College Composition / Unit 23 CMP 0563 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Accurate Quotation
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The idea
Shortening a quotation must never distort its meaning or take it out of context.
In practice
A critic who wrote that a film's plot is exciting but its dialogue lacks energy would be misquoted as saying "the plot is exciting . . . the dialogue has . . . energy."
Where people slip
Distorted quotation is a form of dishonesty, however carefully punctuated.
Your place on the trail
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Builds on
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