Writing an effective introduction can be one of the most intimidating aspects of writing an essay. Although there are many different approaches to writing introductory paragraphs, it might be wise to consider starting your essay with a quote. Finding the right quote and using it well within the framework of your own words can ensure that your essay starts off very well.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Finding the Perfect Date
Step 1. Avoid hackneyed and overused appointments
Using a quote that is very famous in the same way that everyone uses it will bore the reader. It could also make you look lazy or like you haven't considered your audience.
Step 2. Use a surprising comment
Find a quote that is surprising in some way. Consider one of the following approaches:
- Quote a person saying something that no one would expect them to say.
- Date someone who is not universally famous.
- Use a well-known quote, but contradict it.
Step 3. Research the context of the quote
Knowing the context in which the quote was originally used is important in order to use it accurately. It will also help you determine if the quote is an appropriate means of introducing your essay.
Step 4. Know your audience
The effectiveness of the quote you use will be determined by the audience of the essay.
- Determine if your audience will be familiar with the person you are citing. If it's someone you don't know or you think they might not be familiar with, consider providing (brief) additional details.
- Don't use a quote that could be offensive to the audience unless you plan to contradict it.
- Balance the assumption that your audience knows everything and that they know nothing. You must be clear and instructive without offending the intelligence of the reader.
Step 5. Hook the reader
Think of a quote as a "hook" that will engage the reader and make them want to read more of your essay. A well-executed quote is one way to draw the reader's attention to your essay.
Step 6. Make sure the quote contributes to the essay
An elegant quote that does not help organize your topic, or that is not related to the rest of the essay, will divert attention from it.
Part 2 of 3: Quote Correctly
Step 1. Enter the appointment appropriately
Appointments should not be alone in rehearsal. Your words should introduce the quote, usually before it (although it might be fine afterwards). There are several options available for entering the appointment:
- Use the quote as the predicate of a sentence. The subject of the sentence will be the person who said the quote and the verb is most likely a synonym for “said”. For example: "Jane Smith said 'blah-bla-blah'".
- Preview the content of the appointment. Use your own (grammatically correct) sentence to preview or paraphrase what the quote will say, then insert a colon or comma and add the sentence-length (grammatically correct) quote. For example: "Jane Smith said something completely impressive once: 'The most impressive quote I ever said.'
- It begins with the quote. If you start with the quote, be sure to put a comma after it, then provide a verb and attribute the quote to the source. For example: "'Blah-blah-blah,' said Jane Smith."
Step 2. Rate the appointment appropriately
Quotes must always appear in quotation marks. Not using quotes could be considered plagiarism.
- The quote only needs to be capitalized if it begins the sentence or if the first word is a proper noun, such as the name of a person or place.
- In American usage, the final punctuation must be placed within the quotation marks. For example, "This is the quote."
- Paraphrased material (someone else's idea expressed in your own words) does not need to be in quotation marks, but must be attributed to the original speaker.
- If you enter the quote with the speaker's name and a verb, add a comma before the start of the quote. For example: "Jane Smith said, 'blah-blah-blah.'
Step 3. Attribute the citation correctly
This might seem obvious, but make sure that the person you are dating actually said the quote. Not all sources of information are legitimate, so looking at an academic source rather than an online source might be more accurate. Starting your essay with a major mistake will set a bad precedent for the rest of your ideas.
You should be particularly aware of quotes you find on social media such as Pinterest or quote collectors such as Brainyquote. These sources are notorious for incorrectly attributing and even making up famous quotes
Step 4. Be true to the meaning and context of the quote
This is linked to academic honesty. Don't manipulate a quote to suit your purposes by omitting words or misleading the audience regarding the context of the quote.
Step 5. Use a snippet from a long quote
If the quote is long or if you only need a part to make your argument, you can skip sections using an ellipsis (…).
- You may also have to substitute a word (like a noun instead of a pronoun) for clarity. If you need to substitute a word, put brackets around the word to indicate that you have made a change. For example: "Jane Smith said, 'blah [blah] blah'".
- Make sure to keep the original intention of the quote when making changes. You should only make changes to maintain clarity or alter the length, not to manipulate the content of the quote.
Part 3 of 3: Incorporate the quote into the introduction
Step 1. Enter the appointment
You must enter the quote in your own words. This can be either before or after the appointment itself. You must identify the speaker of this.
Step 2. Provide context for the quote
Particularly if your quote is the first sentence in the essay, be sure to provide 2-3 sentences of explanation and context. There should be a clear idea of why you chose to use the quote and why it is important for the rest of the essay.
Step 3. Connect the quote to your thesis
You must provide an explicit connection between the quote and your thesis or the central argument of the essay.
- Make sure the quote you use supports your thesis.
- Make sure the use of the quote accentuates, rather than distracts, your argument.