Essay Editing Day 1Editing Quotes and Works Cited
Steps for Editing Quotes Highlight or underline all quotes, including words leading into or out of the
quote.
Count the number of words quoted. Write the number in the margin and circle it
Quote can not be longer than 10-12 words. Keep only the “best” part of the quote
Summarize the rest in your own words and use it to lead into the quote or as a sentence before the quote to give context.
EXAMPLE:Original: Tania Modleski suggests that "if television is considered by some to be a vast wasteland, soap operas are thought to be the least nourishing spot in the desert" (123). Revised: In her critique of soap operas, Tania Modleski argues that some view television as "a vast wasteland" and soap operas as "the least nourishing spot in the desert" (123).
In-Text Parenthetical CitationCheck for these mechanical issues: Quote must begin or end with your own words (integration) Two (2) quotes can not be back to back in a paragraph
Add a sentence or two of explanation between quotes All quotes identify where the information came from in one of the
following ways: First time citing put the author’s last name and page of source (Jones
28). no punctuation and do not write page, pg or anything else before the
number. Next time using the same source, only put the page number (45). If no page number, just use author’s last name (Jones) If no author, in parenthesis put an abbreviated version of the title
(“Dangers of Television”) Cite your source even if paraphrasing. Do not put anything in quotes,
just end with (page #)
In-Text Parenthetical Citation (Con’t) Guidelines for when to Quote and when to Cite
sources: Do not quote when a paraphrase will do. Do not cite sources for information that is readily
available in popular reference books: well-known dates and events identities of famous personalities and politicians familiar sayings
Mechanics A quote can violate the rules of writing. Only fix a quote to
maintain the integrity of your sentence (e.g. change a pronoun to a proper noun, change tense, add a word to clarify the quote, etc.) Put the change in brackets [ ].
Do not begin or end a quote with a word in brackets, instead move the word outside the quotation marks
Original: In looking at the moon “[John Smith] whispered that he loved Pocahontas” (Miller 58).
Revised: In looking at the moon John Smith “whispered that he loved Pocahontas” (Miller 58).
Use the ellipses … only when removing part of a sentence from the middle of the quote. Never use … at the beginning or the end of a quote.