Quotations
When should I use a quotation instead of paraphrasing?
In general is is a good idea to paraphrase rather than quote, as this makes it easier to express your own thoughts and ideas regarding the source material you are discussing. Use quotes sparingly, and avoid using them as a way to bump up your word count.
You might want to consider using quotes when:
a unique term or phrase is used
you are providing a definition
you are discussing the specific language used in the source, rather than the content
you might alter the meaning of the original source significantly by paraphrasing it
the source material is already famous as a quote
Signal phrases
Quotations should not appear by themselves, but should rather be incorporated into a sentence by using a signal phrase such as:
โAccording to Xโ, โY states that โฆ โ, โZ observes that ...โ.
More Signal Phrases Here
Indirect quotes
You can use a source that has been cited by another author if you need to, but it is best to try and find the original source if possible. If you are not able to find the original source use the abbreviation qtd. in (โquoted inโ).
According to Green (qtd. in Matheson 132), the degree of โฆ..
Expert tips
The MLA Handbook advises that โwhen a quotation is directly followed by a parenthetical citation โฆ any required comma or period follows the citationโ (88).
Other Links
Using quotations from literature
While you may need to include quotes more often that in other subjects, make sure that you:
avoid using block quotes unless absolutely needed e.g. you are closely analysing the language used in the entire quote.
avoid padding out your word limit with long block quotations, which will mean that you will struggle to make a strong argument within the word limit.
don't use quotes to just summarise the narrative.
only use quotes when needed to directly support your argument.
Present your argument and analysis of the text, support it with evidence in the form of a paraphrase or quote if needed, and then discuss how this evidence supports your argument and analysis.
Block quotes
If a quotation is not longer than four lines, you should โput it in quotation marks and incorporate it into the textโ (75). When quoting a block of text that is longer than four lines, you should indent the quote by 1.25cm. This is known as a block quote. When using a block quote you do not need to include quotation marks.
For example, if you were to include the following long quote from 1984, you would format it as follows (note the in-text citation appears after the full-stop) :
So completely did they dwarf the surrounding architecture that from the roof of Victory Mansions you could see all four of them simultaneously. They were the homes of the four Ministries between which the entire apparatus of government was divided. The Ministry of Truth, which concerned itself with news, entertainment, education, and the fine arts. The Ministry of Peace, which concerned itself with war. The Ministry of Love, which maintained law and order. And the Ministry of Plenty, which was responsible for economic affairs. Their names, in Newspeak: Minitrue, Minipax, Miniluv, and Miniplenty. (Orwell 10)
Editing quotes
Ellipsis and Other Alterations
Whenever you alter a quotation by removing words, use an ellipsis to indicate that words have been omitted. This indicated in your writing by 3 periods, preceded and followed by a space ( โฆ ).
If you need to alter a quote by inserting text, indicate this using [square brackets].
Works Cited
MLA Handbook. Modern Language Association Of America, 2021.
Orwell, George. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
Last updated
