Essay Vitals: Always Keep Track Of Any Quotes Or Citations

There are many pieces of advice which are given to students who have to write an essay and one certainly is that they start with a bang. The opening sentence of your introduction should be one which grabs the attention of the reader. One way you can do that is to use a quotation to get things started. When you are quoting somebody else's work and using it in your essay, it is vitally important that you know the correct way to go about it.

Your teacher or tutor will ask you to complete the essay using a particular format. You will need to know the prerequisites of this format and it's pretty easy to find out because there are so many examples of it online. Even your school or college will have its own online or printed information regarding the rules of citing references and listing quotations. Just as it is so important that you answer the question being asked, write well and without mistakes, you must also know the layout or formula for the presentation of your essay which definitely includes citing references and quoting quotes.

Is it relevant?

Now as a student you may believe that quoting from a reputable source can be a real help in helping you get an excellent score in writing your essay. Let's face it, if someone who is regarded as an expert in a particular area which is related to the topic of your essay, and you quote this expert, it's easy for you to believe that this will improve the quality of your writing. And it might do that. But if the quote is not relevant to the topic or if it does not support the argument that you are presenting in your essay, then you have wasted your time. The best quote in the world is only helpful to you if it actually improves your essay.

Remember too that the length or size of the quotation is also important. For example if your quote has four or more sentences, it is generally accepted that such a quote will stand alone within your essay. It will have its own paragraph. Conversely, if your quote is one, two or three sentences long, then usually it is contained within a paragraph with your text around it.

A separate page for references

Again you will need to follow the instructions given by your teacher or tutor but it is generally expected that when you quote from a variety of sources, these sources will be listed separately at the end of your essay. The order in which the references are listed is again subject to the requirements of your essay controller. Learn these because the correct formula when used will help improve the marking of your paper.