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APA Style Citation Guide 7th Edition

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apa direct quoting

APA 7th Direct Quotes

APA Direct Quote

If a source has multiple authors, follow these guidelines.

Two  authors in a parenthetical citation:  Use an ampersand (&) between the two last names. ​ 

Two authors in the narrative:   Use  and  between the two last names. ​ 

Three or more authors:  Only cite the first author, followed by  et al.

If directly quoting, include the author, year of publication, and page number for the reference. Introduce the quote with a phrase like  according to  or state the author's last name.

  • According to Smith (2017), "First-year college students struggle with the lack of sleep, good eating habits, and APA style" (p. 23).
  • According to Jones and Brown (2017), "Citing in correct APA style can be challenging" (p. 25).
  • Smith (2017) discovered "first-year college students struggle with lack of sleep, good eating habits, and APA style" (p. 23); what does that mean for college health officers, librarians, and teachers?

If you do not name the author in the sentence, list it with the date and page numbers after the quotation.

  • She said, "First-year college students struggle with lack of sleep, good eating habits, and APA style" (Roberts, 2017, p. 199), and listed several solutions.

No page numbers . If the work does not have a page number, then provide an "address" to find the quoted text using one of the following methods:

  • Supply a heading or section name (this can be abbreviated).                                                                    "Librarians are the keepers of information" (Johnson & Minchew, 2022, Reference Section)
  • Supply a paragraph number (for unnumbered paragraphs count them accordingly).                                  "Reference is not a mute topic" (Johnson & Minchew, 2022, para. 1).
  • Supply a heading or section name and a paragraph number.                                                                      "Research is a complex undertaking. Proper technique wields the best possible results" (Johnson & Minchew, 2022, Research section, para. 3).

Audiovisual work . When providing a quote directly from an audiovisual work ( audioBooks, films, podcast, TV programs, YouTube video ), place a time stamp for the beginning of the quote in lieu of a page number.

     "Books open the path to understanding and expanding our minds" (Johnson, 2022, 7:11). 

View APA Style guidance for Quotations . 

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  • Last Updated: Oct 6, 2023 9:53 AM
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APA 7th referencing style

  • About APA 7th
  • Printing this guide
  • In-text references

What is a direct quotation?

Format of a direct quotation in-text reference, placement of a direct quotation in-text reference, quoting audiovisual works, works without a page number.

  • Reference list
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  • Television program
  • Works in non-English languages
  • Works in non-English scripts, such as Arabic or Chinese

A direct quotation reproduces word-for-word material taken directly from another author’s work, or from your own previously published work.

If the quotation is fewer than 40 words , incorporate it into your paragraph and enclose it in double quotation marks. 

David Copperfield starts with "Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show" (Dickens, 1869, p. 1).

If the quotation comprises 40 or more words , include it in an indented, freestanding block of text, without quotation marks. Make it double spaced .

Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. To beginmy life with the beginning of my life, I record that I was born (as I have been informed and believe) on a Friday, at twelve o’clock at night. It was remarked that the clock began to strike, and I began to cry, simultaneously. (Dickens, 1896, p. 1)

  • Include the author, year, and specific page number for that quotation.
  • For material without page numbers, give the paragraph number or a time stamp.
  • Include a complete reference in the reference list.

(Smith, 2003, p. 105)

(Brown, 1999, pp. 49-50)

Smith (2003) has argued that "......" (p. 105)

As Brown (1999) found "......" (pp. 49-50) 

(Anderson, 2019, 2:17)

Anderson (2019) noted that "...." (2:17)

Direct quotes that are less than 40 words

Parenthetical reference.

  • Can be added either directly after the quote or at the end of the sentence.
  • Ensure it is the same sentence as the quote.

Mindfulness has a range of meanings as it "has become a trend word conveying a diversity of understandings dependent on context" (Crane, 2017, p. 586).

Mindfulness has a range of meanings as it "has become a trend word conveying a diversity of understandings dependent on context" (Crane, 2017, p. 586) and can encompass...

Narrative reference

  • Add the author in the sentence, followed by the year in brackets. Include the page number in brackets after the quote.

As Crane (2017) said, "Mindfulness has become a trend word conveying a diversity of understandings dependent on context" (p. 586).

As Crane (2017) said, "Mindfulness has become a trend word conveying a diversity of understandings dependent on context" (p. 586) and can encompass....

Quotes with more than 40 words (block quotes)

  • Include at the end of the quote.

Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I record that I was born (as I have been informed and believe) on a Friday, at twelve o’clock at night. It was remarked that the clock began to strike, and I began to cry, simultaneously. (Dickens, 1896, p. 1)

  • Include the author last name in the sentence, followed by the year in brackets before the block quote.
  • Add the page number in brackets at the end of the block quote.

As Dickens (1896) famously began "David Copperfield":

Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I record that I was born (as I have been informed and believe) on a Friday, at twelve o’clock at night. It was remarked that the clock began to strike, and I began to cry, simultaneously. (p. 1)

  • Add a time stamp in place of a page number when quoting from audiovisual works such as videos, songs, TV shows.

(Yates, 2019, 1:14)

(Henderson, 2017, 2:30:14)

For works without a page number, you can add:-

  • paragraph number (manually count if not listed) eg. (Kennedy, 2019, para.8)
  • heading or section name eg. (Harris, 2018, Behaviour Therapy section)
  • act, scene and line(s) for plays eg. (Wilde, 1895/1997, 1.1.6-8) (means Act 1.Scene 1.Line(s) 6-8)
  • canonically numbered sections for religious or classical works eg. (Genesis 15:6) (include book, chapter, verse, line or canto in place of page number)
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7th ed Citing Direct Quotations

Citations for direct quotations.

A direct quotation is a verbatim reproduction from another work. The APA recommends paraphrasing when possible. The format of the quotation and the in-text citation depends on the length of the quotation. The in-text citation will include the author, year, and page number(s). The page number format is different for single pages, a page range, and non-consecutive (discontinuous) pages. The APA formats direct quotations into short quotations (fewer than 40 words), and block quotations (40 words or more). 

Page Numbers

No Page Numbers? Check out the APA Style's section on Direct Quotation of Material Without Page Numbers This link opens in a new window . You can use section names, paragraph numbers, time stamps (for audiovisual works), and more. 

Short Quotations

Short quotations contain fewer than 40 words. To incorporate this type of quotation into your work enclose the words in quotation marks. Do not add an ellipsis unless one is used in source. Add a full in-text citation in the same sentence.

Parenthetical Citation

General Format

A parenthetical citation can be either immediately following the quotation or at the end of the sentence.

Text "quote" (Author, Year, Page).

Text "quote" (Author, Year, Page) more text.

For Example

Mental health care for veterans and active duty military needs to be greatly improved. One tool that is used is the Combat Exposure Scale (CES) this is a "seven-item self-report measure that assesses wartime stressors experienced by combatants" (Lawhorne-Scott et al., 2012, p. 36).

Narrative Citation

A narrative citation typically includes the author and year before the quotations and the page number(s) after the quotation.

Author (Year) text "quote" (Page).

However if the quote begins the sentence, the author will follow in a narrative form with the year and date in parentheses afterwards.

"Quote" text Author (Year, Page) more text.

Chen et al. (2019) noted that "an increased patient–nurse ratio would induce nurses’ intention to leave their job" (p. 12).

"Workforce staffing and scheduling for clinical units in healthcare system is a formidable challenge" wrote Sedeh (2018, p. 1) in their review of nurse staffing in emergency room departments.

