Starting a Paper With a Quote: How to Do It and When to Skip It
Starting a paper with a quote means using someone else’s words as the opening hook, followed by a sentence or two that connect the quote to your thesis. It works when the quote is specific, short, and tied to your argument. It fails when it is generic, misattributed, or left to stand without comment.
Should You Start an Essay With a Quote?
Sometimes. Many instructors read quote openers as filler, because students often pick a famous line first and look for a connection later.
A quote opener is a good choice when the quote is the subject of your paper, when it states the problem your paper addresses, or when it comes from a source you analyze later. It is a poor choice when it could open any paper on any topic.
If you are unsure, check the assignment or ask the instructor. Some courses discourage quote openers outright.
How to Start a Paper With a Quote
1. Pick a quote that does work in the argument
The quote should say something your paper then agrees with, complicates, or disputes. If you could delete it and the introduction would read the same, choose a different one.
2. Keep it short
One sentence is usually enough. Long quotations at the top of a paper delay your own point.
3. Name the source
Give the speaker or author and, where the format requires it, the work. A bare quotation with no source looks careless, and an unverified one can be wrong.
4. Verify it
Many popular quotes are misattributed. Check a primary source or a reputable quotation reference before using one. If you cannot confirm who said it, do not open with it.
5. Follow it with your own sentence immediately
Explain what the quote means for your topic in one or two sentences, then move to your thesis. The quote is the hook, not the introduction.
Examples of Quote Openers
Each example below is followed by the kind of connecting sentence that should come next.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
— Martin Luther King Jr., “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (1963)
King wrote this while explaining why he was in Birmingham, and the line works as an opener for a paper on civil rights, local activism, or the responsibility of bystanders. The next sentence should say which of those your paper is about.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
— Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad (1869)
This suits a paper on cultural exchange or study abroad, followed by a sentence stating whether you agree with Twain or argue that travel alone is not enough.
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.”
— commonly attributed to Plutarch; the wording is a later paraphrase of his essay on listening to lectures
If you use a paraphrased line like this one, say so in the paper or choose a quote you can cite exactly.
Alternatives to a Quote Opener
A specific fact, a short example, or a direct statement of the problem usually reads as stronger than a borrowed line. If you want to use a quote, place it in the body where you can analyze it.
How to Format the Quote
Put short quotations in quotation marks and add the citation your style requires. For citation formats, see how to cite a quote in APA and MLA. For the sentence that comes before or after the quote, see how to introduce a quote in an essay and signal phrases and punctuation.
FAQ
Is it bad to start an essay with a quote?
It is not wrong, but it is overused. It works only when the quote is specific to your argument.
How long should an opening quote be?
One sentence in most cases. Use a block quote only if the assignment calls for it, and not as an opener.
Do I need a citation for an opening quote?
Yes. Any quotation needs a source in the format your course uses.
What if I cannot find the original source?
Do not use it. Unsourced quotes are often misattributed, and an error in the first line weakens the paper.