Integrating Textual Evidence

integrating evidence into writing

START

embedding

quotations 1

Quotations 2

EllipsIs

This is an index

ice method

intro stems

Comment stems

in-text citations

citation levels

citation challenges

paraphrasing

embedding TEXTUAL EVIDENCE

A direct quote is an exact copy of an author's language to use as evidence or as an object for analysis. A paraphrase is the writer's rephrasing of an author's idea using their own words.

When embedding specific ideas from a source text into your writing, you can choose between using direct quotes or paraphrasing.

direct quotation

Quoting is common in lower levels of academic writing, but at the college level, direct quotations should be used sparingly. It is not uncommon to have only 1-2 direct quotes in an academic paper with paraphrasing being used instead.

Overquoting is a common problem, and as you move further into your education, you will be expected to paraphrase instead of quote.

when to quote

• Using statistics or numerical data.
• Providing an exact definition.

• Providing textual evidence from a literary source text (e.g., poem, short story).
• An author has said something memorably or succinctly.

When you might quote instead of paraphrase:

quoting strategies

• Quote only the most relevant or essential text.
• Omit or cut out words you do not want from a sentence or paragraph with an ellipsis or three consecutive periods (...).
• The ellipsis represents the information you omitted.
• You can omit words from a text's beginning, middle, or end. You can even omit entire sentences.

Only take what you need! Do not quote whole paragraphs.

quoting strategies

For example, if you are writing a paper on coffee and you find that this text would be beneficial in your essay:

"Coffee is a central nervous system stimulant that can center your focus and improve your concentration when combing through academic journals or listening to lectures. According to research, you can reach maximum levels of concentration 45 minutes after having a cup" (Open Universities Australia, 2024, para. 8).

ellipsis

You could use ellipses to omit words from the middle of the sentences:

lead-in

According to an article by Open Universities Australia (2004), "Coffee ... can center your focus and improve your concentration ... you can reach maximum levels of concentration 45 minutes after having a cup" (para. 8).

ellipsis

quoting strategies

For example, if you are writing a paper on coffee and you find that this text would be beneficial in your essay:

"Coffee is a central nervous system stimulant that can center your focus and improve your concentration when combing through academic journals or listening to lectures. According to research, you can reach maximum levels of concentration 45 minutes after having a cup" (Open Universities Australia, 2024, para. 8).

ellipsis

You could use ellipses to omit words from the beginning of the sentence:

lead-in

According to an article by Open Universities Australia(2004), coffee " ... can center your focus and improve your concentration ... you can reach maximum levels of concentration 45 minutes after having a cup" (para. 8).

ellipsis

quoting strategies

For example, if you are writing a paper on coffee and you find that this text would be beneficial in your essay:

"Coffee is a central nervous system stimulant that can center your focus and improve your concentration when combing through academic journals or listening to lectures. According to research, you can reach maximum levels of concentration 45 minutes after having a cup" (Open Universities Australia, 2024, para. 8).

You could use ellipses to omit words from the end of the sentences:

lead-in

According to an article by Open Universities Australia (2004), drinking coffee results in " ... maximum levels of concentration 45 minutes after ... " (para. 8).

ellipsis

ellipsis

How to Embed quotations

Textual Evidence Intro Stems

These are also called lead-in or signal phrases

In the text/paragraph, the author explains that "_____________" (Smith, 2020, p. 4). Smith (2020) claims that "______________" (p. 4). According to Smith (2020), "______________" (p. 4). Based on the reading, Smith (2020) argues that "__________" (p. 4). For example, Smith et al., (2023) agrees/disagrees when they write "___" (pp.4-5). In the ____ paragraph, the author states that "____" (Smith, 2020, p. 4). On page _____, the graphic shows "___________" (Smith, 2020, p. 4). At [minute: time], the author maintains that "______" (Williams, 2025, para. 4). In Smith's (2020) view, "____________________" (paras. 7-8). Recent research suggest that "____________________" (Smith et al., 2023 p. 4). Several experts report that "_______" (Williams & Smith, 2024, p. 4).

Introduce the author, provide any useful context, and use a reporting verb other than "says/states!"

Lead-Ins & Punctuation: Complete Sentence vs. Verbs of Expression vs. Continuing the Sentence

levels of citation

Citation (noun): a reference to a source. Cite (verb): to refer to a source.