Block Quotations

Block quotations contain 40 words or more. To incorporate this type of quotation into your work you will need to begin the quotation on a new line, indent the left margin for the entire quotation, and double-space the quotation. Add a full in-text citation either in the narrative while including the page numbers at the end after the quotation's final punctuation, or a parenthetical citation after the last punctuation.

A parenthetical citation is placed after the quote's final punctuation.

The symptoms of anxiety can be debilitating:

A narrative citation typically includes the author and year before the block quotation and the page number(s) immediately after the quotation's last punctuation.

Chen et al. (2019) detail how hospitals are in the business of saving lives and those in charge have a lot to take into account when planning their nurse-patient ratios:

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  • Last Updated: Jan 18, 2024 8:33 AM
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APA Style Guide 7th Edition

  • Direct Quote
  • About This Guide
  • Block Quote
  • Indirect Quote
  • Summary/Paraphrase
  • Tables/Graphs/Images
  • Personal Communications
  • Book/E-book
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  • Creating Original Tables, Graphs, and Images
  • Additional Help

General Guidelines: Direct Quote

  • Quoted material should be reproduced word-for-word.
  • Always include the author's last name, year of publication, and page number(s).
  • Use 'p.' for a single page number ( Example: p. 15) and 'pp.' for multiple page numbers ( Example: pp. 125-126).
  • If citing a source without page numbers, cite the paragraph number ( Example: para. 4) or other identifying information ( Example:  Slide 7, Table 2, Results section).  
  • You can cite your information as part of the sentence (called a narrative citation) or at the end in parentheses (known as a parenthetical citation).
  • If you have two or more authors, use the word 'and' for narrative citations and '&' for parenthetical citations 
  • If you have three or more authors, use 'et al.' after the first authors last name to indicated there are additional authors. 
  • If you are quoting sources with embedded citations, include them in the quote but you do not need to cite the embedded citations in your reference page (only the source your are quoting).  
  • If you are quoting material with quotations marks, use double quotation marks to indicate the quote and change the quotations marks in the quote to a single quotation mark.  

Narrative Direct Quotation With Page Numbers 

Author (Year) "Quote" (p. #).

Single Author:  Simmons (2019) points out, "Even with airtight routines and procedures in place, you will have students who engage in inappropriate behaviors" (p. 46). 

Two Authors:  Orben and Przybylski (2019) noted that “until they are displaced by a new technological innovation, digital screens will remain a fixture of human experience” (p. 694).

Three or more Authors: Larson et al. (2018) stated, "another potential alternative might involve a creative merger of electronic media and outdoor time to promote nature connection" (p. 982). 

Narrative Direct Quotation With an Embedded Source:  Larson et al. (2018) points out, "However, though they did not assess broader outdoor time, Kellert et al. (2017) found no discernible differences among boys’ and girls’ nature-based recreation" (p. 968). 

Note: Larson et al. would be cited in your reference page but not Kellert et al. as that is the embedded source. 

 Parenthetical Direct  Quotation With Page Numbers 

When citing multiple authors after a quotation, the ampersand symbol '&' is used instead of the word 'and'.

"Quote" (Author, Year, p. #)

Single Author:  "Even with airtight routines and procedures in place, you will have students who engage in inappropriate behaviors" (Simmons, 2019, p. 46). 

Two Authors:   “Until they are displaced by a new technological innovation, digital screens will remain a fixture of human experience” (Orben  &  Przybylski,  2019, p. 694).

Three or more Authors:   "Another potential alternative might involve a creative merger of electronic media and outdoor time to promote nature connection" ( Larson et al., 2018,  p. 982). 

Parenthetical Direct Quotation With an Embedded Source:  "However, though they did not assess broader outdoor time, Kellert et al. (2017) found no discernible differences among boys’ and girls’ nature-based recreation" (Larson et al., 2018, p. 968). 

Note: Larson et al. would be cited in your reference page but not Kellert et al.  as that is the embedded source. 

Narrative Direct Quotation Without Page Numbers

Author (Year) "Quote" (Identifying information such as paragraph number, slide number, or section).

Single Author : Cubellis (2018) stated, "Research has not been able to demonstrate the benefit of homework on student performance" (Slide 21).

Two Authors : Rabadi and Ray (2017) indicated that "There was broad consensus among educators that modeling appropriate classroom behavior sets the tone for children" (para. 13). 

Three or more Authors: Nowacek et al. (2019) highlighted, " Turning our attention to more immediate pedagogical implications, we learn from our research that writers engage in transfer talk more often than some research would lead us to expect, but not always in the ways we had anticipated" (Implications section). 

Narrative Direct Quotation With an Embedded Source:   Rabadi and Ray (2017) frame the problem as: "Over a decade ago, David Smit declared that 'overwhelmingly the evidence suggests that learners do not necessarily transfer the kinds of knowledge and skills they have learned previously to new tasks' (119)" (Introduction section).

Note: Rabadi and Ray. would be cited in your reference page but not David Smit as that is the embeded source. 

Parenthetical Direct Quotation Without Page Numbers

Single Author :  "Research has not been able to demonstrate the benefit of homework on student performance" (Cubellis,  2018,  Slide 21).

Two Authors : "There was broad consensus among educators that modeling appropriate classroom behavior sets the tone for children" (Rabadi  & Ray, 2017,  para. 13). 

Three or more Authors:  " Turning our attention to more immediate pedagogical implications, we learn from our research that writers engage in transfer talk more often than some research would lead us to expect, but not always in the ways we had anticipated" (Nowacek  et al., 2019,  Implications section). 

Parenthetical Direct Quotation With an Embedded Source:   "Over a decade ago, David Smit declared that 'overwhelmingly the evidence suggests that learners do not necessarily transfer the kinds of knowledge and skills they have learned previously to new tasks' (119)" (Rabadi & Ray, 2017, Introduction section).

Note: Rabadi and Ray. would be cited in your reference page but not David Smit as that is the embedded source. 

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  • Last Updated: Jul 16, 2021 2:43 PM
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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / APA style direct quotes and block quotes

APA style direct quotes and block quotes

Using an APA style direct quote, block quote, or paraphrase is one way to appropriately give credit where it is due and to avoid plagiarism.

What is a direct quote vs. a block quote vs. a paraphrase?

It’s important to know the difference between a direct quote, a block quote, and a paraphrase.

Otherwise, you may get flagged for plagiarizing someone else’s work when you didn’t mean to.

Direct quote:

A direct quote is a statement that is taken verbatim (word-for-word) from a text or speaker.

Block quote:

A block quote is a long direct quote that is separated from the regular text. By APA standards, you use a block text for quotes that are 40 words or longer.

Paraphrase:

A paraphrase differs from a direct quote in that the writer is putting someone else’s thoughts and ideas into their own words.

When you decide to talk about a published work in your paper, the first question to ask is if it’s best to paraphrase or directly quote from that work. Further explanations and examples of a direct quote, a block quote, and a paraphrase are provided below to help you make an educated choice.

Paraphrasing in APA style

Paraphrasing is recommended and often used by academic scholars because it helps to synthesize complex concepts. When a source is paraphrased, a citation still needs to be included.

Regardless of whether a source is paraphrased or directly quoted, it must include an APA in-text citation to avoid the perils of plagiarism.

Original quote:

Marshall McLuhan famously stated in Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man , “the medium is the message” (McLuhan, 1964, p. 2).

Paraphrase example:

Marshall McLuhan proposed in Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man that the medium used to transmit a message is often more important than the content of the message itself (McLuhan, 1964, p. 2).

Although it is not required in APA citation style, adding the page or paragraph number in the citation for an APA paraphrase can also help readers locate the passage within the source.

Using direct quotes in APA style

Sometimes it’s necessary to reproduce another work verbatim to convey the exact meaning. In fact, direct quotes should be used when citing a definition and when the author’s specific rhetoric or phrasing is being analyzed.

