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How to Cite a Play in APA, MLA, or Chicago

You can cite a play as either a live performance or script.

Citing a Live Performance

EasyBib has a form to cite a performance that has been viewed live. For instructions on how to cite a live performance, visit this guide on citing Hamilton  the musical in MLA, APA, and Chicago .

Citing a Play Script

If you are citing a play found as an entire source, cite it as a book (and use our book citation form ).

MLA Format (9 th edition)

STRUCTURES:

(Playwright last name page#)

Works Cited:

Playwright last name, First name. Play Title. Publisher, edition (if applicable), publication year.

Hwang, David Henry. M Butterfly . Plume, 1989.

APA 7 Format

If you’re merely paraphrasing or discussing a play in general terms, you’re not required to use a page number or other locator. But if you directly quote a play script, you must include a location for the relevant passage. For plays, this often means including a page number(s).

However, some plays use books, chapters, verses, lines, or cantos to distinguish specific parts of a play. The examples below include citations for both a modern play script with a page number and a play by Shakespeare with an act, scene, and line number.

(Since Shakespeare’s works appear in republications, there are two years in the source citations: the original publication year/the republication year).

(Playwright last name, year, p. page#)

           (Playwright last name, year, Act#.Scene#.Line#)

References:

Playwright last name, First initials. (Year published). Play Title . Publisher.

           Playwright last name, First initial. (Year of republished play). Classic Play Title. (First initials. Last Name, Ed.). Publisher. (Original work published Year)

(Hwang, 1989, p. 22)

Hwang, D. H. (1989).  M butterfly . Plume.

          (Shakespeare, 1603/2008, 1.4.5)

Shakespeare, W. (2008). Hamlet (S. Greenblatt, Ed.). W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. (Original work published 1603)

Chicago Format

Author-Date Format In-text:

(Playwright Last Name Publication Year, page#)

         (Playwright Last Name Publication Year, Act#.Scene#.Line#)

Author-Date Format Reference:

Playwright Last Name, First Name. Publication Year. Play Title. City: Publisher.

Playwright last name, First Name. Publication Year. Classic Play Title , edited by First Name Last Name. City: Publisher.

Note Format:

• Playwright First Name Last Name, Play Title (City: Publisher, Year), page #.
• Classic Play Title , ed. Editor First Name Last Name. (City: Publisher, Year), Act#.Scene#.Line#. References are to act, scene, and line.

Bibliography Format:

Playwright Last Name, First name. Play Title . City: Publisher, Year.

          Classic Play Title . Edited by First Name Last Name. Edition Details. City: Publisher, Year.

Author-Date:

(Hwang 1989, 22)

           (Shakespeare 1603, 1.4.5)

Hwang, David Henry. 1989.  M Butterfly . New York: Plume.

           Shakespeare, William. 2004. Hamlet,  edited by Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House.

• David Henry Hwang, M Butterfly  (New York: Plume, 1989), 22.
• Hamlet , ed. Harold Bloom. (Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2004), 1.4.5. References are to act, scene, and line.

Bibliography:

Hwang, David Henry. M Butterfly . New York: Plume, 1989.

         Hamlet . Edited by Harold Bloom. Major Literary Characters, 1st ser. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2004.

Updated July 10, 2022.

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How to cite a play in APA

To cite a play in a reference entry in APA style 6th edition include the following elements:

• Author(s) of the play: Give the last name and initials (e. g. Watson, J. D.) of up to seven authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For eight or more authors include the first six names followed by an ellipsis (…) and add the last author's name.
• Year of publication: Give the year in brackets followed by a full stop.
• Title of the play: Only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.
• Place of publication: List the city and the US state using the two-letter abbreviation. Spell out country names if outside of the UK or the USA.
• Publisher: Give the name of the publisher but omit terms, such as Publishers, Co., and Inc. Retain the words Books and Press.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a play in APA style 6th edition:

Author(s) of the play . ( Year of publication ). Title of the play . Place of publication : Publisher .

To cite a play in a reference entry in APA style 7th edition include the following elements:

• Author(s) of the play: Give the last name and initials (e. g. Watson, J. D.) of up to 20 authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For 21 or more authors include the first 19 names followed by an ellipsis (…) and add the last author's name.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a play in APA style 7th edition:

Author(s) of the play . ( Year of publication ). Title of the play . Publisher .

APA reference list examples

Take a look at our reference list examples that demonstrate the APA style guidelines for a play citation in action:

A play with one author

Williams, T . ( 2009 ). Cat on a hot tin roof . London, England : Penguin Classics .

Williams, T . ( 2009 ). Cat on a hot tin roof . Penguin Classics .

A play with two authors

Manoussi, J., & Timmory, G . ( 1902 ). Un beau marriage . Paris, France : Librairie Théâtrale .

A book with two authors

Manoussi, J., & Timmory, G . ( 1902 ). Un beau marriage . Librairie Théâtrale .

APA in-text citations

APA-style in-text citations for plays follow the standard author-date format used for other mediums like books.

In practice, using one of the examples of plays from above, an in-text citation will look like this:

Similar to his other works, Cat on a hot tin roof explores the theme of the broken man (Williams, 2009) .

