To quote a book, put the borrowed words in quotation marks, introduce them with a signal phrase, and follow with an in-text citation that includes the page number. In MLA the citation is the author’s last name and page; in APA it is the author, year, and page. The page number matters more for books than for many other sources, because it points the reader to the exact spot in a long work.
Here is the format in each style, with examples, plus how to handle a quote from a book with no page numbers.
How do you quote a book in MLA?
In MLA, give the author’s last name and the page number in parentheses, with no comma between them. The quotation marks enclose the borrowed words, and the citation comes before the closing period.
The narrator admits that he “had never understood the town until he left it” (Ellison 92).
If you name the author in your sentence, put only the page number in parentheses.
Ellison writes that the narrator “had never understood the town until he left it” (92).
The full book then appears on your Works Cited page. For the complete in-text rules, see how to quote in MLA.
How do you quote a book in APA?
In APA, give the author’s last name, the year, and the page number with “p.” before it, separated by commas.
The narrator admits that he “had never understood the town until he left it” (Ellison, 1952, p. 92).
If you name the author in the sentence, the year follows the name and the page follows the quote.
Ellison (1952) writes that the narrator “had never understood the town until he left it” (p. 92).
For the full APA direct-quote rules, see APA quote citation.
How do you introduce a book quote?
Lead into the quote with a signal phrase so it does not appear stranded. Name the author or the work and use a verb like writes, argues, describes, or observes. This tells the reader whose words follow and why.
As Ellison describes it, the narrator “had never understood the town until he left it” (92).
Dropping a quote in with no lead-in makes the writing choppy and hides the source. For the full set of lead-in patterns, see how to introduce a quote.
How do you quote a book with no page numbers?
E-books and audiobooks often lack fixed page numbers because the text reflows by device. In that case you replace the page with another locator.
In APA, cite the chapter, section heading, or paragraph number, for example (Ellison, 1952, Chapter 3) or (Ellison, 1952, para. 4). In MLA, you can cite by chapter if pages are unavailable, or by the author’s name alone. The goal either way is to point the reader as close to the passage as the format allows.
When should you quote a book versus paraphrase it?
Quote directly when the author’s exact wording matters, a distinctive phrase, a precise argument, or language you plan to analyze. For plot points, background, or general ideas, paraphrasing in your own words usually reads better and shows comprehension. Either way you cite, since a paraphrase still borrows the idea. For how to reword correctly, see how to paraphrase a quote.
FAQ
Do you need a page number to quote a book?
Yes, when one exists. Books are long, so the page number points the reader to the exact passage. For e-books without pages, use a chapter, heading, or paragraph number instead.
How do you quote dialogue from a book?
Enclose the whole quoted passage in quotation marks, and use single quotation marks for the character’s speech inside it. The in-text citation with the page number still follows.
How do you cite a book with two authors?
In MLA, name both: (Lin and Ortiz 40). In APA, join them with an ampersand: (Lin & Ortiz, 2020, p. 40). Use “and” when you name them in your sentence.
What if the book quote is very long?
Use a block quote. In APA, quotations of 40 words or more are set as an indented block without quotation marks; MLA uses a similar block format for quotes longer than four lines.
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