Keep in mind that different academic journals and instructors may have limits for how many direct quotes they are willing to accept.

Direct quote example:

Gandhi defined democracy as being, “based on the idea that I do, should provide the same opportunities weaker than stronger. Only nonviolence can achieve this goal” (Gandhi, 1952).

In-text citations: Parenthetical vs. narrative citation

There are two different ways to include an APA in-text citation with a quote: parenthetical and narrative.

Both are mentioned within the text and include the author’s last name and the year the source was published. The difference is whether the author’s surname is used as a descriptive element within the sentence or simply to cite the work.

Parenthetical in-text citations

An APA parenthetical citation can appear within or at the end of a sentence, but it must include both the author and the date in parenthesis, separated by a comma.

Single author parenthetical citation example:

“Oh father – do you mean you have found a new way to work?”  exclaims the character Cassandra in the novel, I Capture the Castle (Dodie, 1948, p. 341).

Organizational author parenthetical citation example:

The incidence of the novel coronavirus in the United States from June–August 2020 was highest in persons aged 20–29 years (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020).

Two authors parenthetical citation example:

Their relationship is explained in All the President’s Men as, “Bernstein looked like one of those counterculture journalists that Woodward despised. Bernstein thought that Woodward’s rapid rise at the Post had less to do with his ability than his Establishment credentials” (Bernstein & Woodward, 1974, p. 15).

Three or more authors parenthetical citation example:

Internal communication is integral to internal public relations with links to positive organizational and employee outcomes (Karanges et al., 2014).

Narrative in-text citations

For a narrative citation, the author’s surname appears within a sentence and the date shows up in parentheses immediately after the author’s name.

Single author narrative citation example:

In her poem, I know Why the Caged Bird Sings , Angelou (1969) describes opposing experiences.

Organizational author narrative citation example:

The U.S. Census Bureau (2020) found that only 10% of all U.S. homes, or about 11 million housing units, were aging-ready, based on the 2011 data.

Two authors narrative citation example:

Vialli and Marcotti (2007) detail how the characteristics of England and Italy, two of the most passionate soccer-playing countries, affect the game.

Three or more authors narrative citation example:

Milli et al. (2017) assert that despite being paid less, women’s earnings are increasingly important to the economic stability of families.

Using short, direct quotations

Short quotes are those consisting of less than 40 words, and they are incorporated into the sentence. Also, an ellipsis (with a space before and after) should only be used at the beginning or end of a quotation if the source includes an ellipsis.

Including page numbers

When using a direct quote, always provide the author, year, and page number of the source for both parenthetical and narrative citations. There is a specific way to format page numbers in APA citations. When the quote is from a single page simply use “p.” But when there are multiple pages being referenced, use the abbreviation “pp.” and an en dash to indicate the page range (pp. 34–38). If the pages are not within a range, simply use a comma to indicate the disparate pages (pp. 45, 72).

No pages numbers, no problem

When a direct quote has no page number, for any number of reasons (it’s a webpage or e-book, for example), provide an alternative method for locating the quoted passage. A subsection heading, or paragraph number can work in place of a page number.

When quotes include errors

Direct quotes often contain errors because writers and speakers are fallible. If the error is distracting, it is recommended that content be paraphrased. If the direct quote is required to understand the full meaning of the statement, the direct quote must match the original verbatim, including spelling and punctuation. If errors make the direct quote difficult to read, the word “[ sic ],” italicized and in brackets, can be inserted immediately after the error within the quote.

Changing quotes

There are a very limited number of cases in which a direct quote may need to be edited or changed, such as capitalizing the beginning of a sentence or adding punctuation to the end of the quote. All changes must be indicated. Square brackets should be used to highlight any additions or explanations inserted into a direct quote. In the case of omitting words within a quotation, an ellipsis in parenthesis can be used.

When respondents provide direct quotes

When conducting research, participants are often quoted regarding their perceptions or experiences. The same rules apply, but it is important to mention that the quote is from a research respondent. Ethical considerations should also take priority when determining whether to name direct quotes from participants.

Short, direct quote examples:

Mr. Ripley remarked, “I certainly didn’t mean to alarm anybody when I said what I did about his depression. I felt it was a kind of duty to tell you and Mr. Greenleaf” in his attempt to shift attention away from his wrongdoing (Highsmith, 1955, p. 190).

As Highsmith (1955) describes, Mr. Ripley couldn’t be sure if he had been found out, “Tom was wringing the shoe in his hands like a pair of gloves now, yet still keeping the shoe in position, because Marge was staring at him in a funny way. She was thinking. Was she kidding him?” (p. 216).

Block quotes: The longer the quote, the bigger the block

Sometimes less than 40 words isn’t long enough for a direct quote to make its mark. That’s when a block quote is necessary.

Here are block quote guidelines:

  • A block quotation starts on a new line with a 0.5-inch indentation from the left margin.
  • The lines are double spaced (like the rest of the paper).
  • There are no quotation marks at either the beginning or end of the block.
  • Note: Longer passages like block quotes can also be credited using APA footnotes .

Block quote example 1:

Lawyers often enjoy laughing at themselves, as is evident in the book, The World’s Funniest Lawyer Jokes , which includes this anecdote:

An airliner was having engine trouble, and the pilot instructed the cabin crew to have the passengers take their seats and get prepared for an emergency landing. A few minutes later, the pilot asked the flight attendants if everyone was buckled up and ready. ‘All set back here, Captain.’ came the reply, ‘except the lawyers are still going around passing out business cards.’ (Price, 2011, p. 103)

Block quote example 2:

McCullough (1968) describes the Johnstown Flood of 1889 as it passed through and devastated several Pennsylvania towns:

Unlike East Conemaugh, Woodvale got no warning. It was all over in about five minutes. The only building left standing was the woolen mill, and there was only part of that. At the western end of the town, the end almost touching Johnstown, stood the Gautier works, part of it in Woodvale, part in Conemaugh borough. The huge works sent up a terrific geyser of steam when the water hit its boilers, and then the whole of it seemed simply to lift up and slide off with the water … There was not a tree, not a telegraph pole, not a sign of where the railroad has been. Two hundred and fifty-five houses had been taken off, and there was no way of telling where they had been. (p. 127)

Published October 28, 2020.

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Block Quotes
  • et al Usage
  • In-text Citations
  • Multiple Authors
  • Paraphrasing
  • Page Numbers
  • Parenthetical Citations
  • Reference Page
  • Sample Paper
  • APA 7 Updates
  • View APA Guide

Citation Examples

  • Book Chapter
  • Journal Article
  • Magazine Article
  • Newspaper Article
  • Website (no author)
  • View all APA Examples

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Direct Quote

What is direct quoting.

Using an author or speaker’s exact words. The material is copied word-for-word from a source without changes to the original.

Characterist ics of a Direct Quote

  • Is copied word-for-word
  • Uses quotation marks
  • Uses a signal phrase to introduce information about the source before the quote ( learn more about signal phrases)
  • Credits original source with the author, year, and page (or alternate identification such as “para.” for paragraph
  • Is less than 40 words (short quotation)
  • Is more than 40 words (block quotation)

When quoting works longer than 40 words, use a block quotation format:

  • Indent 1/2 inch from the left margin
  • Do not use quotation marks
  • Double-space the entire quotation
  • Include in-text citation at end of quote OR include author information in the narrative introducing the block quotation
  • Introduce block quotation with a complete sentence followed by a colon
  • Include the period at the end of the quotation instead of after the citation

Block Quote Example:

Direct long quotation example

When to Use Direct Quoting 

  • When you cannot easily express the same idea in your own words
  • When using your own words would lessen the impact of the original language
  • When original writing has striking or memorable author statements, expert opinions
  • When you plan to argue against a writer’s ideas and want to accurately state them
  • Don’t over quote. Overusing direct quotes lessons the impact of your writing and the demonstration of the control and knowledge over the subject matter.
  • Don’t use two direct quotes in a row.