When citing plays, you can expand on the in-text citation by adding the act, scene, and line number at the end of the citation. Take a look at this example:

In-text citation of a play including act, scene and line numbers

This passage of Hamlet is essential to establishing the resolve in Gertrude's character (Shakespeare, trans. 1992, 1.2.70-72 ).

This citation style guide is based on the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association ( 6 th edition).

More useful guides

• APA citation guide on plays
• Santa Monica College APA guide for theatre arts

More great BibGuru guides

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• Chicago: how to cite an annual report
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Theater Arts Resources: Citing

• Theater@Duquesne

http://Image: Indoor Panorama from Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London, 2001

Citing Dramatic Works in MLA Format, 8th Edition

In-text citations.

Citing in-text from a play (short quotation)

If the quote is only one line place quotation marks around the quote then in paraphrases include the author's last name, act.scene.line. If the play is not divided into acts, scenes and lines then cite the page number in the paraphrases.

         Example: "This is a sorry sight" (Shakespeare 2.2.26).

If the quote is two or three lines then place a forward slash between each line.

        Example: "Come, you spirits / That tend on my mortal thoughts, unsex me here" (Shakespeare 1.5.46).

Citing in-text from a play (long quotation)

When quoting a conversation between two or more characters in a play, indent 1/2 an inch from the left margin then begin with the character's name in all capital letters and follow the name with a period. Do the same for each character.

Example: HE. You saw nothing in Hiroshima. Nothing.....

SHE. I saw everything. Everything.. The hospital, for

      instance, I saw it. I'm sure I did. There is a hospital

      in Hiroshima. How could I help seeing it?....

HE: You did not see the hospital in Hiroshima. You saw

              nothing in Hiroshima. (Dura 15-17)

Citing Prose Plays vs Verse Plays

When citing prose plays, use the page number first, followed by a semicolon and then other identifying information (e.g. Miller 9; Act 1). When citing verse plays with line numbers provided, use those instead of page numbers, separating division numbers with a period. 

On a Works Cited Page

Citing a play published as a book

When citing a play in a bibliography first place the playwrights last name then first, the title of the play should be italics, then add the publisher and publication year.

             Example: Shakespeare, William. Macbeth , Bedford/St. Martins, 1999.

Citing a play in an anthology

When citing a play from an anthology first cite the playwright, name of the play in italics, the name of the anthology also in italics , who the anthology was edited by then the publisher, publication year and page numbers.

      Example:

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. William Shakespeare: The Complete Works , edited by            _____ Stanley Well et al., Oxford University Press, 1998, pp. 2501-2565.

The et al. is included when three or more contributors perform the same function.  

Citing a play from a database

When citing from a database use the author's last and first name, the title of the play in italics, the name of the publisher, the publication year, the name of the database in italics and then the link to the database.

     Example:

Shakespeare, William, et al. Macbeth . Yale University Press, 2005. JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1nq91p.

Citing a play published as an eBook

When citing as an eBook use the author's last and first name, the title of the play in italics, then put the word "e-book" or if you have used a specific device then replace "e-book" with "[App/Service] ed.". Then use with the name of the publisher, the publication year.

    Example: Shakespeare, William. The Winter's Tale , Kindle ed., Simon & Schuster, 2016.

Citing a play from web site

When citing as a play use the author's last and first name, the title of the play in italics, the name of the website in italics and web site link.

    Example: Shakespeare, William. As You Like It , The Complete Works of William Shakespeare,     ______________ http://shakespeare.mit.edu/asyoulikeit/index.html

Our Sources:

Modern Language Association of America.  MLA Handbook.   Eighth ed. 2016. Print.

" MLA Works Cited : Electronic Sources (Web Publications)." Purdue Writing Lab, https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_electronic_sources.html

Citing prose vs verse plays is from this library guide: https://rdc.libguides.com/c.php?g=529924&p=3624428

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MLA Style Guide -- DRAMA

• Citing Shakespeare

When citing plays by William Shakespeare, you may abbreviate the title of a work if you will cite it frequently in your writing. 

• Use the full title at its first mention in your text, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. E.g. "In  All's Well That Ends Well (AWW),  Shakepeare..."
• Any subsequent references to the title may be abbreviated.
• See the  MLA Handbook , sections 7.7 & 7.7.2 for more information. The  Handbook  is available at the reference desk/ERC service desk at all campuses.

See the document below for commonly-used Shakespeare abbreviations.

• Abbreviations for Shakespeare Plays

Sample In-Text Citations

Citing Drama

The text of a play is cited differently from traditional prose works. Because plays are often printed in many editions and anthologies, it is customary to cite the act, scene, and line number rather than the page number in your in-text citations.

Tips for citing plays:

• Begin with the broadest division (usually act) and continue through the smallest division (usually scene or line).
• Separate each division with a period. Label each division so the reader knows exactly where to find the quotation in the text.
• Some plays will contain more or fewer divisions than act, scene, & line. Use as much information as is available in the text.

If you have included the author's name elsewhere in your paper, you do not need to include it in your parenthetical citation. Instead, include the first significant word of the title.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quoting a Single Character MLA 6.4.8

If you quote a remark from one character, you can incorporate it into the body of the paragraph.

Nora's epiphany occurs when she realizes her husband will never reciprocate the sacrifices she's made to protect his pride. She finally stands up to Helmer, telling him, "You neither think nor talk like the man I could join myself to" ( Doll a ct 3).

