Use double quotation marks, always in pairs, to indicate direct quotations and to mark some types of titles.

P6-a Set off direct quotations with quotation marks.

A direct quotation is set off by a pair of quotation marks and by an initial capital letter. Indirect quotations, however, do not use quotation marks or capital letters.

When a phrase such as she said interrupts the quotation, do not capitalize the first word after the phrase unless the word actually begins a new quoted sentence. (See also M2-c.)

Note: In a research paper, indent a long quotation as a block, double-spaced, and omit quotation marks.

P6-b Follow convention in using punctuation at the end of a quotation, after a signal phrase or speaker tag (she said), and with other punctuation.

Place a comma or a period inside the closing quotation mark.

H-64

In a research paper following either MLA style or APA style, the closing quotation mark should follow the last quoted word, but the period at the end of the sentence should follow the parentheses enclosing the citation.

Note: Place a colon or semicolon outside the closing quotation mark.

Follow an introductory phrase with either a comma or the word that.

When you introduce a formal quotation with an independent clause, you can instead follow the introduction with a colon. (See P4-a.)

Place a question mark or an exclamation point inside the closing quotation mark if it is part of the quotation, or outside if it is part of your own sentence.

You do not need to add a period if a question mark or an exclamation point concludes a quotation at the end of the sentence.

Supply a closing quotation mark at the end of a paragraph to show that a new quotation begins in the next paragraph.

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Omit the closing quotation mark if a quotation continues in the next paragraph.

P6-c Enclose titles of short works in quotation marks.

Short works include articles, chapters, essays, short stories, short poems, episodes in a television program, and songs. Place the quotation marks around the exact title of the work mentioned. Titles of longer works, such as books, magazines, and newspapers, are italicized; see M5-a.

Note: Do not enclose the title of your own essay in quotation marks.

P6-d Use single quotation marks inside double quotation marks to show a quotation within a quotation.

P6-e Omit or correct quotation marks used excessively or incorrectly.

Omit unneeded quotation marks used for emphasis, irony, or distance.

Avoid using quotation marks just to emphasize certain words, to show irony, or to distance yourself from slang, clichés, or trite expressions.

H-66

Omit quotation marks from indirect quotations.