Course: Quoting and Paraphrasing in MLA Format

I’m Professor Irwin Leopando. I’m an MLA member and teach writing at LaGuardia Community College in Queens, New York. And I’m here to help you learn MLA style.

[Visual: The following text appears, with a black-and-white illustration of a person pointing at a board in front of three people displayed beneath the instructor’s name:

Instructor: Irwin Leopando, PhD

Associate Professor

Department of English

LaGuardia Community College, City University of New York]

This course, Quoting and Paraphrasing in MLA Format, is based on the MLA style guidelines found in the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook and also found on MLA Handbook Plus, a subscription resource from the MLA, both published by the MLA.

[Visual: The logo of MLA Handbook Plus appears above the name of the course: Quoting and Paraphrasing in MLA Format. A few moments later, the cover of the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook appears in front of that logo and title. That book cover disappears, and then a screenshot of the MLA Handbook Plus website appears.]

In this course, I’ll discuss the various choices writers face citing sources in their text. I’ll provide general guidelines for successfully paraphrasing and quoting from sources and show you how to integrate quotations into prose in MLA style.

[Visual: The following text appears:

paraphrasing and quoting from sources

integrating quotations into prose]

This course is composed of short video lessons. The first two videos show you when and how to paraphrase opinions and original ideas.

[Visual: The following text appears in a vertical list:

Video 1 - Introduction to Course

Video 2 - When and How to Paraphrase

Video 3 - Paraphrasing: You Be the Judge]

The next two videos build on your knowledge of paraphrasing and apply it to reference works, which often contain a combination of facts that don’t require citation and information that does.

[Visual: The following text appears beneath the first three items:

Video 4 - Using Reference Sources

Video 5 - Reference Sources: You Be the Judge]

And a final series of five videos explains when and how to quote sources.

[Visual: The list of videos disappears and is replaced with the following vertical list:

Video 6 - When and How to Quote Sources

Video 7 - Fitting Quotations into Your Prose

Video 8 - Very Short and Very Long Quotations

Video 9 - Quotations within Quotations

Video 10 - Quoting Sources: Review and Exceptions]

At various points in the course, I’ll pose a question for you to answer to yourself and then I’ll review the right answer.

[Visual: A question mark appears on screen.]

You’ll also be prompted to test your knowledge by taking self-assessments periodically during the course.

[Visual: An illustration of a paper with a check mark and check boxes on it appears.]

When you complete the final video, you’ll be given the opportunity to take a final assessment demonstrating your knowledge of quoting and paraphrasing in MLA style.

Hi, everyone. Welcome to our course on quoting and paraphrasing sources. I’m Professor Irwin Leopando. I’m an associate professor of English at LaGuardia Community College, and I’m here to help you learn MLA style.

In this video, I’ll show you when and how to paraphrase.

[Visual: A list labeled “When to Paraphrase” appears. The bulleted items are as follows:

• to condense and summarize long passages, arguments, or works
• to make your writing more concise
• to stay in control of your ideas and argument and maintain your voice
• to signal your knowledge of key lines of conversation and concepts from your sources
• to help you understand what you are reading]

Paraphrasing can condense a long passage, argument, or work, making writing more concise and direct.

Paraphrasing allows your writing to maintain your own voice and avoid relying too heavily on quotation.

Paraphrasing shows that you’ve understood the source because you can restate its points in your own words and in your own sentence structure.

Paraphrasing not only demonstrates understanding but also facilitates it. In order to paraphrase well, you must develop a keen understanding of what you are reading.

One skill that’s important to learn is how to paraphrase.

Let’s look at an example.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen:

Source

Passage in Source

Use of the image of the labyrinth links Calvino to other twentieth-century writers.

Source:

Cannon, JoAnn. “Calvino’s Essays.” Approaches to Teaching the Works of Italo Calvino, edited by Franco Ricci, Modern Language Association of America, 2013, pp. 31–36.

Page: 34]

The quotation we see here is from an essay about a writer. Quote: “Use of the image of the labyrinth links Calvino to other twentieth-century writers.” Close quote.

This is a factual observation, but the author’s intervention is to put two observations next to each other.

[Visual: The text “To Paraphrase: Identify the Main Ideas” appears.]

To paraphrase, the first step is to identify the main ideas and then write them out using words or phrases that are your own. And here’s a tip: try to do this from memory, without looking directly at the source. This way you will be more likely to use your own words. (Be sure to check your paraphrase later to ensure the words are your own.)

The quotation conveys two main ideas: labyrinths appear in Calvino’s works and labyrinths appear in other twentieth-century writing. Labyrinths, Calvino, and the twentieth century are key to this point.

[Visual: The header “Key Concepts” appears. Several words appear below it: labyrinths, Calvino, and twentieth-century texts.]

Here is one way to paraphrase the source: Like others who wrote in the twentieth century, Calvino incorporates labyrinths into his work.

[Visual: A header labeled “Paraphrase Uses Fresh Words and Sentence Structure” appears. Beneath it, the following text appears:

Passage in the Source

Use of the image of the labyrinth links Calvino to other twentieth-century writers.

Paraphrase

Like others who wrote in the twentieth century, Calvino incorporates labyrinths into his work (Cannon 34).]

Note that the paraphrase avoids using similar language.

[Visual: In the “Passage in Source” sentence (“Use of the image of the labyrinth links Calvino to other twentieth-century writers”), the words “labyrinth,” “Calvino,” and “twentieth-century writers” are highlighted. In the paraphrase sentence, the words “twentieth century,” “Calvino,” and “labyrinths” are highlighted.]

