English Coursework: Using Quotations in a Drama Coursework
Quotations are an essential part of any form of writing, irrespective of genre and subject. quotations are more than a frill in subjects like literature where a student might be required to write an English Coursework on a poetry, drama or prose, It almost becomes a necessity. When used effectively and appropriately, quotations can bring life to to an argument by supporting the thesis statement.
Quotations are incorporated in a text under standard criterion. This helps the essay writer avoid issues like plagiarism and ambiguity. While prose quotations used in all kinds of English courework, research paper or dissertation follow a common pattern, there are minor significant alterations in their use when incorporated in essay assignments or coursework on drama.
Whether you are writing a research paper on Macbeth or writing a Romeo and Juliet Essay, you will have to make apt and adequate use of dialogues from the play, to support your argument. Using a quotation from the text and citing its parenthetical reference directs the reader to the source of the quotation, thereby understanding the implications.Here are a few tips to make effective use of quotation sin a drama English coursework.
Directions to use quotations in a drama coursework
1. While Quoting dialogue between two or more characters in a play and set it off from the text, indenting it half an inch from the left text margin, or one inch from the left margin.
2. Begin each part of the dialogue with appropriate characters name written in capital letters.
3. Follow the name with a period and start the dialogue.
4. If a dialogues runs into another line, indent all subsequent lines in the character’s speech an additional half an inch.
5. To introduce another character’s dialogue, start a new line indented one inch from the left margin, just below the name of the previous character.
6. Maintain this pattern throughout the entire quotation.
7. If the speech of the character begins in the middle of the line, it should be positioned where it is in the original. Make sure not to make changes to the original quotation.
8. You may however, use ellipsis for omitted words, either in the beginning, or middle or the end of the dialogue, wherever needed. Words are generally omitted from a long quotation, if they do not add to the writer’s requirement. Omission also helps the reader get to the main part of the dialogue, the one which the essay writer aims to highlight.
9. In case the dialogue needs to be grammatically corrected, or have missing information, the required information can be provided by the essay writer in parenthesis. Many times certain words are italicized for emphasis, however, it must be specified that the italics are writer’ s attempt to emphasize, at the end of the quote. Generally, such quotes have an afterward which says, “italics mine”.
10. Every quotation in an English courseworkmust have parenthetical reference at the end of the quotation. Refer the Act, scene, and page number of the text form which the quotation has been taken.
