Quoting is the literal reproduction of a text.
Under no circumstances should you ever write a paper that consists simply of quotes pasted together. As a general rule of thumb, for every line that you quote you should write two lines of your own analysing it.
Some general instructions for the use of quotes are:
- Reproduce the quote exactly. Use exactly the same words as in the original.
- Reproduce the quote in the original language. If you quote a Dutch text in an English-language paper, keep it in Dutch. If your readers are unlikely to understand the source language, first give the original quote and then a literal translation of it.
- Always make sure that a quote retains its original meaning. Be careful, for example, that it was not meant ironically or that its meaning does not change if you take it out of the original context.
- Always mark the beginning and end of the quote clearly. Use quotation marks or, in the case of a longer passage, make it a separate block of indented text.
- Always state clearly the source from which each quote you use is taken.
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