how to cite a quote in apa
To cite a quote in APA, include the author, year, and page (or other locator) with the quote, and format it differently depending on length and how you weave it into your sentence.
How to Cite a Quote in APA (Quick Scoop)
The core APA rule for quotes
For any direct quote in APA Style, you need three pieces in your in‑text citation:
- Author’s last name
- Year of publication
- Page number (or paragraph/section if no pages)
Basic pattern for a short quote (under 40 words):
“Quote goes here” (Author, Year, p. 23).
Or, if you mention the author in the sentence:
Author (Year) argued that “Quote goes here” (p. 23).
Behind the scenes, every quote you use must also have a matching full reference in your reference list at the end of the paper.
Short quotes vs. block quotes
1. Short quotes (under 40 words)
- Keep the quote inside double quotation marks.
- Blend it into your sentence.
- Put the in‑text citation right before the period at the end of the sentence.
Examples:
- Parenthetical style:
“Students have difficulty with formatting” (Betts, 2018, p. 200).
- Narrative style (you name the author in the sentence):
Betts (2018) stated that “students have difficulty with formatting” (p. 200).
Key details:
- Use p. for a single page, pp. for a page range:
(Smith, 2020, pp. 45–46).
- The period comes after the closing parenthesis of the citation, not before the quotation marks.
2. Block quotes (40+ words)
When your quote hits 40 words or more, APA wants you to slow down and give it special formatting:
- Start the quote on a new line.
- Indent the entire block about 0.5 inches from the left margin.
- Do not use quotation marks.
- Double‑space the whole block, like the rest of your essay.
- Put the citation after the final period of the block.
Example (conceptual layout, not exact spacing here):
According to Smith (2020), student writers face several recurring issues:
Students frequently struggle with applying citation rules consistently. They may understand the basics in theory, but in practice, issues with punctuation, page numbers, and formatting creep in. These small errors can accumulate and affect the clarity and credibility of their work. (pp. 45–46)
If the block quote has multiple paragraphs, indent the first line of each new paragraph again within the block.
Narrative vs. parenthetical style (how to “weave” the quote)
When you cite a quote in APA, you choose between two in‑text styles:
Narrative citation
You make the author part of your sentence:
- Pattern:
Author (Year) “quote” (p. x).
Examples:
-
Johnson (2021) notes that “online classes demand more self‑discipline from students” (p. 14).
-
For block quotes, you often put the author and year in the introducing sentence and the page at the end of the block.
Parenthetical citation
You put the whole citation in parentheses at the end:
- Pattern:
“Quote” (Author, Year, p. x).
Example:
-
“Online classes demand more self‑discipline from students” (Johnson, 2021, p. 14).
You can mix and match depending on the flow:
- Author in the sentence, year and page in parentheses:
As Johnson (2021) explains, “online classes demand more self‑discipline from students” (p. 14).
No page number? What to do instead
Online articles and web pages often don’t have page numbers. APA still wants you to point your reader to the location of the quote. You can:
- Use a paragraph number :
(Lopez, 2022, para. 4)
- Use a heading + paragraph number :
(Lopez, 2022, “Student Motivation” section, para. 2)
- Very short pages (like a short webpage) can sometimes omit locators, but if your quote is from a specific part of a long text, APA prefers you to give some kind of locator.
Quoting within a quote (nested quotes)
Sometimes your source is quoting someone else and you need that exact wording.
- Use double quotation marks for your main quote.
- Use single quotation marks inside it for the quote within the quote.
Example:
As Carter (2019) noted, “One student told me, ‘I finally understand APA now,’ after the workshop” (p. 32).
If you only need the inner quote (the part inside the single quotation marks),
it’s usually better to track down the original source and cite that directly.
If you can’t, you can use an indirect citation with “as cited in”:
“I finally understand APA now” (Student, as cited in Carter, 2019, p. 32).
In the reference list, you include only the work you actually read (Carter, not the student).
Tweaking quotes: omissions and clarifications
To keep quotes readable and relevant, APA allows light editing—as long as you’re transparent.
- Use […] (ellipsis with brackets) to show you left something out in the middle of a quote:
“APA citations help writers […] maintain academic integrity” (Lee, 2020, p. 11).
- Use [square brackets] to add or clarify a word:
“They [students] struggled with the new formatting rules” (Lopez, 2021, p. 7).
Rules of thumb:
- Don’t change the meaning of the quote.
- Don’t use an ellipsis at the start or end of a quote unless it’s already there in the original.
- Maintain original spelling, capitalization, and punctuation unless you need to correct an obvious error (in which case, you can quietly fix it).
Putting it all together: step‑by‑step
Here’s a quick sequence you can follow each time you cite a quote in APA:
- Check the word count.
- Under 40 words → short quote with quotation marks.
- 40+ words → block quote.
- Choose narrative or parenthetical style.
- Do you want to emphasize the author (narrative) or the point (parenthetical)?
- Build the citation.
- Author’s last name.
- Year of publication.
- Page number or alternative locator.
- Place punctuation correctly.
- Short quote: citation goes before the period.
- Block quote: citation goes after the final period in the block.
- Add the source to your reference list.
- Match author and year exactly so readers can find the full reference easily.
APA quote examples by source type
Here are some quick templates in plain text you can adapt.
Book (short quote, narrative)
According to Smith (2020), “clear citation practices improve students’ confidence in academic writing” (p. 58).
Book (short quote, parenthetical)
“Clear citation practices improve students’ confidence in academic writing” (Smith, 2020, p. 58).
Journal article, no author in sentence
“Feedback is most effective when delivered close to the time of performance” (Garcia & Lin, 2021, p. 302).
Webpage with no page numbers
“Online learners benefit from explicit guidance on citation rules” (Khan, 2023, para. 6).
Or with section:
“Online learners benefit from explicit guidance on citation rules” (Khan, 2023, “Academic Skills” section, para. 3).
Mini FAQ for APA quotes
Q: Do I always need a page number for a quote?
A: For direct quotes, yes—use a page if available; otherwise use a paragraph
or section locator. Q: Can I quote whole paragraphs?
A: You can, but if it’s 40+ words, format it as a block quote. Use long quotes
sparingly; instructors usually prefer more of your own analysis. Q: Do I
still need a reference list entry if I’ve cited the quote in‑text?
A: Yes. Every in‑text citation needs a matching full reference at the end
(unless it’s a personal communication like an email or interview that APA
handles differently).
Quick HTML table for APA quote basics
| Situation | How to format the quote | In-text citation pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Short quote (< 40 words) | In quotation marks, part of your sentence | “Quote” (Author, Year, p. x). |
| Block quote (≥ 40 words) | New line, indented block, no quotation marks | Block text. (Author, Year, p. x) |
| Narrative style | Author named in the sentence | Author (Year) “quote” (p. x). |
| Parenthetical style | Author not in sentence | “Quote” (Author, Year, p. x). |
| No page numbers | Use paragraph or section locator | “Quote” (Author, Year, para. x) or (Author, Year, “Section Title,” para. x). |
| Quote inside a quote | Double quotes outside, single quotes inside | Author (Year) wrote, “She said, ‘I get APA now’” (p. x). |