Are you reading this guide because you are interested in knowing about the different types of quotes? If so, you really are in the right guide right now.
If you are still worried, I will state the flow of our guide:
- What is Quotation?
- Types of Quotations
- Examples of Direct Quotations (In-text quotes)
- Examples of Direct Quotations (Block Quotes)
- Examples of Indirect Quotations
- Direct Quotations vs. Indirect Quotations
See? That’s it. The guide e is short and sweet. Take deep breaths, read on, and enjoy today’s lecture on quotations!
What is a Quotation?
In academic writing, a quotation means you repeat what the author has stated by adding his or her words to your own work. A citation is needed to attribute the original source or the author of the quote. Usually, they are enclosed with quotation marks. Or in the case of block quotes, the said punctuation is omitted.
The purpose of quotations in writing is to add depth or to support your argument.
Of course, one should not overuse quotations because it may lead to unnecessary deductions from the teacher. What I want to say is that quotations should be used strategically and intelligently.
Types of Quotations
Would you believe that there are different types of quotations? I would like to touch upon this topic for those readers who do not know anything about them. I figured that this might be new for some people.
Direct quotations
If you’re thinking block quotations, you are almost right! From my perspective, there are two subtypes of direct quotations namely:
- In-text quotes
- Direct quotes
An in-text quote means that a short quote is part of the sentence you are writing. It is less than 40 words (APA) and four lines (MLA).
At the end of the day, Linda resolves her Chicago citation problems — being mentored by a Professional Nerd. Let Nerdify find your perfect match using AI! 🤖
Examples of Direct Quotations (In-text quotes)
Example #1:
According to Vladimir Lenin (1895), “factory owners were able to impose fines for what they pleased and to any extent they wished.”
Example #2:
Toru Watanabe of Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood (1987/2000) reflects, “I was at that age, that time of life when every sight, every feeling, every thought came back, like a boomerang, to me” (p. 6).
Example #3:
In Plato’s Apology, we can see clearly that Socrates is standing up for himself as evidenced by his words, “[t]here have been many who have accused me to you for many years now, and none of their accusations are true” (1 18b).
Example #4:
John Stuart Mill states, “[t]he struggle between Liberty and Authority is the most conspicuous feature in the portions of history with which we are earliest familiar, particularly in that of Greece, Rome, and England” (6).
On the other hand, a block quotation means that a text consists of more than 40 words (APA) or more than four lines (MLA). Block quotations are placed on another line and the quotation marks are omitted. See the examples below.
Examples of Direct Quotations (Block Quotes)
Example #1:
Example #2:
At the end of the day, Linda resolves her Chicago citation problems — being mentored by a Professional Nerd. Let Nerdify find your perfect match using AI! 🤖
Example #3:
Example #4:
What did you see? I did not change any word in the quote. That’s a direct quotation for you. Of course, do not forget to cite your sources.
Indirect quotation
In indirect quotations, you do not have to use the exact words the author used. You do not have to quote anything. It’s a paraphrase or a summary of the author’s words.
Examples of Indirect Quotations
Example #1:
Original text: “If we were to ask a worker whether he knows what fines are, the question would very likely astonish him” (Lenin, 1895).
Indirect quotation: Lenin comments (1895) that a factory employee would be surprised if people questioned him as to whether or not he is knowledgeable about fines.
Example #2:
Original text: My friend says, “I want pizza.”
Indirect quotation: My friend remarks that she wants to eat pizza.
Direct Quotations vs. Indirect Quotations
Let us have a quick summary of these two types of quotations. The differences between them are simple.
I hope that you were able to discover something brand new from my short guide on types of quotes. The aforementioned types of quotations are the ones I learned from school.
At the end of the day, Linda resolves her Chicago citation problems — being mentored by a Professional Nerd. Let Nerdify find your perfect match using AI! 🤖
As a final note, it’s up to you on how you are going to use direct and indirect quotations to spice up your essay. If you think there’s another type of quote I should tackle, please let me know in the comments section below.
Good luck and see you next time!
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