What Are Long Quotes?

When you are writing your essay or research paper, you may want to include a larger quote from a specific resource. If you are including a direct quote, then it must be written word for word from the resource. If the quote is more than four lines, then it is considered a long quote. If the quote takes up less than four lines in your essay, then it is considered a short quote (see the last tab for formatting in-text citations for short quotes).  
 

How to Include Long Quotes in Your Essay

If you are trying to include a quote in your essay that is longer than four lines, then you must place it in a separate and more indented paragraph without quotation marks. The entire quote must be indented half an inch from the left margin, and the parenthetical citation should be placed at the end of the excerpt after the end punctuation mark. The purpose of these in-text citations is to direct the reader to the Works Cited page of the essay to view the location of the source. *Don’t forget that all pages in MLA should be double-spaced.*

Basic Examples (from Purdue OWL):

Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration: 

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. Inquiries were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house. (Bronte 78)

In his poem "My Papa's Waltz," Theodore Roethke explores his childhood with his father:

The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.
We Romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf;
My mother's countenance
Could not unfrown itself. (1-8)

*Did you notice how each example above does not have quotation marks? Did you notice how they include a parenthetical citation at the end of the quote after the end punctuation mark?

• The first example shows how to include a long quotation from an article or book. The parenthetical citation at the end of the quote includes the author and page number after the end punctuation.

• The second example shows how to include multiple lines of poetry. When quoting more than three lines of poetry, try to keep the same format as the original poem. Also, since the author’s name is already included in the sentence above the quote, the parenthetical citation only needs to include the line number(s) of your poem after the end punctuation. If the author’s name was not mentioned, then the parenthetical citation would be (Roethke 1-8) instead

Are you citing two or more paragraphs? Do you need to add or omit words in quotations? Click here for more assistance with in-text citations.

How to Include Paraphrasing in Your Essay

Paraphrasing is including someone else’s product or idea in your paper by writing it in your own words. It is important to cite the original source of the idea even if you have paraphrased it. 

What is the difference between quoting and paraphrasing?

Quoting is including someone’s ideas in their own words. It is best to quote someone when their wording is the best way to convey the idea. Paraphrasing shows your understanding of the author's ideas by expressing them in your own words. It is best to alter the sentence structure as well as the words in order to properly paraphrase a passage. 

Below are examples of both quoting and paraphrasing from the MLA Handbook, 9th Edition. (4.7) 

Passage in source shown as a direct quote (taken from Walter A. McDougall's Promised Land, Crusader State: The American Encounter with the World since 1776)

"American Exceptionalism as our founders conceived it was defined by what America was, at home. Foreign policy existed to defend, not define, what America was" (McDougall 37). 

Paraphrase (unacceptable)

This paraphrase is missing a citation, only uses synonyms to change the wording and has not changed the sentence structure from the original.

American exceptionalism as the founding fathers envisioned the concept was given meaning by America as homeland. Programs focused on other countries were there to protect America, not delineate it.

Paraphrase (acceptable)

The wording and sentence structure have both been changed and a citation has been added in this example making it an acceptable paraphrase.

As conceived, American exceptionalism was based on the country's domestic identity, which foreign policy did not shape but merely guarded (McDougall 37).

For more information on paraphrasing see sections 4.5-4.8 of the MLA Handbook, 9th Edition. Or check out the video below for some great tips about paraphrasing without plagiarism.  

In-text citations for films, lectures/presentations, and audiovisual works:

Examples:

Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo stars Herzog's long-time film partner, Klaus Kinski. During the shooting of Fitzcarraldo, Herzog and Kinski were often at odds, but their explosive relationship fostered a memorable and influential film.

During the presentation, Jane Yates stated that invention and pre-writing are areas of rhetoric that need more attention.

Not to mention, clear communication can help because “sometimes the very things that we think, but we don't dare to say because we're afraid that if we say they're going to become real, sometimes that's exactly what needs to be said” (Perel 05:56). 

After complaining about a lack of community, he says that “as long as people start to think for themselves and just, you know, hold the ones dear to them close and just have fun and don't take themselves so seriously, I think the world would be a better place” (Avery 01:10:15).