(Note: Ibsen's A Doll House is divided by act only. This will be the only division you can cite.)

Although Oedipus blames the gods for his tragic fate, he admits that his latest misfortune is his own doing when he cries, "But the blinding hand was my own! How could I bear to see when all my sight was horror everywhere?" ( Oedipus exodus. strophe 2. lines 114-116).

(Note: Oedipus Rex is broken into numerous divisions; all available divisions are included in the citation.)

Quoting Dialogue (2 or More Characters) MLA 3.7.4

Tips for quoting dialogue:

• Begin the quotation on a new line.
• Set the quotation off from the body of your paper with one inch indentations.
• If a character's speech continues onto the next line of your paper, indent subsequent lines an additional 1/4 inch (about 3 spaces).
• Double-space each line.
• Write the characters' names in capital letters followed by a period.
• Do not use quotation marks.

      OEDIPUS. Ah, what net has God been weaving for me?

      IOCASTÊ. Oedipus! What does this trouble you?

      OEDIPUS. Do not ask me yet. First, tell me how Laïos looked, and tell me how old he was.

      IOCASTÊ. He was tall, his hair just touched with white; his form was not unlike your own.

      OEDIPUS. I think that I myself may be accursed by my own ignorant edict. ( Oedipus scene 2. antistrophe 2. lines 211-216)

      KROGSTAD. Yes, yes, yes, to the point: there's still time, and I'm advising you to use your

         influence to prevent it.

      NORA. But Mr. Krogstad, I have absolutely no influence.

      KROGSTAD. You haven't? I thought you were just saying -

      NORA. You shouldn't take me so literally! How can you believe that I have any such influence

          over my husband? ( Doll act 1)

Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll House. Trans. Rolf Fjelde. Literature: Reading, Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. Robert DiYanni. 6th ed.

         Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 1666-1715. Print.

Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. Robert

         DiYanni. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 1307-1346. Print.

Sample Citations

The format of your citation will depend on the source of the play. Plays are usually published in one of the following sources:

• A literature or drama anthology
• A collection of one author's works
• As a single volume

Tips for Citing Drama:

• If the play is in an anthology, look at the title page to see if there is an editor.
• Always begin the citation with the playwright, NOT the editor of the anthology.
• Italicize the title of the play. If the play is in an anthology, italicize both the title of the play and the title of the anthology.

Play in an Anthology or Collection  MLA 5.5.6

   Anthology, Playwright and Editor

Begin the citation with the playwright, not the editor of the anthology.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  

A Collection of Plays by a Single Playwright

If the play is published in a collection that has no editor on the title page, use the anthology format, but omit the editor.

If you are citing more than one play from the same collection, create a citation for each play.

Play Published as a Single Volume MLA 5.5.2

Cite the play as you would a book.

Stoppard, Tom. The Real Thing . Boston: Faber, 1984. Print.

Play in an eBook MLA 5.6.2c

Cite the play as you would a print book, followed by:

• The name of the database in which you accessed the eBook
• The medium of publication (Web)
• The most recent date you accessed the eBook 

Shepard, Sam.  Buried Child: A Play.  Rev. ed. New York: Vintage, 2006. Ebrary.  Web. 16 Apr. 2013.

   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Live Performance MLA 5.7.4

   The example below is for a live performance.

See the appropriate citation format for:

• A recorded performance on film or DVD
• A performance viewed via library databases.

   Example:

• Last Updated: Feb 22, 2023 11:10 AM
• URL: https://libguides.msjc.edu/citationguide

• Walsh University

Q. When citing a line from Shakespeare in an essay, I note the reference following the quotation. Do I include a bibliography with the cite, too?

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Was this helpful? Yes 17 No 9

Answered By: Katie Hutchison Last Updated: Dec 04, 2018     Views: 46998

Yes, you should do a bibliographic entry for the work as well.

Shakespearean citations look a little different than a typical in-text citation. Follow the below guidelines:

1. List the abbreviation for the title of the play you are citing. The MLA lists abbreviations for all plays; see the reference list of this article for more information. The abbreviation for the title of the play should appear in italics.

2. List the act, scene and lines that you are referring to. These should be separated by periods. Enclose your citation in parentheses. For example: (Mac. 1.3.14-17) refers to Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 14 to 17 of "Macbeth."

3. Omit the abbreviation for the title if the play you are referring to is clear from the context of your paper. In this case, the citation would simply appear as follows: (1.3.14-17)

4. Format your reference list entry in the following format: Author. Title of Play. Name of Editor. City of Publication, Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication. For example: Shakespeare, William. Macbeth . Ed. James Smith. Boston, English Play Press, 2010. Print. Be sure to italicize the name of the play.

1. List "Shakespeare" as the author's name, followed by a comma.

2. List the year of translation, followed by a comma, if translated. For example: trans. 2010,

3. List the act, scene, and lines you are citing, separated by periods. For example: 1.3.14-17

4. Enclose the entire citation within parentheses. For example: (Shakespeare, trans. 2010, 1.3.14-17). Only use this if the play you are citing is obvious and has been mentioned in your paper. If the play appears in the original Shakespearean English, you need only give the year of publication. In this case, omit "trans." from your citation. For example: (Shakespeare, 2010, 1.3.14-17).

