Opening quotation (in paragraph 1) important to the development of
the passage's theme is described below.
Explanation:
Body paragraphs in academic essays contain evidence that supports debatable main ideas that appear in topic sentences, and responsible writers make sure to introduce, cite, and explain quotes and paraphrases used as evidence.
INTRODUCE: Introduce all your quotes using introductory phrases. Â Here are some examples:
According to Michael Smith, âyou should use the authorâs first and last name when you cite that author for the first time in your paperâ (1).
As Smith explains, âyou can introduce your quotes with a number of different phrasesâ (1). Â
Smith suggests that âif the introduction to your quote isnât a dependent clause, it doesnât need to be followed by a commaâ (1).
Smith observes the following in his article: âWhen you use a colon to introduce a quote, you need a complete sentence preceding the colonâ (1).
CITE: Provide appropriate parenthetical citations for all quotes and paraphrases (but not summaries). Â Check the appropriate style guide for guidelines, e.g. MLA, APA, and Chicago. Â Here are some guidelines for MLA style citation:
If the authorâs name appears in the introduction to the quote or in the paraphrase, it doesnât have to appear in the parenthetical reference, as the citations above illustrate.
If the authorâs name does not appear in the introduction to the quote, the name must appear in the parenthetical reference. Â See the following example of a cited paraphrase:
Some professors at UM take points off of your final paper grade if you donât cite paraphrased or quoted material correctly (Smith 1).
EXPLAIN: Make sure to explain your quotes. Â Provide analysis that ties them back to your main idea / topic sentence. Â In other words, comment on the evidence in order to incorporate it into the argument youâre making. Â
Hereâs an example of a whole academic body paragraph that illustrates ICE: introduction, citation, and explanation:
Despite their competence as readers and writers, these young teachers have just begun to understand and participate in the changing ecology of literacy described above, particularly in adopting a view that digital writing is worthy of attention in schools. Grabill and Hicks argue that â[u]sing ICTs (Information Communication Technologies) isnât enough; critically understanding how these writing technologies enable new literacies and meaningful communication should also be a core curricular and pedagogical function of English educationâ (307). While our experience as teacher educators, especially in the context of Kristenâs course, shows us that adopting this perspective is difficult, we feel that there are compelling social reasons to do so.