How Long Is A Block Quote
When citing two or more paragraphs, use block quotation format, even if the passage from the paragraphs is less than four lines. If you cite more than one paragraph, the first line of the second paragraph should be indented an extra 1/4 inch to denote a new paragraph: Learn how to use block quotes in academic writing, when to format them and how to cite them.
Find out the minimum length of a block quote in different citation styles and see examples. Use block quotes for passages exceeding four lines of prose or three lines of poetry. Employ them to emphasize crucial passages that need full context (definitions, legal language, literary dialogue).
Avoid block quotes for short statementsparaphrase or quote inline instead. The length of the quotation determines when to use block quotes in MLA writing. For prose sources (e.g., books or journal articles), use block format when the quotation is five or more lines on your page.
APA Format: Block Quotations (7th Edition) When citing a quotation that is 40 words or longer, the quote should be formatted as a free-standing block without quotation marks. In general, a short quotation, especially one that is not a full sentence, should be run in. A hundred words or more can generally be set off as a block quotation.
Unlike inline quotations, which are embedded within a paragraph and set off by quotation marks, a block quote is a standalone, indented paragraph that typically contains long quotations, usually exceeding 40 words or more, depending on various style guides such as APA, MLA, or Chicago Manual of Style. Block quotes should start on a new line and indent the block about inch from the left margin If there are additional paragraphs within the block quote, indent the first line of each an additional half inch. Quotations that are more than four lines should be set off from the text of your essay in a block quote.
The text youre quoting should be indented a half inch. Do not add quotation marks for a block quote. While a short quotation is enclosed in quotation marks and integrated into the surrounding paragraph, a block quotation is an independent paragraph that is indented five spaces from the left margin.
