Quoting, paraphrasing and citing are the three skills that let you use other people's work honestly. You quote when the exact words matter, paraphrase when only the idea matters, and cite in both cases.
Done well, they make your essay read smoothly with your own argument in the lead. Done badly, they leave a patchwork of other voices. This guide shows the technique for each, with examples in APA 7th and MLA 9th.
Quote or Paraphrase? The Two-Second Test
Ask yourself: would changing the words lose something important? If yes, quote. If no, paraphrase.
Most strong academic essays paraphrase far more than they quote. Either way, the source still needs a citation.
When to Quote and When to Paraphrase
| Quote when | Paraphrase when |
|---|---|
| The wording is distinctive or memorable | You need the idea, not the phrasing |
| You are analyzing the language itself, as in literature | The original is dense, technical or long-winded |
| A definition or legal wording must be exact | You want to combine ideas from several sources |
| The speaker's authority is part of the point | You want the source to support your own sentence |
Subjects differ. Literature and history essays quote primary texts often, because the language is the evidence. Science, nursing and social science essays rarely quote, and paraphrase almost everything.
How to Quote Correctly
- Copy the words exactly, including spelling and punctuation.
- Use quotation marks for short quotations.
- Introduce the quote with your own words rather than dropping it in alone.
- Add a citation with a locator, usually a page number.
- Follow the quote with analysis that explains why it matters.
APA 7th. Morales (2021) describes hybrid teams as building "trust through rhythm rather than proximity" (p. 44).
MLA 9th. Morales describes hybrid teams as building "trust through rhythm rather than proximity" (44).
Changing a Quotation
Sometimes you need to shorten a quote or make it fit your sentence. Use an ellipsis to show words left out, and square brackets to show words you added or changed. Never change the meaning.
Original: "Teams that meet briefly every morning, even for ten minutes, report higher trust."
Shortened: Morales (2021) found that teams "that meet briefly every morning . . . report higher trust" (p. 45).
Adjusted: Morales (2021) notes that "[t]eams that meet briefly every morning" report higher trust (p. 45).
Long Quotations
Long quotations are set as an indented block, without quotation marks. The thresholds differ by style.
| Style | When to use a block quote | Format |
|---|---|---|
| APA 7th | 40 words or more | Indent 0.5 inches; citation after the final punctuation |
| MLA 9th | More than four lines of prose | Indent 0.5 inches; citation after the final punctuation |
Use block quotes sparingly. A long quotation should earn its space with analysis that is at least as long as the quote itself. In a short essay, one block quote is usually plenty.
How to Paraphrase Correctly
A real paraphrase changes both the words and the sentence structure, while keeping the original meaning. The easiest way is to work from understanding, not from the page.
- Read the passage until you can explain it without looking.
- Close the source or look away.
- Write the idea in your own words and your own sentence shape.
- Compare your version with the original to check meaning and avoid echoes.
- Add the citation.
Original. "Students who studied in short, spaced sessions over several weeks retained significantly more material than those who studied in one long session before the test."
Paraphrase (APA 7th). Spreading revision across several weeks appears to improve long-term recall far more than cramming the night before (Okafor, 2020).
In APA 7th, page numbers for paraphrases are encouraged but not required. Include one when it helps a reader find the passage in a long work.
Avoiding Patchwriting
Patchwriting is when you swap a few words for synonyms but keep the original sentence structure. Even with a citation, many universities treat it as poor practice or plagiarism.
Patchwritten (avoid). Students who revised in brief, spaced sessions across several weeks remembered considerably more content than those who revised in one lengthy session before the exam (Okafor, 2020).
Why it fails. The structure and order of ideas mirror the original almost word for word.
If you cannot paraphrase a passage without echoing it, quote it instead, or summarize the main point in one short sentence.
A useful check is to read your paraphrase beside the original. If you could draw lines from each of your phrases to a matching phrase in the source, start again from your own understanding of the idea.
Summarizing a Whole Source
Summarizing is the third tool. It condenses a long passage, a chapter or an entire study into its main point, in your own words. It is ideal for background, or for setting several studies side by side.
Summary (APA 7th). Okafor (2020) compared spaced and massed revision across three university modules and concluded that spaced revision produced better recall at every follow-up point.
A summary needs a citation just like a quote or paraphrase. It usually has no page number, because it covers the whole work or a long section.
Signal Phrases That Say What You Mean
The verb you choose tells the reader how you see the source. "Proves" claims far more than "suggests", and markers notice the difference.
| Purpose | Useful verbs |
|---|---|
| Neutral reporting | states, reports, describes, notes |
| Making a case | argues, contends, maintains, claims |
| Tentative findings | suggests, indicates, implies |
| Strong findings | demonstrates, shows, establishes |
| Disagreement | challenges, disputes, questions |
In APA 7th, signal verbs are usually in the past or present perfect tense, as in "Okafor (2020) found". MLA usually uses the present tense, as in "Morales argues".
Blending Quotation and Paraphrase
You can paraphrase most of a sentence and quote just a key phrase. This keeps your voice in charge while preserving the words that matter.
Morales (2021) argues that hybrid teams build "trust through rhythm rather than proximity," relying on small, regular check-ins instead of shared offices (p. 44).
Keeping Your Own Voice in Charge
Sources should support your argument, not replace it. A simple pattern keeps the balance right in each paragraph.
- Your claim in the topic sentence.
- Source material, quoted or paraphrased, with a citation.
- Your analysis of what the source shows and why it matters.
- Your link back to the thesis.
Signal phrases help readers see where the source ends and you begin. Verbs such as argues, suggests, reports, questions and concludes each carry a slightly different meaning, so choose them with care.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Dropped quotes with no introduction | Lead in with a signal phrase |
| Quote with no analysis after it | Explain what it shows in your own words |
| Paraphrase with no citation | Cite every borrowed idea |
| Synonym swapping | Rewrite from understanding, or quote |
| Missing page numbers on quotes | Add the locator your style requires |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A paraphrase uses someone else's idea, so it must be cited even when every word is your own.
There is no fixed rule, but most tutors expect quotations to be a small part of the essay, with your own analysis carrying the argument.
A paraphrase restates a specific passage at a similar length. A summary condenses a longer passage or a whole source into its main point.
Only with square brackets for small changes needed for grammar or clarity, and never in a way that changes the meaning.
Use the "as cited in" format in APA, or "qtd. in" in MLA, and list the source you actually read. Try to find the original where possible.
In APA 7th, for quotations of 40 words or more. In MLA 9th, for prose quotations longer than four lines.
Many universities treat it as plagiarism or poor academic practice, even with a citation, because the structure is copied.
In APA 7th they are encouraged but not required. MLA asks for a page number whenever the source has them.
Yes. Many writers quote a key phrase and paraphrase the surrounding idea, citing the source once at the end of the sentence or once for each part if they come from different pages.
Cite each sentence that uses the source unless it is clearly a continuation of the same point from the same source. When the reader might be unsure, cite again.