How to organize research quotations with enough context
A quotation organizer makes selected passages easier to retrieve and use accurately. Its value comes from keeping the quotation, source and surrounding meaning together.
Start with the right material.
- What you provide
- one article or selected research notes.
- The intended result
- Save short exact quotes with source and nearby context; separate paraphrase from quotation.
How the workflow works.
Preserve exact wording and attach the supplied author, title, location or URL. Group quotations by the research question while keeping your commentary separate from the source text.
What to check in the result.
Verify every quotation before citing it and retain important qualifications. A useful excerpt should not imply that the author reached a conclusion that depends on omitted context.
Import the CSV with a consistent delimiter and inspect text identifiers, dates and amounts before using spreadsheet totals. Keep the original file available while checking any automatic type conversion.
Learn from the worked example.
The downloadable CSV example uses these columns: Exact quote, Source URL, Context. Compare a complete record with the source before sorting, combining or importing your own output.
The supplied example is illustrative. It is not a recorded run on your data.
Download the example ↓Use it with your own material.
- Open the source you want to work with and activate WebAct on that tab.
- Copy the task from the hero, add any required fields or preferences, and review the proposed actions.
- Compare the first result with your source. Ask for a specific correction or refinement where needed.