Welcome to our beginner’s guide on how to quote in APA style. Quoting sources properly is a crucial skill in academic writing, and following the specific guidelines of the American Psychological Association (APA) can help you effectively incorporate quotes into your work while giving proper credit to the original authors. In this blog post, we will provide you with a comprehensive overview of how to quote in APA style, from formatting to citation.
The Basics of Quoting in APA Style
When quoting in APA style, it is important to use quotation marks to indicate the exact words of the author you are quoting. Additionally, you must provide a citation that includes the author’s last name, publication year, and page number (if available). This helps your readers locate the original source of the quote and gives credit to the original author.
Formatting Your Quotes
In APA style, quotes that are less than 40 words should be incorporated into the text within double quotation marks. For quotes longer than 40 words, you should use a block quote format, which involves indenting the entire quote without using quotation marks. Make sure to also include the author’s last name, publication year, and page number in the citation for both types of quotes.
Citing Your Sources
Properly citing your sources is essential in APA style to avoid plagiarism and give credit to the original authors. In addition to including the author’s last name, publication year, and page number in your in-text citation, you must also include a full reference at the end of your paper in the reference list. This list should include all the sources you have cited in your work, formatted according to APA guidelines.
Example of Quoting in APA Style
Let’s look at an example of how to quote in APA style:
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” (Jobs, 2005, p. 45)
In this example, we have included the author’s last name (Jobs), publication year (2005), and page number (45) in the citation to properly attribute the quote to its original source.
Conclusion
Quoting in APA style may seem daunting at first, but with practice, you can master the art of incorporating quotes into your writing effectively. Remember to always use quotation marks, provide proper citations, and format your quotes and references according to APA guidelines. By following these tips, you can ensure that your work is both accurate and ethically sound.
We hope this beginner’s guide on how to quote in APA style has been helpful to you. If you have any questions or would like to share your own tips for quoting in APA style, feel free to leave a comment below.