In Western academic writing, two levels of citation are required to avoid academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

Reference Page

In-Text Citations

Writers must also credit others' ideas throughout their paper using an abbreviated citation.

The final page of a piece of writing is the Reference page. It should include a full APA citation for every source cited in your text.

why Cite?

TyPes of In-Text Citations

TyPes of In-Text Citations

Parethentical Citations

Narrative Citations

• Author's name is incorporated into the text as part of the sentence and the year follows in parentheses.
• Wilson and Schroer (2022) advocate for student choice in learning modality.
• If you are directly citing a source, put the page number in parentheses at the end of the quote.
• Wilson and Schroer (2022) argue that students should be "integral in schools' decisions to offer various learning modalities" (p. 321).

• Author's name and publication date appear in parentheses.
• Students should have choice in their learning modality (Wilson & Schrorer, 2022).
• If you are directly citing a source, put the page number in parentheses as well.
• Students should be "integral in schools' decisions to offer various learning modalities" (Wilson & Schroer, 2022, p. 321).

Reference vs. In-text Citation

Practice writing an abbreviated in-text and full citation using the reading from this week. Use the APA style guide to support you. Type your two citations into the table provided in the Google Doc (link in Canvas module).

apa style guide

what if my SOURCE has more than 2 authors?? or is an Organization???

explain & ELABORATE ON quotations

After you insert a direct quotation into your paper, you must explain, evaluate, and/or elaborate on the quote for your reader. Never just insert a quote and move on. The quote cannot speak for itself. YOU must speak for the quote. Don't assume your reader understands the quote or its significance (importance).

explain & ELABORATE ON quotations

Textual Evidence Elaboration Stems

This reveals/shows/demonstrates ______________. This is interesting/fascinating because ______________. One can see from this that ______________. The author wants the reader to understand ___________. The author writes this to show ______________. The author's point is ______________. This evidence suggests/shows that ______________. We can conclude from this ______________. This confirms ______________ This expresses ______________

Ideally, you will avoid using "I" statements when elaborating, explaining, or evaluating a quote.

Poorly INTEGRATED QUOTE

work with a partner to introduce and analyze the following quote

"We can no longer afford to be silenced by the stigma that portray [mental health] conditions as a matter of weakness or moral failing."

Lady Gaga & Tedros Adhanom

work with a partner to introduce and analyze the following quote

"A survey released in 2013 by Yale researchers found that 45 percent of Chinese international students on campus reported symptoms of depression, and 29 percent reported symptoms of anxiety. The rates are startling, compared with the roughly 13 percent for depression and anxiety among the general population in American universities."

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/12/opinion/chinese-students-mental-health.html

work with a partner to introduce and analyze the following quote

“Cocomelon,” a popular children’s cartoon that runs on YouTube, ... laid off most of its seven or eight writers during the past year, as well as several artists. A former employee, ... said executives at the company had openly discussed using A.I. to help write the cartoon."

• "Lay/Laid off" means to terminate a worker's employment.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/business/economy/artificial-intelligence-hollywood-unions.html

FULLY INTEGRATED QUOTE

paraphrasing: how is it different?

SummarizingThe goal of a summary is to capture the “big picture” of a text. You are paraphrasing the author’s main points and making them smaller.

Direct Quotation Repeating an author’s words exactly and placing quotation marks around those words.

Paraphrasing Involves explaining or restating specific details from a text in your own words.

how to paraphrase

1. Read the text first and make sure you understand it. The goal is to understand the full meaning of the original text. 2. Take notes on the main points and keywords. 3. Put the text away when you are ready to write. 4. Rewrite using your own words and sentence structure. 5. Condense the source’s language. 6. Replace technical vocab with more common language if possible. 7. Compare your work to the original to be sure you presented the ideas accurately without following the language and sentence style too closely. 8. Include an in-text citation (they might be your words, but they are not your ideas).

Plagiarism & paraphrase

Tension: Must accurately reproduce a source’s ideas but in your own language. Types of Plagiarism with Paraphrasing • Word Switch Plagiarism (also know as "Thesaurus Plagiarism") • Style Plagiarism (substitutes synonymous phrases in the same order) • Mosaic or Patchwork Plagiarism: When a writer has taken phrases verbatim from the original, rearranged them somewhat, and woven them into the fabric of her own writing—without attributing them to the source.

how to paraphrase

how to paraphrase