It is not always just witness an event and report.
Many times, we go beyond just observing the event. We talk to related (sometimes unrelated) persons and gather more info.
But how do we quote them? When do we put their words within a pair of inverted commas?
This is one which pops up as speed breaker during the flow of writing a report.
Generally, the junior reporters have the habit of alternating between reporting in their own words and in quotes throughout the report. Perhaps, to make the report appear interesting!
In the process they end up with a dangerous habit of ‘quoting’ all unimportant facts and ‘writing’ important points in their own words.
After a few sacrifices to the scissors of the editors , they learn what to ‘quote’ and what to ‘write’.
Here goes what I learnt and find them useful even now:
- Do not quote anything unless there is something striking in what the person has said.
- Do quote verbatim, when there is an immediate and strong reaction to your question.
- Do quote if there is an interpretation on any statement or issue raised by the concerned person or issue.
- Do make sure that the words that go between the pair of inverted commas are the speaker’s own. Not a single word is added by you!
- Do not repeat whatever is quoted, in your own words anywhere in your report.
