If a foreign language quotation and its translation run longer than four lines in my paper when combined, should I style each quotation as a block quotation?

No. If the original quotation is four lines or fewer, both the original and the translation should be run in to the text. Read More

Do I need to use quotation marks around numerical data that I quote from sources?

No. For an example, see our post on citing raw data. Read More

How do I indicate that material in square brackets is part of the original text?

Normally, when you quote from a source, your reader is to assume that any styling, such as italics or punctuation in the quotation, is in… Read More

If a paragraph begins with a short sentence that is less than a full line and that introduces a block quotation, should the block quotation be further indented than usual?

No. All block quotations in your work should be indented the same amount. Even if the block quotation occurs after a short line that is… Read More

How does the font and type size I choose affect the formatting of block quotations in my paper?

As the MLA Handbook notes, “If a quotation extends to more than four lines when run into your text, set if off from the text as a… Read More

What should I do if several lines of my block quotation do not fit at the bottom of the page?

In a manuscript or student paper, it is fine for a block quotation to be split across two pages or for the entire quotation to… Read More

How do I quote English-language sources in a foreign-language paper?

To quote an English-language source in a foreign-language paper, follow the guidelines in section 1.3.8 of the MLA Handbook on translating quotations (90–91). Let’s say you… Read More

How do I create a vertical list in which each item includes a quoted fragment and a complete sentence?

Follow the guidelines on how to create a vertical list. Since the quotes are fragments, you may lowercase them. Either a colon or a period… Read More

If I cite a passage that contains numerous quotations from other sources, how do I let my reader know the original sources of the quotations?

You are not obligated to tell your reader the original sources of the quotations. Nor should you include any note numbers or parenthetical documentation from… Read More

Is there a way to avoid back-to-back parentheses when a block quotation ends with a parenthetical and the quotation is followed by a parenthetical reference?

The best way to avoid multiple punctuation is to rewrite if possible. Let’s say you are citing the passage from an e-book without stable pagination. Read More