Four questions when using quotations

I was reading a post on the RLF Consultant Fellows blog recently, where it was said that our students often use quotations from academic reading - I suspect this is as part of their note taking processes - and then use those quote snippets as a framework to write to (McConnachie, 2022). Noting pithy quotes can be a good aide memoire, but there are some key questions we need to ask ourselves when using quotes in our academic writing, to ensure we keep our own ideas at the centre.

Firstly, we need to think about WHY we are using the quote. We need to remember that we have read the quote in its own environment: within the rhythm and cadence of the original author's own work. That will feel quite different when we move it into our own writing, where it is now out of place. The tone has changed, and the quote may well lose its power.

Secondly, speaking of power, the use of quotes may mean we write around the author, not around the topic. Writing around the quotes may encourage us to 'give away our power.' What I mean by that is the author is placed at the centre, not the idea. For example: "Osborn and Zunker say that self-report inventories are "a form of self talk" (2016, p. 133)". Repeating this pattern in writing gives us a laundry list - X says; Y says - a la Pat Thomson (2017). Instead, our central idea or topic should lead off each paragraph as our topic sentence. For example: "Self report inventories can be considered "a form of self talk" (Osborn & Zunker, 2016, p. 133)." It is easy to see that we can add further author views after this, keeping focus firmly on our own 'self talk' topic.

Thirdly, writing this way often means we double-up, and so run into trouble with word counts or bloat. We quote the author, AND we have to connect the quote to our argument, explaining why the quote is important. It is important that quotes "serve [...]our argument; they shouldn’t rule it" (McConnachie, 2022). Being more direct means we don't need to repeat, but to frame and meld the quote with our own writing to avoid jarring the reader with the change in tone (remember, each writer has their own tone). We are also less likely to overwhelm our reader: think of quotes as seasoning, to be used with a light hand. An over-seasoned dish can quickly become inedible. While brevity takes more time and editing, it is also more powerful for the reader.

Fourthly, over-quoted writing runs the risk of our work becoming "derivative" (McConnachie, 2022). We may add few of our own thoughts to the academic argument if we over-use quotes. We are simply regurgitating what others say without the connective tissue of our own shaping forces. We shouldn't do that.

Sam

References

McConnachie, J. (26 May 2022). Using quotations effectively. https://rlfconsultants.com/using-quotations-effectively/

Osborn, D. S., & Zunker, V. G. (2016). Using Assessment Results for Career Development (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Thomson, P. (11 September 2017). Avoiding the laundry list literature review. https://patthomson.net/2017/09/11/avoiding-the-laundry-list-literature-review/