Steps to Quoting Prose

USE THESE STEPS WHEN

The quotation is shorter than 4 lines

1. Include some words to introduce the quotation (so it isn’t just “hanging out there” without any transition).
2. Keep the double-spacing and keep the quotation within the body of your paragraph.
3. Copy the quotation directly from the book.
4. Enclose the quotation from the book with quotation marks.
5. IF THERE IS DIALOGUE IN THE QUOTATION YOU ARE USING, include single quotation marks around the character’s words. Maintain (Keep) the double quotation marks around anything that you took from the book.
   1. Example: In response to George killing Lennie, “ ‘Never you mind,’ said Slim. ‘A guy got to sometimes’ ” (Steinbeck 107).

6. Make sure that the text is properly cited within your paper:

a. Parenthetical notation at the end of the quotation (i.e. (Steinbeck 27)) OR

b. Mention the source in a previous sentence (i.e. On page 27, Steinbeck states,…)

Steps to Block Quoting (for prose)

USE THESE STEPS WHEN:

(a) the quotation is longer than 4 lines or

(b) there is more than one person speaking or

(c) you are quoting more than one paragraph

1. Separate the quotation (author’s words) from the rest of the text by pressing enter to get to a new line.

2. Honor the paragraph breaks as they occur in the original text. (If the author starts a new paragraph, or indents, so do you!)

3. Copy the text word for word, keeping all original punctuation from the text.

4. Make sure that the text is properly cited within your paper:

a. Parenthetical notation at the end of the quotation (i.e. (Steinbeck 27)) OR

b. Mention the source in a previous sentence (i.e. On page 27, Steinbeck states,…)

5. SINGLE SPACE just the block quotation

a. Select the block quotation (Click and drag your mouse on it to highlight the text!)

b. Alter the spacing to single

c. Make sure you don’t have any extra spaces between the block quotation and the subsequent text

d. INDENT the entire block quotation! (Maintain the indents when you have paragraphs…)

6. Continue your paragraph/analysis under the block quotation on the left margin (DO NOT INDENT).