To cite a quote, put the borrowed words in quotation marks and add a citation that names the author and points to where the words appear. In MLA that is the author’s last name and the page number, like (Lee 24). In APA it is the author, year, and page number, like (Lee, 1960, p. 24). Both styles also require a full entry in the works cited or reference list. The exact format depends on the style your class or publication uses.
What does it mean to cite a quote?
Citing a quote does two things: it marks which words are not yours, with quotation marks, and it tells the reader where you found them, with the citation. Skipping either one is a problem. Quotation marks without a citation leave the source untraceable; a citation without quotation marks on copied wording is plagiarism even if the source is listed. You need both whenever you reproduce someone’s exact words.
How to cite a quote in MLA
In MLA 9, a direct quote takes quotation marks and a parenthetical citation with the author’s last name and the page number, no comma between them: “It is a truth universally acknowledged” (Austen 1). The citation goes after the closing quotation mark and before the sentence’s final period. If you name the author in your sentence, give only the page number in parentheses: Austen opens with the line “It is a truth universally acknowledged” (1). For the fuller rules, see how to quote in MLA and MLA quote citation.
How to cite a quote in APA
In APA 7, a direct quote needs the author, the year, and the page number. You can place it all in parentheses after the quote, “the words” (Lee, 1960, p. 24), or name the author and year in the sentence and put the page number after the quote: Lee (1960) wrote “the words” (p. 24). APA uses “p.” for one page and “pp.” for a range. For a source without page numbers, use a paragraph number or section heading instead. The full method is in APA quote citation.
Do you always need a page number?
For a direct quote, yes, when one exists. Both MLA and APA expect a page number (or an equivalent locator) so a reader can find the exact words. When a source has no pages, a website or a video, use what it does have: a paragraph number, a timestamp, or a section heading. Paraphrases are looser: MLA still wants a page number, while APA encourages one but does not strictly require it for a paraphrase.
How to cite a quote from an article
The in-text citation works the same as for a book, the author’s name plus a locator. The difference is the full entry in your reference list, which for an article includes the article title, the journal or website name, the date, and the page range or URL. Cite the article’s author, not the publication, in the in-text citation, unless no author is named, in which case you use a short form of the title.
How to credit a quote that is not in a paper
Outside formal writing, a card, a slide, a social post, you still credit the speaker, but you do not need full MLA or APA formatting. Name the person, and where you can, the work it comes from. The honest part is accuracy: if an attribution is uncertain, say “attributed to” rather than stating it as fact, because many popular lines circulate under the wrong name.
How citing differs from paraphrasing
Citing a quote means keeping the exact words inside quotation marks. Paraphrasing means restating the idea in your own words, which still needs a citation but no quotation marks. If you change only a few words and keep the structure, that is not a real paraphrase and still counts as a quote. For where the line falls, see how do you paraphrase a quote. Once a quote is cited correctly, it also needs to be introduced smoothly; see how to introduce a quote.
FAQ
How do you cite a direct quote?
Put the words in quotation marks and add a citation with the author and a locator. MLA uses author and page (Lee 24); APA uses author, year, and page (Lee, 1960, p. 24). Add a matching full entry in your works cited or references.
Where does the citation go, before or after the period?
For a short quote, the parenthetical citation goes after the closing quotation mark and before the final period: “the words” (Lee 24). For a block quote, it goes after the final period.
Do you need a page number to cite a quote?
For a direct quote, yes, when the source has pages. If it has none, use a paragraph number, timestamp, or section heading instead.
How do you cite a quote with no author?
Use a shortened version of the title in place of the author. In MLA that is a short title and page number; in APA it is a short title and year.
Is it plagiarism to quote without a citation?
Yes. Reproducing someone’s exact words without both quotation marks and a citation is plagiarism, even if the source appears in your reference list.
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