APA GENERAL FORMAT: QUOTATIONS | FORMAT

It is usually better to try to paraphrase your sources rather than use a direct quotation as paraphrasing allows you to incorporate the source you are citing into the own personal writing style and the general flow of your paper.

However, if quoting a source directly, always provide the author, date, and page number (if present) in the in-text citation.

Paraphrasing

When to use direct quotations rather than paraphrasing

Short quotation (less than 40 words):

If the quotation being used is less than 40 words, then enclose it with double quotation marks and incorporate it into the text or body of the paper being written.

• Use double quotation marks (“) to mark the start and the end of the direct quotation.
• Single quotation marks (‘) are used when quoting material that is already using quotation marks.
• Include a full citation after the quotation but before the final period of the sentence.
• Do not use an ellipsis at the beginning or the end of a quotation, unless the original source you are citing includes an ellipsis.
• Periods and commas are placed within the closing single or double quotation marks.

Example: The author discusses how “the archetype of the outsider was personified in the Star Trek character of Mr. Spock” (Roddenberry, 2001, p. 25).

Block quotation (any quotation of 40 or more words):

If the quotation being used is 40 words or more, then it is treated as a block quotation.

• Do not use quotation marks to enclose the text of the quotation.
• Start each block quotation on a new line and Indent 0.5 in. from the left margin.
• If using a parenthetical citation for your block quotation, then cite the source in parentheses after the quotation’s ending punctuation.
• If using a narrative citation, then cite the author and date in the text before the quotation and then put the page number in parentheses after the quotation’s ending punctuation.

Line spacing:

• Double-space between all lines of text of the block quotation.
• Do not add any extra space before or after the block quotation.
  
  Line Spacing for exceptions to double line spacing

Quotations are covered in Sections 8.25-8.36 of the APA Publication Manual, 7th Edition

Quotations for more details and examples