
In other words, use four periods, with no space before the first or after the last. If you omit an entire sentence, use ellipses points, and retain rules for end punctuation (always place a period at the end of a declarative sentence). Adhere to the following guidelines.Īccording to the MLA Handbook, if you must omit a word, phrase, or sentence from a quoted passage, mark the omission with ellipsis points (. The rules for quoting prose vary according to how much you quote. Additionally, introducing the quote with a signal phrase helps you smoothly incorporate the quotation (“Quotations” 75). Unless you use brackets or parentheses (see below), changes to the source’s words, spelling, capitalization, or punctuation cannot be made. If you decide to quote a source in order to support your thesis statement, reproduce the source word for word. Writers must always accurately quote the source. Consult the MLA Handbook to review additional topics and learn more.
How to introduce a quote in mla how to#
It also addresses a few special issues, like what to do if there is a spelling error in a quote, as well as how to handle punctuation. This article discusses rules for quoting both prose and quotes within quotes. The Modern Language Association (MLA) provides guidelines/rules for quoting: Although misquoting or quoting too much can confuse or overwhelm your audience, quoting relevant and unique words, phrases, sentences, lines, or passages can help you achieve your purpose. Quotations are effective in academic writing when used carefully and selectively.