5. Format your reference list entry in the following format: Author. (Year). Title. (Translator.). City, State of Publication: Publisher. (Original work published year). For example: Shakespeare, W. (2010). Macbeth. (B. Smith, Trans.). Boston, MA: English Play Press. (Original work published 1699). Be sure to italicize the name of the play. If the publication appears in the original Shakespearean, omit translation information from your citation. For example: Shakespeare, W. (2010). Macbeth. Boston, MA: English Play Press. (Original work published 1699).

Links & Files

• The Correct Way to Cite Shakespearean Works
• Writing and Citing

Comments (1)

• What should I do if I have multiple lines that are separate? For example, all in one sentence, I used a quote from act 1, scene 2, lines 67-68 and another from act 1, scene 2, lines 98-99. What would my in-text citation look like? by ai on May 11, 2022

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To cite or not to cite? That is the question! And the answer is, of course, that you should always cite your sources. Failing to include citations for any sources that you’ve used in the writing of your essay or paper could mean that you unintentionally commit plagiarism, which can have tragic consequences!

In order to correctly cite Hamlet as a source — or any other play — when using a book as the source, you’ll need to gather the following pieces of information. Whether you use them all in your citation depends on the format you’re using:

• Name of author
• Title of play
• Year of publication
• Place of publication

Note that, as classic works such as plays can be published by multiple publishers (a quick search of an online bookshop returned over 100 results for Hamlet in paperback!), it’s important that the publisher details refer to the copy of the book that you are using. Otherwise it’s very difficult for a lecturer to check your sources, or refer to them for more information.

If your copy of Hamlet has been edited or translated then you’ll also need to include:

• Name of editor or translator

What you might also choose to do is provide some additional identifying information that relates to the play in general. For example:

• Division numbers (i.e. part, act, scene)

You would also use division number identifiers if you wanted to cite a section of a live performance of a play. If you wanted the citation to refer specifically on one particular person or persons — an actor, character or the director, for example — you could include:

• Contributors name

How you structure play citations will depend on which citation format you’re opting to use. If you’re unsure, ask your lecturer or tutor. Examples include:  

Author’s last name, first name. Title. Translated or edited by first name last name, publisher, year published, page numbers.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Edited by George Richard Hibbard, Oxford UP, 2008, pp. 18-22.

Author’s last name, first initial. (Year published). Title . In First Initial. Editor Last Name (Ed.), Title of larger work/collection. Publisher city, state/country: Publisher.

Shakespeare, W. (1996). Hamlet. In T. J. Spencer (Ed.), The new Penguin Shakespeare. London, England: Penguin Books.

Correctly citing your sources is not only useful for the person reading your work, it’s also an ethical and moral obligation — ensuring that you don’t, unintentionally or otherwise, pass off someone else’s words or ideas as your own. As Polonious says in Hamlet, “This above all: to thine own self be true!” The tools at Cite This For Me make this easier with MLA format and APA format citation generators and a useful Harvard Referencing generator too.

If you’re citing a play performance, you will need the name of the play author, title of the play, director of the performance, the name of the performing company, performance date, and the location (Place Name and city).

Play performance template and example:

Last Name, First Name. Play Title . Directed by Director’s Full Name, Name of the Performing Company, Performance Day Month Year, Place Name, City.

Yee, Lauren. Cambodian Rock Band . Directed by Harold Wolpert, South Coast Repertory, 12 Feb. 2020, Signature Theater, New York City.

If you’re citing a play script, the citation uses the same information as a book citation.

Play scrip template and example:

Last Name, First Name. Play Title . Publisher Name, Year published.

Hwang, David H. M Butterfly . Plume, 1989.

Use the formats and examples below to cite a play according to Chicago style. Please note that these citations are for the book forms of plays, rather than live performances, which are cited differently. Please also note that the format differs depending on whether the play is a stand-alone publication or part of an edited anthology.

Bibliography Formats

Stand-alone Play

Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Book . Edition (if applicable). Place of Publication: Name of Publisher, Year of Publication.

Play from an Anthology

To reference a play found in an anthology, use the format for a contribution to a multiauthor book:

Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Play.” In Title of Book , edited by Name of Editor(s), inclusive page range. Place of Publication: Name of Publisher, Year of Publication.

Bibliography Examples

Albee, Edward. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? . First Edition. New York: Atheneum, 1963.

Wilde, Oscar. “The Canterville Ghost.” In The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde , edited by Ian Small, 109-122. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018.

Footnote or Endnote Formats

When citing a play by its book, canto, stanza, or another identifier such as the stanza and line; act, scene, and line; or similar divisions, you can omit publication facts. If you include page numbers, you must include the specific edition of the play.

First Note: Stand-alone Play

When citing a specific play division, use a slightly different format:

1. Author Last Name, Title of Play, bk. #, canto #, frag. #,  line #, or st. #.

When citing a specific edition or a play without specific divisions use:

1. Title of Play , editor/edition details. (Place: Publisher Name, Year). Page #-#.

Shortened Note: Stand-alone Play

2. Author Last Name, Title of the Play, Specific Division #.

2. Title of the Play (Editor), Page #-#.

First Note: Play from an Anthology

1. Author First Name Last Name, “Title of Play,” in Title of Anthology , ed., Editor First Name Last Name(s) (Place: Publisher Name, Year), Page #-#.

