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How to Quote & Format a Long Source in the Body of an Essay

The format for citing sources in the United States is designed by the Modern Language Association, or MLA, which also sets the rules for writing papers. MLA style is followed in most colleges, universities and other postsecondary institutions. Longer quotes and citations are subject to slightly different styling rules than their shorter counterparts. For example, longer quotes are separated from the regular text in a new paragraph.

Instructions

- 1
  End the last sentence leading up the the quotation with a colon. Begin your quotation on a new line. Leave a line space before the quote begins.
- 2
  Change your indentation for the quote. Make a 1-inch left indentation. Type out the quotation. Don't use quotation marks.
- 3
  End your quote with a period. Cite the source immediately after it in parentheses.
- 4
  Leave a line space between the long quotation and the next sentence. Remove the 1-inch indentation for the regular body text.

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