How Do You Cite a Quote Inside a Quote: A Complete Guide for Students and Writers
Once you are writing a research paper, essay, or article, you may encounter a situation where the perfect evidence comes from a source that is quoting someone else. A nested quotation—also called a quote within a quote or an indirect source—requires careful punctuation and proper attribution so readers can trace the idea back to its origin. Knowing how do you cite a quote inside a quote is an essential academic skill that protects your credibility and prevents plagiarism. Whether you are following APA, MLA, or Chicago style, mastering this format ensures your writing remains clear, professional, and ethically sound.
What Is a Quote Inside a Quote?
A quote inside a quote happens when you find a quotation embedded within another quotation. As an example, you might be reading a modern historian who quotes a letter written by a Civil War soldier. If you want to use the soldier’s words in your own paper, but you are reading them through the historian’s book, you are dealing with a nested quotation.
This situation is common in academic writing because scholars frequently build on each other’s work. On the flip side, it creates a citation challenge: you must give credit to both the original speaker and the author of the source you actually consulted. Failing to do so can mislead readers and constitute academic dishonesty.
The Basic Rule: Switching Quotation Marks
The most fundamental rule for citing a quote inside a quote is to alternate quotation marks so readers can distinguish between the two levels of speech.
- American English: Use double quotation marks (“ ”) for the outer quote and single quotation marks (‘ ’) for the inner quote.
- British English: Use single quotation marks (‘ ’) for the outer quote and double quotation marks (“ ”) for the inner quote.
Example in American English:
According to Smith, “Jones argued that ‘the experiment failed because of faulty equipment’ (45).”
Example in British English:
According to Smith, ‘Jones argued that “the experiment failed because of faulty equipment” (45).’
Notice how the inner quotation is visually set apart. This small punctuation shift tells your audience exactly where the original speaker’s words end and the secondary author’s commentary begins The details matter here..
How to Cite a Quote Inside a Quote in APA Style
APA Style, widely used in the social sciences, has specific guidance for nested quotations and secondary sources.
Short Quotations (Fewer Than 40 Words)
For a short
quotation, incorporate the nested quote into your text using the alternating quotation mark rule. In the parenthetical citation, use the phrase “as cited in” to credit the secondary source—the work you actually read—while naming the original author in the signal phrase.
Format: (Original Author, Year, as cited in Secondary Author, Year, p. Page Number)
Example:
Original research by Allport (1954) suggested that “prejudice ‘springs from the normal processes of thinking’” (as cited in Brown, 2020, p. 112).
In the reference list, include only the secondary source (Brown, 2020). On the flip side, do not list the original work (Allport, 1954) unless you have read it yourself. This transparency tells the reader exactly where you found the information.
Long Quotations (40 Words or More)
For block quotations, omit quotation marks entirely. 5 inches from the left margin. Indent the entire passage 0.If the original source contains a quotation, use double quotation marks (“ ”) for that internal material—even though the block format usually signals a quote—because the nested quote still needs to be distinguished from the secondary author’s prose That's the part that actually makes a difference..
Example:
Brown (2020) elaborated on Allport’s foundational theory:
The cognitive approach to prejudice posits that stereotyping is an inevitable byproduct of categorization. This reframing shifted the field toward studying cognitive shortcuts. Allport famously argued that prejudice “springs from the normal processes of thinking” rather than from pathology alone, suggesting that even well-intentioned individuals harbor implicit biases. Think about it: (p. 113)
This perspective remains influential in modern social psychology.
Note that the parenthetical citation (p. 113) appears after the final punctuation mark of the block quote And that's really what it comes down to..
How to Cite a Quote Inside a Quote in MLA Style
MLA Style (9th edition), common in the humanities, uses the phrase “qtd. in” (quoted in) for indirect sources. MLA strongly recommends finding the original source whenever possible, but provides a clear protocol when the original is unavailable Less friction, more output..
Prose Quotations (Four Lines or Fewer)
Integrate the quote into your paragraph using the alternating quotation mark convention (double outside, single inside for US conventions). Place the parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence Less friction, more output..
Format: (qtd. in Secondary Author Page)
Example:
Although Napoleon reportedly declared that “‘the army marches on its stomach,’” the logistical reality was far more complex (qtd. in Roberts 42).
Block Quotations (More Than Four Lines)
Indent 0.5 inches, double-space, and omit quotation marks for the outer layer. Use double quotation marks for the inner quote. Place the parenthetical citation after the closing punctuation.
Example:
Roberts describes the emperor’s focus on supply lines:
Napoleon’s insistence on mobile foraging changed European warfare. This philosophy forced his quartermasters to innovate or face starvation. He famously asserted that “the army marches on its stomach,” a maxim that underscored his reliance on speed over traditional supply wagons. (qtd Small thing, real impact..
Works Cited Entry
List only the secondary source (Roberts) in your Works Cited page Easy to understand, harder to ignore..
How to Cite a Quote Inside a Quote in Chicago Style
Chicago Style offers two systems: Notes and Bibliography (common in history) and Author-Date (common in sciences). Both handle nested quotations similarly regarding punctuation but differ in citation placement.
Notes and Bibliography (Footnotes/Endnotes)
Use the alternating quotation marks in the text. In the note, cite the original source first, followed by “quoted in” and the secondary source.
Footnote Format:
Note Number. Original Author, Title of Original Work (Original Publication Info), quoted in Secondary Author, Title of Secondary Work (Secondary Publication Info), Page Number It's one of those things that adds up. Which is the point..
Example:
- John Adams, Letter to Thomas Jefferson, June 20, 1815, quoted in David McCullough, John Adams (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001), 542.
Shortened Subsequent Note:
- Adams, Letter to Jefferson, quoted in McCullough, John Adams, 542.
Author-Date (In-Text Citations)
Use “quoted in” within the parenthetical citation That alone is useful..
Format: (Original Author Year, quoted in Secondary Author Year, Page)
Example:
Adams wrote that “‘the Revolution was in the minds of the people’” (Adams 1815, quoted in McCullough 2001, 542).
Reference List: Include only the secondary source (McCullough 2001).
Best Practices and Common Pitfalls
1. Hunt for the Primary Source
Citation guides universally