A few techniques for achieving this include:

Paraphrasing without looking at the source. This way, you are more likely to use your own words.

[Visual: A header labeled “Paraphrasing: Four Tips” appears. The text “Avoid looking at the source” is below it.]

Varying the verbs and nouns. For example, “Use” became “incorporates.”

[Visual: The text “Vary the verbs and nouns” appears. “Use” and “incorporates” are highlighted in the text examples.]

Finding alternatives to generic phrases. “Twentieth-century writers” can become “others who wrote in the twentieth century.”

[Visual: The text “Find alternatives to generic phrases” appears. In the text examples, “twentieth-century writers” and “others who wrote in the twentieth century” are highlighted.]

Another important aspect of paraphrase: Change the sentence structure.

[Visual: The text “Change sentence structure” appears.]

You’ve just conveyed an observation using generic words. Of course, you still have to credit the source.

[Visual: In the text labeled “Paraphrase,” “(Cannon 34)” is highlighted.]

For more information, consult the MLA Handbook.

Let’s look at another example.

Here the source reads, quote, “Nationalism has far from run its course.” Close quote.

[Visual: The following text appears:

Source

Passage in Source

Nationalism has far from run its course.

Source:

MacMillan, Margaret. The Uses and Abuses of History. Profile Books, 2010.

Page: 89.]

To paraphrase this idea, you might say:

As recently as 2010, nationalism was regarded as a persistent political formation.

[Visual: The following text appears:

How to Paraphrase

Passage in Source

Nationalism has far from run its course.

Paraphrase

As recently as 2010, nationalism was regarded as a persistent political formation (MacMillan 89).]

You are conveying the writer’s assertion, but with different wording and different sentence structures. You’re also giving some context—this idea was presented in 2010. And, again, you must credit the source.

[Visual: In the paraphrased text, “2010” and “(MacMillan 89)” are highlighted. In the section with the source information, “2010” is highlighted.]

In the next video, you’ll have the chance to evaluate an example of paraphrasing before you take our quiz.

Now that we’ve studied some examples of paraphrasing, it’s time for you to be the judge.

Here we see a passage from a book. The passage from the book reads as follows, quote: “Why a language becomes a global language has little to do with the number of people who speak it. It is much more to do with who those speakers are. Latin became an international language throughout the Roman Empire, but this was not because the Romans were more numerous than the people they subjugated. They were simply more powerful.” Close quote.

[Visual: The following text appears:

Passage in Source

Why a language becomes a global language has little to do with the number of people who speak it. It is much more to do with who those speakers are. Latin became an international language throughout the Roman Empire, but this was not because the Romans were more numerous than the people they subjugated. They were simply more powerful.

Source:

Crystal, David. English as a Global Language. 2nd ed., Cambridge UP, 2003.]

The paraphrase of that passage by a writer reads as follows:

The reason a language goes global is not really related to the number of people speaking it but to who those speakers are. Latin was spoken throughout the Roman Empire. This was not because there were more Romans than other people but because Romans had the power.

[Visual: The following text appears:

Writer’s Paraphrase

The reason a language goes global is not really related to the number of people speaking it but to who those speakers are. Latin was spoken throughout the Roman Empire. This was not because there were more Romans than other people but because Romans had the power (Crystal 7).]

Is the writer’s paraphrase acceptable?

If you said no, you are correct. Even though the writer has credited the source, the writer’s paraphrase uses words and a sentence structure that are too similar to those of the original source.

[Visual: The passage in the source and the writer’s paraphrase appear side by side. The text that is the same or similar in both pieces of text are highlighted. The text that is highlighted in the passage from the book are as follows: “language,” “global,” “number of people who speak it,” “with who those speakers are,” “Latin,” “throughout the Roman Empire, “this was not because,” and “Romans were more numerous than the people they subjugated. They were simply more powerful.” The text that is highlighted in the writer’s paraphrase are as follows: “language,” “global,” “number of people speaking it,” “who those speakers are,” “Latin,” “throughout the Roman Empire,” “This was not because,” and “Romans than other people but because Romans had the power.” An orange X appears next to the header “Writer’s Paraphrase,” and “too similar” appears below the paraphrase.]

The writer might revise as follows:

How powerful the speakers of a language are, and not their sheer numbers, often determines whether that language is spoken internationally.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen beneath the text “Writer’s Paraphrase,” which is in green text and has a white check mark in a green box next to it: How powerful the speakers of a language are, and not their sheer numbers, often determines whether that language is spoken internationally (Crystal 7).]

Here, in addition to crediting the source, the writer has summed up the author’s idea concisely using original wording and a new sentence structure.

[Visual: The paraphrase text font turns green.]

So to review, paraphrasing allows you to show your mastery of the source.

[Visual: The text “Paraphrasing shows mastery” appears.]

The first step is to identify the main ideas and restate them in your own words with your own sentence structure.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen:

How to Paraphrase

Identify the main ideas.

Restate the ideas in your own words with your own sentence structure.]

So that sums up our lesson on when and how to paraphrase sources. For more information, see the MLA Handbook and then test your knowledge with our quiz.

Hi, everyone. Welcome back to our course on quoting and paraphrasing sources. I’m Professor Irwin Leopando. I’m an associate professor of English at LaGuardia Community College. And I am here to help you learn about the various choices writers face citing sources in their texts.

So far in this course we’ve been talking about acknowledging opinions and original ideas.

[Visual: An illustration of a light bulb appears on the left and a blue dialogue box appears on the right.]

