LEO: Introductory Tags

LEO: Literacy Education Online

Using Introductory Tags in Research Writing

An introductory tag introduces a quote by providing the authority's name and a strong verb:

Authority's Name + Strong Verb = "Introductory Tag"

Verbs used in an introductory tag should be chosen according to meaning. Be careful to avoid subtle meaning changes; "to admit" does not mean the same as "to express."

Common Verbs Used in Introductory Tags

acknowledges	comments	expresses	speculates
admits	considers	insists	states
affirms	criticizes	mentions	submits
argues	declares	proposes	suggests
asks	defends	refers	testifies
believes	explains	reveals	writes

Examples

Quotation

admitted

Paraphrase
In his memoirs, Eisenhower claims to have been kept silent because of the confidentiality of government secrets (225).

Note: When referring to something written by a deceased authority, always use present tense. When referring to something that was said by a deceased authority, use the past tense. Examples are shown above.

For more information about using quotations, see http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/research/usingquotes.html; for more information about using paraphrases, see http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/research/usingpara.html.

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This page was written by Becky Marchant for the Write Place, St. Cloud State University, and may be copied for educational purposes only. If you copy this document, please include our copyright notice and the name of the writer; if you revise it, please add your name to the list of writers.

Last update: 19 March 2004

URL: http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/research/introtags.html