Shortened Note: Play from an Anthology

2. Author Last Name, “Title of Play,” Page #-#.

Footnote or Endnote Examples

1. Albee, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 1.2.30-32. References are to act, scene, and line.

1. Albee, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? ed. Michael Y. Bennett. (New York: Atheneum, 1963), 124-127.

2. Albee, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf , 1.2.30.

2. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Bennett), 125.

1. Wilde, Oscar, “The Canterville Ghost,” in The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde , ed., Ian Small (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018), 110.

Wilde, “The Canterville Ghost,” 110.

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• How to Quote | Citing Quotes in Harvard & APA

How to Quote | Citing Quotes in Harvard & APA

Published on 15 April 2022 by Shona McCombes and Jack Caulfield. Revised on 3 September 2022.

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 (usually single quotation marks in UK English, though double is acceptable as long as you’re consistent) 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 .

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Table of contents

How to cite a quote in harvard and apa style, introducing quotes, quotes within quotes, shortening or altering a quote, block quotes, when should i use quotes, 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.

Citing a quote in Harvard style

When you include a quote in Harvard style, you must add a Harvard in-text citation giving the author’s last name, the year of publication, and a page number if available. Any full stop or comma appears after the citation, not within the quotation marks.

Citations can be parenthetical or narrative. In a parenthetical citation , you place all the information in brackets 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.

• 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 Harvard style

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 full stops 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

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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 double (instead of single) 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 single 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 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 italicise 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 capitalisation made to ensure the quote fits the style of your text.

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 full stop, the citation appears after the full stop.

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 into your own words. This helps you integrate information smoothly and keeps your own voice dominant.

However, there are some situations in which quotes are 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.

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

To present information from other sources in academic writing , it’s best to paraphrase in most cases. This shows that you’ve understood the ideas you’re discussing and incorporates them into your text smoothly.

It’s appropriate to quote when:

• Changing the phrasing would distort the meaning of the original text
• You want to discuss the author’s language choices (e.g., in literary analysis )
• You’re presenting a precise definition
• You’re looking in depth at a specific claim

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.

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.

If you’re quoting from a text that paraphrases or summarises other sources and cites them in parentheses , APA  recommends retaining the citations as part of the quote:

• Smith states that ‘the literature on this topic (Jones, 2015; Sill, 2019; Paulson, 2020) shows no clear consensus’ (Smith, 2019, p. 4).

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

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.

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.

APA uses block quotes for quotes that are 40 words or longer.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

McCombes, S. & Caulfield, J. (2022, September 03). How to Quote | Citing Quotes in Harvard & APA. Scribbr. Retrieved 15 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/working-sources/quoting/

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

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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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• Last Updated: Jan 8, 2024 10:23 AM
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Q. How do I refer to a book by title in-text in APA format?

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Answered By: Gabe Gossett Last Updated: Jun 22, 2023     Views: 622645

The basic format for an in-text citation is: Title of the Book (Author Last Name, year).

One author: Where the Wild Things Are (Sendak, 1963) is a depiction of a child coping with his anger towards his mom.

Two authors (cite both names every time): Brabant and Mooney (1986) have used the comic strip to examine evidence of sex role stereotyping. OR The comic strip has been used to examine evidence of sex role stereotyping (Brabant & Mooney, 1986).

Three or more authors (cite the first author plus et al.): Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy (Clare et al., 2016) depicts a young man's experience at the Shadowhunter Academy, a place where being a former vampire is looked down upon.OR Clare et al. (2016) have crafted a unique story about a young man's journey to find himself.

No author: Cite the first few words of the reference entry (usually the title) and the year. Use double quotation marks around the title of an article or chapter, and italicize the title of a periodical, book, brochure, or report. Examples: From the book Study Guide (2000) ... or ("Reading," 1999).

Note: Titles of periodicals, books, brochures, or reports should be in italics and use normal title capitalization rules.

If you are citing multiple sources by multiple authors in-text, you can list all of them by the author's last name and year of publication within the same set of parentheses, separated by semicolons.

Example: (Adams, 1999; Jones & James, 2000; Miller, 1999)

For more information on how to cite books in-text and as a reference entry, see the APA Publication Manual (7th edition) Section 10.2 on pages 321-325 .

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Comments (13)