But many writers—even professional writers—have been ensnared in controversy for plagiarizing from reference sources, like Wikipedia.

[Visual: The logo and title of the site Wikipedia appears.]

So in this video I’ll show you the pitfalls of using these sources and how you can use what you learned in the paraphrasing lesson to avoid them.

[Visual: A blue dialogue box appears on the left and an illustration of papers with writing on them appears on the right.]

Reference sources are tricky because they often contain a mix of common knowledge and information requiring citation.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen: “Reference sources contain a mix of common knowledge and information requiring citation.”]

But factual information can be plagiarized too.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen: “Reference sources can be plagiarized.”]

And what counts as common knowledge is not always clear-cut and can be contextual.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen:

Common Knowledge

“Common knowledge includes information widely available in reference works, such as basic biographical facts about prominent persons and the dates and circumstances of major historical events” (MLA Handbook, sec. 4.13).]

Now remember, the MLA Handbook tells us that, quote, “[c]ommon knowledge includes information widely available in reference works, such as basic biographical facts about prominent persons and the dates and circumstances of major historical events.” End quote.

Common knowledge, in other words, must be widely corroborable.

[Visual: Beneath the “Common Knowledge” text, “John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963” appears.]

Here’s a fact that is common knowledge: John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.

I’m sure that sentence appears all over the web and in numerous publications, but I did not consult a source to recall the information. Even if I were to double-check the date on Wikipedia—that is, used a reference source to confirm facts that fall squarely within common knowledge—it would be wrong to reproduce the wording exactly. But there are other pitfalls to avoid. So when does consulting a reference source and using the information found in it without citing it become a problem?

Here we are comparing a passage from Wikipedia about the Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector with a passage that a writer might include about her in a work after having consulted the reference source.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen:

Passage in Source

“Clarice Lispector . . . was a Brazilian novelist and short story writer acclaimed internationally for her innovative novels and short stories. . . . She left Brazil in 1944 . . . and spent the next decade and a half in Europe and the United States. After returning to Rio de Janeiro in 1959, she began producing her most famous works, including the stories of Family Ties, the great mystic novel The Passion According to G.H., and what is arguably her masterpiece, Água Viva.”

Source:

“Clarice Lispector.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 May 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarice_Lispector.

After a few moments, that text disappears and the following text appears:

Writer’s Paraphrase

Clarice Lispector was a novelist and short story writer from Brazil. After leaving Brazil in 1944, she spent over a decade in Europe and the United States. When she returned in 1959, she started writing her most famous works, such as Family Ties, The Passion According to G.H., and what is perhaps her masterpiece, Água Viva.]

So let’s compare these two passages.

The source reads as follows, quote: “Clarice Lispector . . . was a Brazilian novelist and short story writer acclaimed internationally for her innovative novels and short stories. . . . She left Brazil in 1944 . . . and spent the next decade and a half in Europe and the United States. After returning to Rio de Janeiro in 1959, she began producing her most famous works, including the stories of Family Ties, the great mystic novel The Passion According to G.H., and what is arguably her masterpiece, Água Viva.” End quote.

The passage a writer might include after consulting the source is as follows, quote: Clarice Lispector was a novelist and short story writer from Brazil. After leaving Brazil in 1944, she spent over a decade in Europe and the United States. When she returned in 1959, she started writing her most famous works, such as Family Ties, The Passion According to G.H., and what is perhaps her masterpiece, Água Viva.

Both sources begin by describing Lispector as a Brazilian writer—without doubt, common knowledge.

[Visual: The title “Source and Paraphrase Comparison” appears at the top of the screen. On the left, the quotation from the source appears, and on the right is the paraphrase example. In the quotation from the source, “Brazilian novelist and short story writer” is highlighted. In the paraphrase, “novelist and short story writer from Brazil” is highlighted.]

Why? Because that information is factual, about a well-known person, and can be corroborated in a number of sources. It’s also the kind of information that can be generally determined in standard ways.

Let’s break down what follows. Next, both sources explain that Lispector left Brazil.

Quote: “She left Brazil in 1944 . . . and spent the next decade and a half in Europe and the United States.” End quote.

After leaving Brazil in 1944, she spent over a decade in Europe and the United States.

[Visual: The following text is displayed on screen:

Source and Paraphrase Comparison

Source

“She left Brazil in 1944 . . . and spent the next decade and a half in Europe and the United States.”

Writer’s Paraphrase

After leaving Brazil in 1944, she spent over a decade in Europe and the United States.]

The next shared item explains that Lispector returned to Brazil and began writing. Quote, “After returning to Rio de Janeiro in 1959, she began producing her most famous works.” End quote.

When she returned in 1959, she started writing her most famous works.

[Visual: The following text is displayed on screen:

Source and Paraphrase Comparison

Source

“After returning to Rio de Janeiro in 1959, she began producing her most famous works”

Writer’s Paraphrase

When she returned in 1959, she started writing her most famous works,]

And then both sources tell us specifically what Lispector wrote. Quote, “including the stories of Family Ties, the great mystic novel The Passion According to G.H., and what is arguably her masterpiece, Água Viva.” End quote.

Such as Family Ties, The Passion According to G.H., and what is perhaps her masterpiece, Água Viva.

[Visual: The following text is displayed on screen:

Source and Paraphrase Comparison

Source

“including the stories of Family Ties, the great mystic novel The Passion According to G.H., and what is arguably her masterpiece, Água Viva.”

Writer’s Paraphrase

such as Family Ties, The Passion According to G.H., and what is perhaps her masterpiece, Água Viva.]

There are three problems with the writer’s passage.

