1. Using Quotations

2. You can QUOTE me on that A quote is the exact wording of a statement from a source. That statement may be a fact or it may be opinion. Quotes make a story more lively and more believable. Readers are more likely to believe what your story says if there are reliable sources speaking in their own words in the story. There are several types of quotes.

3. Direct Quotes Quotes printed word for word exactly as the speaker said them are direct quotes. These words appear inside quotation marks. The attribution word appears outside the quotation marks. The attribution is the phrase that tells who said it, where you got the information. Direct quotes are used when a source expresses an opinion.

4. Examples of Direct Quotes “I am thrilled to be representing the great State of Texas at the Free Spirit Conference here in Washington, D.C.,” Susie Spunk, newspaper adviser said. “I owe it all to my talented students.” “I’m just glad I didn’t have to spend any more time with my adviser than I did,” said Janie Joker, who added that she enjoyed riding the subways more than she did the conference.

6. Never change the meaning of someone’s quote when you paraphrase it. Misquoting your source will erode the credibility of you as a reporter and of the entire newspaper staff.

7. Partial Quotes Sometimes it might work better to use a portion of a quote to convey the source’s thoughts than to use an entire quote. When reporters do this, they put the portion of the quote they do use inside quotation marks. Use partial quotes when you need to use a speaker’s exact words but the entire direct quote might be too long or too confusing for the reader. A partial quote is good for highlighting lively or memorable words, especially those which express an opinion.

8. Examples of Partial Quotes George Davis, sophomore, said that spiked hair is now a “part of our cultural heritage and not a symbol of rebellion”, adding that he thinks the dress code should be revised to reflect newer styles.