Signal Phrases

Signal Phrases

A signal phrase, also known as an attributive tag, is used to smoothly integrate quotations and paraphrases into essays. They:

  • Attribute supporting evidence to its author(s).

  • Prevent interruption of the essay's flow.

  • Act as transitions between the writer's ideas and the source's ideas.

Components of a Signal Phrase

A signal phrase consists of:

  • The author's name.

  • An active verb indicating how the author is presenting the material.

  • Optional information:

    • Author's credentials and/or affiliations.

    • Title and/or publisher of the source text.

Referring to the Author

  • APA Style: Use only the last name of the author.

  • MLA Style:

    • First Mention: Include the author's first name, last name, credentials, affiliations, and possibly the source text title.

    • Subsequent Mentions: Use only the author's last name.

Examples

  • First Mention (MLA): Michael Pollan, Professor of Science and Environmental Journalism at the University of California Berkeley, observes that “Americans today are having a national conversation about food and agriculture that would have been impossible to imagine even a few short years ago” (29).

  • Subsequent Mention (MLA): Pollan continues, “But the national conversation unfolding around the subject of food and farming really began in the 1970s” (29).

  • Note: Signal phrase verbs are followed by "that" or a comma, and then one space before the quotation mark.

Referring to Author as "The Author"

  • In MLA and APA styles, referring to an author as "the author" or "the researchers" is acceptable if the reference is clear.

Signal Phrase Verb Tense

  • MLA Style: Use present tense verbs in signal phrases.

  • APA Style: Use past tense verbs in signal phrases.

Example

  • APA: Pollan (2009) observed that "Americans today are having a national conversation about food and agriculture that would have been impossible to imagine even a few short years ago" (p. 29).

  • Note: APA in-text citations include the year of publication and the page number preceded by "p."

Varying Your Verbs

  • Use a variety of signal phrase verbs to maintain reader interest and to indicate the author's intended use of the material.

Types of Signal Phrases

Author's Credentials Indicated

  • Example: Grace Chapmen, Curator of Human Health & Evolutionary Medicine at the Springfield Natural History Museum, explains…

  • Purpose: To build credibility for the passage.

Author's Lack of Credentials Indicated

  • Example: Matthew Spencer, whose background is in marriage counseling, not foreign policy, claims…

  • Purpose: To show the author's lack of qualifications.