When you find words that perfectly express an idea that is important for your essay, especially if they support/validate the argument you are trying to make (your main opinion about the topic), it is normal to quote them. That means putting quotation marks ( these things " ") at the beginning and end of the sentence/sentences you are copying.
Most of the time, writers include the name of the source's author and the year published at the beginning of the sentence, and the page number at the end. Note the following example. According to Smith (2005), "border collies are the most intelligent dogs" (p.47). Other ways of introducing the author's name include the following:
Smith (2005) has pointed out that...
As Smith (2005) says,...
Smith (2005) has made it clear that...
Smith (2005) explains/states/suggests/writes that...
If you don't include the author's name at the beginning, you might write it like this: "Border collies are the most intelligent dogs" (Smith, 2005, p.47).
If the quote is longer than two sentences, it should be indented. Generally speaking, a single quote should not take more than 4 or 5 lines of your paper, and you shouldn't quote too often. I would suggest a maximum of 6 for a small essay such as you are writing.
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