MLA (Modern Language Association) style is a widely used citation format for academic writing in the humanities, particularly in the field of literature. When quoting a source in an MLA-style essay, it is important to properly format the quotation and include a citation to give credit to the original source.
To format a quotation in MLA style, start by introducing the quotation with a signal phrase, which is a phrase that introduces the quote and indicates who said it. The signal phrase should include the author's name and the title of the source, if applicable. For example:
According to John Smith, "Quotations are an important part of academic writing because they provide evidence and support for your own ideas" (Smith 123).
In this example, "According to John Smith" is the signal phrase and "Quotations are an important part of academic writing because they provide evidence and support for your own ideas" is the quote.
If the quotation is more than four lines long, you should format it as a block quote. To do this, start the quotation on a new line and indent it one inch from the left margin. Do not use quotation marks for a block quote. Instead, provide a citation after the quotation, as shown in the example below:
According to Smith:
Quotations are an important part of academic writing because they provide evidence and support for your own ideas. They also help to illustrate a point or add depth to an argument. When using quotations, it is important to follow the correct citation format to give credit to the original source.
(Smith 123)
Note that the citation for a block quote is placed after the quotation and is not indented.
It is also important to accurately reproduce the original source when quoting. This means that you should not change the wording or punctuation of the quotation unless it is necessary to do so for clarity or accuracy. If you do need to make changes, use square brackets to indicate the change, as in the example below:
According to Smith, "Quotations are an important part of academic writing [because they provide] evidence and support for your own ideas" (123).
In this example, the word "because" has been added to the quotation for clarity, and square brackets are used to indicate the change.
In conclusion, quoting a source in an MLA-style essay requires proper formatting and citation to give credit to the original source. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your quotations are properly formatted and accurately reproduced.
