Quotations
ALWD Rules 47–49
Accuracy Counts!
• You must make sure that the quotation is
presented accurately in the document you
are checking.
• Check:
– order of words
– spelling
– capitalization
– typeface
– punctuation
– omissions and alterations.
Short Quotations: Rule 47.4
• If a quotation is less than fifty words or is
no longer than four lines of text, place
the quotation in double quotation marks,
but do not set it off from the text.
Short Quotations and Punctuation:
Rule 47.4(d)
• Place periods and commas inside the
quotation marks – even if they are not part
of the original quotation.
• Place all other punctuation outside of the
quotation marks unless the punctuation is
part of the original quotation.
– These rules also apply to quotations
within quotations.
Longer Quotations: Rule 47.5
• If a quotation is fifty words or more or is
longer than four lines of text, it should be
block-indented and single-spaced.
– Do not use quotation marks at the beginning or the
end of the block quotation.
• Exception: Quotation within a quotation
– The block quote should be separated from text by a
double space, above and below the block quotation.
– The indentation should be one tab on both the right
and the left sides.
Longer Quotations
• Retain the paragraphing of the original source.
– If the quotation starts with a sentence found
in the middle of a paragraph in the original
source, indent one tab on the left and right
sides for the block quote, but do not indent
further.
– If the quotation starts with the first sentence
of a paragraph in the original source, indent a
second tab on the left side.
– If multiple paragraphs are quoted, every time
the first sentence in each new paragraph of
the original is cited, indent a second tab on
the left side.
Quotations within Quotations:
Rule 47.7
• Short Quotations
– Use single quotation marks to designate
a quotation within a short quotation.
– Follow Rule 47.4(d) for punctuation.
• “The court held that the defendant
was ‘completely out of order.’”
Quotations within Quotations
• Longer Quotations
– Use double quotation marks to designate a quotation
within a block-indented quotation.
– Follow Rule 47.4(d) for punctuation.
• The court held that the unruly defendant was
“completely out of order” when the defendant
banged his fists on the table and yelled several
obscenities in the jury’s direction. Because of
the defendant’s conduct, and refusal to stop
when asked, the court held the defendant in
criminal contempt of court.
Citations for Internal Quotations:
Rule 47.7(c)
• This rule applies when one source
quotes another source.
• If the original source is cited within
the quoted passage, retain the
citation within the quotation, and do not
repeat it within the citation for the main
quote.
Example
• “[T]he FAA specifically states that any ‘final
decision with respect to arbitration’ is
immediately appealable, 9 U.S.C. § 16(a)(3),
regardless of whether that decision allows the
arbitration process to go forward.” John
Hancock Mut. Life Ins. Co. v. Olick, 151 F.3d
132, 135 (3d Cir. 1998).
However . . .
• If the original source does not appear
within the quoted material, you must
identify it in an explanatory parenthetical
following the main citation.
Example
• The Court then reversed, stating, “In this
case, . . . petitioner’s right to counsel, a
‘specific federal right,’ is being denied
anew.” Burgett v. Tex., 389 U.S. 109, 116
(1967) (quoting Spencer v. Tex., 385 U.S.
554, 565 (1966)).
Altering Quoted Material: Rule 48
• Enclose an altered letter in square
brackets
– Original = “The court held”
– Modified = Moreover, “[t]he court held”
– Original = “In the latter event, the court
held”
– Modified = “[T]he court held”
Adding, Changing, or Deleting One
or More Letters: Rule 48.2
• Enclose added, changed, or deleted
material in square brackets.
– Original = state
– Modified = state[d]
• Indicate an omission of one or more
letters by inserting empty brackets.
– Original = stated
– Modified = state[ ]
Adding a Footnote within a Block
Quotation: Rule 48.3
• Typically, the note reference number is inserted at
the end of a block quotation; however, in the rare
occasion that it is necessary or desirable to add a
note reference number within a block quotation,
enclose the superscripted note reference number
in brackets.
• For example,
We recognize, as does Clayton, that absent a
constitutional bases for a challenge,[3] the . . .
Standing rule, applied to cases of this type, [4]
creates a rare situation [where] there is a wrong
without a remedy. . . .
Substituting or Adding Words:
Rule 48.4
• Instead of altering one letter, it sometimes
makes more sense just to replace the entire
word.
• If you substitute or add words to a
quotation, enclose those words in square
brackets.
– Original = “The court held for Mr.
Jamison.”
– Modified = “The court held for [the
defendant].”
Altering Typeface: Rule 48.5
• If you alter typeface (such as adding or
deleting italics), describe the alteration in a
parenthetical that follows the citation.
– (emphasis added). (emphasis
omitted).
• If quoted material contains emphasis,
some of which was in the original source
and some of which was added, be sure to
indicate the alterations.
– (second emphasis added).
Mistakes within Original Quoted
Material: Rule 48.6
• Original material may contain mistakes, such
as spelling and grammatical errors.
– You may correct all mistakes and place
square brackets around the corrections you
made.
– You may use [sic] to note the error appears
in the original.
Omissions within Quoted Material:
Rule 49
• Use an ellipsis to indicate the omission of
one or more words (^.^.^.^ ).
– ^ = one space
• Typically insert a space before and after
the ellipsis.
– If quotation marks follow an ellipsis, do not
insert a space between the ellipses and the
closing quotation mark
( . . .”).
When Not to Use an Ellipsis: Rule
49.3
• Do not use an ellipsis before or after a quote
that is obviously incomplete sentence (i.e.,
there is text on either side of the quoted
material) in the context in which it is used.
– The Supreme Court held that while “students are
entitled to freedom of expression of their views,”
they may not engage in a type of expression that
materially and substantially interferes with
schoolwork or discipline.
Beginning a Quotation
• Original = “But, in our system,
undifferentiated fear or apprehension”
• Modified correctly = “[I]n our system,
undifferentiated fear or apprehension”
• Not: “. . . [I]n our system, undifferentiated
fear or apprehension”
No Ellipses – Continued
• Do not use an ellipsis at the end of a block
quotation that concludes with a
grammatically complete sentence.
• Do not use an ellipsis to indicate the
omission of a footnote or citation.
– However, this type of omission should be
noted in a parenthetical after the citation.
(Rule 49.3(d))
– Smith v. Jones, 145 F.3d 1, 5 (2d Cir.
1999) (footnote omitted).
Using Ellipses: Rule 49.4(b)
• When the end of a quoted sentence is
omitted, insert an ellipsis and the final
punctuation.
Example
• Original sentence: We hold today that
the Sixth Amendment's right of an accused
to confront the witnesses against him is
likewise a fundamental right and is made
obligatory on the States by the Fourteenth
Amendment.
• Omissions: “[T]he Sixth Amendment’s
right of an accused to confront the witness
against him is^.^.^.^a fundamental
right^.^.^.^.”^^
When the Quote Continues:
Rule 49.4(c)
• When the last word ends the quoted
sentence, do not use an ellipsis
unless the quotation continues. If the
quotation does continue, insert the
ellipsis, then the final punctuation.
• “Quoted sentence ends.^.^.^.^^One
or more sentences are deleted, and
another quoted sentence begins.”
Omitting One or More Paragraphs:
Rule 49.4(d)
• Place the ellipsis on its own line.
• Center the ellipsis.
• Put five spaces between each ellipsis
point.
.^^^^^.^^^^^.
Questions?