*Did you notice that the first example includes the title and director of the film? Did you notice that the second example mentions the presentation and the speaker’s name? Did you notice that the last two examples include quotes and mention the creator/director in the parenthetical citation with the timestamp?

• For the first example, do not forget to capitalize and italicize the title of the film or video. You also must include the director’s name within the sentence if there is no parenthetical citation.

• For the second example, do not forget to mention that your information comes from a presentation and include the speaker/presenter’s first and last name in the sentence.

• By listing the director and presenter, the reader of your essay will know what name to look for on the Works Cited page.

• The third example is from a podcast. For many audiovisual works, you must include the author’s name in the parenthetical citation (if it is not already mentioned in the sentence). However, when creating in-text citations for media that has a runtime, such as a movie or podcast, include the range of hours, minutes, and seconds you plan to reference. 

• The last example is quoting a film. Similar to the podcast example, if the sentence doesn’t mention the director’s name, you must include it in the parenthetical citation. Also, if you are using a direct quote then you need to include the timestamp/runtime where the quote is found in the film.

In-text citations for web pages and online news/magazine articles:

Examples:

One online film critic stated that the film "has become notorious for its near-failure and many obstacles" (Taylor, “Fitzcarraldo”).

The Purdue OWL is accessed by millions of users every year. Its "MLA Formatting and Style Guide" is one of the most popular resources.

After the release of Stephen King’s new books, critics claim “the master of supernatural disaster returns with four horror-laced novellas” (Kirkus.com).

*Did you notice that all of these examples include quotes? Did you notice that only two of these examples have parenthetical citations?

• The first example uses a quote from an online magazine article and does not include the author’s name in the sentence. If two entries from the same author appear in the Works Cited, the parenthetical citation should include both the author’s last name and the article title in order to lead the reader to the appropriate entry on the Works Cited page. If there is only one resource from that author, then only their name is necessary in the parenthetical citation.

• In the second example, a parenthetical citation is not necessary because the web page does not list an author. However, the title of the article, “MLA Formatting and Style Guide,” is used as a signal phrase within the sentence. If the title of the article was not named in the sentence, an abbreviated version would appear in a parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence.

• The last example is an online article that doesn’t have an author. If you cannot find the author’s name, then use the name of the article, website, or film. When you use the name of the website, do not include the full URL in the parenthetical citation. Only provide partial URLs such as when the name of the site includes, for example, a domain name, like CNN.com or Forbes.com, as opposed to writing out http://www.cnn.com or http://www.forbes.com. 

In-text citations for a tables, photos, illustrations, or digital images:

Examples:

Table 1
Caffeine Contents of Drinks

Source: Ted Kallmyer. Caffeine Informer. 2018. www.caffeineinformer.com

Fig. 1. Claude Monet. San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk, painting, 1908.
 

Fig. 2. Pete Souza. The Situation Room. 2011, The White House. 

Fig. 3. Milton Glaser. Dylan. 1966, MoMA.

*Did you notice how each example above was labeled? Did you notice how the in-text citations are completely different than when we use quotations?

• When you include images, tables, or other illustrations in your essay, they should be placed as close to the relevant part of the essay as possible. If the caption of an image, table, or illustration provides complete information about the source, and the source is not cited in the text, then no entry is needed for that source on the final Works Cited page.
• The first example is a table/chart. A table is usually labeled “Table” on the first line with a corresponding number, and then a title for the table on the second line. If you have multiple tables, then you should label them Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, etc. Immediately underneath each table you need to include the source as a caption, as shown above. 
• The last three examples are specifically labeled as Figures (abbreviated as Fig.) and are given corresponding and consecutive numbers to show you how it would look in an essay (Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3). 
• The caption for Fig. 1 points to an entry in the Works Cited page. This one is different because the artist’s medium is included in the caption.
• The captions for Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 have full biographical details and do not need to be included on the Works Cited page. These two examples do not include the photographer’s/artist’s medium, but instead include the institutions they belong to.