Quotations Definition

A quotation is a statement that someone has made. It can be either direct, where the person’s exact words are given, or indirect, where the meaning of what they said is reported. A quotation can also be a group of words taken from a text or speech. The writer or speaker is known as the source.

Quotations are often used in academic writing to support an argument or interpretation. They can also be used to add interest to a piece of writing, or to make a point more forcefully. When using quotations, it is important to include the name of the source and the page number (if available) so that readers can find the original for themselves if they want to.

There are different rules for quoting depending on which style guide you are following. For example, in MLA style, short quotations (fewer than four lines of prose or three lines of verse) are incorporated into the text and enclosed in double quotation marks. Longer quotations are set off from the main text as block quotes.