How To Cite Direct Quotations

How to Cite Direct Quotations
by Timothy McAdoo
One of our goals for this blog is to convey that following the guidelines of APA Style need not restrict your flexibility as a writer. Because ofspace limitations, many style points illustrated in theAPA Publication Manual show only one or two examples. We’re happy that the blog now allows us to provide additional examples.
Today I have anillustration of how you may write a sentence in a variety of ways and still be following perfect APA Style. All of the following citations of a direct quote are in correct APA Style, citing the author,year, and page number.
Examples
1. According to Palladino and Wade (2010), “a flexible mind is a healthy mind” (p. 147). 2. In 2010, Palladino and Wade noted that “a flexible mind is a healthymind” (p. 147). 3. In fact, “a flexible mind is a healthy mind” (Palladino & Wade, 2010, p. 147). 4. “A flexible mind is a healthy mind,” according to Palladino and Wade’s (2010, p. 147)longitudinal study. 5. Palladino and Wade’s (2010) results indicate that “a flexible mind is a healthy mind” (p. 147). |
Of course, these are just a few of the possible wordings for this sentence. Each ofthese examples properly cites the direct quotation, but I've varied the placement of the citation information. By changing the order of information in the sentence, I can choose what information toemphasize.
For example, because Example 2 begins with “In 2010,” you might use it if your greater context for this quote is to indicate the timeliness of the research in your literature review.
Or,you might find the quote so striking that you want to begin the sentence with it, as in Example 4, to make the most impact.
Or, you may be considering the readability and transitions from one sentenceto the next. For example, if you ended the previous sentence with “Palladino and Wade,” you would probably not want to begin the next with “Palladino and Wade,” which would rule out Example 5. You...