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how to cite a quote

To cite a quote, you need to (1) copy the exact words, (2) show clearly who said/wrote them, and (3) give enough information for the reader to find the original source.

Below is a “Quick Scoop”-style guide you could turn into a post.

How to Cite a Quote

(Quick Scoop for essays, articles, and posts) Quoting gives your writing authority, but only if you show exactly where the words came from.

Mini-Section 1: The Absolute Basics

Think of citing a quote as answering three questions for your reader:
Who said it? Where did they say it? How can I find it?

Any time you use someone else’s exact words, you must:

  • Put the quote in quotation marks (or use a block quote for long passages).
  • Keep the wording identical to the original.
  • Add a brief in-text citation right after the quote.
  • List full details in a reference list or bibliography at the end (for formal writing).

“Quoting means copying a passage of someone else’s words and crediting the source.”

That line itself is a quote: you’d need to say where it came from.

Mini-Section 2: The Three Big Styles (APA, MLA, Chicago)

Different contexts prefer different citation styles.

  • APA – common in social sciences and psychology.
  • MLA – common in literature and humanities.
  • Chicago – common in history and some humanities, often using footnotes.

1. APA style: Author–Year–Page

In APA, a direct quote usually needs three things in-text: author’s last name, year, and page.

  • Parenthetical example:

“This is a quote” (Streefkerk, 2020, p. 5).

  • Narrative example:

Streefkerk (2020) argues that “this is a quote” (p. 5).

Key points in APA:

  • If it’s one page: use “p.”; if it’s a range: use “pp.”
  • The final period comes after the closing parenthesis, not inside the quotation marks.
  • Long quotes (over about 40 words) are formatted as a block quote, indented, usually without quotation marks.

2. MLA style: Author–Page

In MLA, you use the author’s last name and the page number, usually without a comma.

  • Parenthetical example:

“This is a quote” (Smith 42).

  • Narrative example:

Smith argues that “this is a quote” (42).

Key points in MLA:

  • No year in the in-text citation.
  • The period comes after the parenthesis.
  • Long quotes (usually more than four lines) become block quotes.

3. Chicago style: Footnotes

Chicago often uses footnotes instead of in-text parentheses.

  • In the text, you add a superscript number right after the quote.
  • At the bottom of the page (or end of the chapter), the matching note gives full details: author, title, publication info, page.

Example flow:

“This is a quote.”¹

Then in the footnote:

  1. Darwin, The Origin of the Species , 510.

In Chicago, the period usually stays inside the quotation marks, followed by the superscript note number.

Mini-Section 3: Step-by-Step “How To”

You can treat any style as the same basic 7-step process.

  1. Choose your citation style.
    • Academic paper? Follow your teacher’s or journal’s rules.
    • Online article or blog? Choose one style and stay consistent.
  1. Copy the quote exactly.
    • No silent edits; if you skip words, use ellipses; if you add clarification, use brackets.
  1. Add quotation marks (unless it’s a block quote).
    • Short quotes = regular quotation marks.
 * Long quotes = block quote, indented, often without quotation marks.
  1. Place the in-text citation immediately after the quote.
    • APA: (Author, Year, p. X).
 * MLA: (Author X).

 * Chicago: superscript number, footnote/endnote.
  1. Keep punctuation in the right place.
    • APA/MLA: period after the citation.
 * Chicago: period inside the quote, then footnote number.
  1. Include the full source at the end.
    • Reference list (APA), Works Cited (MLA), or Bibliography/Notes (Chicago).
  1. Check for consistency.
    • Same pattern for every quote from that style guide.

Mini-Section 4: Quick Examples You Can Reuse

Here’s a compact set of templates you can adapt.

APA (article example)

  • In-text:

“The rise of social media has transformed how we communicate” (Smith, 2023, p. 42).

  • Reference list:

Smith, J. (2023). Title of article. Title of Journal, 10(2), 40–50.

MLA (book example)

  • In-text:

“Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration” (Edison 15).

  • Works Cited:

Edison, Thomas. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

Chicago (book example)

  • In-text:

“History is written by the victors.”²

  • Note:

2. Author First Last, Title of Book (City: Publisher, Year), 123.

Mini-Section 5: Special Situations

Sometimes quotes get tricky—here’s how to handle common edge cases.

  • Long quotes (over ~40 words APA, over 4 lines MLA):
    • Use a block quote: new line, indent, usually single spaced; citation at the end.
  • Quotes inside quotes (nested quotes):
    • Outer quote uses standard quotation marks; inner quote uses single quotation marks in many styles.
* If you only quote the inner part, just use regular quotation marks.
  • Indirect quotes (“as cited in”):
    • Best practice: track down and cite the original source.
* If you can’t, you can use constructions like “as cited in [Author, Year]”.
  • Web pages without page numbers:
    • Use section headings or paragraph numbers if your style allows, e.g., (“Crime Scene” section).

Mini-Section 6: Different Viewpoints on “How Much” to Quote

Writers and teachers don’t always agree on how much to quote, but there are some recurring perspectives.

  • Minimalist view:
    • Quote sparingly; paraphrase most ideas to show you understand them.
* Save direct quotes for definitions, powerful wording, or phrases that lose impact if rephrased.
  • Evidence-heavy view:
    • Use more quotes in analysis-heavy writing, like literary criticism, where specific wording matters.
* The quote is the “evidence,” and your sentences around it are the “analysis.”
  • Readable web-writing view:
    • For blogs and online content, shorter quotes are usually better; readers skim.
* Integrate quotes smoothly so they don’t feel like copy-paste blocks.

Most educators and editors agree on one thing: never use quotes without attribution, and avoid stuffing in so many quotes that your own voice disappears.

Mini-Section 7: Fast Checklist (Paste-Ready)

Use this before you hit publish or submit:

  1. Did I put other people’s exact words in quotation marks (or block quotes)?
  1. Did I include an in-text citation immediately after each quote?
  1. Is the citation formatted consistently in one style (APA/MLA/Chicago)?
  1. Is the punctuation in the right place for that style?
  1. Do all in-text citations have a matching entry in the reference list / Works Cited / bibliography?
  1. Have I paraphrased where possible instead of over-quoting?

If you can say “yes” to each of these, you’re citing quotes correctly for most academic and online contexts.

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Learn how to cite a quote step by step with clear APA, MLA, and Chicago examples. Avoid plagiarism, format quotes correctly, and keep your writing credible and professional.

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