When quoting from a text, remember to:

• Use quotation marks.

• Quote accurately.

• Quotes of three words or less can be used in the sentence you're writing - for example ...when the writer talks about the "futility of life" he means...

• Longer quotations need to be included on a line of their own and with a space before it (known as an indent).

• Short, well-chosen quotations are better than long, vague ones.

Remember that certain words and phrases are helpful when you're explaining an idea in some detail, especially if you are commenting on implicit meaning. The following list shows some of those phrases.

• this implies

• this suggests

• which gives the impression that

• possibly

• perhaps

• this indicates that

• this shows

• obviously

Some other words and phrases that may be useful are those that help move your argument on. These are called connectives. Here are some examples:

• however

• therefore

• in contrast

• because

• but

• and

• furthermore

• also

• then

• at first

• later

• as well as