General Guidelines:
* Too much quoting can be detrimental: An overreliance on quotes suggests you haven't fully processed the information and are simply stringing together other people's ideas.
* Strive for balance: The majority of your research paper should be your own original analysis and interpretation, drawing on the quoted material to support your arguments.
* Focus on key points: Only quote the most important and relevant passages that directly support your claims.
Specific Considerations:
* Field of study: Some fields, like literary criticism, may rely more heavily on quotes to demonstrate close textual analysis. Others, like social sciences, may rely more on paraphrasing and summarizing.
* Length of paper: Shorter papers will have less space for quoting, while longer papers may allow for more quoted material.
* Purpose of the paper: A paper that primarily analyzes existing literature will likely use more quotes than a paper that presents original research findings.
* Quoting style: Use direct quotes sparingly, focusing on paraphrasing and summarizing.
* Proper citation: Always properly cite your sources, both in the text and in a bibliography or footnotes.
Tips for balancing quotes:
* Paraphrase and summarize: Instead of directly quoting, rephrase the author's ideas in your own words, making sure to attribute the source.
* Use short quotes: When you do quote, try to keep the quotes short and to the point.
* Explain the significance: Always explain how the quoted material supports your arguments and what the significance of the quote is.
* Don't rely on quotes as a crutch: Use quotes to strengthen your own analysis, not to replace it.
Remember: The best approach is to use quotes strategically to support your arguments and add weight to your analysis. Avoid excessive quoting and focus on demonstrating your own understanding and critical thinking.