Attribution or Reporting Clause in Writing

Attribution or Reporting Clause in Writing Attribution also called a  reporting clause in academia, is the identification of the speaker or source of written material. It is commonly  expressed in words like she said, he shouted or he asks or the name of the source and the appropriate verb. Sometimes this attribution identifies the tone as well as who made the statement. Both direct and indirect quotes require attribution. Good Writing Definition In The Facts on File Guide to Good Writing from 2006, Martin H. Manser discusses attribution. The positioning of attribution discussed here for an indirect quote is not written in stone; many good writing authorities, particularly in journalism, prefer that attribution comes at the end of the quote, regardless of whether it is direct or indirect. This is one opinion. The  reporting clause  consists of a subject and a verb of speaking or writing, as well as any other related information Roger said; answered Tom; they shouted angrily. In  indirect  speech,  the reporting clause always precedes the reported clause, but indirect  speech, it may be placed before, after, or in the middle of the reported clause. When it is inserted after or in the middle of the reported clause, it is set off by commas, and the verb is often placed before the subject said his mother; replied Bill. When the reporting clause is placed at the beginning of the sentence, it is usual to follow it with a comma or colon, which appears before the opening quotation marks. When a text has two or more people involved in a conversation, it is common for the reporting clause to be omitted once it has established whose turn it is to speak: What do you mean by that? demanded Higgins.What do you think I mean? responded Davies.Im not sure.Let me know when you are. Note also that the convention of beginning a new paragraph with each new speaker aids in distinguishing the individuals in a conversation. Omitting  the Word That David Blakesley and Jeffrey Hoogeveen discuss the use of the word that in quotations in The Thomson Handbook (2008). You may have noticed that that is sometimes absent from  reporting clauses. The decision to omit that is based on several factors. Informal contexts and academic writing, that  is generally included. That  can be omitted when (1) the subject of  the  that complement is a pronoun, (2) the reporting clause and  the that clause  Ã‚  have the same subject, and/or (3) the writing context is informal. Heres an example from Cormac McCarthys The Crossing (1994):She said that  she thought the land was under a curse and asked him for his opinion, but  he said  he knew little of the country. About the Word Said Heres what eminent grammarian Roy Peter Clark said the word said in Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer (2006): Leave said  alone. Dont be tempted by the muse of variation to permit characters to opine, elaborate, cajole or chortle. Examples of Attribution From The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald  (1925) [Gatsby] broke off and began to walk up and down a desolate path of fruit rinds and discarded favors and crushed flowers.I wouldnt ask too much of her, I ventured. You cant repeat the past.Cant repeat the past? he cried incredulously. Why of course you can!He looked around him wildly, as if the past were lurking here in the shadow of his house, just out of reach of his hand.Im going to fix everything just the way it was before, he said, nodding determinedly. Shell see.   From Wise Blood, Flannery OConnor (1952) I reckon you think you been redeemed, he said. Mrs. Hitchcock snatched at her collar.I reckon you think you been redeemed, he repeated.She blushed. After a second she said yes, life was an inspiration and then she said she was hungry and asked if he didnt want to go into the diner.