• This was very useful for me! I was having a really hard time finding information on how to mention an article title AND the author in text in APA so this was very helpful!!! by Ryan Waddell on Jun 27, 2019
• If I just mention that I used a book to teach a topic do I have to include it in the reference list? by Franw on Oct 17, 2019
• @Franw, if it is a source that informs your paper in any way, or if your reader would have reason to look it up, then you should include a full reference list entry for the book. by Gabe [Research & Writing Studio] on Oct 18, 2019
• Maybe I'm misunderstanding the question, but I think the OP is asking how to refer to a book title, not how to cite one. I believe APA uses quotation marks around book titles and MLA uses italics. by AB on Dec 12, 2019
• @AB: The first sentence has been tweaked to clarify title of book usage, reflecting the examples given. For APA style you should use italics for book titles. It would be quotation marks. by Gabe [Research & Writing Studio] on Dec 12, 2019
• Hi, can any one help me with in-text-citation of this, how can i cite it in the text Panel, I. L. (2002). Digital transformation: A framework for ICT literacy. Educational Testing Service, 1-53. by Milad on Aug 20, 2021
• @Milad: In that case it would be (Panel, 2002). If you are quoting, or otherwise choosing to include page numbers, put a comma after the year, then p. and the page number(s). by Gabe Gossett on Aug 20, 2021
• Hey, I'm a little bit curious, what if I'm mentioning a book and paraphrasing it but still want to give credit. Would I put the information into parenthesis instead? Like: Paraphrased info. ("Title in Italics" Author, year) by Kai on Sep 14, 2023
• @Kai: Apologies for not seeing your question sooner! (Our academic year has not started yet). If I am understanding your question correctly, what I suggest is referring to the book title in the narrative of your writing, rather than in the in-text citation. I do not see an examples of using a book title in an in-text citation except for rare circumstances including citing a classic religious text or using the title when there is no author information because it is the start of your reference list entry. Basically, APA's in-text convention is supposed to make it easy for your reader to locate the source being cited in the reference list. So the first part of the in-text citation, usually authors, comes first to locate it alphabetically. Putting the book title first when you have an author name can throw that off. by Gabe Gossett on Sep 21, 2023
• Perhaps this is along the lines of the response to Kai - Can you reference a book title as a common point of social understanding to demonstrate a common concept? Is official citing required if you use widely known titles such as "Where's Waldo" and "Who Moved My Cheese?" to make a point of illustration? by Chez Renee on Sep 30, 2023
• @Chez: Aside from some classical religious texts, if it is a published book, I'd try to make sure that it is appropriately cited for APA style. That said, I think I understand where it gets tricky with things like Where's Waldo, since that is a series of books and stating "Where's Waldo" is a cultural reference many people would understand, though you can't reasonably cite the entire series. I don't believe that APA gives guidance for this particular issue. If it is being referred to in order to back up a claim, it would help to cite a particular book. If not, then it might work to use a statement such as, "Hanford's Where's Waldo series . . ." by Gabe Gossett on Oct 02, 2023
• How to cite a dissertation thesis in apa form? by Elizabeth on Feb 05, 2024
• @Elizabeth: For citing a dissertation or thesis you can check out our page answering that here https://askus.library.wwu.edu/faq/153308 by Gabe Gossett on Feb 05, 2024

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How to Quote a Poem in APA Referencing

3-minute read

• 31st July 2019

Many style guides have special rules for quoting poetry in an essay . In this post, for example, we will look at how to quote a poem using APA referencing. This will cover:

• How to present quoted verse on the page
• How to format in-text citations for a poem in APA referencing

If you are writing about poetry, then, make sure to follow the rules below.

How to Quote a Poem

The basic rules for quoting a line of poetry are the same as for quoting any other source. As such, to quote a poem, you should:

• Place the quoted text within quotation marks.
• Cite the author’s surname and year of publication in brackets.
• If available, include a page number for the quoted passage.

Otherwise, a single line of poetry will look like any other quote.

If you’re quoting two lines from a poem, though, you will need to include a include a forward slash to show where the line break was in the original text. A two-line quotation would therefore look like this:

One of the most famous examples of nonsense poetry is “The Owl and the Pussy-Cat,” which begins thus: “The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea / In a beautiful pea-green boat” (Lear, 1871/1983, p. 34).

Here, we’re quoting the first two lines of an Edward Lear poem (we include two dates because this is a republished version of the original work). The page numbers in the citation, meanwhile, show us where this poem appears in the book.

Quoting Three or More Lines of Poetry

If you’re using more than two lines from a poem, present it as a block quote . Ideally, you will recreate the presentation of the lines on the page from the original source:

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The final stanza begins with an interspecies wedding: “Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling    Your ring?” Said the Piggy, “I will.” So they took it away, and were married next day    By the Turkey who lives on the hill. (Lear, 1871/1983, p. 34)

Here, for example, we indent the second and final lines more than the rest of the quote. This is because the original poem is presented in the same way.

Furthermore, as with any APA block quote, the citation here comes after the final punctuation in the quote, not before it.

Adding a Poem to an APA Reference List

Finally, if you quote a poem anywhere in your work, it should also appear in the reference list at the end of your document. The correct reference format to use, however, will depend on how the poem was published:

• For long poems published as standalone works, use the standard book format . You can do this for anthologies with a single author, too, but make sure to name the editor as well as the author of the poems themselves.
• List poems published in an anthology as chapters from an edited book (i.e., include details for both poem and container volume).
• List a single poem found online as a web page .

Whatever their format, make sure to provide full publication information for all poems and their container volumes (i.e., the book or website where you found the poem). This will allow your reader to find them if required.

And if you need anyone to check your document for errors – including in citations and the reference list – don’t forget that we have expert academic proofreaders on hand and ready to help 24/7.

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How to Cite Quotes in APA

Last Updated: February 4, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 16 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 67,419 times.

