This document provides guidelines for using quotes and following MLA style formatting. It discusses using double quotation marks for direct quotes and italics for titles of long works. Rules are described for placing punctuation inside or outside quotation marks. Block quotes are defined as quotes longer than 3 lines that do not use quotation marks but are indented. Guidance is given for incorporating short and long quotes into papers and altering quotes by adding or omitting words with brackets or ellipses.

1. Quotes & MLA
Jessica French and Maddie Inman
English 1010
Professor Nathan Price

2. Quotes
Quotes are used to represent quoted or spoken language, or
to set off titles.
There are several important rules to remember when quoting:
● Rule 1: Use double quotations to set off a direct word for word quotation.
● Rule 2: Use quotes or italics for titles
● Rule 3: Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks
● Rule 4: Use single quote marks for quotes within quotes

3. Rule 1
Use double quotations to set off a direct
word for word quotation.
Correct: “When will you be here?” he asked.
Incorrect: When will you be here?, he asked?
‘When will you be here?’ He asked

4. Rule 2
Use quotation marks or Italics for titles
When to use quotation marks:
Short Works Long Works
● Articles titles from magazines, newspapers or
journals
● Essays
● Short stories
● Poems
● Book Chapters
● Specific pages within a website
● Specific episodes of TV shows
● Songs
When to use italics:
● Books
● Newspapers
● Magazines
● Journals
● Websites
● Online databases
● Plays
● Pamphlets
● Films/Movie titles
● Television shows
● Radio Programs/broadcasts

5. Quotation Marks or Italics?
Book: The Hunger Games
Poem: Where the Sidewalk Ends
???

6. Quotation Marks or Italics?
Book: The Hunger Games
Because The Hunger Games is a long work it is italicized.
Poem: “Where the Sidewalk Ends”
Because “Where the Sidewalk Ends” is a short work, it is put in quotation marks.

7. Rule 3
Periods and commas always go inside
quotation marks.
Examples:
Correct: “Anna likes cats.”
Incorrect: “Anna likes cats”.
Correct: The girl said, “Meow,” and jumped to the floor.
Incorrect: The girl said, “Meow”, and jumped to the floor.

8. Rule 4
Use single quote marks only to quote within
a quote
For Example: “Let us explore what is meant by the quote ‘Do unto others as
you would have them do unto you,” said the teacher.
Do Not use quotation
marks for emphasis or to
show sarcasm because this
is an incorrect usage of
quotation marks.
“My ‘friend’ asked
me if I wanted to go
to a movie.”

9. Rule 4
Use single quote marks only to quote within
a quote
For Example: “Let us explore what is meant by the quote ‘Do unto others as
you would have them do unto you,” said the teacher.
Do Not use quotation
marks for emphasis or to
show sarcasm because this
is an incorrect usage of
quotation marks.
“My ‘friend’ asked
me if I wanted to go
to a movie.”

10. Block Quotes (Long Quotation)
● Use block quotes whenever your quote exceeds 3 or
more lines of text.
● Always use a colon at the end of a block quote.
● Quotation marks aren’t used to open or close block
quotes.
● When using a block quote, indent to 1 inch from the
page margin. (Or indent to paragraph, then an
additional tab.) You do not want the block quote and
paragraph indents to be the same.

11. Block Quote Example
Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration:
They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room, and I had no more
sense, so, I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By
chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaws door, and there he
found it on quitting his chamber. Inquires were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to
confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house.
(Bronte 78)
Notice:
● there is no quotation marks to open and close the
block quote.
● There is a colon at the end of the block quote/
● The quote is indented further than where the
paragraph is indented.

12. MLA Formatting Quotations
Formatting quotations depends on their length.
Below are some basic guidelines for incorporating
quotations into your paper. Please note that all
pages in MLA should be double-spaced.

13. Short Quotations
Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and
semicolons should appear after the parenthetical citation.
Question marks and exclamation points should appear
within the quotation marks if they are a part of the quoted
passage but after the parenthetical citation if they are a part
of your text.
Example:
Is it possible that dreams may express "profound aspects of personality"
(Foulkes 184)?

14. Long Quotations (Block quotes)
Your parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark. When quoting verse,
maintain original line breaks.
So just like in the other example, the (Bronte 78) was mentioned after the closing punctuation.
Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration:
They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room, and I had no more
sense, so, I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By
chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and there he
found it on quitting his chamber. Inquires were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to
confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house.
(Bronte 78)

15. Adding or omitting words in quotations
● If you add a word or words in a quotation, you should put brackets around the
words to indicate that they are not part of the original text.
Example: Jan Harold Brunvand, in an essay on urban legends, states, "some individuals [who retell urban legends]
make a point of learning every rumor or tale" (78).
● If you omit a word or words from a quotation, you should indicate the deleted
word or words by using ellipsis marks ( . . . ) preceded and followed by a space.
Example: In an essay on urban legends, Jan Harold Brunvand notes that "some individuals make a point of learning
every recent rumor or tale . . . and in a short time a lively exchange of details occurs" (78)
The loch
ness
monster!!!