APA direct quotes: short and block quotations with page numbers

How do you write a short direct quote?

A short quote has fewer than 40 words. Keep it in the paragraph, in double quotation marks, with author, year and page.

• Parenthetical: The city "has doubled its rooftop plots" (Rivera, 2022, p. 31).
• Narrative: Rivera (2022) noted that the city "has doubled its rooftop plots" (p. 31).

The sentence's final period goes after the citation.

How do you write a block quote?

At 40 words or more, move the quote to its own block. No quotation marks, 0.5-inch indent on the whole block, double spacing. The citation follows the final period.

Rivera (2022) described the change this way:

    Rooftop plots doubled in five years, although most families kept
    other sources of income. Urban gardening worked as a supplement
    and not as a replacement for wage work in the central districts.
    (p. 31)

The quoted text is fictional.

What details does a quote need?

For sources without page numbers, such as web pages, use a paragraph number (para. 4) or a section name.

Can I change a quote?

Only with signals. Use brackets [ ] to add clarification and bracketed ellipses […] for omitted words. Never alter words silently.

When should I use a direct quote?

A direct quote is the exception, not the rule. Use one when the exact words matter: a technical definition, a sentence you will analyze, a legal clause or a claim you do not want to alter. In other cases a paraphrase keeps your voice and helps the text flow. A paper full of quotes reads like a collage; your instructor wants to see that you understood the source.

How do I fit a quote into a sentence?

You can work a quote into your writing in three ways.

1. With an introductory phrase. Rivera (2022) concluded that "urban gardening worked as a supplement and not as a replacement for wage work" (p. 31).
2. At the end of the sentence. Gardening worked, according to one study, "as a supplement and not as a replacement for wage work" (Rivera, 2022, p. 31).
3. Inside your own syntax. The author describes gardening as a "supplement" to wage work (Rivera, 2022, p. 31).

In every case the sentence's period goes after the citation, not inside the quotation marks.

How do I cite a source that has no page numbers?

Web pages, videos and e-books without fixed pagination need another locator.

Choose the locator that lets another person find the passage. Never invent a page number.

How do I add or remove words in a quote?

APA allows changes if you tell the reader.

• Add clarification: put the addition in square brackets. "Gardening [in the city] worked as a supplement" (Rivera, 2022, p. 31).
• Omit words: replace the omission with an ellipsis in brackets. "Gardening worked […] as a supplement" (Rivera, 2022, p. 31).
• Flag an error in the original: write [sic] after it. Do not fix it silently.
• Emphasize words: if you italicize something for emphasis, add [emphasis added] after the quote.

Each change must respect what the author meant. If you need to change too much, paraphrase.

What if the passage already contains a quotation?

If the passage you copy includes a quotation, change its double quotation marks to single marks inside your quote. In a block quote, keep the original's double marks as they are. Short example: Rivera (2022) reports that "neighbors spoke of a 'supplement,' not a replacement" (p. 31).

Which mistakes are common?

• Quoting without a page. It is the most common slip and the easiest to fix.
• Using quotation marks on a block. Quotes of 40 words or more take none.
• Changing words without telling the reader. If you alter the text, mark the change.
• Putting the period before the citation in a short quote. The period goes after the parenthesis.
• Quoting from memory. A direct quote must be copied from the original.
• Miscounting the 40 words. Count every word, including short ones.
• Letting a quote do your thinking. A quote does not replace your analysis; explain why you chose it.

How do I introduce a long quote clearly?

Lead into the block with a sentence that says who is speaking and why it matters. After the quote, spend at least one sentence interpreting it. The reader then knows why you included it, and your paper keeps its own structure.

Checklist

• Under 40 words: quotation marks, in the paragraph
• 40+ words: block, no quotation marks
• Author, year and page
• Changes marked with brackets
• Source in the reference list

Last reviewed: 2026-10-29. Official source.