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WRTG 105 Belonging (Wang): Using & Citing Sources

Citation

Pick a citation style you are familiar with and use it consistently, for in-text citations/ footnotes as well as for full citations/your bibliography.

For big projects, we recommend learning Zotero or a similar tool to create a library for your citations. You can meet with a librarian to get set up for a tool like this!

Signal Phrases

When to Quote

Quotes are most impactful when you are:

  • Discussing and analyzing the actual language of a text.
  • Discussing an author's position or theory, and you plan to discuss the wording of one of their ideas.
  • Unsure that you could put the idea in your own words and still maintain the important meaning.
  • Appealing to the authority of the author.

Signal Phrases

A signal phrase is a short introduction phrase that indicates that a quote or paraphrase is coming. By introducing a quotation or paraphrase with a signal phrase, you provide an effective transition between your own ideas and the evidence used to explore your ideas.

  • The author argues that this method is best for studying insect behavior, asserting that "..."
  • This celebrity maintains their innocence against these charges, stating "..."
  • The artist explains their unique approach to fiber arts, "..."

Some verbs are especially helpful for indicating your signal phrase and helping your reader understand how the author is approaching the topic. Here are some examples, use them thoughtfully!

acknowledges, adds, addresses, advises, allows, analyzes, argues, asks, asserts, assumes, assures, believes, challenges, charges, claims, comments, compares, concedes, concludes, considers, contends, deals with, decides, declares, defines, describes, discusses, disputes, echoes, emphasizes, exclaims, explains, expresses, finds, grants, illustrates, implies, indicates, insists, interprets, introduces, maintains, mentions, notes, observes, points out, proposes, questions, realizes, reasons, remarks, replies, reports, responds, reveals, shows, speculates, states, suggests, thinks, utilizes, warns, wonders, writes

Analysis & Discussion

After you quote, it is important to discuss and analyze the quote. This helps emphasize your point and support he flow of your work. 

When Warner expresses skepticism about Elle's admission to Harvard Law, she retorts, "What? Like it's hard?" This statement, and her tone, which plays between ignorance and sarcasm, provide a perfect encapsulation of Elle's character complexity and the film's subversion of stereotypes. The line appears to confirm assumptions about her naivety while simultaneously revealing her genuine confidence and capability and crystallizes the central tension of "Legally Blonde", Elle refuses to diminish herself or apologize for who she is.