How to Quote a Quote in MLA Style: A Comprehensive Guide
Quoting a quote within an MLA formatted paper might seem daunting, but it's a straightforward process once you understand the rules. This guide breaks down the process step-by-step, ensuring your citations are accurate and adhere to MLA guidelines. Mastering this skill is crucial for academic integrity and producing high-quality research papers.
Understanding the Basics of Nested Quotes
A "quote within a quote" (also known as a nested quote) occurs when you're quoting something that itself contains a quotation. MLA style requires you to handle these situations carefully to maintain the original meaning and avoid confusion.
The Key Rule: Use single quotation marks (' ') for the internal quote and double quotation marks (" ") for the main quote.
How to Format a Quote Within a Quote in MLA
Let's illustrate with an example. Suppose you're quoting a book review that includes a quote from the book itself.
Scenario: You're quoting a review that states, "The author powerfully proclaimed, 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,' emphasizing the importance of taking initiative."
Correct MLA Format:
"The author powerfully proclaimed, 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,' emphasizing the importance of taking initiative" (Smith 12).
Notice the single quotes around "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" and the double quotes enclosing the entire quoted passage. The parenthetical citation (Smith 12) follows the closing punctuation of the outer quote. This indicates the source of the entire quoted material, including the nested quotation.
Handling Changes and Omissions
When quoting a quote, you might need to make changes for clarity or brevity. Remember to follow standard MLA practices for alterations:
- Ellipses (...): Use ellipses to indicate omitted words within the internal quote and the external quote.
- Brackets [ ]: Use brackets to add your own words for clarity within the internal quote or external quote.
Example with changes:
Suppose the original review stated: "The author powerfully proclaimed, 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and it is a difficult one,' emphasizing the importance of taking initiative." You decide to omit "and it is a difficult one."
Correct MLA Format:
"The author powerfully proclaimed, 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step...' emphasizing the importance of taking initiative" (Smith 12).
Multiple Nested Quotes
While less common, you might encounter situations with multiple nested quotes. The principle remains the same: alternate between single and double quotation marks. For example:
"Professor Jones stated, 'My research suggests that Smith's claim, "the earth is flat," is demonstrably false,' which directly contradicts established scientific understanding" (Jones 45).
Works Cited Page Entry
Remember that your Works Cited page must list both the source where you found the initial quote (the review in our examples) and the original source of the nested quote (the book in our examples), if available and relevant to your paper.
Key Takeaways:
- Single then double quotes: Use single quotes for the internal quote and double quotes for the overall quote.
- Parenthetical citation: Place the citation after the closing punctuation of the outer quote.
- Ellipses and brackets: Use ellipses (...) for omissions and brackets [ ] for additions within both the internal and external quotes as needed, following standard MLA guidelines.
- Works Cited: Include entries for both the source of the main quote and the source of the nested quote.
By following these guidelines, you can confidently and correctly incorporate quoted quotes into your MLA-formatted papers, ensuring both accuracy and academic integrity. Remember to always double-check your citations to avoid plagiarism.
