The document provides a 7-step guide for selecting, integrating, and citing direct quotations in APA style. The steps include choosing a relevant quote, writing an introductory sentence, attaching a signal phrase, writing an in-text citation, following up the quote with a sentence, putting all the elements together, and including a reference citation. Following these steps will help writers effectively incorporate and cite direct quotations in their work.

1. USING DIRECT
QUOTATIONS
A Guide to Selecting, Integrating, and Citing in APA Style (7th ed.)

2. Step 1: Choose and Copy a Quotation
The most important part of the
process is finding a quote that
effectively supports your
position, idea, or statement.
When copying a quotation, be
sure you double-check the
accuracy of the wording.
**Note the page number and
year of publication. This will
help save time when creating
your in-text citation.

3. Step 2: Write
a Sentence
to Introduce
the
Quotation
Before including your quotation, write a sentence
that helps the reader understand why you are
including the quote.
Position, Idea, or Statement to be Supported:
There are several maxims in Franklin’s “Way to
Wealth” that reflect what one needs to do in
order to achieve the American Dream.
Sentence Introducing Quote: One principle that is
repeated throughout the essay is the idea that a
person must not waste time.

4. Step 3:
Attach a
Signal
Phrase to the
Quotation
A signal phrase helps ease the reader
into your chosen quotation. It does
not need to be complex; a few words
or orient the reader will suffice.
Signal Phrase: Franklin demonstrates
this idea when he writes,
Quotation: “But dost thou love life, then
do not squander time, for that’s the
stuff life is made of”

5. Step 4: Write Your Sentence and Add an
In-text Citation
In-text citations for our textbook
are as follows:
(author last name, original year of
publication/date of textbook
publication, p. # on which your
quote appears)
Franklin demonstrates this idea
when he writes, “But dost thou love
life, then do not squander time, for
that’s the stuff life is made of”
(Franklin, 1758/2017, p. 209).

6. Step 5: Follow Up Your Quote with a
Sentence
Remind
• After providing the support for
your ide, remind your readers
of your original point.
Signal Phrase and Quotation:
• Franklin demonstrates this idea
when he writes, “But dost thou
love life, then do not squander
time, for that’s the stuff life is
made of” (Franklin, 1758/2017, p.
209).
Follow-Up Sentence:
• This shows that one must not
waste time being idle to live a
successful and happy life.

7. Step 6: Put It
All Together
Franklin demonstrates this idea when he writes, “But
dost thou love life, then do not squander time, for
that’s the stuff life is made of” (Franklin, 1758/2017, p.
209). This shows that one must not waste time being
idle to live a successful and happy life.

8. Step 7: Include a Reference Citation
Reference citations for our textbook are as follows:
Author, A.A., & B.B. (Year of textbook publication). Title. In A. Editor & B. Editor (Eds.),
Title of book (edition) (inclusive page numbers). Norton. (original year of publication).
Franklin, B. (2017). The way to wealth. In R.S. Levine, M. A. Elliott, S. M. Gustafson, A.
Hungerford, & M. Loeffelholz (Eds.), The Norton anthology of American literature
(Shorter 9th ed.) (pp. 208-214). (Original work published 1758).

9. The Finished Product
Franklin demonstrates this idea when he writes, “But dost thou love life, then do not squander
time, for that’s the stuff life is made of” (Franklin, 1758/2017, p. 209). This shows that one must
not waste time being idle to live a successful and happy life.
Franklin, B. (2017). The way to wealth. In R.S. Levine, M. A. Elliott, S. M. Gustafson,
A. Hungerford, & M. Loeffelholz (Eds.), The Norton anthology of American literature
(Shorter 9th ed.) (pp. 208-214). (Original work published 1758).