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Quoting and Paraphrasing (APA format)
How to incorporate the ideas of other into your essay
A quote, or a quotation, is a word-for-word repetition of something that has been written or
spoken. Quotation marks directly before or after the material tell the reader it is a word-forword quote. Quotes add authenticity and impact to your paper. Thus, phrases and sentences
should be quoted only if they are especially interesting or are particularly appropriate to a
point. Keep them as brief as possible. Direct quotations must always include the author’s last
name, year of publication and page number of the quote.
Examples:
“The low self-monitoring person is generally more attentive to his/her internal attitudes
and dispositions than to externally based information such as others’ reactions and
expectations” (Baxter, 1983, p. 29).
Such activity, claims Stein (1990), “provides them with a means to explore implications
of ideas, to find their strengths and weaknesses, to evaluate their usefulness in realworld situations” (p. 25).
A paraphrase is a restatement of written or spoken text in different words. It does not require
special punctuation even though you may be using some words from the original text along
with your own words. Summarizing is also often used to condense a great deal of information
into a few words and to provide a series of facts the reader may need in order to understand a
point you are trying to make. Paraphrasing and summarizing information requires the author’s
last name and year of publication. Page number is not required.
Examples:
According to Baxter (1983), if a person has a low self-monitor, then he/she tends to pay
more attention to his/her attitudes, rather than to the ways others might expect him/her
to behave.
Officials at the University of Delaware thought that letting parents know when students
violate regulations on alcohol use would alter students’ drinking habits (Reisberg,
1998).
Tips on quoting and paraphrasing:
Generally, quotations and paraphrases must be introduced and attributed. You must give the
reader enough information to understand who is being quoted or paraphrased and why, but not
too much information. Do not include the title of the book or article in your citation. The
following list of signal verbs will help you integrate quotes into your sentences:
acknowledges concludes emphasizes replies
responds
interprets agrees
confirms
answers
declares
objects
says
charges
discusses
opposes
thinks
(Notice that these verbs are all in the present tense.)
advises
allows
believes
claims
concurs
criticizes
disagrees
disputes
expresses reports
lists
reveals
offers
suggests
remarks writes
This list of signal verbs comes from The Everyday Writer by Andrea Lunsford.