Quotes and Quotation Marks

Quoting correctly is a key academic skill for effectively and ethically referencing others’ work. Punctuation rules in Standard American English, as well as variations between style guides (MLA, APA, etc.), may influence how quoting and quotation marks are used. Below are several important factors to consider.

Punctuation rules

Commas and periods

Commas and periods should be placed within quotation marks:

“I am going to take the bus to campus,” said Shelly. 

• • An exception is when you need to cite the quote:

The researcher explained that “bees are usually black and yellow” (Jones, 1999, p. 142).

Colons and semicolons

Colons and semicolons should be placed outside of the quotation marks:

Harold wrote, “I regret that I cannot attend the fundraiser for AIDS research”; his letter, however, contained a contribution. (Example from Hacker and Sommers, 2012).

Question marks and exclamation points

A question mark or exclamation point should be placed within the quotation marks if it applies to the quote itself; otherwise, these marks should be placed outside the quotation marks:

Regarding the assignment, did the professor say it is “due on Wednesday”?

Commas

Use a comma following a dialogue tag, introductory phrase, or dependent clause, and before the quotation:

Joe stated, “I need a pot of coffee.”

Single quotation marks

Use single quotation marks to enclose a quotation within a quotation:

The reporter told me, “When I interviewed the quarterback, he said they simply ‘played a better game.’” (Example from Purdue Online Writing Lab)

Use quotation marks when…

• Directly quoting text or what another person said.
• Using irony, slang, or a coined term or expression for the first time in a document.
• Stating the title of any of the following:
  • Short or minor works
  • Essays
  • One act plays
  • Titles of sections from longer works
  • Articles in newspapers, magazines, or journals
  • Songs
  • Short poems
  • Episodes in TV or radio series
  • Book chapters
  • Literary works shorter than a book or three act play
• Referring to a linguistic example or letter/word/phrase as itself [APA 7th ed.].
• Reproducing material from a test item or verbatim instructions [APA 7th ed.].
• Introducing a label [APA 7th ed.].
• Translating from a foreign language. The foreign words should be italicized. The translation should be in double quotes and enclosed in parentheses OR in single quotes with no parentheses [MLA 9th ed.].

Do NOT use quotation marks when…

• Paraphrasing
• Using familiar slang, trite expressions, or humor
• Stating the title of long pieces or works that contain smaller sections (use italics or underlining instead)
• Highlighting a key term or phrase (use italics instead) [APA 7th ed.]
• Identifying the anchors of a scale [APA 7th ed.]
• Referring to numerals [APA 7th ed.]
• Hedging or downplaying meaning [APA 7th ed.]

How to directly quote text or spoken words

• Capitalization
  • Capitalize the first letter when the quoted material is a complete sentence.
  • Do not capitalize the first letter if the quoted material is a fragment or only a piece of the quoted material.
  • Do not capitalize the second part of a quotation that is interrupted mid-sentence.
• Transcribe spelling/grammar errors as is. Mark them with [sic], meaning “just as that.”
• Use quotes sparingly and keep them short. They can provide emphasis in these cases. Using too many shows a lack of original thought.
• Omit parts of a quote with ellipses if the omission does not change the original meaning.
• Context can be added by including it in square brackets within the quote.
• Place direct quotes within your text if they are shorter than 40 words [APA 7th ed.] or four typed lines on the page [MLA 9th ed.]. For longer quotes, use a block quotation, which is indented one half inch (0.5 inch) from the left margin.
• When quoting poetry, include line breaks as “/” for direct quotes of two lines. If quoting three or more lines, use a block quote to reproduce the text as it appears in its source.

Quoting versus paraphrasing

• Use a quote when the source material has particularly striking language.
• Use a quote when referencing a coined term that is relevant to your work.
• Paraphrase when ideas should be summarized but be sure to cite the source.
• The choice is sometimes subjective and will vary by style guide, discipline, and genre.

References

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://apastyle.apa.org/products/publication-manual-7th-edition

Hacker, D., & Sommers, N. (2012). A Pocket Style Manual. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Modern Language Association of America. (2021). MLA Handbook (9th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1632/ORIW5168       

Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). Quotation Marks. Retrieved February 23, 2022, from 
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/quotation_marks/index.html

 

If you need more help, schedule an appointment at your writing center!

• Graduate Writing Center Appointments
• Undergraduate Writing Center Appointments

 

Compiled by Dr. Russell Manser, Graduate Writing Center, Texas Tech University