To cite a quote in APA, MLA and Chicago, place the borrowed words in double quotation marks and add an in-text citation that points the reader to a full entry in your reference list: APA uses (Author, Year, p. X), MLA uses (Author page), and Chicago uses a superscript number tied to a footnote or endnote. Quotations of roughly 40 words (APA), four lines of prose (MLA) or 100 words (Chicago) and over are set as indented block quotes without quotation marks.
This guide covers exactly how to cite a direct quote in all three styles — short quotes, long (block) quotes, page and paragraph numbers, sources with no author or date, and the matching reference-list entry — with side-by-side examples you can copy and adapt for your own essay, dissertation or research paper.
Why Citing Quotes Correctly Matters
In academic and professional writing, accurate citation is not a scholarly courtesy — it is a fundamental practice that protects the integrity of your work. Whenever you reproduce another author’s exact words, you must signal clearly that the words are theirs and tell the reader precisely where to find them. A correctly cited quote does three things at once: it gives credit to the original author, it lets a reader verify your evidence, and it keeps your argument firmly on the right side of your university’s academic-integrity rules.
Getting this wrong is one of the most common causes of unintentional plagiarism. A quotation copied without quotation marks, an in-text citation missing its page number, or a reference entry that does not match the in-text marker can all be flagged in a similarity report — even when you never intended to pass off someone else’s words as your own. The mechanics below exist to remove that risk entirely.
Citing well also makes your writing more persuasive. When a claim is anchored to a credible, traceable source, readers are far more likely to trust it. If you would like a refresher on selecting and introducing source material before you format it, our companion guide on how to quote sources walks through the principles that sit behind every citation style.
APA, MLA and Chicago at a Glance
The three dominant styles in UK and international academia serve different disciplines, so the first job is knowing which one your department requires. The table below summarises how each handles a direct quote — the in-text marker, where the page number sits, and the block-quote threshold — so you can orient yourself before diving into the detail.
| Feature | APA (7th ed.) | MLA (9th ed.) | Chicago (Notes & Bibliography) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical disciplines | Psychology, education, social sciences, nursing | English, languages, humanities | History, arts, some humanities |
| In-text marker | (Author, Year, p. X) | (Author page) | Superscript number → footnote/endnote |
| Page indicator | p. (one page) / pp. (range) | Number only, no “p.” | Page number in the note |
| Block-quote threshold | 40+ words | 4+ lines of prose / 3+ of verse | 100+ words (or 5+ lines) |
| End-of-paper list | References | Works Cited | Bibliography |
| Author order in list | Last, First Initial. | Last, First. | Last, First. |
Notice that the underlying logic is the same in every case: a short pointer in the body of your text, matched to a full entry at the end. Once you understand that pattern, switching between styles is mostly a matter of punctuation and order. If you regularly set off longer passages, our dedicated guide on how to block quote covers the indentation and spacing rules in more depth.
How to Cite a Quote in APA Style
The American Psychological Association introduced its style in the 1920s to standardise scientific writing; the 7th edition is current. APA is author–date: every direct quote needs the author’s surname, the year of publication, and a page number — the same three pieces of information you will reuse when referencing sources correctly elsewhere in the paper.
APA Short Quotations (Fewer Than 40 Words)
Run the quote into your own sentence inside double quotation marks, then give the citation. The page number always appears, whether or not the author’s name is part of your sentence.
Format: (Author’s Surname, Year, p. page number)
When the author is named in your sentence, only the year and page sit in parentheses: Prospect (2022) observed that “APA style is widely adopted in academic circles” (p. 21).
APA Long Quotations (40 Words or More)
Present quotations of 40 words or more as a freestanding block with no quotation marks. Start on a new line, indent the whole block half an inch (1.27 cm) from the left margin, keep it double-spaced, and place the citation in parentheses after the closing full stop.
APA style helps scholars consistently present their findings, ensuring clarity and reducing ambiguity in academic papers. This structure supports the reader in comprehending the material more effectively, particularly across the social sciences where replication depends on transparent reporting. (p. 45)
APA Reference-List Entries
At the end of the paper, list every source you cited under the heading References, alphabetised by author surname with a hanging indent.
- Book: Smith, J. A. (2020). The importance of APA style in academic writing (2nd ed.). Academic Press.
- Journal article: Jones, L. B., & Thompson, R. T. (2019). APA citation practices in research. Journal of Academic Writing, 12(3), 45–60.
How to Cite a Quote in MLA Style
The Modern Language Association style, first published in 1951, is the standard in English, languages and the wider humanities. MLA is author–page: there is no year and no “p.” in the in-text citation — just the surname and the page number.
MLA Short Quotations (Fewer Than Four Lines)
Always introduce or contextualise a quote rather than dropping it in cold. For prose under four typed lines (or verse under three lines), keep the quote in your text inside double quotation marks. The parenthetical citation follows the quotation, and the full stop comes after the citation.
If you name the author in your sentence, give only the page number in parentheses, as above. If you do not, include the surname: poetry was defined by a “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (Wordsworth 23).
MLA Long Quotations (Four Lines or More)
Set quotations of more than four lines of prose (or three of verse) in a freestanding block, omitting the quotation marks. Begin on a new line, indent the whole quote half an inch, and keep it double-spaced — the same indentation mechanics covered in our guide to block quoting a long passage. Here the full stop comes before the parenthetical citation.