[Visual: The following text is displayed on screen side-by-side, and an orange X appears next to “Writer’s Paraphrase”:

Plagiarizing Reference Sources

Source

“Clarice Lispector . . . was a Brazilian novelist and short story writer acclaimed internationally for her innovative novels and short stories. . . . She left Brazil in 1944 . . . and spent the next decade and a half in Europe and the United States. After returning to Rio de Janeiro in 1959, she began producing her most famous works, including the stories of Family Ties, the great mystic novel The Passion According to G.H., and what is arguably her masterpiece, Água Viva.”

Writer’s Paraphrase

Clarice Lispector was a novelist and short story writer from Brazil. After leaving Brazil in 1944, she spent over a decade in Europe and the United States. When she returned in 1959, she started writing her most famous works, such as Family Ties, The Passion According to G.H., and what is perhaps her masterpiece, Água Viva.]

First, the wording is too similar. But avoiding plagiarism isn’t just about cloaking wording. A second problem is that there is a similar grouping and ordering of information.

[Visual: In the text labeled “Source,” the following is highlighted: “Clarice Lispector . . . was a Brazilian novelist and short story writer.” In the text labeled “Writer’s Paraphrase,” the following is highlighted: “Clarice Lispector was a novelist and short story writer from Brazil.”]

The source’s presentation clearly guided and informed that of the writer.

[Visual: In the text labeled “Source,” the following is highlighted: “She left Brazil in 1944 . . . and spent the next decade and a half in Europe and the United States.” In the text labeled “Writer’s Paraphrase,” the following is highlighted: “After leaving Brazil in 1944, she spent over a decade in Europe and the United States.”]

So, also is this: you should have a good reason for mentioning any factual information in the first place. Facts should not be used as mere filler.

[Visual: In the text labeled “Source,” the following is highlighted: “After returning to Rio de Janeiro in 1959, she began producing her most famous works.” In the text labeled “Writer’s Paraphrase,” the following is highlighted: “When she returned in 1959, she started writing her most famous works.”]

If the context does not help advance your point, it is gratuitous.

[Visual: In the text labeled “Source,” the following is highlighted: “Family Ties, the great mystic novel The Passion According to G.H., and what is arguably her masterpiece, Água Viva.” In the text labeled “Writer’s Paraphrase,” the following is highlighted: “Family Ties, The Passion According to G.H., and what is perhaps her masterpiece, Água Viva.”]

Having this criteria in mind can help you get out of report mode and avoid reference plagiarism.

Third, the parts about Lispector’s leaving Brazil, spending time in Europe and the United States, returning in 1959, and beginning to write her best-known texts are specific and need documentation.

In the next video, you’ll have the chance to evaluate an example of using facts from a reference source before you take our quiz.

Now that we’ve considered how to use facts from reference sources, see if you can determine which material from a reference source can be considered common knowledge and which needs documentation.

Here is another passage from Wikipedia, quote:

“Fallingwater is a house designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935 in rural southwestern Pennsylvania. . . . Fallingwater stands as one of Wright's greatest masterpieces both for its dynamism and for its integration with its striking natural surroundings. . . . Wright's passion for Japanese architecture was strongly reflected in the design of Fallingwater, particularly in the importance of interpenetrating exterior and interior spaces and the strong emphasis placed on harmony between man and nature.” Close quote.

[Visual: The following text appears:

Passage in Source

“Fallingwater is a house designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935 in rural southwestern Pennsylvania. . . . Fallingwater stands as one of Wright's greatest masterpieces both for its dynamism and for its integration with its striking natural surroundings. . . . Wright's passion for Japanese architecture was strongly reflected in the design of Fallingwater, particularly in the importance of interpenetrating exterior and interior spaces and the strong emphasis placed on harmony between man and nature.”

Source:

“Fallingwater.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 May 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallingwater.]

Let’s say you write the following in your paper, quote:

“The architect Frank Lloyd Wright is known, among other things, for a house he designed called Fallingwater, located in Pennsylvania. Wright loved Japanese architecture, and you can see this passion in Fallingwater’s design, especially in the way the exterior and interior interpenetrate and in the harmonious relation between human beings and nature.” End quote.

[Visual: The following text appears:

Your Paraphrase

The architect Frank Lloyd Wright is known, among other things, for a house he designed called Fallingwater, located in Pennsylvania. Wright loved Japanese architecture, and you can see this passion in Fallingwater’s design, especially in the way the exterior and interior interpenetrate and in the harmonious relation between human beings and nature.]

Which aspects are common knowledge and which require citing Wikipedia?

If you identified the first sentence as common knowledge and the second as information needing documentation, you are correct.

[Visual: The sentence “The architect Frank Lloyd Wright is known, among other things, for a house he designed called Fallingwater, located in Pennsylvania” is highlighted in orange. The sentence “Wright loved Japanese architecture, and you can see this passion in Fallingwater’s design, especially in the way the exterior and interior interpenetrate and in the harmonious relation between human beings and nature” is highlighted in blue.]

The first sentence is composed of basic facts about a well-known person, and these facts can be corroborated in a number of sources.

[Visual: The words “basic facts” appear above the first sentence.]

But the second sentence provides specific information—about how the architect’s passion for Japanese architecture influenced him in the creation of Fallingwater, how external and internal spaces relate, and about how the house harmonizes human beings and nature.

[Visual: The words “specific information” appear in the margin below the second sentence. In the second sentence, the following words are highlighted in dark blue: “Japanese architecture,” “Fallingwater’s design,” “exterior and interior interpenetrate,” and “harmonious relation between human beings and nature.”]

