What a quotation does and does not establish

A report may accurately quote someone who is mistaken. It may describe an allegation without confirming it. It may also summarize a statement fairly without reproducing every word.

These possibilities make attribution essential. Attribution tells the audience who supplied a statement or piece of information. It helps separate what a reporter established from what another person said.

To read carefully, follow both the words and their status. Who said them? What did they mean in context? What evidence supports the factual claim inside the statement?