Learning how to use quotes strategically is a skill that takes students years to master. It can take even longer for students to learn how to keep quotes they find in their original context. This means keeping the original author’s meaning intact, and not manipulating it to meet one’s needs. This type of word manipulation is known as “the quoting out of context fallacy.” When writers use quotes with a meaning other than originally intended, this misrepresents the author/speaker being quoted. It also discredits whatever it is the quoter is using the words to support or argue.
This type of misleading quotation is relatively harmless when used in a research paper for middle or high school. However, as students progress through the grades, into college, and eventually into the real world, the stakes become higher for any writing they produce. This is why students should begin to learn early on how to evaluate whether they are using quotations accurately.
It’s All About Perspective
The most common type of out-of-context quotation is when only part of a larger quote is used. When we use quotes this way, it gives them an entirely new meaning.
Here’s an example:
“The book is incredibly challenging to read, but worth every second,” said John Smith.
One could easily use this quote for a negative book review. Simply take the first part, “The book is incredibly challenging to read,” and use it to support a negative stance. But John Smith, the original author, meant these words differently, as the prelude to a compliment. While the quotation would not necessarily be wrong, attributing this partial quote to John Smith would be a misrepresentation. It would make it appear as though Smith viewed the book unfavorably, which was not the case. This is one example of why keeping quotes in context is important for credibility.
When Irony Doesn’t Translate
Another example of taking quotes out of context is when they are originally said with irony or sarcasm that doesn’t translate in the quotation. Similar to the example above, these types of quotations need further context in order for the irony or sarcasm to come through.
Let’s look at another example:
“This book is absolutely perfect…for anyone who wants to immediately be put to sleep,” said John Smith
The irony in this quote is that the seemingly flattering first clause is setting up the harsh criticism that follows. If used alone, the quote “This book is absolutely perfect,” means the opposite of how John Smith originally intended it.
While committing this fallacy in writing may be simply a part of the learning process, it’s important that students are aware of when they are doing it. Because teachers won’t always know when a student has quoted out of context (unless they research every quote students use), we need to teach students explicitly how to avoid this error by showing them examples like the ones above, and giving them opportunities to practice using the given quotes in their own writing. The more they practice the skill, the more likely they are to avoid using quotes improperly in their future writing.