How do I cite a direct quote?
Answer
Short quotations
- When using a short quote (fewer than 40 words) write it inside double quotation marks (").
- Always include an in-text citation at the end of the quoted sentence.
Example:
Out of 15,289 wells drilled before 1964, 5,487 have "suspended production but have not been cleaned up" (Morgan, 2019, para. 17).
Long quotations
- For long quotes (40 words or more), format them as block quotations.
- Start a new line and indent the entire block 0.5 inches from the left margin.
- If the quote consists of multiple paragraphs, indent the first line of each paragraph an additional 0.5 inches.
- Do not include quotation marks for block quotations.
- Include the in-text citation at the end of the block quote.
Example:
The Financial Post found that 6,077 wells drilled before 1964 are still active today. An additional 5,487 wells have suspended production but have not been cleaned up, and 3,695 wells have been plugged (Morgan, 2019, para. 17).
Citing Direct Quotes
- Cite the author's last name, the year of publication, and the specific location of the quoted text, such as the page number, paragraph number, or section heading.
Page number
- If your source is a book or an article, look for a page number.
Example:
The company "only resumed its manufacturing when given formal approval" (Laurence, 2014, p. 10).
Paragraph number
- For source like webpage and eBook with no numbers, use a paragraph number by counting paragraphs down from the beginning of the document.
Example:
According to Jones and Smith (2011), "sales increased annually by 20% (para. 2) following the release of the television adaptation.
Section heading
- If the webpage is very long, consider using a heading (i.e., section descriptions that break up content into parts) instead of counting paragraphs
Example:
There was little evidence at the crime scene, according to the police, with the exception of "one flashlight, two matches, and a shoe" (Clarke, 2019, "Crime Scene").
More Information:
- What if a source has no author, date, or title?
- What is a citation?
- What is a reference?
- Check the APA Style Website for more information on direct quotations.