Quotations, Paraphrasing and Summarizing

This section is adapted from Chapter 8 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (the Publication Manual) and from the Learning Portal. You can find a link to the Learning Portal at the end of this section. This section explains the basic principles of how we include information from sources in an assignment or essay – quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. It also explains how to format this information using APA Style. This section is only a summary; students and instructors should consult the Publication Manual for more details.

There are three ways to include information from sources in an essay or assignment:

• Direct Quotations: A quotation, or quote, is someone else’s thoughts or ideas used word-for-word. In an essay or assignment, quotations are used to provide evidence or support for an argument or a position on a topic.
• Paraphrasing: A paraphrase is the rewording of a passage into one’s own words. It generally deals with smaller sections of text, such as one paragraph, rather than an entire story or essay.
• Summarizing: A summary is a brief description of the main ideas or concepts in an essay, article or story. It is very useful in determining what information is necessary and what information acts as ‘filler’; that is, what are unnecessary details. It is often an account of someone else’s ideas, and so it is important to give credit to the author. When somebody reads a summary, they should be able to get a clear idea of what the essay, article or story is about without actually reading the original.

These definitions are found on the Learning Portal. Learn more about each of these by visiting https://tlp-lpa.ca/writing/sources
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Quotation Marks (6.7, 8.25-8.36)

• Quotation marks are used for direct quotations (8.25-8.36), or they can be used in other ways (6.7). This section explains both.

Formatting Direct Quotations (8.25-8.36)

• Quotations must be accurate. Wording, spelling and interior punctuation must match the original source, even if local spellings differ. If incorrect spelling or grammar could confuse a reader, add the word [sic] italicized and in square brackets immediately after the error, e.g.:
• When quoting a source directly, include the author, year and page number(s) immediately after the quotation, e.g.: “ . . .
• Do not insert an ellipsis (. . .) at the beginning or the end of a quotation unless the original source includes an ellipsis.
• If a quotation has fewer than 40 words, it is incorporated it into the text and enclose it in double quotation marks, e.g.:  Always include either a narrative or parenthetical citation, e.g.:
• If the citation appears at the end of a sentence, add the end punctuation after the parentheses for the citation, e.g.:
• Punctuation marks are only included in quotation marks if they are part of the quotation, e.g.:
• If the quotation includes citations for other sources, include the citations within the quotation. Do not include these works in the reference list unless they are used as sources elsewhere in the assignment or essay. (8.32)
• If a quotation has more than 40 words, it is treated as a block quotation. Start a block quotation on a new line and indent the whole block 0.5 inches from the left margin. Double space the block quotation and do not add extra space before or after. Cite either the author in parentheses  after the quotation’s final punctuation OR cite the author and year in the narrative before the quotation begins, e.g.:

What if the source doesn’t have page numbers? (8.28)

There are several options for quoting resources that don’t have page numbers:

• Provide a heading or section name, e.g.:
• Provide an abbreviated heading or section name in quotation marks if the full heading or section name is too long, e.g.:
• Provide a paragraph number; count the paragraphs manually if a number is not provided, e.g.:
• Provide a heading or section name in combination with a paragraph number, e.g.:
• For audiovisual works such as audiobooks, YouTube videos, TED Talks, podcasts, etc., provide a time stamp for the beginning of the quotation instead of a page number, e.g.:

What if I need to change a quotation? (8.30-8.31)

Quotations should not be changed. However, there are instances where changes are appropriate:

• The first letter of the first word of a quotation can be changed to upper or lower case to fit the context of the sentence where the quotation is used.
• Footnote or endnote callouts within the quotation can be omitted.
• An ellipsis can be used to indicate that words have been omitted from a quotation, to shorten a sentence or to tie two sentences together. To create an ellipsis, type three periods with spaces around each period, e.g.: . . .
• Use square brackets, not parentheses, to enclose material like an addition, or an explanation that is inserted into a quotation.
• To emphasize a word or words in a quotation, make the font italic, and immediately following the italicized words, add the words “emphasis added” in square brackets, e.g.: “ . . . [emphasis added] . . .”

What if the quotation I want to use has another quotation within it? (8.33)

If the resource you want to use includes a direct quotation from another source and you would like to use the same direct quotation, it is best to find, read and cite the original source. If this is not possible, cite it as a secondary source.

A primary source reports original information. A secondary source refers to content originally reported in another source. To cite something as a secondary source (8.6):

• Include a reference list entry for the secondary source.
• In the body of the essay or assignment, identify the primary source and then write, “as cited in”, followed by the name of the secondary source.
• If the year of publication for the primary source is known, include it in the text, e.g.: (Richardson, 1978, as cited in Harding, 1984)
• If the year of publication of the primary source is not known, omit it, e.g.: Holland (as cited in Nicholson, 2018).

Other Uses of Quotation Marks (6.7)

Quotation marks can be used for purposes other than direct quotations:

• To refer to a letter, word, phrase or sentence as an example or as itself, e.g.: the letter “e”, the singular “they”, answer “yes” or “no”, etc.
• To introduce a word or phrase being used ironically, as slang, or as an invented or coined expression. In these instances, use quotation marks only for the first occurrence of the word or phrase, e.g.:
•  To introduce a label. In these instances, use quotation marks only for the first occurrence of the label, e.g.:
• To set off the title of an article or book chapter in the text of an essay or assignment. Do not use quotation marks around the title in the reference list entry.
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How do I summarize?

Summarizing requires you to condense information into a shorter form, while maintaining all of the important facts. It is common to be asked to write a summary as a part of an assignment, or you may need to summarize information when you are including it in a longer piece of writing, like an essay. Summarizing something can be challenging at first! The authors of this manual recommend using the Learning Portal’s tips for summarizing, which are linked at the end of this section. These tips are outlined below:

Step 1: Read the Source Material

• Read the article or other resource carefully, and make notes. This can include highlighting or underlining important ideas, identifying words that you do not understand, and writing down any questions you have.

Step 2: Answer Questions

• Answer the following questions about what you just read:
  • What is the resource about?
  • What is the main idea or thesis?
  • What evidence does the author use to support that idea or thesis?
  • What is in the resource that helped you to identify the main idea or thesis?

Step 3: Summarize

• Write down the most important ideas using your own words. Be objective, be thorough, and make sure to reflect the author’s original viewpoint; do not add your own.

Step 4: Review

• Review your summary to make sure that it is accurate and complete. Compare it with the original resource to make sure that all of the important information is included, and to make sure that you are not just repeating what the author wrote.
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Sources

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association: The official guide to APA style. (7th ed.).

College Libraries Ontario. (2024). Writing a summary. The Learning Portal. https://tlp-lpa.ca/writing/summaries

College Libraries Ontario. (2024). Quoting, summarizing & paraphrasing sources. The Learning Portal. https://tlp-lpa.ca/writing/sources