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  • How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago

How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago

Published on April 15, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Jack Caulfield. Revised on May 31, 2023.

Quoting means copying a passage of someone else’s words and crediting the source. To quote a source, you must ensure:

  • The quoted text is enclosed in quotation marks or formatted as a block quote
  • The original author is correctly cited
  • The text is identical to the original

The exact format of a quote depends on its length and on which citation style you are using. Quoting and citing correctly is essential to avoid plagiarism which is easy to detect with a good plagiarism checker .

How to Quote

Table of contents

How to cite a quote in apa, mla and chicago, introducing quotes, quotes within quotes, shortening or altering a quote, block quotes, when should i use quotes, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about quoting sources.

Every time you quote, you must cite the source correctly . This looks slightly different depending on the citation style you’re using. Three of the most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

Citing a quote in APA Style

To cite a direct quote in APA , you must include the author’s last name, the year, and a page number, all separated by commas . If the quote appears on a single page, use “p.”; if it spans a page range, use “pp.”

An APA in-text citation can be parenthetical or narrative. In a parenthetical citation , you place all the information in parentheses after the quote. In a narrative citation , you name the author in your sentence (followed by the year), and place the page number after the quote.

Punctuation marks such as periods and commas are placed after the citation, not within the quotation marks .

  • Evolution is a gradual process that “can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin, 1859, p. 510) .
  • Darwin (1859) explains that evolution “can act only by very short and slow steps” (p. 510) .

Complete guide to APA

Citing a quote in mla style.

An MLA in-text citation includes only the author’s last name and a page number. As in APA, it can be parenthetical or narrative, and a period (or other punctuation mark) appears after the citation.

  • Evolution is a gradual process that “can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin 510) .
  • Darwin explains that evolution “can act only by very short and slow steps” (510) .

Complete guide to MLA

Citing a quote in chicago style.

Chicago style uses Chicago footnotes to cite sources. A note, indicated by a superscript number placed directly after the quote, specifies the author, title, and page number—or sometimes fuller information .

Unlike with parenthetical citations, in this style, the period or other punctuation mark should appear within the quotation marks, followed by the footnote number.

Complete guide to Chicago style

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Make sure you integrate quotes properly into your text by introducing them in your own words, showing the reader why you’re including the quote and providing any context necessary to understand it.  Don’t  present quotations as stand-alone sentences.

There are three main strategies you can use to introduce quotes in a grammatically correct way:

  • Add an introductory sentence
  • Use an introductory signal phrase
  • Integrate the quote into your own sentence

The following examples use APA Style citations, but these strategies can be used in all styles.

Introductory sentence

Introduce the quote with a full sentence ending in a colon . Don’t use a colon if the text before the quote isn’t a full sentence.

If you name the author in your sentence, you may use present-tense verbs , such as “states,” “argues,” “explains,” “writes,” or “reports,” to describe the content of the quote.

  • In Denmark, a recent poll shows that: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
  • In Denmark, a recent poll shows that support for the EU has grown since the Brexit vote: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
  • Levring (2018) reports that support for the EU has grown since the Brexit vote: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (p. 3).

Introductory signal phrase

You can also use a signal phrase that mentions the author or source, but doesn’t form a full sentence. In this case, you follow the phrase with a comma instead of a colon.

  • According to a recent poll, “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
  • As Levring (2018) explains, “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (p. 3).

Integrated into your own sentence

To quote a phrase that doesn’t form a full sentence, you can also integrate it as part of your sentence, without any extra punctuation .

  • A recent poll suggests that EU membership “would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” in a referendum (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
  • Levring (2018) reports that EU membership “would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” in a referendum (p. 3).

When you quote text that itself contains another quote, this is called a nested quotation or a quote within a quote. It may occur, for example, when quoting dialogue from a novel.

To distinguish this quote from the surrounding quote, you enclose it in single (instead of double) quotation marks (even if this involves changing the punctuation from the original text). Make sure to close both sets of quotation marks at the appropriate moments.

Note that if you only quote the nested quotation itself, and not the surrounding text, you can just use double quotation marks.

  • Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “ “ Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, ” he told me, “ just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had ” ” (Fitzgerald 1).
  • Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had ” (Fitzgerald 1).
  • Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had’” (Fitzgerald 1).
  • Carraway begins by quoting his father’s invocation to “remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had” (Fitzgerald 1).

Note:  When the quoted text in the source comes from another source, it’s best to just find that original source in order to quote it directly. If you can’t find the original source, you can instead cite it indirectly .

Often, incorporating a quote smoothly into your text requires you to make some changes to the original text. It’s fine to do this, as long as you clearly mark the changes you’ve made to the quote.

Shortening a quote

If some parts of a passage are redundant or irrelevant, you can shorten the quote by removing words, phrases, or sentences and replacing them with an ellipsis (…). Put a space before and after the ellipsis.

Be careful that removing the words doesn’t change the meaning. The ellipsis indicates that some text has been removed, but the shortened quote should still accurately represent the author’s point.

Altering a quote

You can add or replace words in a quote when necessary. This might be because the original text doesn’t fit grammatically with your sentence (e.g., it’s in a different verb tense), or because extra information is needed to clarify the quote’s meaning.

Use brackets to distinguish words that you have added from words that were present in the original text.

The Latin term “ sic ” is used to indicate a (factual or grammatical) mistake in a quotation. It shows the reader that the mistake is from the quoted material, not a typo of your own.

In some cases, it can be useful to italicize part of a quotation to add emphasis, showing the reader that this is the key part to pay attention to. Use the phrase “emphasis added” to show that the italics were not part of the original text.

You usually don’t need to use brackets to indicate minor changes to punctuation or capitalization made to ensure the quote fits the style of your text.

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apa direct quoting

If you quote more than a few lines from a source, you must format it as a block quote . Instead of using quotation marks, you set the quote on a new line and indent it so that it forms a separate block of text.

Block quotes are cited just like regular quotes, except that if the quote ends with a period, the citation appears after the period.

To the end of his days Bilbo could never remember how he found himself outside, without a hat, a walking-stick or any money, or anything that he usually took when he went out; leaving his second breakfast half-finished and quite unwashed-up, pushing his keys into Gandalf’s hands, and running as fast as his furry feet could carry him down the lane, past the great Mill, across The Water, and then on for a mile or more. (16)

Avoid relying too heavily on quotes in academic writing . To integrate a source , it’s often best to paraphrase , which means putting the passage in your own words. This helps you integrate information smoothly and keeps your own voice dominant.

However, there are some situations in which quoting is more appropriate.

When focusing on language

If you want to comment on how the author uses language (for example, in literary analysis ), it’s necessary to quote so that the reader can see the exact passage you are referring to.

When giving evidence

To convince the reader of your argument, interpretation or position on a topic, it’s often helpful to include quotes that support your point. Quotes from primary sources (for example, interview transcripts or historical documents) are especially credible as evidence.

When presenting an author’s position or definition

When you’re referring to secondary sources such as scholarly books and journal articles, try to put others’ ideas in your own words when possible.