This information must be credited to the source. The wording and sentence structure are also too similar to those of the original. Even if you credit the source here, you need to restate the idea in your own words and use your own sentence structure to create a proper paraphrase.

[Visual: The source text and paraphrase are shown side-by-side.]

So here are some tips for using reference material.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen:

Tips for Using Reference Sources

Use reference sources to verify common knowledge about your topic.

Use your own words.

Assemble facts in your own order.

Have a compelling reason for mentioning any fact in the first place.]

Stick to common knowledge.

Choose your own words.

Avoid replicating the order of information presented by the source.

Have a compelling reason for mentioning any fact in the first place.

Sometimes, it’s hard to process information and synthesize it.

So to practice incorporating reference sources into writing, take a step back from the wording of the source. List the facts in random order. Strike out gratuitous information. Then, present the information in your own words, in your own order, and interweave it with any other information or opinions you wish to include.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen:

How to Paraphrase Reference Sources

Take a step back from the wording of your source.

List facts in random order.

Strike out anything inessential to your purpose.

Recast in your own words.

Add information from other sources and your own viewpoints or explanations why the information is relevant to your purpose—then, reassemble.]

So that’s our lesson on working with reference sources. For more information, see the MLA Handbook and then test your knowledge with our quiz.

Hi, everyone. Welcome back to our course on quoting and paraphrasing sources. I’m Professor Irwin Leopando. I’m an associate professor of English at LaGuardia Community College. And I’m here to help you learn about the various choices writers face citing sources in their text.

In this series of videos, I’ll show you when and how to quote sources.

[Visual: The following text appears:

When to Quote

The exact wording is important to your claim.

You want to analyze the language.]

Quote sources instead of paraphrasing or summarizing them when the exact wording is important to your claim or your point.

Quote sources when you want to discuss the language used in a text.

And keep in mind you can combine the technique of quoting with paraphrasing for a single source, even within the same sentence.

So the basic guidelines for quoting are as follows: You must accurately represent the quotation.

[Visual: The following text appears:

Guidelines for Quoting

Accurately represent the quotation by transcribing it exactly.]

Generally, this means you must transcribe it exactly.

You must also accurately convey its meaning.

[Visual: The following text appears: “Accurately convey the meaning of the quotation.”]

What do I mean by this? Well, here’s an example: In an inaugural address, President Nixon uttered the statement, quote, “I believe in them.” End quote.

[Visual: A photograph of Richard Nixon appears. A dialogue bubble appears next to the photo with the text “I believe in them.”]

By “them” he meant “America’s youth.” So a writer shouldn’t use the sentence, quote, “I believe in them,” end quote, to claim that Nixon believes in space aliens.

[Visual: An illustration of a flying saucer appears next to the dialogue bubble.]

Make sure that you understand what you are reading and accurately convey that understanding to your reader.

You must also fit the quotation into your prose, either by incorporating it into your own syntax or by setting it off.

[Visual: The following text appears: “Fit the quotation into your prose and be sure to distinguish your words from those of the source.”]

And here’s another basic guideline: You should use the minimum necessary to get the job done.

[Visual: The following text appears: “Use the minimum necessary to get the point across.”]

Now, this is not a mandate. A seasoned writer should not, of course, robotically truncate every quotation to its bare minimum. It is, rather, a general guideline for writers learning to quote sources.

And here’s a tip: Do not quote simply because you do not understand the passage and find it difficult to paraphrase the idea.

[Visual: The following text appears:

Tip

Do not quote simply because you do not understand the passage and find it difficult to paraphrase the idea.]

Instead, reread the passage until you understand it thoroughly and then decide whether a direct quotation is warranted.

In the next four videos, we’ll look at how to fit quotations into prose and how to decide how much of a quotation to use.

The first point to note about fitting quotations into your prose is that quotations should be introduced or framed—that is, the reason for their presentation should be clear.

[Visual: The following text appears:

Introduce Quotations

Quotations should be introduced or framed—that is, the reason for their presentation should be clear.]

Never include a quotation that is not integrated into your writing unless it’s an epigraph—which is essentially an ornament.

Let’s look at an example.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen:

Passage in Source

The center was not holding.

Source

Didion, Joan. “Slouching Towards Bethlehem.” Slouching Towards Bethlehem, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008, pp. 84–128.

Page: 84]

The source reads, quote, “The center was not holding.” End quote.

Let’s say you present the quote as shown here.

[Visual: The works-cited-list entry on screen disappears and is replaced with the following:

Quoted in Your Writing

Joan Didion starkly assesses the chaos of the United States in the 1960s. “The center was not holding” (84).]

Joan Didion starkly assesses the chaos of the United States in the 1960s. Period. Quote, “The center was not holding.” End quote.

Here an idea from an author’s essay is described in the first sentence, and then the quotation stands alone as a separate sentence. This presentation of the quote is incorrect because you have not shown the reader the connection between the context and the quotation.

[Visual: Above the text, the title “Quotation Not Introduced or Contextualized” appears.]

There are several ways you could fix the problem.

Here’s the first method.

[Visual: the title “Quotation Not Introduced or Contextualized” disappears, and the example labeled “Quoted in Your Writing” is replaced with the following:

Quoted and Formally Introduced

Joan Didion starkly assesses the chaos of the United States in the 1960s: “The center was not holding” (84).]

Joan Didion starkly assesses the chaos of the United States in the 1960s, colon, quote: “The center was not holding.” End quote.

