In the academic writing world, you cannot escape citing your sources. Citations allow you to give credit where credit is due and allows others to verify your research. In addition, citing your sources will help readers determine if the information you present is accurate and reliable.
And despite the clear importance of citing, many students do not know the how. In addition, the different citation and formatting styles are also challenging for many students. So, how do you cite a whole paragraph? This post will exhaustively answer the question of how to do it in APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago.
How to Cite a Whole Paragraph
Citing a whole paragraph is a bit more complicated than citing a single sentence. But in all the styles, the basics are relatively similar. In other words, the method for citing a whole paragraph differs from citing an individual sentence or even an entire page, but the principles are the same.
Also see: Do you have to indent every paragraph in an essay
Whether you want to cite it word for word or when paraphrased, here are the individual citation styles for citing a whole paragraph.
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In APA
The American Psychological Association (APA) style is a set of rules and guidelines for formatting papers in the social sciences. It is common in psychology, sociology, and education.
Citing a whole paragraph in APA depends on its length. However, the general rule in citing an entire paragraph is to list the author’s name first, followed by the name of the source you are quoting.
Next, you will need to include the page number(s), and this is possible by using parenthetical citations within your sentence and then citing those same sources at the end of your document.
You will use quotation marks if it is a short paragraph, usually below 40 words. In addition, after putting the closing quotation marks, you will include the author’s name, publication date, and page number, all separated by commas and enclosed in parenthesis. The page number is abbreviated as ‘p.’
For example, (Carl, 2020, p.47)
However, if you have mentioned the author in the text, this is when paraphrasing the paragraph, you will include the publication date after the name and enclose it in parentheses.
For example, Carl (2020) says….
On the other hand, if the paragraph is longer than 40 words, create a quote block and indent about half-inches. Start the section on a new line, double-spacing it and using the indent throughout the paragraph.
And just like the short paragraph, it ends with the author’s name, publication date, and page number, all enclosed in parentheses and separated by commas.
For example, (Carl, 2020, p. 47)
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In MLA
The Modern Language Association (MLA) is a formatting and referencing style used in humanities, arts, literature, English language, and cultural studies.
Citing a whole paragraph in MLA also depends on the paragraph’s length. However, some basic guidelines exist, such as double spacing, author name, and text page.
For short quotations, generally, three lines of verse and four lines or fewer of prose, you will have double quotation marks enclosing the quotation. Additionally, if the document is versed, you will provide the author’s name, page number, or line number.
Also, punctuation marks like periods, semicolons, and commas in MLA always come after the parentheses. However, exclamation and question marks come within the quotations if they are part of the passage, but after the parentheses if part of the text.
For example,
- According to Carl’s experiment, “children tend to copy their dads more” (97).
- Is it true “children tend to copy their dads more” Carl (97)?
- According to some, “children tend to copy their dads more” Carl (97)
Similarly, if it is a poem, the rules are similar, but you will mark verse breaks with a slash (/), but space should precede it. And if the break is in a quotation, double slashes are used (//).
For example,
Carl summarizes children play without thought, / but their plays reflect their dad’s behavior (5-7)
Conversely, in long quotations, those over four lines and three verses, the quotation marks are omitted, but the text is placed in a block. Some of the rules to follow include;
- Starting the block of text in a new line
- Indenting the entire text half an inch
- Double-spacing the text
- Placing the parenthetical citation after the closing quotation marks
For example,
Children are little angels, and everyone admires them. No one hates these lovely human beings naturally, and vice versa is true unless there is a compelling reason. A keen study on children reveals they take more of their father’s inherent traits rather than their mothers. Over 70% of children studied showed they tend to identify with their fathers, although in later stages, they develop independent characters shaped by their fathers. (Carl 2020)
Additionally, if quoting more than one paragraph, indent the second paragraph at an extra 1/4 inch, as this helps denote a new paragraph.
For example,
Children are little angels, and everyone admires them. No one hates these lovely human beings naturally, and vice versa is true unless there is a compelling reason. A keen study on children reveals they take more of their father’s inherent traits rather than their mothers. Over 70% of children studied showed they tend to identify with their fathers, although in later stages, they develop independent characters shaped by their fathers.
This natural tendency to take after their fathers is not coincidental and develops even before birth. Unborn babies can identify their father’s voice and even play more when he is around. They can also recognize when the father touches the mother, which is an unfathomable life process. (Carl 2020)
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Harvard
The Harvard style is mostly used in health sciences, environmental studies, ars, and economics.
When you want to cite a whole paragraph, follow the following rules
- Include a page number for short paragraphs of less than two lines
- If more than two lines precede it with a colon and indent it
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Chicago
The Chicago style, also known as Turabian, is a formatting and referencing style used in sciences. To quote a whole paragraph, the following rules apply.
- Enclosing with double quotation marks if it is a direct quote of four or fewer lines
- Create a sentence with an endnote, footnote, or parenthetical citation from the material quoted
- Include the author’s name, publication date, and page of the text if you use the parenthetical citation
- Use a block format for texts over five lines, and do not use quotation marks
- Have a blank line before and after the quote to separate it from the rest of the text
- Indent the entire block at 0.5. “
For example,
Children are little angels, and everyone admires them. No one hates these lovely human beings naturally, and vice versa is true unless there is a compelling reason. A keen study on children reveals they take more of their father’s inherent traits rather than their mothers. Over 70% of children studied showed they tend to identify with their fathers, although in later stages, they develop independent characters shaped by their fathers. (Carl 2020)
Conclusion
Citing a whole paragraph or long text passage boils down to the style. However, in most cases, the rules do not differ much. Nevertheless, knowing which kind your instructor needs is crucial so you do not use the unintended one.
Regardless of the style, always remember the quotations, indenting, spacing, paragraph length, and parenthetical citation. And now that you know how to cite a whole paragraph in MLA, APA, Harvard, and Chicago, it is time to cite it correctly.