To cite a quote in APA style, follow these key guidelines:
- For quotes under 40 words:
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Enclose the quote in double quotation marks.
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Include the author’s last name, year of publication, and page number in parentheses immediately after the quote. The page number is preceded by "p."
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Example (parenthetical citation):
"Quote text" (Author, Year, p. X). -
Or, in a narrative citation:
Author (Year) said, "Quote text" (p. X)
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- For quotes of 40 words or more (block quotes):
- Format the quote as a block of text without quotation marks.
- Start on a new line and indent the entire quote 0.5 inches from the left margin.
- Double-space the block quote.
- Place the citation after the final punctuation of the quote.
- Example:
Author (Year) explained:
Block quote text here, indented and double-spaced. (p. X)
- If the source has no page numbers:
- Use alternative locators such as paragraph number (para. X), section heading, or timestamp for audiovisual sources.
- Example: (Author, Year, para. 4) or (Author, Year, Section Name, para. 2)
- Punctuation:
- Periods and commas go after the citation parentheses, not inside the quotation marks
In summary, every direct quote in APA requires the author’s last name, publication year, and a page or location reference to guide readers to the exact source of the quote
