It can be confusing when you need to quote a quote. You might not be sure which formatting system is the correct system. In this lesson, you will learn how to quote a quote and use the correct punctuation and formatting system.
Quoting a Quote
Your teacher asks you to write an argumentative essay defending an opinion. You decide to write a paper about your favorite football team, the Buffalo Bills, and why you believe they will win the next Super Bowl. You have just found the most perfect quote in your local newspaper that supports your ideas for your paper. It is a quotation from an important college football coach about your topic.
The question now: how to quote a quote inside your paper? This lesson will look at exactly that.
Nested Quotation
When you quote a quote, and put that quote within a quote, this is called nested quotation. There are accepted and specific rules according to the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA). These are the most commonly used formatting systems. MLA is used for things like the humanities, which includes literature and history. APA is used for the sciences, like medicine and chemistry.
Both systems use the same formula for nested quotations. Whichever system you use, the most important thing is to be consistent throughout your document. Your work should conform with the accepted style guide for your class, school, institution or organization. It is also very important where you are writing your document; there are two sets of rules: American English and British English.
It is also important to remember that most quotes are direct quotations:
John said, ''I will wash the dishes.''
When you quote a quote, you are quoting indirect information or statements:
''Professor Jones was quoted in the New York Times as saying 'I only have so much time to fight academic injustice.' ''
It may seem complicated, but once you know the basic formula, it is usually uncomplicated to quote a quote.
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