In APA 7 style, a block quote is used for any direct quotation of 40 words or more. You remove the quotation marks, start the quote on a new line, and indent the entire quotation half an inch from the left margin. The citation goes after the final punctuation. Shorter quotes stay inline with quotation marks; the 40-word threshold is the dividing line.
Here is exactly when a block quote applies and how to format one correctly.
When do you use a block quote in APA?
Use a block quote when the quotation is 40 words or longer. Count the words in the quoted material itself. At 40 words or more, APA requires the block format; under 40 words, you keep the quote inline within your paragraph with quotation marks.
The threshold is a word count, not a judgment call. This differs from MLA, which uses a line count instead. If you are working in MLA, see block quote MLA.
How do you format an APA block quote?
Four rules define the format. Start the quotation on a new line. Indent the whole block half an inch (0.5″) from the left margin, the same as a paragraph indent, and keep it double-spaced. Do not use quotation marks. Place the parenthetical citation after the closing punctuation of the quote.
Researchers have long noted the gap between intention and action. The participants who set a specific deadline completed the task far more often than those who left the timing open, suggesting that structure, not motivation, was the deciding factor in whether the work got done. (Lin, 2024, p. 18)
Notice the period comes before the citation in a block quote. This is the opposite of an inline quote, where the citation comes before the period. In the block format, the citation sits outside the final period entirely.
How do you cite a block quote in APA?
The in-text citation gives the author, year, and page number, just like any APA direct quote. What changes is placement: it goes in parentheses after the closing punctuation, with no period after it.
If you name the author in your lead-in sentence, put the year there and the page number at the end of the block.
Lin (2024) summarized the finding directly: The participants who set a specific deadline completed the task far more often than those who left the timing open. (p. 18)
For the rules that govern shorter, inline quotations, see APA quote citation.
How do you introduce an APA block quote?
Lead into the block with a sentence of your own, usually ending in a colon, so the reader knows why the quote is there. A block quote should never appear without a lead-in that sets it up.
Keep block quotes occasional. Because they take up space and hand the page to another writer, use them only when the exact, extended wording matters. For most borrowed material, a shorter inline quote or a paraphrase serves better. For rewording a source instead, see how to paraphrase a quote, and for signal phrases, see how to introduce a quote.
What if the block quote has more than one paragraph?
If the quotation runs to two or more paragraphs, indent the first line of the second and any later paragraphs an additional half inch, so each new paragraph within the block is clearly marked. The whole block still keeps its base half-inch indent from the margin.
FAQ
How many words is a block quote in APA?
Forty words or more. A quotation of 40 words or longer uses the block format; anything shorter stays inline with quotation marks.
Do you use quotation marks in an APA block quote?
No. The indentation itself signals that the text is quoted, so you omit the quotation marks. Adding them would be incorrect.
Where does the citation go in an APA block quote?
After the final punctuation of the quote, in parentheses, with no period following the citation. This is different from an inline quote, where the citation comes before the period.
How far do you indent an APA block quote?
Half an inch (0.5″) from the left margin, the same as a standard paragraph indent, with the block kept double-spaced.
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