The reader’s interest will lag if lengthy quotations are regularly introduced as Louis Gottschalk opines.

          ii) Except where the writer has a special reason for quoting his source, his conclusions from his sources and not the sources themselves are what the lay reader generally wants to know.

           iii) While Quotations are common and often effective in research papers, use them selectively, the MLA Handbook advises. Over quotations can bore your readers and might lead them to conclude that you are neither an original thinker nor a skillful writer.

    iv) Barzun and Graff in the Modern Researcher say with all the force at their disposal that “quotations are illustrations, not proofs”. They further state that quotations “must as far as possible be merged into the text”.

         v)  Arthur Marwick in The New Nature of History opinions that “on the whole quotations should be kept to an absolute minimum in both popularisations and undergraduate essays”. The opinion that a case is somehow clinched by citing the direct speech of one or two authorities is as erroneous as it seems to be widespread. Marwick points out that one of the most common errors beginning Ph.D. students fall into is the overuse of direct quotations. This is because it is simpler to copy out and reproduce large chunks of material than to think very carefully about which particular phrases one needs to quote and why. However, quotations need not be so brief and out of context as to be misleading.

        vi) Quotations should not stand out prominently or conspicuously but should be a spontaneous part of the main study or discussion. For this purpose, the quotation should either be preceded by or followed by an intelligent comment or remark.

To conclude, the writer is permitted to shine, when required, in borrowed feathers but it should not be overdone. Excessive quotations do more harm than good to the research study and question the very intelligence and originality of the author.