We use quotations to convey the exact idea and wording used by the author. This allows students to use another person's ideas in their papers. But remember just because its in quotes does not mean its ok, it needs to be properly cited as well.
Learning how to properly paraphrase (and properly cite) someone else's work will allow you to avoid plagiarizing. The idea behind paraphrasing is not to change a few words, but take the idea and represent it in your own words. To properly paraphrase you must understand the core idea in its entirety and be able to express the meaning in your words. Paraphrasing allows you to fully understand what you are reading and reinforces your understanding of the material you are using.
We cite because it allows you to give credit to another author for an idea or a quote, this is also helpful in preventing plagiarism. Citing is also useful for the reader to find the information that you are using, and to then access it for themselves should they choose. Another thing to consider is: when you are researching and writing you are always part of a larger conversation. Citing shows that you have knowledge on the subject and are using the dialog that exitis to support your thesis or argument and thus adds to the growing resources on a topic.
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