When you quote, you reproduce the exact words used by your source. A quote can consist of several sentences, a single sentence, or just a few words incorporated into a sentence of your own.
Quote sparingly. When you use too many direct quotes, your paper loses your voice, you sacrifice coherence, and you put your credibility at risk. It is easier to establish your own authority over a subject and integrate source information in a paper seamlessly when you rely on paraphrasing and summarizing, using quotations to enhance, not obscure, your own writing.
Quote only when:
You cannot put the information in fewer words without sacrificing clarity or conciseness; or
The wording of the original is so effective that you want to preserve it for the sake of style; or
You need to preserve certain types of technical wording, such as legal references.
Weave the quote into your writing with a signal phrase or some other type of introduction that shows how it is related to the preceding or following material, Do not just drop a quote in without any explanation.
Use quotation marks for short quotes and block format for long quotes. (In MLA and CMS, a quote under five lines in length is a short quote; in APA, a quote under 40 words in length is a short quote. Check the appropriate style guide for further information on using block format.)
Make sure you reproduce the material exactly as it appears in the original, with the following exceptions:
Always cite the source of the quote using the citation style required by your instructor.