Quotations
SECTION 3.7 FROM THE MLA HANDBOOK
FOR WRITERS OF RESEARCH PAPERS,
7 TH E D I T I O N
3.7.1 Use and Accuracy of Quotation
 Direct quotations are a dynamic device that can used
to emphasize a salient point from a given text.
 Overuse of quotations creates a work that is both
unauthentic and unimaginative.
Be Precise and Concise
 All quotes must:
 Be taken in context as exact words from the source
 Contain no spelling errors
 Have no grammatical changes unless the reader can clearly
identify any alterations from the original text.
EXAMPLES 3.7.1
Ex. 1
Dylan Thomas could be described by many differing adjectives, some of
which were more flattering than others. These descriptions ranged from
the complimentary “traveling bard” or “word-drunk genius” to the
derogatory “literally drunk” or “ruined by excessive admiration”. (Oliver
104)
Ex. 2
Dylan Thomas could be described by many differing adjectives, some of
which were more flattering than others. Douglas Oliver described Thomas
as a person that could be categorized as a “traveling bard” or “worddrunk genius” to “[literal] drunk” or “ruined by excessive admiration”.
(104)
3.7.2 Prose
 The following slides will provide you with general
“rules of thumb” that will help you avoid the pitfalls
of indirect plagiarism.
3.7.2 Rule 1 – Less than 4 lines of text
 If you have no special emphasis within the text:
Place the quoted lines in “quotation marks”
2. Place this within the line of your written text.
3. Include a page, paragraph, or line number in
parenthesis after the period at the end of the
sentence.
1.
Example for 3.7.2 Rule 1
Ex. 1
The Twentieth-Century Modernist Poetry has taken on many sub-forms
contained under the umbrellas descriptive term of modernism. According
to Padgett, modernist poets of the early 20th century “had few literary
heroes from the previous century, they rejected what they saw as mostly
outdated art or oppressive social structures”. (253)
Ex. 2
The Twentieth-Century Modernist Poetry has taken on many sub-forms
contained under the umbrellas descriptive term of modernism.
Modernist poets of the early 20th century “had few literary heroes from
the previous century, they rejected what they saw as mostly outdated art
or oppressive social structures”. (Padgett 253)
3.7.2 Rule 2 – More than 4 lines of text or an
entire paragraph
Set lines or paragraph 1 inch from the margin and
DO NOT use special indentation on the first line.
2. Include a page, paragraph, or line number in
parentheses after the period at the end of the
sentence.
1.
Example for 3.7.2 Rule 2
Ex.
After Quevedo’s death Spain entered a phase of literary
stagnation. Spanish literature, once a center of international
attention, began to imitate foreign models, especially French
literature. The was the case in the eighteenth century, known in
Spain as “Siglo de las Luces,” or “Age of Enlightenment.” In
Spain the enlightenment was a sober and highly rational
movement that rejected the golden age’s rich literary forms. The
movement produced a few poets of importance. One, José
Cadalso (1741-1782), is better known for his essays, a genre that
dominated that literary movement. (321)
3.7.2 Rule 3 – More than one paragraph
 Use this with extreme caution; too much use of this
technique will tend to leave your work stilted,
fragmented, and not your own words or work!
1. Follow all the concepts from Rule #2 and…
2. Set the first line of each paragraph quoted in an
additional 0.25 inches. The first line of each
paragraph will have a total of 1.25 inches.
Example of 3.7.2 Rule 3
Ex.
Willy Loman has been described in a variety of literary characterizations ranging from that of a
tragic hero to simple man with vast limitations. According to William Aarnes in his work “Tragic
Form and the Possibility of Meaning in Death of a Salesman, he states that:
He (Miller) characterizes Willy as essentially meaningless by dramatizing him, as
most but not all readers and viewers of the play have recognized, not as a tragic hero but
as a pathetic, limited man. But, if Miller has written Death of a Salesman without a
tragic hero, we nonetheless need to acknowledge the tragic form. For Miller brings
Willy to life through a form that is double-edged. In Death of Salesman the tragic form,
which for Miller is adapted from ritual, is at once an ironic commentary on the
smallness of Willy’s life and a model of action that supports Miller’s assumption, or at
least the possibility of assuming, that life has meaning.
Any claim that Death of a Salesman is tragic in shape needs to begin by admitting
that the play’s central character makes it seem something less than a tragedy. In the first
place, the superficial form of the play, the way it blends the workings of Willy’s mind
with reality, demonstrates that Willy has no more control over his mind than over the
wire recorder he accidentally switches on in Howard Wagner’s office. Willy is, simply, a
man breaking down. (95-96)
3.7.3 Poetry
 Like the use of direct quoted prose (3.7.2), poetry
follows the same general rules up to three (3) lines of
a work.
 However, there are few more special circumstances
that may alter how use of this prose form is used in a
research paper.
 These special circumstance include:




More than four (4) lines of poetry
Line too long to fit properly
Original spatial arrangement of poetry
Beginning of a quote in the middle of a line
3.7.3 Poetry – Three (3) or less lines of poetry
 Use the following guidelines when using all or part of
single line of poetry:
1. Put quoted lines in “quotation marks”
2. Indicate which lines of the poem were used in
parenthesis before the period at the end of the
sentence.
3. Up to three lines or poetry may used, but they must
be separated by a [space] slash(/) [space].
Examples 3.7.3 – Three lines or less
Ex.
Robert Frost is known for his sharp wit and subtlety in
making ironic observations of his world. This becomes
very evident is his poem “Mending Wall”, when he
uses the following lines to show how a simple wall can
keep neighbors at peace. “And he likes having thought
of it so well/He says again, ‘Good fences make good
neighbors’” (44-45).