But if a passage does a great job at expressing, explaining, or defining something, and it would be very difficult to paraphrase without changing the meaning or losing the weakening the idea’s impact, it’s worth quoting directly.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • ChatGPT vs human editor
  • ChatGPT citations
  • Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
  • Using ChatGPT for your studies
  • What is ChatGPT?
  • Chicago style
  • Paraphrasing
  • Critical thinking

 Plagiarism

  • Types of plagiarism
  • Self-plagiarism
  • Avoiding plagiarism
  • Academic integrity
  • Consequences of plagiarism
  • Common knowledge

A quote is an exact copy of someone else’s words, usually enclosed in quotation marks and credited to the original author or speaker.

In academic writing , there are three main situations where quoting is the best choice:

  • To analyze the author’s language (e.g., in a literary analysis essay )
  • To give evidence from primary sources
  • To accurately present a precise definition or argument

Don’t overuse quotes; your own voice should be dominant. If you just want to provide information from a source, it’s usually better to paraphrase or summarize .

Every time you quote a source , you must include a correctly formatted in-text citation . This looks slightly different depending on the citation style .

For example, a direct quote in APA is cited like this: “This is a quote” (Streefkerk, 2020, p. 5).

Every in-text citation should also correspond to a full reference at the end of your paper.

A block quote is a long quote formatted as a separate “block” of text. Instead of using quotation marks , you place the quote on a new line, and indent the entire quote to mark it apart from your own words.

The rules for when to apply block quote formatting depend on the citation style:

  • APA block quotes are 40 words or longer.
  • MLA block quotes are more than 4 lines of prose or 3 lines of poetry.
  • Chicago block quotes are longer than 100 words.

If you’re quoting from a text that paraphrases or summarizes other sources and cites them in parentheses , APA and Chicago both recommend retaining the citations as part of the quote. However, MLA recommends omitting citations within a quote:

  • APA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic (Jones, 2015; Sill, 2019; Paulson, 2020) shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).
  • MLA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).

Footnote or endnote numbers that appear within quoted text should be omitted in all styles.

If you want to cite an indirect source (one you’ve only seen quoted in another source), either locate the original source or use the phrase “as cited in” in your citation.

In scientific subjects, the information itself is more important than how it was expressed, so quoting should generally be kept to a minimum. In the arts and humanities, however, well-chosen quotes are often essential to a good paper.

In social sciences, it varies. If your research is mainly quantitative , you won’t include many quotes, but if it’s more qualitative , you may need to quote from the data you collected .

As a general guideline, quotes should take up no more than 5–10% of your paper. If in doubt, check with your instructor or supervisor how much quoting is appropriate in your field.

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Using In-text Citation

Include an in-text citation when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source. For every in-text citation in your paper, there must be a corresponding entry in your reference list.

APA in-text citation style uses the author's last name and the year of publication, for example: (Field, 2005). For direct quotations, include the page number as well, for example: (Field, 2005, p. 14). For sources such as websites and e-books that have no page numbers , use a paragraph number, for example: (Field, 2005, para. 1). More information on direct quotation of sources without pagination is given on the APA Style and Grammar Guidelines web page.

Example paragraph with in-text citation

A few researchers in the linguistics field have developed training programs designed to improve native speakers' ability to understand accented speech (Derwing et al., 2002; Thomas, 2004). Their training techniques are based on the research described above indicating that comprehension improves with exposure to non-native speech.   Derwing et al. (2002) conducted their training with students preparing to be social workers, but note that other professionals who work with non-native speakers could benefit from a similar program.

Derwing, T. M., Rossiter, M. J., & Munro, M. J. (2002). Teaching native speakers to listen to foreign-accented speech.  Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development , 23 (4), 245-259.

Thomas, H. K. (2004).  Training strategies for improving listeners' comprehension of foreign-accented speech  (Doctoral dissertation). University of Colorado, Boulder.

Citing Web Pages In Text

Cite web pages in text as you would any other source, using the author and date if known. Keep in mind that the author may be an organization rather than a person. For sources with no author, use the title in place of an author.

For sources with no date use n.d. (for no date) in place of the year: (Smith, n.d.). For more information on citations for sources with no date or other missing information see the page on missing reference information on the APA Style and Grammar Guidelines web page. 

Below are examples of using in-text citation with web pages.

Web page with author:

In-text citation

Heavy social media use can be linked to depression and other mental disorders in teens (Asmelash, 2019).

Reference entry

Asmelash, L. (2019, August 14). Social media use may harm teens' mental health by disrupting positive activities, study says . CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/13/health/social-media-mental-health-trnd/index.html

Web page with organizational author:

More than 300 million people worldwide are affected by depression (World Health Organization, 2018).

World Health Organization. (2018, March 22).  Depression . https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression

Web page with no date:

Establishing regular routines, such as exercise, can help survivors of disasters recover from trauma (American Psychological Association [APA], n.d.).

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Recovering emotionally from disaste r. http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/recovering-disasters.aspx

General Guidelines

In-text references should immediately follow the title, word, or phrase to which they are directly relevant, rather than appearing at the end of long clauses or sentences. In-text references should always precede punctuation marks. Below are examples of using in-text citation.

Author's name in parentheses:

One study found that the most important element in comprehending non-native speech is familiarity with the topic (Gass & Varonis, 1984).

Author's name part of narrative:

Gass and Varonis (1984) found that the most important element in comprehending non-native speech is familiarity with the topic.

Group as author: First citation: (American Psychological Association [APA], 2015) Subsequent citation: (APA, 2015)

Multiple works: (separate each work with semi-colons)

Research shows that listening to a particular accent improves comprehension of accented speech in general (Gass & Varonis, 1984; Krech Thomas, 2004).

Direct quote: (include page number and place quotation marks around the direct quote)

One study found that “the listener's familiarity with the topic of discourse greatly facilitates the interpretation of the entire message” (Gass & Varonis, 1984, p. 85).

Gass and Varonis (1984) found that “the listener’s familiarity with the topic of discourse greatly facilitates the interpretation of the entire message” (p. 85).

Note:  For direct quotations of more than 40 words , display the quote as an indented block of text without quotation marks and include the authors’ names, year, and page number in parentheses at the end of the quote. For example:

This suggests that familiarity with nonnative speech in general, although it is clearly not as important a variable as topic familiarity, may indeed have some effect. That is, prior experience with nonnative speech, such as that gained by listening to the reading, facilitates comprehension. (Gass & Varonis, 1984, p. 77)

Works by Multiple Authors

APA style has specific rules for citing works by multiple authors. Use the following guidelines to determine how to correctly cite works by multiple authors in text. For more information on citing works by multiple authors see the APA Style and Grammar Guidelines page on in-text citation .

Note: When using multiple authors' names as part of your narrative, rather than in parentheses, always spell out the word and. For multiple authors' names within a parenthetic citation, use &.

One author: (Field, 2005)

Two authors: (Gass & Varonis, 1984)

Three or more authors:   (Tremblay et al., 2010)

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Work Quoted in Another Source

Sometimes an author of a book, article or website will mention another person’s work by using a quotation or paraphrased idea from that source. ( This may be called a secondary source.)  For example, the Kirkey article you are reading includes a quotation by Smith that you would like to include in your essay.

  • If it is possible to retrieve the original source of the quotation (in this case, Smith), verify the quote and cite the original source.
  • You will add the words “as cited in” to your in-text citation. Examples below.

Examples of in-text citations:

According to a study by Smith (as cited in Kirkey, 2013) 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia.

Smith (as cited in Kirkey, 2013) states that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (p. 34).

Example of Reference list citation:

Kirkey, S. (2013, Feb 9). Euthanasia.   The Montreal Gazette , p A10. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstand Major Dailies database.