Whether you have a big paper due for class or are about to publish a study, making sure your quotes are properly cited is important. APA style is the standard citation format for most social sciences, medical sciences, and public health papers. A quote in APA style includes a signal phrase before the quote and a citation in parentheses after the quote. A basic citation is easy to master, but there are some slight variations for use in special circumstances. Just remember, if your quote is over 40 words long, some special formatting is required.

Writing a Signal Phrase

• Include both the author and the year in the text. The page number will be in parentheses.
• Include only the author's name in the text. The year and page number will be in parentheses.
• Do not write the author's name or year of publication in the text. The name, year, and page number will be included in parentheses at the end.

• Smith’s 2002 study found that “owning a pet absolutely reduced stress” (p. 48).

• Smith (2002) found that “owning a pet absolutely reduced stress” (p. 48).

• One study found that “owning a pet absolutely reduced stress” (Smith, 2002, p. 48).

Forming a Parenthetical Citation

• Smith (2008) found that “owning a pet absolutely reduced stress” (p. 48).
• Smith (2008) found that “owning a pet absolutely reduced stress.” (p. 48)

• If there is only one author, write their last name followed by a comma. For example: (Smith, 2008, p. 101).
• If there are 2 authors, write both last names separated by a “&.” Follow the second name with a comma. For example: (Smith & Jones, 2008, p. 101).
• If there are 3-5 authors, cite all names the first time you use the citation. Then use the first author’s last name and “et. al” in following citations. The first citation might look like (Smith, Jones, & Wu, 2008, p. 101). The following citations might look like (Smith et. al 2008, p. 103).
• If there are more than 6 authors, use the first author’s last name and follow it with “et. al”. For example: (Smith et. al 2008, p. 101).

• If you mentioned the author’s name in a signal phrase, follow it immediately with the year in parentheses. You might write: “Jenkins (1990) stated that…”
• If you did not mention the author’s name in a signal phrase, include the year after the author’s name in the parentheses. There should be a comma after the year. This might look like: (Jenkins, 1990, p. 1).

• You must always include the page or paragraph number in the parentheses at the end. You cannot state it in the signal phrase at the beginning.
• The page number always comes last. Write “p.” before the page number.” If there is more than one page, use “pp.” For example: (Wu, 2002, pp. 101-110).
• If you are using the paragraph number, write “para.” before the number. For example: (Wu, 2010, para. 3).

• Author’s last name and first initials
• Title of article
• Title of journal or book
• Year of publication
• Page range of cited article or chapter
• URL (if it is a website) or DOI number (if it is a peer-reviewed journal article)

Formatting a Long Quote

• When discussing the effect of pet ownership on humans, Smith asserts:
• The American Red Cross uses their annual report to call for more donations. In 2016, they said:

• Keep the spacing the same as the rest of the essay. If the rest of the essay is double-spaced, your quote should be double-spaced.
• APA papers typically have margins of 1 inch (2.5 cm). This means that your block quote will be indented a total of 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) from the edge of the page.

• If the signal phrase includes the author’s name and year of publication, you only need to cite the page number at the end of the quote.
• If the signal phrase does not include this information, you must cite it at all in the parenthetical citation.

Learning Special Rules

• The American Red Cross (2016) estimates that it responds to 66,000 disasters per year, “including single-family or apartment home fires, severe weather, floods and wildfires” (p. 2).
• In 2016, the American Red Cross estimated that it responds to 66,000 disasters per year, “including single-family or apartment home fires, severe weather, floods and wildfires” (p. 2).
• One organization estimated that it responds to 66,000 disasters per year, “including single-family or apartment home fires, severe weather, floods and wildfires” (American Red Cross, 2016, p. 2).

• Huntington’s disease is a “neurological disorder that causes uncontrolled or jerking movements, difficulties with cognition, and emotional issues” (“Huntington’s Disease,” 2011, para. 1).

• (J. Smith, 2002, p. 27)
• (K. Smith, 1995, p. 205)
• K. Smith (1995) states that “the global economy will only continue to grow” (p. 205).

• William Shakespeare once stated that “we know what we are, but know not what we may be” (as cited in Rodriguez, 2005, p. 6).

Community Q&A

• Footnotes are not used in APA style to cite quotes. You should only use them to add interesting additional content or to acknowledge the copyright of a particular item. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://butlercc.libguides.com/c.php?g=220263&p=1458165
• ↑ https://libguides.asu.edu/c.php?g=263988&p=1765718
• ↑ https://www.antioch.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/APA-Signal-Phrases-for-Quotes-and-Paraphrases.pdf
• ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/apa-7-in-text-citations
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html
• ↑ http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/apaquickguide/intext
• ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/quotations
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
• ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/basic-principles/same-year-author
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/03/

About This Article

To cite quotes in APA, include the author and publication year in a signal phrase before the quote, such as, “As Nichols (2003) mentions:” Then, include the page number in parentheses after the quotation, but before the period. If you don’t want to include the author or year in a signal phrase, include that information in the parentheses after the quote, separating them with a comma. For example, write, “The study showed cats are more mischievous (Smith, 2008, p. 101).” For tips from our English co-author on how to format long quotes in APA, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Format Dialogue in APA

The American Psychological Association Publication Manual provides format and style guidance for a wide range of academic writing. The manual includes instructions for writing mechanics, including dialogue. The specific format used depends upon the type of discourse discussed in your writings.