3.7.3 Poetry – 4 or more lines of poetry
Begin a new line.
2. Unless there is a specialized spatial arrangement
(see next topic), indent all lines one (1) inch and be
sure to double space all lines and add no additional
or extraneous marks that do not appear in the
original text.
3. Use a parenthetical citation indicating the lines
used contained within parentheses.
1.
Example 3.7.3 – 4 or more lines of poetry
Example:
Emily Dickinson is well known for being sheltered away from
the world and is often noted as being the “Ghost of Amherst”.
Dickinson is known throughout the world for using such mundane
and ordinary items such as robins, insects, etc. to describe
extraordinary and complicated ideas such as religion, love, and death.
This no more evident than in her poem “‘Faith’ is a fine invention”
when she writes:
“Faith” is a fine invention
When Gentlemen can see –
But Microscopes are prudent
In an Emergency. (1-4)
3.7.3 Poetry – 4 or more lines of poetry (cont’d)
 For lines that exceed the right margin, continue onto
the next line with the continuation indented to 1.25
inches.
 Indentation may be reduced from the original one (1)
inch if this will allow for an elimination of the above
“rule”.
3.7.3 Poetry – 4 or more lines of poetry (cont’d)
 For poems that are arranged in a particular spatial
arrangement use the following “rules”.
1. Include all indentations as found in the original
piece.
2. Should other spatial arrangement be used, replicate
as near as possible to the original.
Example 3.7.3 – 4 or more lines of poetry
Example:
Poets have always tended to ignore the rules of traditional conventions such
grammar and the arrangements of words. One of the greatest poets to push
these limits was e.e. cummings as exampled in his poem “Buffalo Bill’s”:
Buffalo Bill’s
defunct
who used to
ride a watersmooth-silver
stallion
and break onetwothreefourfive pigeonsjustlikethat
Jesus
he was a handsome man
and what i want to know is
how do you like your blueeyed boy
Mister Death (632)
3.7.3 Poetry – 4 or more lines of poetry (cont’d)
 If you want to quote parts of a poem starting from
the middle of line, use the following procedure:
1. Use the position as near as possible to original
within the context of the passage. (e.g., should it be
part-way through the sentence, keep the physical
arrangement the same.)
2. Should you wish to omit the beginning of the line,
use an ellipsis ( . . . ). [3.7.5] {Please see the
subsequent slides on 3.7.5 Ellipsis for more
information!}
3.7.4 Drama
 The following is the procedure to use when quoting lines
between two of more characters. Remember to use this
judiciously as overuse will result in stilted and/or
fragmented work.
1. Set each quotation back 1 inch from the margin.
2. Capitalize each characters name ending with a period.
(e.g., IAGO., WILLY LOMAN., etc.)
3. Begin the quotation and indent all subsequent lines an
additional 0.25 inches. Repeat this pattern with each
quoted character speech.
4. Finish the quotation with the lines contained within a
set of parenthesis.
Example 3.7.4
Example.
In his play Our Town, Thorton Wilder uses the backdrop of the village of Grover’s
Corner as a microcosm of the world to reflect the “good and bad” one might encounter
in life. His use of ordinary sounding dialogue between characters, observed by those
“among the dead” reflect how one’s perspective on life is altered when compared to the
realities faced by those among the living. This best represented by the dialogue in Act
III between Mrs. Gibbs, Mrs. Soames, and Sam Stimson as exampled below.
MRS. SOAMES. Who is it Julia?
MRS. GIBBS. My daughter-in-law, Emily Webb.
MRS. SOAMES. Well, I declare! The road up here must have been awful
muddy. What did she die of, Julia?
MRS. GIBBS. In childbirth.
MRS. SOAMES. Childbirth.
I’d forgotten all about that.
My, wasn’t life awful –
and wonderful.
SIMON STIMSON. Wonderful, was it? (3.1.34-39)
3.7.5 Ellipsis
 On occasion, one may need to use parts of a text that
lends itself to leaving out words, phrases, sentences, or
more extensive portions. However, this practice should
be used extremely rare and follow the principles listed
below.
 Guiding principles for use of partial quotes or text:


Reliability to the author’s intent of the passage quoted.
Your created sentence must make grammatical sense.
 It cannot be stressed enough to use this technique
sparingly and ALWAYS keep the original intent of the
author’s work. Please see either your teacher or
librarian for further assistance with this area.
Works Cited
Cummings, E.E. "Buffalo Bill's." The New Oxford of American Verse. Ed. Richard Ellmann. New
York: Oxford University Press, 1976. 632. Print.
Dickinson, Emily. ““Faith” is a Fine Invention (185).” The New Oxford of American Verse. Ed.
Richard Ellmann. New York: Oxford University Press, 1976. 325. Print.
Earnest, William. "Tragic Form and the Possibility of Meaning in Death of a Salesman." Modern
Critical Interpretations. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1988. 95-111. Print.
Frost, Robert. "Mending Wall." The Road Not Taken, a Selection of Robert Frost's Poems. New
York: Owl Books, 1971. 112-13. Print.
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: Modern Language Association,
2009. 92-105. Print.
Ocasio, Rafael. "Spanish Poetry." Vol. 3. World Poets. Ed. Ron Padgett. New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons, 2000. 3 vols. 317-24. Print.
Oliver, Douglas. "Dylan Thomas (1914-1953)." Vol. 3. World Poets. Ed. Ron Padgett. New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons, 2000. 3 vols. 103-14. Print.
Padgett, Ron. "Twentieth-Century Modernist Poetry." Vol. 3. World Poets. Ed. Ron Padgett. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2000. 3 vols. 253-75. Print.
Wilder, Thorton. Our Town, a Play in Three Acts. New York: Harper Perennial, 2003. 92-93.
Print.