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APA Direct Quotes – Understanding & Usage

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When creating your research paper , it’s crucial to avoid plagiarism , which is identifiable when directly replicating someone’s words or core concepts. With the APA style , it’s commonplace to utilize direct quotations; these are exact phrases from the source text. Hence, it’s advised that students employ careful strategies when incorporating these quotations into their work. Additionally, it’s important to remember that understanding and appropriately using the APA citation style can greatly minimize the risk of plagiarism.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

  • 1 APA Direct Quotes – In a Nutshell
  • 2 Definition: APA direct quotes
  • 3 Citing APA direct quotes
  • 4 APA direct quotes without page number
  • 5 APA direct quotes: More than 40 words
  • 6 Altering APA Direct Quotes

APA Direct Quotes – In a Nutshell

  • An exact copy of the text from another author’s work or your own previously published work is called a direct quotation if well represented; otherwise, it is plagiarism.
  • Include the APA direct quotes in your paragraph, and enclose it in double quotation marks if it is less than 40 words.
  • If there are no page numbers, indicate the paragraph number or the time. In the reference list, provide a comprehensive reference of the APA direct quotes.

Definition: APA direct quotes

Direct quotations are taken verbatim from the source. APA direct quotes are frequently used in the middle of a paragraph.

If you don’t use double quotation marks at the start and conclusion of a quote, utilize the exact words from the source material, and cite your sources correctly, your work can be mistaken for plagiarism.

When citing APA direct quotes, you must always include:

APA-Direct-Quotes-definition

Citing APA direct quotes

You must provide an in-text citation when you make references to sum up APA direct quotes or to paraphrase another source.

There must be a reference list record for each in-text citation used in your essay.

The author’s last name and the year of publication are used in APA in-text citations, as used in:

  • (Field, 2005).
  • Include the page number when using direct quotations: (Field, 2005, p. 14).
  • Use a paragraph number for sources like websites and e-books that lack page numbers: (Field, 2005, para. 1).

Parenthetical and narrative in-text citations are both acceptable in this style of presenting APA direct quotes.

APA-Direct-Quotes-Narrative-and-Parenthetical-1

APA direct quotes without page number

In order to properly credit a source, you must include the passage’s precise location in your APA in-text citation whenever you use APA direct quotes or paraphrase a specific passage. If the material is lengthy and there are no page numbers (as when citing a website), you can use

  • paragraph numbers
  • section headings
  • a combination of both
  • (Caulfield, 2019, Linking section, para. 1).

If necessary, section headers can be condensed . Since they are inaccurate, Kindle location numbers shouldn’t be used in e-book citations.

A timestamp is a string of characters or encoded data that indicates the time and date of an event occurrence. It typically includes the date and time, but can also be accurate to a small fraction of a second. When referencing a video or audio source and need to highlight a particular section, include a timestamp in your APA in-text reference. Specify only the timestamp from the beginning of the passage you are quoting.

  • (TED, 2020, 1:59).

APA direct quotes: More than 40 words

APA direct quotes of 40 words or more should be placed in a block of freestanding typed lines without quotation marks. Place the quotation at the beginning of a new line, 1/2 inch from the left margin, just as you would a new paragraph.

In order to properly format block APA direct quotes, the following is required:

APA-Direct-Quotes-Block-quotes-1

Note: block APA direct quotes should be used sparingly. Block quotations tend to take over the paper’s voice, often overshadowing the author’s voice with that source’s voice. Instead, if at all possible, try to quote smaller portions of the piece of text and incorporate these into your voice. This practice will allow you to establish your voice as the author and show how you engage with the information, not just report it.

Multiple paragraphs in block quotes

APA-Direct-Quotes-more-Blocks

Altering APA Direct Quotes

Use square brackets rather than parentheses for anything like a comment or explanation you’ve added to a quotation. Use italics to draw attention to a particular word or words within a quotation. Put “emphasis added” in square brackets below the italicized text, like in this example: [emphasis added].

Shortening APA direct quotes

By deleting words, phrases, or sentences and replacing them with an ellipsis, you can condense a text if some of its sentences are pointless or unnecessary. Before and after the ellipsis, leave a space and ensure that omitting the terms doesn’t alter the intended meaning.

Adding words/phrases to APA direct quotes

Square brackets—[]—denote changes made to direct quotations when new words are added or removed. The words enclosed in the brackets, usually used in pairs, help integrate the quote into the writer’s phrase, clarify the meaning, or give a brief explanation.

Correcting APA Direct Quotes

Using brackets, you can modify or add words to APA direct quotes. Changes can be made to fix tense or add crucial details. Pronoun consistency inside a quote can also be achieved by using brackets. However, brackets shouldn’t be utilized to alter the quote’s meaning.

Ireland

Can there be direct quotes in APA?

A complete citation with the page number must always be included for APA direct quotes in the same sentence (or other location information, e.g., paragraph number). Include a parenthetical citation either directly after the quotation or at the end of the sentence.

How do you list a direct quote in APA?

Before the list, use a signal phrase to introduce the source in your text. The list should be single-spaced; you can put any word changes or additions in brackets. Put a citation after the final item in the list and if the list ends with a period, put your citation after that. This is a crucial approach when attempting to pull off APA direct quotes.

How do you cite a quote in APA 7th edition?

Place parenthesis containing the APA direct quotes’ author, publication year, and page number(s) after the passage. Put a “p.” before the page number if the quotations are one page long.

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

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In-Text Citations

Resources on using in-text citations in APA style

Reference List

Resources on writing an APA style reference list, including citation formats

Other APA Resources

Shapiro Library

APA Style: Basics

This is a top resource--highly recommended!

Citations for Direct Quotations

A direct quotation is a verbatim reproduction from another work. The APA recommends paraphrasing when possible. The format of the quotation and the in-text citation depends on the length of the quotation. The in-text citation will include the author, year, and page number(s). The page number format is different for single pages, a page range, and non-consecutive (discontinuous) pages. The APA formats direct quotations into short quotations (fewer than 40 words), and block quotations (40 words or more). 

Page Numbers

No Page Numbers? Check out the APA Style's section on Direct Quotation of Material Without Page Numbers This link opens in a new window . You can use section names, paragraph numbers, time stamps (for audiovisual works), and more. 

Short Quotations

Short quotations contain fewer than 40 words. To incorporate this type of quotation into your work enclose the words in quotation marks. Do not add an ellipsis unless one is used in source. Add a full in-text citation in the same sentence.

Parenthetical Citation

General Format

A parenthetical citation can be either immediately following the quotation or at the end of the sentence.

Text "quote" (Author, Year, Page).

Text "quote" (Author, Year, Page) more text.

For Example

Mental health care for veterans and active duty military needs to be greatly improved. One tool that is used is the Combat Exposure Scale (CES) this is a "seven-item self-report measure that assesses wartime stressors experienced by combatants" (Lawhorne-Scott et al., 2012, p. 36).

Narrative Citation

A narrative citation typically includes the author and year before the quotations and the page number(s) after the quotation.

Author (Year) text "quote" (Page).

However if the quote begins the sentence, the author will follow in a narrative form with the year and date in parentheses afterwards.

"Quote" text Author (Year, Page) more text.

Chen et al. (2019) noted that "an increased patient–nurse ratio would induce nurses’ intention to leave their job" (p. 12).

"Workforce staffing and scheduling for clinical units in healthcare system is a formidable challenge" wrote Sedeh (2018, p. 1) in their review of nurse staffing in emergency room departments.

Block Quotations

Block quotations contain 40 words or more. To incorporate this type of quotation into your work you will need to begin the quotation on a new line, indent the left margin for the entire quotation, and double-space the quotation. Add a full in-text citation either in the narrative while including the page numbers at the end after the quotation's final punctuation, or a parenthetical citation after the last punctuation.

A parenthetical citation is placed after the quote's final punctuation.

