Using short quotations

A short quotation is a word-for-word segment of text from the original source. Short quotations are usually less than 40 words (see the next tab on “Using long quotations” for longer quotations) and are introduced within a sentence. This type of quotations are also known as inline quotations.

To introduce an inline (short) quotation, a signal phrase or sentence is used followed by a comma.

Short quotations are set off by quotation marks and include:

the author’s last name
year of publication (in parentheses)
page number (in parentheses) (“p. _”).

Depending on whether the reporting style is author-prominent or information-prominent, the authors’ names may appear either in the sentence or in parentheses. If all the elements appear in parentheses (author, date, page number), they are separated by commas.

Examples:

Andreas (2013) argued that “people often don’t appreciate a parent-child relationship” (p. 12).
To quote Andreas (2013), “people often don’t appreciate a parent-child relationship” (p. 12).
“People often don’t appreciate a parent-child relationship,” according to Andreas (2013, p. 12).
As has been suggested in some studies, “We should never underestimate the significance of parent-child relationship” (Andreas, 2013, p. 12).

Using long quotations

If you use direct quotations that are 40 words or longer, these are known as block quotations. Block quotations are given in a separate paragraph following an introductory phrase.

Here are some rules on using block (long) quotations:

Use either a colon or a comma after the introductory phrase or sentence.
Give the quotation on a new line (in a new paragraph), without the quotation marks; the quotation can begin with either a capital or lowercase letter.
Flush left the whole paragraph so that it stands out as a separate block of text (see the two examples below).
Cite the source (author(s), date, page number or page range) at the end of the quote (after a period).

If the author’s name and date of publication are included in the introductory phrase or sentence, only include a page number at the end of the block quotation.

Examples:

As suggested by Byram, Gribkova, and Starkey (2013):

the ‘best’ teacher is neither the native nor the non-native speaker, but the person who can help learners see relationships between their own and other cultures, can help them acquire interest in and curiosity about ‘otherness’, and an awareness of themselves and their own cultures seen from other people’s perspectives (p. 10)

Some authors explore the affordances of creative methods in organizational research suggesting that,

Effective use of creative methods can put the organizational researcher in a position to enable participants to find and use their voices – to be able to express their feelings, recollections and reflections of organizational experience when it may be difficult to do so in other circumstances (Broussine, 2009, p. 22)

Modifying quotations

Square brackets [] are used when some of the original words or letters in some words of a quotation (quote) have been changed, or when some clarifications are added. In these cases, the brackets are placed around the modified part of the quotation or the clarification to indicate the change in the quote. Examples of common changes can include a change in verb tense, word class (from a noun to a verb), letter case (from a lower case to an upper case letter and vice versa), etc.

Example 1

Modified quote: “People often [didn’t] appreciate a parent-child relationship” (Andreas, 2013, p. 12).
Original quote: “People often [don’t] appreciate a parent-child relationship” (Andreas, 2013, p. 12).

As seen in the example, brackets were placed around the word “don’t” in order to indicate that the past simple verb has been changed to the present simple tense.

Example 2

Modified quote: “Peer-assessment involves collaboration in the appraisal of learning outcomes by those involved in the learning process [students]” (Van Gennip, Segers, & Tillema, 2009, p. 41).

In this example, the word “students” was added in brackets as part of the quote to provide a clarification of who was implied by “those involved in the learning process.”

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Learning to quote I

Put the elements of the sentences (1 to 3) in the correct order. Drag the elements one by one into the space provided:

“exists in the lives of people outside a classroom, or it is as authentic as the use of that genre for that purpose can be”

(p. 347).

to receive a three (the highest rating), an observer should determine that the purpose for writing

(2006),

According to Duke

Note: Every hint in group field should be enclosed with curly braces.

(2011)

(p. 58).

As Whitney

“The world of the classroom as just as real as the one outside. The classroom is simply a place, one place among the many in which we learn and be”

believes,

Note: Every hint in group field should be enclosed with curly braces.

during the weekly research meetings

“built shared understanding of authenticity coding”

(Purcell-Gates, Duke, & Martineau, 2007, p. 27).

Researchers and research assistants

Note: Every hint in group field should be enclosed with curly braces.

Learning to quote II

Choose the correct way of quoting in the sentences (1 to 3) below:

In 1995, Wu and Dann (1995) argued that “a logistics system responsible for the environment not only includes forward logistics process … but also the reverse logistics” (p. 24).

In 1995, Wu and Dann (1995) argued that “a logistics system responsible for the environment not only includes forward logistics process … but also the reverse logistics” (p 24).

In 1995, Wu and Dann argued that “a logistics system responsible for the environment not only includes forward logistics process … but also the reverse logistics” (page 24).

Moreover, from these perspectives, “meaningful learning is reflective, constructive, and self-regulated” ( S. Maclellan, 2004, p. 311).

Moreover, from these perspectives, “meaningful learning is reflective, constructive, and self-regulated” (Maclellan, 2004, p. 311).

Moreover, from these perspectives: “meaningful learning is reflective, constructive, and self-regulated” (Maclellan, 2004, p. 311).

As Saito and Fujita (2009) put it, “Peer-assessment can promote student learning through a sense of ownership and responsibility, motivation, and reflection of the student’s own learning” (p. 151).

As suggested in some works, peer-evaluation can improve student learning through “a sense of ownership and responsibility, motivation, and reflection of the student’s own learning” (Saito & Fujita, 2009, 151).

As Saito & Fujita put it, “Peer-assessment can promote student learning through “a sense of ownership and responsibility, motivation, and reflection of the student’s own learning” (2009, p. 151).

Learning to quote III

Type in the original sentences (1 to 3) with quotes given the following information. Use the necessary punctuation marks:

Introductory text: In broad terms,
Quote: peer assessment involves collaboration in the appraisal of learning outcomes by those involved in the learning process
Authors: C. Van Gennip, B. Segers, R. Tillema
Year of publication: 2009
Page: 41

Introductory text: According to the previous research,
Quote: perceived self-efficacy refers to beliefs in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given attainments
Authors: A. Bandura
Year of publication: 1997
Page: 3

Introductory text: As Guba and Lincoln argue
Quote: responsive evaluation is not only concerned with individual scores, intended objectives, and the use of the tests (decisions made based on scores)
Year of publication: 1989
Page: 39