Introduction

Of the three quotation methods discussed, it should be clear that the 'Replacement Quotation' method is the one that should be relied upon the least when referring to your scholars for supporting evidence . As already discussed, using the replacement quotation too much can result in the loss of your critical voice and places too much of an emphasis on what other people have said. Remember, quotations are to be used to develop your argument, not act as a substitute for it!

Example: Transforming the 'Replacement Quotation'

Liam is an English Literature student. He is writing an essay about the Gothic elements of the Harry Potter series, particularly as seen in the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. He wants to claim in his essay that although Hogwarts castle is aesthetically Gothic, it is not a traditionally Gothic setting, given that Harry finds a sense of home in it that he had otherwise not experienced.

To support his argument, Liam has found the following quotations:

Quotations (note: these are all made up!)

Carla Rodriguez (17): 'Gothic architecture is exemplified by stone castles, tall spires, and statues of mythical creatures.'
Benedict Ainsworth (23): 'Antique portraits are an iconic instance of Gothic symbolism.'
Hugo Martins (1): 'A setting's aesthetic does not define how a person experiences it.'
Victoria Johnson (55): 'Gothic settings rely upon a deep sense of disturbance.'
Gertrude Bloch (112): 'Homes have a sense of safety and comfort.'

Liam then wrote the following paragraph:

The aesthetic of Hogwarts castle is deeply Gothic, given that it features 'stone castles, tall spires, and statues of mythical creatures' (Rodriguez 17). This aesthetic continues indoors, such as in the corridors, which are lined with antique portraits, an 'iconic instance of Gothic symbolism' (Ainsworth 23). However, a 'setting's aesthetic does not define how a person experiences it' (Martins 1). 'Gothic settings rely upon a deep sense of disturbance' (Johnson 55), but because Harry views Hogwarts as his home, he is not disturbed by it, because 'homes have a sense of safety and comfort' (Bloch 112).

Commentary: what did Liam do?

Notice how Liam has relied on critics to finish or start his sentences, which has meant that he has given very little of his argument away. Indeed, the part of his paragraph that is most critical - the final sentence, given that he has started to put two quotations in opposition with each other - still relies too heavily on critics' arguments, and so his own stance is not particularly clear.

Now read the following paragraph. Liam's argument has not changed, nor has he changed the quotations he has used. What has changed is how he has used the quotations:

Carla Rodriguez suggests that 'Gothic architecture is exemplified by stone castles, tall spires, and statues of mythical creatures' (17), and so it would not be a great leap of logic to claim that Hogwarts castle is Gothic, given that its exterior is comprised of these features. Indeed, Hogwarts's interior reflects the exterior. Complete with dark, winding corridors, ghosts, and antique portraits, the latter of which Ainsworth called an 'iconic instance of Gothic symbolism' (23), the Gothic label is one that could be easily appended to Hogwarts castle, such is the abundance of generic features. Martins's claim that 'a setting's aesthetic does not define how a person experiences it' (1) is important to consider in relation to Hogwarts castle. Despite the Gothic iconography that defines it, many of the characters in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, especially Harry, view Hogwarts castle as their home. This brings my argument to a contemporary critical debate, as exemplified by Johnson and Bloch. Writing about Hogwarts castle, Johnson asserts that as a Gothic setting, it relies 'upon a deep sense of disturbance' (55), yet Bloch, in her monograph about fictional homes, avers that they 'have a sense of safety and comfort.' (112) The distinction between the two critics is clear: if Hogwarts is a Gothic setting, it must unsettle; if it is a home, it must protect. I argue that this is a false dichotomy, as although many unsettling events occur in Harry's first year at Hogwarts, threats are ultimately dispelled and Harry's safety is attended to. Ultimately, Harry is not disturbed by the events that occur in his first year, as seen by his feelings of anticipation for his second year at the end of the novel, suggesting that, despite Hogwarts castle's Gothic appearance and propensity for the disturbing, Harry views it as his home.

Commentary: what did Liam do differently in this version?

He used the Rodriguez quotation as a platform for his own argument, rather than using it as the 'destination' for his sentence (as in the first example).
He used the Ainsworth quotation in a similar way to the Rodriguez quotation. Furthermore, by adding a second quotation that supported the first one, he has started to establish a critical field, which he later goes on to reject. This will allow him to emphasise his own voice and argument.
Whereas in the first example, Liam relied on the Martins quotation to act as a 'transition' in his argument, in the second example he used it to trigger the transition in his argument. That is to say that in the first example, the Martins quotation was the transition, whereas in the second example, it prompted Liam to make the transition himself.
The Johnson and Bloch quotations merely replace Liam's words in the first example, yet in the second example, he has effectively established an opposition between the two quotations, has located his critical viewpoint within this argument, and has then taken his line of argument beyond it.

Activity: Transforming the ‘Replacement Quotation’

Jenny is a Film Studies student. She is writing an essay about the popularity of superhero movies in the twenty-first century. In her essay, she would like to claim that their popularity lies less in their special-effects and action sequences, and more in their message that any individual can make a difference to the world.

To support her argument, Jenny has found the following scholarly quotations:

Quotations (note: these are all made up!)

Chad Alanis (88): ‘Superhero movies of the twenty-first century are renowned for their impressive special-effects.’
Patricia Goodchild (413): ‘The superhero genre has a number of defining traits, most notably its propensity for high-octane action sequences.’
Albert S. Ferrán (90): ‘It is the moral message that is the most important aspect of the superhero genre.’
Hannah Aaronson (12): ‘The fact that the superhero film genre features ordinary people doing the extraordinary is its most important feature.’
Collins Okoje (5): ‘Human autonomy in the twenty-first century is subtly restricted; the ability to make meaningful choices and have a meaningful impact on the world is hindered enormously.’

Jenny then wrote the following paragraph:

The superhero genre has become incredibly popular in the twenty-first century. This is for many reasons, such as the ‘impressive special effects’ (Alanis 88) and ‘high-octane action sequences’ (Goodchild 413) that have come to define the genre. On the other hand, the most important aspect of the superhero genre is its ‘moral message’ (Ferrán 90). Because the genre ‘features ordinary people doing the extraordinary’ (Aaronson 12), it is very popular and almost inspiring in the twenty-first century, because this is a time in which ‘the ability to make meaningful choices and have a meaningful impact on the world is hindered enormously’ (Okoje 5).

Now it's your turn! Improve this paragraph by transforming its 'replacement quotations' to the other quotation methods previously discussed. You might find it useful to produce a commentary, as done in the Harry Potter example, to help clarify your thoughts.