The symptoms of anxiety can be debilitating:

A narrative citation typically includes the author and year before the block quotation and the page number(s) immediately after the quotation's last punctuation.

Chen et al. (2019) detail how hospitals are in the business of saving lives and those in charge have a lot to take into account when planning their nurse-patient ratios:

  • << Previous: Citations for Paraphrased Sources
  • Next: Formatting Authors in In-Text Citations >>

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In-text citations

In-text citation examples, personal communications.

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A parenthetical citation includes the last name(s) of the author(s) followed by a comma and the page number(s). The parenthetical citation can be at the end of a sentence or may be in the middle of a sentence if needed to be clear on what is being cited.

A company should always do what is right regardless of the consequences, but doing the right thing tends to result in the best outcomes (Dunn, 2016).

Because doing the right thing is always the best choice (Dunn, 2016), corporate leaders must carefully develop a strong ethical compass.

A narrative citation is used when the author’s name is part of the text. In these cases, the author’s name does not need to be repeated in the parenthetical reference.

Dunn (2016) asserts the view that though a company should do what is right regardless of the potential consequences, ethical actions often produce the best possible outcomes for all (p. 22).

For more on in-text citations of a paraphrase, see opens new window https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/paraphrasing

When quoting a source directly, page numbers are used to indicate the location of the quoted text. Though page numbers are not required for a paraphrase, it may be helpful to include page numbers to indicate the location of the paraphrased text. If the source has no page numbers, other location indicators, such as paragraph or section numbers may be used.

“Fundraising is an art and a science” (Garry, 2017, p. 99).

It is hard to predict how donors will respond to an appeal, but in time fundraisers learn to trust their intuition regarding the best approach (Garry, 2017, p. 99).

For more on citing quotations, See opens new window https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/quotations

Personal communications are sources that can not be recovered or accessed by the reader because they are not published. This includes emails, texts, conversations (in person, by phone or video conference, etc.), online chats, interviews, classroom lectures, memos, letters, etc. If the information is not available from any recoverable (published) source, it can be cited as a personal communication. Because the reader can not access the information in personal communications, they will not be included in the reference list, but cited in the text only.

In an interview, Benjamin Colby (personal communication, July 25, 2015) mentioned . . . .

A. J. Montoya (personal communication, February 4, 2020) emailed detailed financials to the research team . . . .

In a lecture on November 1, 2021, to a BUS 326 class, Dr. Dash said . . . .

More information is available on the APA Style website .

  • << Previous: Reference Citation Formats
  • Next: Articles from Journals, Magazines and Newspapers >>
  • Last Updated: Jan 26, 2024 10:32 AM
  • URL: https://library.oru.edu/APA

In-text citation

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  • Other styles AGLC4 APA 7th Chicago 17th (A) Notes Chicago 17th (B) Author-Date Harvard MLA 9th Vancouver
  • Referencing home

The APA 7th style uses in-text citations when referring to or quoting people’s work. The essential elements of an in-text citation are the author surname/s and year.

Two types of in-text citations

1. author prominent format.

Use this format if you want to emphasise the author. Their name becomes part of your sentence.

Jones (2018) concluded that the treatment was effective in 74% of cases.

Author prominent citations are also referred to as parenthetical citations.

2. Information prominent format

Use this format if you want to emphasise the information. It cites the author’s name, typically at the end of a sentence.

...as evidenced by a recent Australian study of the treatment's effectiveness (Jones, 2018).

Information prominent citations are also referred to as narrative citations.

The following examples show how to form in-text citations according to number of authors and other considerations.

Surname, Year

Hawkins (2020) reported that the results of the study were inconclusive.

. . . the results of the study were inconclusive (Hawkins, 2020).

Two authors

Both surnames in the order listed on the publication and the year.

For author prominent citations, use “and” between the author names.

For information prominent citations, & between the author names.

Bovey and Hede (2013) argue that . . .

. . . is a significant factor (Bovey & Hede, 2013).

Three or more authors

Cite the first author followed by et al. and year

Robbins et al. (2017) note that leadership empathy and good communication are key to negotiating successful organisational change.

They may be required to work harder now there are … perform the same tasks (Robbins et al., 2017).

Different authors, same surname

When two or more authors have the same surname, add their initials to distinguish between them

P. R. Smith (1945) adopted a unique approach . . . . . . later in the text . . . This idea was first advanced by S. Smith (1935).

Research conducted by W.O. Brown and Jones (1985) was influenced by the work of S.A. Brown and Smith (1961).

The corresponding information prominent citations would be:

(P.R. Smith, 1945)

(S. Smith, 1935)

(W.O. Brown & Jones, 1985)

(S.A. Brown & Smith, 1961)

Multiple authors, ambiguous citations

Distinguish identical multiple-author citations with the same year by adding an additional surname, followed by a comma and et al.

Instead of just Brown et al. (1998), add additional author surnames to distinguish between separate works that Brown co-authored that year:

Brown, Shimamura, et al. (1998)

Brown, Taylor, et al. (1998).

The corresponding information prominent citations would be (Brown, Shimamura, et al., 1998), and (Brown, Taylor, et al., 1998).

  • For further guidance see the APA Style website - Citing multiple works…

Same author, two or more works

Author surname, then years separated by a commas, in chronological order.

Reimer (2017, 2018, 2019) considered this phenomenon across various studies . . .

. . . this phenomenon was considered across various studies (Reimer, 2017, 2018, 2019).

Same author, multiple works and same year

Assign a suffix of a, b, c, d, etc. after the year, according to alphabetical listing by title in the reference list.

Stairs (1992b) examined . . . . . . later in the text . . . According to Stairs (1992a) . . .

. . . was recently considered (Stairs, 1992b) . . . . . . later in the text . . . . . . the results were inconclusive (Stairs, 1992a).

  • For multiple references by the same author with no date, after n.d. add a hyphen and then the suffix e.g. (Dreshcke n.d.-b)

Multiple works from various authors

You may want to cite works from various authors to more strongly support a particular point you are making.

List each work alphabetically by surname in alphabetical order, separated by semicolons.

. . . as proposed by various researchers (Adams et al., 2020; Green, 2019; Hall & Clark, 2021).

Green (2019), Adams et al. (2020), and Hall and Clark (2021) analysed . . .

  • In the author prominent citation there is no requirement to order the citations alphabetically

If the author is identified as 'Anonymous'

Use 'Anonymous' as the surname.

Anonymous (2019)

(Anonymous, 2019)

Unknown author

Give the first few words of the title. If the title is from an article or a chapter, use double quotation marks. If the title is from a periodical, book brochure, or report, then use italics.

. . . the worst election loss in the party's history ("This is the end," 1968).

Corporate or group author

If the organisation has a recognisable abbreviation

First listing: Organisation name [Abbreviation], Year Subsequent: Abbreviation, Year

Where the organisation abbreviation is not widely known

Use the name in full every time

Census data gives valuable insights into... (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2021).

Australia's next census will be held on 10th August 2021 (ABS, 2021).

Author quoted directly

Occasionally it may be necessary to include in your work a quotation from an author.

Always include a page number when you have to cite directly from a source.

If no page numbers are available (e.g. in a website), include a paragraph number.

Use accepted abbreviations like p. for page and para. for paragraph

Gittins (2006) suggests that "the key to understanding microeconomics is to realise that its overwhelming focus is on the role of price" (p. 18).

Weston (1988) stated "the darkest days were still ahead" (p. 45).

A patient is in pain when they tell you and "it is important to believe the patient so as to build a trusting relationship" (Phipps et al., 1983, p.45).

