While reviewing learning outcome 2, I have realized that integrating quotes in order to enhance my piece is an ongoing learning process. Before now, I had no idea how impactful a quote could be, never mind introducing and exiting the quote in a proper and efficient manner. I began to learn the importance of quotes while discussing them in my ENG 110 class with my peers, and professor. One big idea that we elaborated on was the fact that quotes hold a large amount of meaning and play a major role in our pieces that we’ve created throughout this semester. They allow your paper to grasp onto distinctive, admirable, and meaningful points without paraphrasing and deteriorating the full meaning and or emotion that has taken place. They usually explain or describe a specific scene or memory that either yourself or someone else has experienced and allow you to elaborate on the words or ideas that are being mentioned. While we took the stage and practiced finding enhancing quotes, we soon learned how to integrate them into our own pieces. I know in paper one, I focused on finding the minimum number of quotes needed in order to fulfill my requirement for the paper. I then wrote around these quotes and changed my writing in order to allow these quotes to fit in. I introduced them by saying “he/she said” and exited them by putting a period after the quotation mark. Once I took a hold of this concept of integrating and explaining quotes, I thought my first paper was a joke. I veered away from the he/she said and began to give my thoughts before and after the quote appeared in my writing. I no longer just restated the quote and moved on with another thought. I soon began to find ways in order to mold a meaningful quote into my writing and wrote my essay and thoughts down before finding the quotes. Looking back at paper three I can say that I have completed this task of understanding the meaning of quotes and finding ways to integrate them into my papers. Specifically, in paper three I have written, “Linda Krause shares her mother’s story from the 1918 flu pandemic and explains that the increase in deaths left them with little room for the dead bodies to rest. She explains this awful situation and states that “one school was put to another useful purpose- displayingthe recently deceased. The window shades of the school were kept closed as bodies in coffins were brought into the school… one window shade would be pulled up and a body in its coffin would be shown, propped–up in the window for viewing”. I now take the time to analyze the quote and find my own point of view from it. This allowed me to introduce the quotes with my own thought and allow the reader to better understand the way I’ve interpreted it. I have also used the idea of exiting quotes and reflecting on what thoughts I have after reading them. When looking back at essay 3 I have proven this by stating, “Ashley Nault, someone who is living through COVID 19 expresses her feelings and going into depth that “This Pandemic has made me realize how important it is to make sure your family members are okay and have what they need”. This to me is spot on, because family is key, and without them we wouldn’t be the people we are today… Ashley, and I’m sure a bunch of others, have taken a family member or more into account and realized the profound respect and place of importance these people have in their hearts”. This to me, shows a good example of exiting the quotes. Although it is in a difference sentence, I feel that, especially in a narrative, giving your own opinion, even if you aren’t agreeing, adds to your writing so much more. These are only a couple ways in which you can introduce and exit quotes throughout your piece, and to me, this was very helpful learning about. Not only does it enhance my writing, but it allows it to have a sense of flow and uniqueness. I can now feel emotion from the person the quote is coming from and myself as the writer introducing my own input. Integrating quotations has added variety and depth to each and every piece of writing that I have completed. I have seen major strides in my writing just because of this and have many takeaways just from this learning outcome. Overall, quotations help me back up an argument, and put my own unique touch in my paper. I feel as though looking back at paper one, and looking forward onto paper three, I have seen a drastic change in ways in which I can support and integrate quotes within my writing. They have definitely given my writing some spark and I will hold onto this technique throughout my years.