Single Speaker

If only one speaker is being quoted, and that individual has a small amount to say, a dialogue tag -- such as "said," "asked" -- and quote are included within the text. The tag is set apart from the quote with a comma.

The following example displays word and punctuation placement: The first participant interviewed said, "I never thought I'd be able to talk about this." He then related the incident in great detail.

Multiple Speakers

When writing dialogue between two or more participants, a new paragraph is started each time the speaker changes. The spoken words are in quotation marks, and they are separated from the dialogue tags by commas. An entry might read:

She asked, "How are you coming with your research study?" "I'm not making much headway," he complained.

Long Dialogues

If the dialogue contains one person relating more than one paragraph, each paragraph of the quote begins with opening quotation marks. The closing quotation marks are placed only at the end of the final paragraph of dialogue. Any other paragraphs within the quote do not have closing quotation marks.

Movie Dialogue

If dialogue from a movie is being included, each quote begins with the speaker's name and a colon. The line in quotation marks follows. Each time there is a new speaker, a new line is started. For example:

Cat: "Meow, meow, mew." Dog: "Woof, woof." Cat: "Mrow! Mrow!"

In-Text Citations

If dialogue has been taken from a source, there must be an in-text citation. This can be indicated before the quote by mentioning the author and placing the page number where the dialogue was found in parentheses after the quote, such as:

Doe collected statements from the victims, including "I'll never believe it happened." (45)

It is also acceptable to identify both the author and page number within parentheses. The two components are separated with a comma.

For example:

The woman shouted, "It will never happen again!" (Doe, 87)

Reference Page

Any citations within the text must be included on the references page at the end of the paper. Very often, dialogue is taken from books, so the author's last name is first, followed by a comma and the author's initials. The publication year is within parentheses. There is a period. Next comes the italicized name of the book in sentence case and a period. The publication location is followed by a colon, the publisher's name and a period.

Doe, N. (2004). The last book I read. Los Angeles, CA: The Book Company

• Purdue Online Writing Lab: Quotation Marks with Fiction, Poetry, and Titles
• NAIT Library: APA Style Guidelines & Examples (sixth edition)
• American Film Institute: AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes

Living in upstate New York, Susan Sherwood is a researcher who has been writing within educational settings for more than 10 years. She has co-authored papers for Horizons Research, Inc. and the Capital Region Science Education Partnership. Sherwood has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University at Albany.

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MLA Formatting Quotations

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When you directly quote the works of others in your paper, you will format quotations differently depending on their length. Below are some basic guidelines for incorporating quotations into your paper. Please note that all pages in MLA should be double-spaced .

Short quotations

To indicate short quotations (four typed lines or fewer of prose or three lines of verse) in your text, enclose the quotation within double quotation marks. Provide the author and specific page number (in the case of verse, provide line numbers) in the in-text citation, and include a complete reference on the Works Cited page. Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after the parenthetical citation.

Question marks and exclamation points should appear within the quotation marks if they are a part of the quoted passage, but after the parenthetical citation if they are a part of your text.

For example, when quoting short passages of prose, use the following examples:

When using short (fewer than three lines of verse) quotations from poetry, mark breaks in verse with a slash, ( / ), at the end of each line of verse (a space should precede and follow the slash). If a stanza break occurs during the quotation, use a double slash ( // ).

Long quotations

For quotations that are more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse, place quotations in a free-standing block of text and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, with the entire quote indented 1/2   inch  from the left margin while maintaining double-spacing. Your parenthetical citation should come  after the closing punctuation mark . When quoting verse, maintain original line breaks. (You should maintain double-spacing throughout your essay.)

For example, when citing more than four lines of prose, use the following examples :

Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration: They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room, and I had no more sense, so, I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and there he found it on quitting his chamber. Inquiries were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house. (Bronte 78)

When citing long sections of poetry (four lines of verse or more), keep formatting as close to the original as possible.

In his poem "My Papa's Waltz," Theodore Roethke explores his childhood with his father:

The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. We Romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother's countenance Could not unfrown itself. (qtd. in Shrodes, Finestone, Shugrue 202)

When citing two or more paragraphs, use block quotation format, even if the passage from the paragraphs is less than four lines. If you cite more than one paragraph, the first line of the second paragraph should be indented an extra 1/4 inch to denote a new paragraph:

In "American Origins of the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Movement," David Russell argues,

Writing has been an issue in American secondary and higher education since papers and examinations came into wide use in the 1870s, eventually driving out formal recitation and oral examination. . . .

From its birth in the late nineteenth century, progressive education has wrestled with the conflict within industrial society between pressure to increase specialization of knowledge and of professional work (upholding disciplinary standards) and pressure to integrate more fully an ever-widening number of citizens into intellectually meaningful activity within mass society (promoting social equity). . . . (3)

Adding or omitting words in quotations

If you add a word or words in a quotation, you should put brackets around the words to indicate that they are not part of the original text:

If you omit a word or words from a quotation, you should indicate the deleted word or words by using ellipses, which are three periods ( . . . ) preceded and followed by a space. For example:

Please note that brackets are not needed around ellipses unless they would add clarity.

When omitting words from poetry quotations, use a standard three-period ellipses; however, when omitting one or more full lines of poetry, space several periods to about the length of a complete line in the poem: