TLQ – Transition, Lead-in, Quote

1. TLQ – Transition, Lead-in, Quote a classic way to integrate quotes into your essay

2. T – Transition • These are to connect sentences or paragraphs. Each word represents a logical operation. Use these often to improve meaning and flow. • Don’t drop these in randomly - only use if you know what they mean and they work perfectly!

3. L – Lead-in • These are used to give your reader some connection between the quote and your topic. • They provide flow and context for your quote. • “According to…” is the classic lead-in, but you often want to announce the title and subjects of the author’s work.

4. Q – Quote • You can use the whole quote or a portion of a quote to support your TS. • For example, when her mother notices Amy’s embarrassment, she says, “Your only shame is to have shame” (95). • For example, when her mother notices Amy’s embarrassment, she says that it is only shameful “to have shame” (95).

5. Quote • If you want to exclude part of a quote, you may use ellipses (…). • If you need to change a word to fit the context, you may use [brackets]. • For instance, Amy is deeply embarrassed when “at the end of the meal [her] father…belched loudly” (95).

6. Q – Quote (page numbers) • Use quotes the same way you would use them in dialogue. • Include the page number in parenthesis after the quote. • Do not use ending punctuation within the quote. Place a period after the page number. • For example, Lynell George helps to explain the effects of these border towns when she states, “These contiguous neighborhoods inspire intercultural dialogue” (423).

7. Examples • According to Tim Wise, author of White Like Me, “That which keeps people of color off-balance…is that which keeps whites in control” (107). • Consequently, “Indian people are in a good position to demonstrate to the nation what can be done in community development in the rural areas,” according to Deloria (Indians). This shows they have… • You always need to explain how your quote supports your main idea. This is commentary.

8. Summary of TLQ • You should often use transitions. • You should almost always use lead-ins. • You always need to provide commentary after you use a quote. Answer the questions: Why is this quote important? How does it support my main ideas? • You must always supply a page number and use MLA format (page # in parentheses, ending punctuation after the parentheses).