How to create clear, credible quote cards

1. Choose a thought that can stand alone

Read the surrounding passage before selecting a sentence. A line that sounds striking may depend on a previous definition, a specific audience, or a condition. Keep the context that changes its meaning.

In the example, the second sentence works independently: it says what decoration can do and what it cannot replace. The first sentence supplies context, but the card does not need to repeat both sentences.

• Keep words such as “may”, “when”, and “unless” when they qualify the claim.
• Prefer a complete thought over an unexplained fragment.
• If you need a sequence to explain the idea, choose a Knowledge Set instead.

2. Separate a quotation from a paraphrase

A direct quotation preserves the source wording. A paraphrase expresses the meaning in new words. Changing a few words does not make the new sentence a verbatim quotation.

For example, “Good design supports the message; it cannot supply one” is a paraphrase of the example, not the original sentence. Do not add quotation marks and an author’s name as though the author wrote those words.

• Use only an author or source you can verify.
• For your own writing, leave the author blank or use your own correct attribution.
• Review AI suggestions against the source rather than treating fluent wording as evidence.

3. Create, then review the result

Open Quote Cards and paste the passage or your own text. This page already selects the quote format. Choose another visual style only if it helps; style changes do not change the content structure.

Submit the material, then read every result before exporting. Check that the selected thought is independent, conditions remain intact, and the wording is either an exact quotation or a clearly understood paraphrase. You can edit the words, adjust the source, and remove weaker cards.

4. Check it at reading size and export

Look at the card at approximately the size someone will see on a phone. The main thought should be legible without zooming. If it feels crowded, shorten unnecessary context or choose a different thought rather than shrinking everything.

Export the selected card or the whole group as PNG files. You can generate, edit, and export before signing in. Sign in when you want to save your work and return to it later.

Before you share

• One independent idea per card.
• Necessary conditions and context preserved.
• Quotations and paraphrases distinguished.
• Source details checked; no invented attribution.
• Words readable at phone size; exported PNG checked.