Personal communications

Private letters, e-mail and conversations require only an in-text citation, which includes the date of the communication (Month DD, YYYY).

Personal communications are not included in reference lists, as they are not accessible to others.

R. Smith (personal communication, January 28, 2020) . . .

. . . (R. Smith, personal communication, January 28, 2020)

Author referred to in a secondary source

The original author is cited together with the secondary author.

Only do this when the original is unavailable and only include what you have actually read.

Farrow (1968, as cited in Ward & Decan, 1988) . . .

Ward and Decan (1988) cited Farrow (1968) as finding . . .

. . . (Farrow, 1968, as cited in Ward & Decan, 1988).

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  • Last Updated: Feb 23, 2024 9:04 AM
  • URL: https://guides.lib.monash.edu/apa-7

IMAGES

  1. Direct Quote

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  2. Direct Quote More Than 40 Words Apa Example

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  3. Apa Citation Direct Quote More Than 40 Words

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  4. Direct Quotes In Apa

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  5. How to Cite Direct Quotes: APA Seventh Edition

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  6. Apa Direct Quote In Text Citation

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COMMENTS

  1. Quotations

    For a direct quotation, always include a full citation ( parenthetical or narrative) in the same sentence as the quotation, including the page number (or other location information, e.g., paragraph number). Place a parenthetical citation either immediately after the quotation or at the end of the sentence.

  2. Direct quotes in APA Style

    A direct quote is a piece of text copied word-for-word from a source. You may quote a word, phrase, sentence, or entire passage. There are three main rules for quoting in APA Style: If the quote is under 40 words, place it in double quotation marks. If the quote is 40 words or more, format it as a block quote.

  3. In-Text Citations: The Basics

    If you are referring to an idea from another work but NOT directly quoting the material, or making reference to an entire book, article or other work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication and not the page number in your in-text reference.

  4. Direct Quotes

    Three or more authors: Only cite the first author, followed by et al. If directly quoting, include the author, year of publication, and page number for the reference. Introduce the quote with a phrase like according to or state the author's last name.

  5. Library Guides: APA 7th referencing style: Direct quotations

    What is a direct quotation? A direct quotation reproduces word-for-word material taken directly from another author's work, or from your own previously published work. If the quotation is fewer than 40 words, incorporate it into your paragraph and enclose it in double quotation marks.

  6. Citing Direct Quotations

    The APA formats direct quotations into short quotations (fewer than 40 words), and block quotations (40 words or more). Page Numbers No Page Numbers? Check out the APA Style's section on Direct Quotation of Material Without Page Numbers . You can use section names, paragraph numbers, time stamps (for audiovisual works), and more. Short Quotations

  7. Direct Quote

    General Guidelines: Direct Quote. Quoted material should be reproduced word-for-word. Always include the author's last name, year of publication, and page number (s). Use 'p.' for a single page number (Example: p. 15) and 'pp.' for multiple page numbers (Example: pp. 125-126). If citing a source without page numbers, cite the paragraph number ...

  8. APA Style 6th Edition Blog: How to Cite Direct Quotations

    How to Cite Direct Quotations. by Timothy McAdoo. One of our goals for this blog is to convey that following the guidelines of APA Style need not restrict your flexibility as a writer. Because of space limitations, many style points illustrated in the APA Publication Manual show only one or two examples. We're happy that the blog now allows ...

  9. APA style direct quotes and block quotes

    A direct quote is a statement that is taken verbatim (word-for-word) from a text or speaker. A block quote is a long direct quote that is separated from the regular text. By APA standards, you use a block text for quotes that are 40 words or longer. A paraphrase differs from a direct quote in that the writer is putting someone else's thoughts ...

  10. APA In-Text Citations (7th Ed.)

    Direct quotes in APA Style A direct quote is copied word-for-word from a source. When quoting in APA, you need to cite the author, year, and page number. 272. Setting Up the APA Reference Page | Formatting & References (Examples) The APA reference page starts with the label "References" in bold and centered. Double-space all text and apply ...

  11. Direct Quote

    Direct Quote What Is Direct Quoting? Using an author or speaker's exact words. The material is copied word-for-word from a source without changes to the original. Characterist ics of a Direct Quote Is copied word-for-word Uses quotation marks

  12. APA Style 6th Edition Blog: Direct quotations

    The examples in the following blog post are in sixth edition APA Style. by Chelsea Lee. All APA Style in-text citations have two parts: the author and the date. Some in-text citations also include page numbers (or other location information when page numbers are not available, as with some online materials). This post describes when and how to ...

  13. Direct Quotation of Material Without Page Numbers

    To directly quote from material with canonically numbered sections (e.g., religious or classical works), use the name of the book, chapter, verse, line, and/or canto instead of a page number. The person vowed to "set me as a seal upon thine heart" ( King James Bible, 1769/2017, Song of Solomon 8:6). For plays, cite the act, scene, and line (s).

  14. How to Quote

    Citing a quote in APA Style. To cite a direct quote in APA, you must include the author's last name, the year, and a page number, all separated by commas. If the quote appears on a single page, use "p."; if it spans a page range, use "pp.". An APA in-text citation can be parenthetical or narrative.

  15. Direct Quotes

    When directly quoting a poetic, classical, or religious work in the text, the APA manual says to use "canonically numbered parts common across editions (e.g., books, chapters, verses, lines, cantos)" (p. 303) instead of page numbers. Examples

  16. Library Guides: APA Quick Citation Guide: In-text Citation

    APA in-text citation style uses the author's last name and the year of publication, for example: (Field, 2005). For direct quotations, include the page number as well, for example: (Field, 2005, p. 14). ... Note: For direct quotations of more than 40 words, display the quote as an indented block of text without quotation marks and include the ...

  17. APA Citation Guide (7th Edition): Works Quoted in Another Source

    APA Citation Guide (7th Edition): Works Quoted in Another Source Work Quoted in Another Source Sometimes an author of a book, article or website will mention another person's work by using a quotation or paraphrased idea from that source. (This may be called a secondary source.)

  18. APA Direct Quotes ~ Understanding & Usage

    When citing APA direct quotes, you must always include: Avoid point deductions in your final paper Citing sources or paraphrasing passages incorrectly are common causes for point deductions. Take just 10 minutes out of your schedule to run your paper through our online plagiarism checker and submit your paper with confidence.

  19. APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

    Resources on writing an APA style reference list, including citation formats. Basic Rules Basic guidelines for formatting the reference list at the end of a standard APA research paper Author/Authors Rules for handling works by a single author or multiple authors that apply to all APA-style references in your reference list, regardless of the ...

  20. WHY USE QUOTATIONS?

    When directly quoting from a source, the author's last name, the year of publication, and the page num-ber where the quote was found needs to be present in the citation. This can be done in one of two ways. The first example shows the full citation at the end of the direct quote. The second example uses the au-thor's name and date within ...

  21. Research Guides: APA Style: Basics: Citing Direct Quotations

    A direct quotation is a verbatim reproduction from another work. The APA recommends paraphrasing when possible. The format of the quotation and the in-text citation depends on the length of the quotation. The in-text citation will include the author, year, and page number (s).

  22. Citing Sources with APA 7th Edition: In-text citations

    Guide to citations according to APA 7th edition with examples of business source citations. Reference Citation Formats. In-text citations. In-text citation examples. Articles from Journals, Magazines and Newspapers. Bible. Dictionary or Encyclopedia. Social Media and Blogs. Web pages.

  23. In-text citation

    The APA 7th style uses in-text citations when referring to or quoting people's work. The essential elements of an in-text citation are the author surname/s and year. Two types of in-text citations 1. Author prominent format. Use this format if you want to emphasise the author. Their name becomes part of your sentence.