Citing a Long Quote: A Chicago Style Saga
So, you've got a quote that's longer than your attention span. Congrats! You’re officially in the realm of the block quote. Let's dive into the wonderful world of Chicago style formatting.
Block Quote Basics
Think of a block quote as a pampered child. It gets special treatment. No, it doesn't demand caviar and a personal butler, but it does require some specific formatting.
- Indentation: Indent the entire quote by half an inch. It's like giving it a little personal space.
- Quotation marks: Ditch those pesky quotation marks. The block quote is already feeling special enough.
- Spacing: Single-space the block quote. We want to save trees (and your reader's eyes).
- Citation: Place the citation (author, year, page number) after the block quote, not at the end of each line.
When to Use a Block Quote
You might be wondering, "Do I really need a block quote?" Well, if your quote is more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse, it's time to give it the block quote treatment. It's like upgrading from economy to business class.
Example Time
Let's see a block quote in action.
This is an example of a block quote. It's longer than four lines, so it gets the fancy formatting. Isn't it lovely?
-- Author's Name, Book Title, page number.
See? Not so scary after all.
A Few More Tips
- Ellipses: If you’re omitting parts of the quote, use ellipses (...). But don’t be too trigger-happy; use them sparingly.
- Brackets: If you need to add a word or explanation to the quote, use brackets [ ]. Just make sure it doesn't change the quote’s meaning.
And there you have it! You're now a block quote pro. Go forth and cite those long quotes with confidence.
FAQ
- How to: Indent a block quote? Indent the entire quote by half an inch.
- How to: Cite a block quote? Place the citation (author, year, page number) after the block quote.
- How to: Use ellipses in a block quote? Use ellipses (...) to omit parts of the quote, but sparingly.
- How to: Add a word to a block quote? Use brackets [ ] to add a word or explanation.
- How to: Format a block quote? Single-space the block quote and omit quotation marks.