How to Format Block Quotes in MLA Style with Examples

If you are writing a research paper in MLA format that requires quoting from a source, you may need to use block quotes.

Block quotes are long quotations that are set off from the rest of the text by indenting them and using a different font size. They are used when the quotation is longer than four lines of poetry or three lines of verse in MLA style.

In this blog post, we will show you how to format block quotations in MLA style and provide some examples.

When to Use Block Quotes

According to the MLA Handbook, here are the main rules for block quotes in MLA 9th Edition:

1. Introduce the quote with a colon and start it on a new line or line break, indented one inch from the left margin.
2. Do not use quotation marks around the block quote, unless you are quoting a quotation within the block quote.
3. Maintain double-space through the entire block quote and maintain the original punctuation, capitalization, and spelling of the source.
4. Place the MLA in-text citation (Author Name + Page Number) after the period at the end of the block quote.
5. If it is more than one paragraph, indent the first line of each paragraph an additional quarter inch.

How to Format Block Quotes

To format block quotes in MLA style, you need to follow these steps:

1. Start the block quote on a new line, indented one inch from the left margin.
2. Do not use quotation marks around it, unless you are quoting a quotation within the block quote.
3. Maintain the original punctuation, capitalization, and spelling of the source.
4. If the block quote ends with a period, place the citation after the period. If it ends with a question mark or an exclamation point, place the citation before the punctuation mark.
5. If the block quote is more than one paragraph, indent the first line of each paragraph an additional quarter inch.

Examples of Block Quotes

Here are some examples of block quotes in MLA style, using different types of sources:

Example 1: Block Quote from a Book

This is an example of a block quote from a book: 

Example 2: Block Quote from a Journal Article

Here is an example of a block quote taken from a journal article in MLA style:

Example 3: Block Quote from a Website

This is an example of a block quote in MLA style that has been taken from a website:

To sum it up!

Block quotes are a useful way to present long quotations from a source in your writing. However, you should use them sparingly and only when they are relevant and support your argument. 

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