Note that in this example, the quote is set apart from the writer’s prose—that is, it is not syntactically integrated. But it is preceded by a colon.

[Visual: Above the text, the title “Quotation Not Syntactically Integrated” appears.]

This way, the part before the colon provides the context for the quotation.

The next method is to make the quotation part of the syntax of your sentence, by using a comma:

According to Joan Didion’s stark assessment of the United States in the 1960s, comma, quote, “The center was not holding.” End quote.

[Visual: Above the text, the title changes to “Quotation Integrated into Syntax,” and the example labeled “Quoted and Formally Introduced” is replaced with the following:

Quoted and Formally Introduced

According to Joan Didion’s stark assessment of the United States in the 1960s, “[t]he center was not holding” (84).]

Another method is to integrate the quotation with no punctuation at all:

In her stark assessment of the United States in the 1960s, Joan Didion notes that, quote, “[t]he center was not holding.” End quote.

[Visual: The example beneath the “Quote and Formally Introduced” header is replaced with the following: In her stark assessment of the United States in the 1960s, Joan Didion notes that “[t]he center was not holding” (84).]

Finally, you can also break up a quoted sentence and provide the necessary context in the middle:

The United States was in turmoil in the 1960s. Quote, “The center,” end quote, Joan Didion notes, quote, “was not holding.” End quote.

[Visual: The example beneath the “Quote and Formally Introduced” header is replaced with the following: The United States was in turmoil in the 1960s. “The center,” Joan Didion notes, “was not holding” (84).]

You might choose this approach for stylistic reasons: to focus on a word or phrase or to vary your sentence structure.

OK, now it’s your turn.

Let’s say you wish to quote the following sentence, quote:

“Even decay is a transformation into other living things, part of the rampage of becoming that is also unbecoming.” End quote.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen:

Passage in Source

Even decay is a transformation into other living things, part of the rampage of becoming that is also unbecoming.

Source:

Solnit, Rebecca. “Breath.” The Faraway Nearby, by Solnit, Penguin Books, 2013, pp. 77–96.

Page: 79]

Would the following quotation be acceptable?

Rebecca Solnit writes about the fine line between decomposition and rebirth, colon, quote: “Even decay is a transformation into other living things, part of the rampage of becoming that is also unbecoming.” End quote.

[Visual: The works-cited-list entry disappears and is replaced with the following:

Quoted in Your Writing

Rebecca Solnit writes about the fine line between decomposition and rebirth: “Even decay is a transformation into other living things, part of the rampage of becoming that is also unbecoming” (79).]

If you said yes, you are correct.

[Visual: The “Quoted in Your Writing” header turns green and a white check mark in a green box appears next to it.]

This example works because it sets the quote apart from the writer’s prose but introduces it with a colon.

How about this one?

Rebecca Solnit, describing the fine line between decomposition and rebirth, writes, comma, “Even decay is a transformation into other living things, part of the rampage of becoming that is also unbecoming.”

[Visual: The green “Quoted in Your Writing” header and the text below it are replaced with the following:

Quoted in Your Writing

Rebecca Solnit, describing the fine line between decomposition and rebirth, writes, “Even decay is a transformation into other living things, part of the rampage of becoming that is also unbecoming” (79).]

If you said yes, you are correct.

[Visual: The “Quoted in Your Writing” header turns green and a white check mark in a green box appears next to it.]

This example works because it integrates the quote into the writer’s prose with a comma.

And, finally, what about this one?

In the essay “Breath,” Rebecca Solnit writes about the fine line between decomposition and rebirth, period. Quote, “Even decay is a transformation into other living things, part of the rampage of becoming that is also unbecoming.”

[Visual: The green “Quoted in Your Writing” header and the text below it are replaced with the following:

Quoted in Your Writing

In the essay “Breath,” Rebecca Solnit writes about the fine line between decomposition and rebirth. “Even decay is a transformation into other living things, part of the rampage of becoming that is also unbecoming” (79).]

If you said no, you are correct.

[Visual: The “Quoted in Your Writing” header turns orange and an orange X appears next to it.]

This example does not work because it does not introduce the quote or integrate it into the writer’s prose. The quote is disconnected from the context.

To review: Quotations can be set apart from your prose with a colon or integrated into your prose with a comma or no punctuation.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen:

Quotations can be

• set apart from your prose
• integrated into your prose
• broken up into parts]

You can also break up a quoted sentence and provide context in the middle. But you must always introduce or frame the quotation in some way.

In the next video, we’ll look at ways of framing very short or very long quotations.

In the previous video, I quoted entire sentences—because they were complete and remarkably effective statements. But sometimes just a word or short phrase will do.

Here’s the source text, quote:

“Textbook publishers have surrendered control of their products to the language police.” End quote.

[Visual: The following text appears:

Quoting Snippets

Passage in Source

Textbook publishers have surrendered control of their products to the language police.

Source:

Ravitch, Diane. The Language Police: How Pressure Groups Restrict What Students Learn. Alfred A. Knopf, 2003.

Page: 48]

The main idea here is that textbook publishers don’t determine the content of what they publish and that a group of special interests selects and censors content. The notable phrase is, quote, “language police.” End quote.

[Visual: In the text labeled “Passage in Source,” “language police” is highlighted.]

Everything else can be paraphrased:

[Visual: The works-cited-list entry is replaced with the following:

Quote in Your Writing

Diane Ravitch argues that the content of textbooks is determined not by publishers but by what Ravitch calls the “language police” (48).]

Diane Ravitch argues that the content of textbooks is determined not by publishers but by what Ravitch calls the, quote, “language police.” End quote.

