Q. How do I incorporate a quote in my essay?

To include a quote in your essay, you should follow a particular pattern, often referred to as a "quote sandwich," to help the reader understand how a quote connects to the rest of your essay. The pattern is as follows:

1. Introduce the quote: Generally, you should set up a quote with who said it so the reader isn't confused about where it came from. For example, you can see some different ways of introducing quotes in blue:
   • According to Sarah Johnson, "explanations must have examples" (1).
   • In her article "Examples," Sarah Johnson explains, "explanations must have examples" (1).
   • Sarah Johnson argues that "explanations must have examples" (1).
   • In her article, Sarah Johnson argues the following: "explanations must have examples" (1).
2. Include quotation marks and a citation: Don't forget quotation marks around the quote to show your readers that the words come from someone else. Also, don't forget the citation after the quote to show your readers where you found those words. In the examples above, they show that the words "explanations must have examples" belong to Sarah Johnson, and the citation shows that you found her words on page 1 of her article.
3. Explain the quote: Always follow a quote with an explanation of how it supports the point you are making; otherwise, your reader might not immediately understand the connection. For example, you can see the explanation for the quote in red:

In her article "Examples," Sarah Johnson explains, "explanations must have examples" (1). In her opinion, this practice is necessary to ensure that readers can fully understand what the author means. Without an example, she believes readers will not have something meaningful to connect to the explanation that was given.

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