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. (Brontë 78)
MLA Works Cited Entries
List every source on a Works Cited page at the end. Start each entry flush left; if it runs over one line, indent the subsequent lines half an inch (a hanging indent). Double-space throughout.
- Begin each entry at the left margin and indent any runover lines half an inch.
- Double-space all entries.
- Give full page ranges where needed: a journal article on pages 225 to 250 is listed as 225–50.
How to Cite a Quote in Chicago Style
The Chicago Manual of Style, first published in 1906 by the University of Chicago Press, is widely used in history and the arts. Its student-friendly version is Kate Turabian’s A Manual for Writers. Chicago offers two systems — Notes and Bibliography (common in the humanities) and Author–Date (common in the sciences). The notes system, shown here, cites quotes with a superscript number linked to a footnote or endnote.
Footnotes vs Endnotes
Footnotes and endnotes are formatted identically; only their position differs. Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page; endnotes appear together at the end of the chapter or paper. To cite a direct quote, insert a superscript number immediately after the closing punctuation, then supply the source in the matching note.
Chicago Short Quotations (Fewer Than 100 Words)
Keep short quotations (under 100 words, or two to three lines of verse) in the body of the text inside quotation marks. The note number follows the closing punctuation.
A subsequent reference to the same source is shortened: 2. James, Study of History, 71.
Chicago Long Quotations (100 Words or More)
For quotations of 100 words or more (or more than one paragraph), use a block quotation: start on a new line, indent the whole block half an inch, and omit the quotation marks. The note number appears after the final punctuation of the block.
Chicago Bibliography Entries
The Bibliography lists every source cited, alphabetised by author surname. Note the difference from the footnote: the bibliography uses full stops between elements rather than commas and parentheses.
Side-by-Side: The Same Quote in All Three Styles
To see how the three systems diverge, here is one identical short quotation — the words “clarity is the writer’s first duty” from a fictional source by Prospect (2022, page 12) — rendered in each style.
| Style | In-text citation of the quote |
|---|---|
| APA | Prospect (2022) insisted that “clarity is the writer’s first duty” (p. 12). |
| MLA | Prospect insisted that “clarity is the writer’s first duty” (12). |
| Chicago (note) | Prospect insisted that “clarity is the writer’s first duty.”¹ (Note 1: Author Prospect, Title [City: Publisher, 2022], 12.) |
Quote Citation Format Compared
Common Mistakes When Citing Quotes
Most citation errors flagged in marking and in similarity reports come from a short list of recurring slips — many of them rooted in the basics of citing sources properly. Watch for these:
- Don’t omit the page number on a direct quote in APA or MLA — an unparenthesised page reference is the single most common deduction.
- Don’t keep quotation marks on a block quote. Once a quote is set off and indented, the indentation replaces the marks.
- Don’t mismatch your in-text marker and your reference entry. Every quote in the body must have a corresponding entry in the list, spelled identically.
- Don’t alter the wording of a quote silently. Use square brackets [ ] for any change and an ellipsis … for any omission.
- Don’t mix styles in one paper. Choose APA, MLA or Chicago per your brief and apply it consistently.
Editing a Quote Honestly
When you need to trim or adapt a quotation to fit your sentence, do it transparently so the reader always knows what the original said.
“Clarity … is the writer’s first duty [to the reader],” the author argues (Prospect, 2022, p. 12).
The ellipsis shows where words were cut; the square brackets show words you added for sense. Never edit a quote in a way that changes its original meaning.
Citation Tools That Help
Reference managers automate the formatting and keep your in-text citations and reference list in sync, which removes much of the room for error. They are a legitimate aid: they format the citations for sources you have genuinely read and cited.
| Tool | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zotero | Free, all styles | Desktop app plus browser connector; strong PDF and web capture. |
| Mendeley | Reading + citing | Built-in PDF reader and annotation; good for science papers. |
| EndNote | Large projects | Powerful but paid; common for theses and dissertations. |
| Cite This For Me | Quick one-offs | Web generator; always double-check the output by hand. |
However the citation is generated, the final responsibility is yours: automated output frequently mis-formats edition numbers, capitalisation and page ranges, so proofread every entry against the style rules above. A second pair of expert eyes is the surest safeguard, which is where a professional proofreading and editing service earns its place before submission.
Make every citation flawless
Our editors check your quotes, in-text markers and reference list against APA, MLA or Chicago rules before you submit.
Bringing It Together
Citing a quote correctly always follows the same two-part pattern: a short, accurate pointer where the quote appears, and a full, matching entry in your reference list. APA leads with the year and a clear page number, MLA keeps it to author and page, and Chicago hands the detail to a footnote. Master the block-quote threshold for your style, keep your in-text markers and reference entries perfectly aligned, and edit quotations transparently, and your referencing will hold up under any similarity check or marker’s scrutiny.
When the stakes are high — a graded essay, a dissertation chapter, or a paper bound for publication — it is worth having the citations verified by a specialist. If you are drafting a longer evidence-led piece, our research paper writing services team works to exactly these standards: precise referencing, authentic sources and zero plagiarism.