[Visual: In the text labeled “Quoted in Your Writing,” “language police” is highlighted.]

I’ve framed my quotation, used the bare minimum needed, and cited the source.

And you can combine the technique of quoting with paraphrasing for a single source, even within the same sentence, and I’ve done that here.

On the other hand, sometimes you need to quote at length—for example, when the passage provides useful background for your argument or when you want to show your reader how a passage of prose, verse, or dialogue works. When you quote at length, you’ll need to set the quotation as a block quotation.

[Visual: The term “Block Quotation” appears.]

A quotation should be set off from your text—that is, set as a block quotation if it’s a prose quotation that extends more than four lines in your text; if it’s a verse quotation of more than three lines in the source; if it’s dialogue from a play or screenplay, unless very brief; if it’s dialogue from a nondramatic prose work, like a novel, and each character’s speech starts on a new line.

[Visual: The following text appears:

Use block quotations for

• prose quotations that extend more than four lines in your text
• verse quotations that extend more than three lines in the source
• dialogue from a play or screenplay, unless very brief
• dialogue from a nondramatic prose work if each character’s speech starts on a new line]

To see examples, consult the MLA Handbook.

Note that you do not put quotation marks around a block quotation. The fact that block quotations are indented distinguishes them from your prose, making quotation marks redundant.

[Visual: The following text appears on screen, with white arrows pointing to the right on a green background indicating that the passage beginning “Among the dismissive . . . ” is indented beneath the introductory sentence:

Block Quotations: Not Surrounded by Quotation Marks

In Idleness: A Philosophical Essay, Brian O’Connor explains how some view lack of activity:

Among the dismissive views of carefree idleness is that it is a hangover from feudal times. Idleness, in this sense, is a freedom reserved in principle for the few. It resembles little more than the lifestyle of a class of spoiled brats and wastrels whose leisure is parasitic on the labor of others. In the pursuit of their leisure these idlers gain an elevated sense of themselves through indulgent ways of living as contrasting as possible from those which are open to those who need to work for them. (58)

Source:

O’Connor, Brian. Idleness: A Philosophical Essay. Princeton UP, 2018.]

This and other mechanical details about integrating block quotations into your prose are covered in the MLA Handbook.

OK, now it’s your turn again.

Let’s say you come across the following passage in a book by Lauren Elkin:

“And then, somehow, by chance, I learned that all the walking around, feeling intensely, constantly moved to scribble what I saw and felt into the floppy notebooks I bought at the Saint-Michel bookstore Gibert Jeune—all that I did instinctively, others had done to such an extent that there was a word for it. I was a flâneur.

Or rather—a good student of French—I converted the masculine noun to a feminine one—a flâneuse.”

[Visual: The following text appears:

Passage in Source

And then, somehow, by chance, I learned that all the walking around, feeling intensely, constantly moved to scribble what I saw and felt into the floppy notebooks I bought at the Saint-Michel bookstore Gibert Jeune—all that I did instinctively, others had done to such an extent that there was a word for it. I was a flâneur.

Or rather—a good student of French—I converted the masculine noun to a feminine one—a flâneuse. (7)

Source:

Elkin, Lauren. Flâneuse: Women Walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice, and London. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2018.]

If you are writing a paper and want to explain to your reader that Lauren Elkin coined a word, would you need to quote the entire passage or could you quote a snippet?

If you said a snippet, you are correct. You might quote the passage as follows:

Lauren Elkin coins the term, quote, “flâneuse,” end quote, to refer to a woman who wanders around the city jotting down observations.

[Visual: The following text appears, with a white check mark in a green box appearing next to “Quoted in Your Writing”:

Quoted in Your Writing

Lauren Elkin coins the term “flâneuse” to refer to a woman who wanders around the city jotting down observations (7).]

In the next video, we’ll look at how to quote text that itself contains a quotation.

Sometimes you will need to quote a passage that itself contains quoted material.

You should indicate any parts of your quotation that are themselves quoted words in order to accurately reflect the source.

[Visual: The title “Quotations within Quotations” appears at the top of the screen. A closing quotation mark and an opening quotation mark appear in the center. The sentence “Indicate when you are quoting quotations” appears at the bottom.]

To do that, when the quotation is run into your prose, change the double quotation marks you find in your source to single quotation marks to distinguish the quotation within the quotation.

[Visual: Single quotation marks appear within the double quotation marks: from left to right, an opening double quotation mark, then an opening single quotation mark, then a closing single quotation mark, and then a closing double quotation mark.]

Here, the original quotation appears thus, with, quote, “hippies,” unquote, appearing in double quotation marks:

San Francisco was where the missing children were gathering and calling themselves, quote, “hippies,” end quote.

[Visual: The following text appears, with the word “hippies” highlighted:

Quotations within Quotations

Passage in Source

San Francisco was where the missing children were gathering and calling themselves “hippies” (85).

Source:

Didion, Joan. “Slouching Towards Bethlehem.” Slouching Towards Bethlehem, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008, pp. 84–128.]

Thus, to quote this sentence in your own writing, use double quotation marks around the sentence and convert the quotation marks around “hippies” to single marks:

As Didion writes, quote, “San Francisco was where the missing children were gathering and calling themselves, single quotation mark, ‘hippies,’ single quotation mark.” End quote.

[Visual: The works-cited-list entry disappears and is replaced with the following, with the text of the quote appearing in dark purple and the text “‘hippies’” changing to light blue text:

Quoted in Your Writing

As Didion writes, “San Francisco was where the missing children were gathering and calling themselves ‘hippies’” (85).]

