How do I use direct quotes effectively?

In a word, sparingly. You could probably write a better paper if you didn’t use any. Direct quotes can be problematic.

• Quotations are necessarily taken from their original context and may not fit properly in the context you provide. Sometimes the meaning or intent of the quote is changed by the new context.
• Quoting someone directly provides no indication of how well, or even if, you
understand the material you are quoting. Overuse of quotes therefore can cause
you to lose credibility with your readers.
• Quoting, if not done very skillfully, can break up the flow of your writing. Suddenly encountering another person’s writing style can be jarring to readers.

Use direct quotes only (a) if you intend to comment on the author’s word choice or style of expression, or (b) once, for emphasis or rhetorical effect.

Quotation of Fewer than 40 Words. Keep within paragraph text.

Phenix and Scott-Dunn (1991) stated, “There is clearly a need for a new kind of spelling instruction, one that raises students’ awareness about language and its
patterns, and focuses on word construction rather than word memorization” (p. 26).

Jones and Smith (1992) described “the social construction of word families as a powerful tool in spelling instruction” (p. 415).

Quotation of More than 40 Words. Place in separate, indented ("Blocked") paragraph.

Swicegood (1994) linked the use of portfolios with the Individual Education Plan (IP) when he stated the following: Insight gained through informal, ecological approaches gives teachers access to viable information, which in turn leads to more effective interventions and practices, both in schools and clinical settings. The use of student portfolios in placement and instructional planning contexts, including the design of IEP goals and objectives, can add depth and breadth to the intervention process. (p. 14)

Capitalization of Quotations

Capitalize the first word of a quoted sentence [p. 118, Quotation 1; and p. 293].

Harris (2000) remarked, “Finding information is an art, not a science” (p. 214).

According to Plotnik (1982), “The licensing or copyright agreement with the author does not cover items the author borrowed from another source” (p. 16).

However, if the quoted sentence completes an unfinished sentence or follows the
word that, do not capitalize the first word or precede it with a comma. [p. 118,
Quotation 2; and p. 120]

Sutter was fascinated with Lake Superior because “the ore boats and foreign freighters seemed impossibly exotic” (p. 2).

Quincy acknowledged that “negotiations over bride price sometimes involved more than the price of the bride” (p. 105).

Do not capitalize the first word of a quoted phrase (incomplete sentence).

Bryson (2002) called the English language “a merry confusion of quirks and irregularities that often seem willfully at odds with logic and common sense.”

If the quote is interrupted, do not capitalize the first word of the resumed quote.

“People and places,” noted Zinsser, “are the twin pillars on which most nonfiction is built” (p. 54).
* Sources: Hacker, D. (2003) A writer’s reference, p. 284. Boston: Bedford St. Martins.
Harris, M. (2000). Prentice Hall reference guide to grammar and usage (4th ed.), p.
229. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

How should I format quoted material that is not in APA format?

Section 3.35 (p. 118) of the APA manual states that direct quotations must adhere to the wording, spelling, and interior punctuation of the original source. But what about
formatting—for example, of bullets: According to a member of the APA Style Expert staff, This is a question about which there does not seem to be complete agreement
. . . in the ranks. However, in my opinion, when quoting material, . . . keeping
bullets rather than changing them to enumerated paragraphs is the way to go. The
author undoubtedly had a choice between bullets and enumerated paragraphs when
writing the original work, so it is good form to respect that choice when quoting the
work, if it is possible to do so. (Personal communication, November 7, 2002)