Quotations – and quotation marks – mean something. In my class and in my edublogs I’ve discussed scare quotes and why quotation marks should not be used to indicate irony – or used merely to emphasize words. When instructors see quotes they expect them to come from sources – and those sources better be on the works cited page. Failure to meet these expectations is a scurrilous misdeed of epic proportions.
I’ve seen several quotes attributed to no one that border somewhere between hearsay, cliche, and common knowledge. For example in a paper on bullying a student might write,
There are many reasons for depression in high school. As some famous dude once said, “life in high school is survival of the fittest.” He definitely had a point.
A) why put this in quotes if you don’t know for sure if anyone ever said those exact words? Did you google it (using quotes to keep the words in their exact order)? I think not. You should. Your reader will. Turns out no one on the internet has said it quite like that yet so quotations aren’t likely needed unless you wrote it word for word from a source (which is what quotation marks indicate). B) if it doesn’t come from a source that lends credibility to your paper why use it? C) If the reader would consider it common knowledge – and you aren’t reacting to an article you read as research, put it in your own words. D) How do you know a man said it? E) don’t use the word dude in papers.
While it’s likely many of the things we say have been said before, we cite whenever we know for a fact where an idea, expression or passage came from. Give credit where credit is due – but don’t use quotation marks for hearsay or cliches.
Think about why we use quotations. They lend credibility and support our ideas, and occasionally because the author expressed very briefly a point better than we possibly could. (Or perhaps because the assignment is to analyze a source). If you use a quote – you have to track down it’s source. DON’T however fall into the high school habit of searching a book of quotations or a quotations web site. Go to the original source published by the author. Books and sites on quotations are notoriously inaccurate, and out of context, and indicate a short cut in research. It looks bad.
Many sources list quotes form KC native and former president of the US of A Harry S. Truman saying, “never kick a fresh turd on a hot day.” Brilliant word to live by – but try running down that quote. It’s attributed to him. It’s the sort of thing he’d say. But it’s just as likely a colorful Midwestern colloquialism started by my grandma Dixon. She had a salty tongue and was quite clever.
UNC Chapel hill offers a clear run down on why and when to use quotation (with info on how as well). I expect students to know this – and many do, but when my expectations are violated I get cranky. Don’t tell me it’s my job to teach it. It’s the students job to learn it. Clearly we need to find middle ground. On some level I realize the coffee and grading is affecting my tone – but I’d be wise not to bring it up in class for a while. That’d be kicking a fresh turd, and the spring has been unseasonably warm.
See past blog posts on research, citing sources, and punctuation.