A simple principle applies for what seems like a thorny issue:

You nest punctuation that appears within punctuation by alternating punctuation marks to disambiguate—in this case, between double and single quotation marks.

[Visual: The following text appears:

Basic Principle

Nest punctuation that appears within punctuation by alternating punctuation marks to disambiguate.

At the bottom of the screen, the following appears from left to right: an opening double quotation mark, then an opening single quotation mark, then a closing single quotation mark, and then a closing double quotation mark]

However, if what you quote consists entirely of a quotation, as often happens when quoting dialogue, do not use single quotes.

[Visual: The following text appears:

Quoting Only Dialogue

Do not use single marks.

Clarify that the quotation is dialogue in your prose.]

Ideally, it will be clear from context that what you are quoting is dialogue, making two layers of quotation marks unnecessary, as here:

Each time Didion asks Barbara a question, she gets the same answer, quote: “Groovy.” Unquote.

[Visual: The following text appears below “Clarify that the quotation is dialogue in your prose”:

Example

Each time Didion asks Barbara a question, she gets the same answer: “Groovy” (113).

Because block quotations are not surrounded by quotation marks, quoted material in the source can remain within double quotation marks, as for the term “place” in the following passage; do not convert them to single marks:

The decisive moment of literary life will be that of reading. In this sense, even though entrusted to machines, literature will continue to be a, quote, “place,” end quote, of privilege within the human consciousness, a way of exercising the potentialities contained in the system of signs belonging to all societies at all times.

[Visual: First, the following text appears:

• Quotations within Block Quotations
• Do not convert double quotation marks to single marks.

After a few moments, that text disappears and is replaced with the following, with “place” highlighted:

In The Uses of Literature, Italo Calvino focuses on the contribution of the reader:

The decisive moment of literary life will be that of reading. In this sense, even though entrusted to machines, literature will continue to be a “place” of privilege within the human consciousness, a way of exercising the potentialities contained in the system of signs belonging to all societies at all times. (15–16)

Source:

Calvino, Italo. The Uses of Literature. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987.]

In the final video, we’ll review basic principles and talk about what not to quote.

To review, quote snippets when you wish to point out notable language.

[Visual: The following text appears: Quote snippets to point out notable language.]

Quote at length when a passage provides useful background or you want your reader to see how a passage of prose, verse, or dialogue works.

[Visual: The following text appears below the first sentence:

Quote at length when a passage provides useful background.

Quote at length to show your reader how a passage works.]

And, remember, when what you are quoting contains a quotation, make sure to make that situation clear in the way you introduce your source or by using appropriate punctuation.

So far we’ve discussed how to fit quotations into prose, and how to decide how much of a quotation to use, and how to use quotation marks to distinguish your words from those of your source, as well as to distinguish quotations within quotations.

[Visual: A graphic illustrating the idea that quotations may be brief or long and that quotations may themselves contain quotations. Gray bars meant to represent lines of text appear. A purple bar that is surrounded by double quotation marks appears at the top and is inserted in front of the gray bars. That illustration then disappears and a purple bar surrounded by double quotation marks appears. The purple bar with the double quotation mark at the end of it is shortened and then lengthened, showing the gray bar behind it. The purple and gray bar disappears and is replaced with purple double quotation marks. After a few moments, light blue single quotation marks appear within the double quotation marks.]

But there are some things you don’t reproduce from your source.

[Visual: The following text appears at the top of the screen: What NOT to Quote.]

One thing you don’t reproduce when quoting is what I’ll call the editorial apparatus—namely, note numbers or symbols, in-text citations, typographic flags, and formatting and design features.

[Visual: The following text appears in a vertical list beneath “What NOT to Quote”:

note numbers

note symbols

in-text citations

other typographic flags

formatting and design features]

In this example, when you quote the sentence, you do not include the note number.

[Visual: The following text appears, with the superscript “59” highlighted:

Do Not Quote Note Numbers

Passage in Source

And when the Dutch economy did begin to suffer from competition, it was less the consequence of a decadent life-style than the force of external circumstances: war and the steep costs of imperial protection.⁵⁹

Quote in Your Work

Simon Schama notes that “when the Dutch economy did begin to suffer from competition, it was less the consequence of a decadent life-style than the force of external circumstances: war and the steep costs of imperial protection” (322).

Source:

Schama, Simon. The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age. Vintage Books, 1997.]

The same holds for symbols used as notes. For example, if a sentence in the source ends with an asterisk, leave the asterisk out when you quote the sentence.

Although you should reproduce italics that are used for emphasis in the original, you’ll generally want to ignore shading, boldface, and any other design and formatting features.

[Visual: The following text appears in a vertical list:

Do Not Reproduce

shading

boldface

other design and formatting features]

One final note. In this video we’ve covered what you do and do not reproduce from a source. Although you should generally transcribe a quotation exactly as it appears in the source, there are some acceptable ways to alter quotations—to add emphasis, to flag errors, to indicate omissions, and to change capitalization for syntax. These and other styling details are covered in the MLA Handbook.

[Visual: The cover of the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook appears.]

So, to sum up, when quoting sources, you need to quote accurately, fit the quotations into your prose, and use the minimum amount to make your point. Sometimes this will mean quoting snippets; other times, this will mean quoting passages at length.

[Visual: The following text appears in a vertical list:

Tips for Quoting Sources

Be accurate.

Fit the quotations into your prose.

Use the minimum: snippets or passages.]

So that’s our lesson on when and how to quote sources. For more details, see the MLA Handbook and test your knowledge with our quiz.