Question- URGENT!

[fran]

How much of your text (%) is allowed to consist of direct quotes (obviously with correct referecing and quotation marks etc) in an academic paper?

[flarewearer]

not more than 100%

[hr]

[Gubbins]

As much as you like, providing there is an original, coherent argument behind it. You might consider referencing, rather than quoting directly if it becomes distracting.

If this is for undergraduate coursework, there might be a set limit, depending on your department, but as long as it is not unreasonable, they're unlikely to start counting words.

[hr]

...but then again, that is only my opinion.

[Paranoid]

Has anyone managed to write an essay consisting 100% of direct quotes, yet manages to maintain a coherent argument at the same time?

I guess it could be possible if you managed to quote from two sources and present it as a conversation between them....hehe

[hr]

..I've got this pain down all the diodes on my left side...

[exnihilo]

In my day there, and possibly still today (I know it is true here), direct quotation did not count toward a word total, so you can quote as much as you like and it will always be 0%.

[Okocim]

Whenever I've been assessed, direct quotes have always been included in word count. I wouldn't have a clue about quoting percentages but as a general rule, only quote an author directly if you couldn't say their argument better and more relevantly through paraphrasing. It can impact the readibility of your essay if it is cluttered with one quote after another. Naturally though, the rules of referencing still count no matter which way you include another person's argument!

[hr]

"You mentioned my name as if I should recognise it, but beyond the obvious facts that you are a bachelor, a solicitor, a Freemason and an asthmatic, I know nothing whatever about you."
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, "The Norwood Builder"