Do you have an essay assignment but have been staring at a blank page wondering how to start? You have come to the right place. One of the best ways to get started is by using a quote.
Quotations are short passages or phrases borrowed from speeches or texts of other authors. In some cases, they could be remarks made by celebrities. Quotes, when selected well, are crucial writing assets because of their concentration of wisdom and wit from authors. When you start an essay with a quote, it makes your work stand out. You sound professional, and the reader will want to read more.
Useful Tips on How to Start an Essay with a Quote
Once you decide to start your essay with a quote, just like a good movie or novel, the aim is grabbing the attention of the reader and building anticipation to read the entire paper. So, here are some useful tips to consider.
- Carefully select the quotes that fit your goal
When starting a paper with a quote, it is prudent to remain focused on the primary purpose of your writing. Are you writing to prove a point, inspire, demonstrate complexity, or set the mood?
- Understand your target audience
Notably, the quotes you pick should be in line with the targeted audience. For instance, if the quote you selected is from an author in a specific discipline, it is intelligible to use it when writing papers in a related area.
- Carefully connect to your point
One of the important things you need to note about starting a paper with a quote is that you have to explain its relationship with the topic. This is very crucial, especially when the link is not easily visible.
- Make sure to acknowledge the source of the quotation
Once you start a paper with a quote, ensure to indicate the source. Because these are not your words or ideas, you have to acknowledge them properly.
Examples of How to Start an Essay with a Quote
To help you craft better papers, we are now going to show you how to begin an essay with a quote example. Have a look:
An Essay on “the Most Serious Threat to Our Planet”
“If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace; and this single reflection, well applied, is sufficient to awaken every man to duty.” (Paine, the American Crisis, 1776). This quote from Father Thomas Paine is a reminder that the world does not just belong to us alone, but also to the future generations. One of the impacts of Paine’s words is that every person has a duty to address the problems we are facing to live better lives. The words are especially relevant to environmental threats such as pollution, deforestation, and global warming that have proven monstrous to both current and future generations.
In the second demonstration of starting an introduction with a quote example, the words of the author are embedded in your first sentence. Note that the words are captured well with quotation marks.
An Essay on the Evolution of Urban Cultures
Adlai Stevenson once mentioned, “On this shrunken globe, men can no longer live like strangers.” Our cities are made of people who move from various counties, other cities, and different countries. This makes them a melting point for cultures. The convergence of different beliefs, values, and norms require us to live in harmony. A good citizen, therefore, should be obedient to laws, respect others, and cooperate with the entire community.
What You Need to Know When Selecting a Quote to Start a College Essay
The moment you make the decision to start an essay with a quote, it is prudent to prioritize the paper content over its authority. What does this mean? The quality and message contained in the quote should be considered more crucial than the person behind it. This will help to make your work look authentic.
When you place a quote at the beginning of the essay, it might be important to provide the context in which they were made. This helps to make readers appreciate the herculean tasks that authors go through to make great quotes. Explaining the quotes will give your essay more weight, especially if you select quotes from authors who confronted great life circumstances, dilemmas, and extreme events.
It is prudent to appreciate that while it is true that looking for great quotes can take time, there are methods that you can use to get them more easily. For example, you can decide to use Google books for different quotes in varying categories. Online search engines would also come in handy to help you pull out quotes on a specific topic of interest.
Getting Stress off Your College Assignment
Is it bad to start an essay with a quote? The answer is an absolute no! But beginning a paper with a quote requires impeccable writing skills. Even when students apply the best tips outlined above, how to put a quote in the beginning of an essay is never easy. Some students feel inadequate because they lack good writing skills or have more pressing engagements. To enjoy better grades, you should seek writing assistance.
Our writing professionals are ready to help you clear all writing stress. They know how to start a paper with a quote, rhetoric question, or mind-boggling statistics, among other hooks. Reach us today for assurance of the best essays and top grades.
