QUOTATIONS
Why use quotations?
Quotations by well-known authorities give your presentation credibility, support and can add interest and depth to a topic. They serve as examples of the idea you are presenting or promoting. However, the focus of your speech/presentation is YOUR interpretation, YOUR analysis, YOUR understanding of the topic. The quotation used should not be stated on its own in isolation. It is stated as an authority's support to your topic, which requires your explanation of how it does just that.
Effective use of quotations:
- introduce the quotation by giving the author’s name, the source, a summary either before or after stating it. Below are a few examples
- Mary Smith agrees with that point saying: “In my in depth research, I have found that...”
- In J.J.’s article of July 2005 in TIME, he writes: “…” Here we see that…
- Dr. John Smith's statement clearly demonstrates that…
- give your own opinion of an author’s quotation to support/illustrate your point
Ineffective use of quotations:
- use too many quotations
- use them as substitutes for your points
- have them appear out of nowhere without providing your interpretation
- leave the quotation hanging as though it was self-explanatory
To recap, use quotations effectively, and not only will you be connected to your audience but your point will be supported with authority and have stronger credibility.
(I'm sending this from Florida...though it is cloudy and going to rain today!!)
