If I were approached to guest lecture in the next section of this 181 course, I’d feel confident teaching incoming freshmen what I know about integrating quotes into writing. This particular topic is one that I have always thought myself to be good at, whether it be introducing quotes for analysis or using quotes to support my arguments. The latter of the two is a method that not many incoming freshmen are familiar with, but it’s always been my default method of quote integration. Personally, I feel there are times and places for quote analysis, and times where quotes can speak for themselves and help build an argument. Where scientific evidence is concerned, it must be interpreted before it can be used as a building block for argumentative purposes. When a point has been made and a quote is simply a clear example of the argument in the text under question, I think it is plausible that the quote can be used to build an argument without being restated and analyzed as thoroughly.

To teach this lesson to incoming freshmen, I’d plan a group activity. First, I’d introduce the different methods of quote integration that we learned in class. Then, I’d assign each group a thesis statement regarding a text that the class has read (assuming the syllabus would be the same as this semester, I’d likely choose Gary Shteyngart’s Super Sad True Love Story). I’d ask each group to write multiple paragraphs supporting the thesis using direct quotes from the novel, in each paragraph integrating the quotes differently. One paragraph should introduce quotes then analyze their meaning in order to support the thesis, while another paragraph should integrate quotes in the writing in order to build the argument of the thesis. I would then ask all the groups to pick their favorite paragraph to read to the class, explain which method of quote integration they used, and why they preferred it to other methods.