Begin Your Essay With A Quote

The success of your essay depends heavily on your introduction, as this is the only opportunity where you can convince your audience to carry on and read the rest. This reason alone makes writing an effective introduction quite intimidating. There are many ways to begin an introductory paragraph, and many go with the route of using anecdotes. The oldest trick in the book, though, may be writing one using a quotation. Though the idea has been used many times over, finding the right quotation still offers charm that will ensure your essays great start. Learning to use it well, especially learning to weave it around the framework of your essays entirety, will surely hook your readers.Finding the Perfect QuoteKnow your target audienceThe effectiveness of your use of the quotation should be determined by your chosen audience, as only then will you be able to choose the most appropriate one in accordance to the context of your essay.Consider if whether or not your audience will be familiar with the person you are quoting. If it is someone whos relatively unknown or you deem they may not be familiar with, consider providing important details, but make sure theyre brief.Never use an offensive quotation, unless you plan to contradict it.Work on achieving the perfect balance between hypothesizing that your audience knows both nothing and everything. Write clearly and informatively, but never insult the intelligence of your reader.Avoid choosing clich and hackneyed quotationsChoosing a quote that youve heard, read, and continue to see everywhere will bore your reader and discourage them to continue. It will send a message that perhaps you were far too lazy to plan your essay carefully, in which your readers will deem your essay not worthy of their attention. Choosing a clich can also suggest that you have not considered your audience, which is vital to the overall success of your essay. Find a way to add variety to your writing.Make sure to look up on the quotes context. Being aware of the context in which the quotation was used originally is integral to using it appropriately. This will also aid you in determining whether or not itll serve as an effective introduction.More importantly, make sure that your chosen quotation actually contributes to your essay. Choosing a quote merely for its snappiness wont help set your topic, or choosing an unrelated one will distract your reader from the essays focus.Using Quotes CorrectlyEnsure that the quotation is introduced appropriatelyQuotes should never stand alone in your paper, as they are too weak if unsupported and without elaboration. They add charm and context to your essay, but a bulk of your entire works effectiveness relies on the content. Choose words that will properly introduce the quotation, which usually comes before the quote. Here are some ways:You have the option to use the quote as a predicate, where the subject of the sentence will be the person who delivered the quotation. For instance: J im Hopper said. ...Write a preview the content of the quote. Make a sentence to paraphrase the quotes content, and then insert a colon or a comma, which will be followed by the quotation. For example: Once, Jim Hopper said something utterly moving: ..Simply begin your essay with the quote. If you choose this route, be sure to place a comma after the quote complete with a verb and the attribution to the source. For example: , said Jim Hopper.Make sure to punctuate the quote properlyQuotations should always be presented with quotation marks around them, as failing to use quotation marks may result to plagiarism.The quote only needs to be capitalized if it begins the sentence. It can also be capitalized if the first word of the quote is a proper noun, such as the name of a place or person.In the American context, the end punctuation should be placed inside the quotation marks. For example: This is the quote.Paraphrased content does not need quotation marks around it, but must it be att ributed to the original speaker.If you choose to introduce the quote with the speakers name along with a verb, write a comma before the beginning of the quotation. For example: Jim Hopper once said,....Remember to attribute the quote correctlyThis part may seem too obvious, but ensure that the person youre quoting actually said the quote. Not all sources of information out there are authentic, so remember to evaluate academic sources thoroughly, as some internet sources can be unreliable. Beginning your paper with such blatant mistake will set a bad precedent for the rest of your paper, and if a reader recognizes your mistake, your reputation will suffer horribly, something that would not be easy to shake off.Be particularly wary of quotations. They are easily found on social media sites such as Pinterest, or on quote collectors such as Brainyquote. These websites are notorious for constructing famous quotes, as well as wrongly attributing quotes.In the name of academic honesty, sta y true to the meaning and context of the quoteDo not attempt to manipulate a quotation for the mere sake of it fitting to your purposes. Manipulation can manifest by leaving out and adding words, as well as misleading the audience about the context of the quotation.If faced with a long quote, only use a fragment of itIf the quotation is too long, or you find that you only need a part of it to demonstrate a point, you can leave sections out by utilizing ellipses (). Make sure to keep the original context and intent of the quote as you make necessary changes. These changes should only be made to change length or preserve clarity, and never to manipulate the content.Contrary to what most believe, starting your essay with a quotation is not an easy task. While starting your essays off with quotations seemed revolutionary at some point in time, the original charm it added to your paper has now worn off. The use of it now can do more harm than good, but figuring out a way to do it properl y truly pays off. Choosing the best one for your paper, for one, will already lead you to writing a good essay the rest follows! And if all these is not enough, you can always seek the help of professional writers!, your essay writing serviceStill confused as to how to use quotes, but convinced that your paper will be better off with it? Youve got a challenge in your hands, and while youre sitting there worried about your other tasks, let us do it for you. has been on the market since 2006, and weve helped countless of students like you since then. Our services range from writing custom essays, custom term papers, and custom research papers, down to thesis writing and dissertations.