Where does the citation go relative to the period in a quote?

For short quotes, after the closing quotation mark and before the period: "…sleep" (Author 685). In a block quote, it goes after the final period.

When does a quote become a block quote?

APA: 40 or more words. MLA: more than four lines. Block quotes are indented, have no quotation marks, and place the citation after the period.

Do paraphrases need a citation?

Yes — paraphrasing borrows the idea, so it's cited just like a quote. The difference is that a paraphrase has no quotation marks and (in APA) the page number is encouraged but optional.

How do I cite a quote with no page number?

Use a paragraph number, section heading, or timestamp. For a website: (Author, 2024, para. 3). Never invent page numbers.

How to Cite a Quote

Updated November 2026

Citing a quote has two parts: the quotation marks around the borrowed words, and the citation with a locator (page, paragraph, or timestamp). Miss either and it's a problem — missing marks is plagiarism even with a citation; a missing locator is an incomplete citation.

Short quotes

Run a short quote into your sentence with quotation marks and a locator. APA: "memory depends on sleep" (Rasch & Born, 2013, p. 685). MLA: "memory depends on sleep" (Rasch and Born 685). The citation sits after the closing quotation mark, before the period.

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Citation style

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition (2020). The 7th dropped the publisher location and the "Retrieved from" prefix that the 6th required.

Block quotes

Long quotes get set off as a block — indented, no quotation marks — and the threshold differs: APA blocks quotes of 40+ words; MLA blocks more than four lines. In a block quote the punctuation flips: the citation goes after the final period, not before it.

Quoting vs. paraphrasing

Quoting — the author's exact words, in quotation marks, with a locator. Use when the precise wording matters.
Paraphrasing — the author's idea in your words and sentence structure, still cited (a page number is encouraged in APA, optional). Use most of the time.
The trap — changing a few words is not paraphrasing; it's mosaic plagiarism. A real paraphrase is written with the source closed.
Both need a citation — the only difference is whether quotation marks and a locator are required.

Locators when there are no pages

Web pages, videos, and audio have no page numbers — use what they have: a paragraph number (APA: para. 3), a section heading, or a timestamp (2:30). Never invent page numbers. Generate the source's full citation here; the in-text patterns are in APA In-Text Citations and MLA In-Text Citations.

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Frequently asked questions

Where does the citation go relative to the period in a quote?: For short quotes, after the closing quotation mark and before the period: "…sleep" (Author 685). In a block quote, it goes after the final period.
When does a quote become a block quote?: APA: 40 or more words. MLA: more than four lines. Block quotes are indented, have no quotation marks, and place the citation after the period.
Do paraphrases need a citation?: Yes — paraphrasing borrows the idea, so it's cited just like a quote. The difference is that a paraphrase has no quotation marks and (in APA) the page number is encouraged but optional.
How do I cite a quote with no page number?: Use a paragraph number, section heading, or timestamp. For a website: (Author, 2024, para. 3). Never invent page numbers.

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