Citing a quotation inside another quotation can feel like solving a puzzle, especially when you are following strict APA style guidelines. Worth adding: if you have ever wondered how to cite a quote in a quote APA format, you are dealing with what academic writers call a secondary source or an indirect source. This situation happens when the original words you want to use appear in a book, article, or website written by someone else, and you cannot access the primary work directly. Learning the correct way to handle this scenario protects your academic integrity, prevents plagiarism, and ensures your readers can trace the information back to its proper origin. In this guide, you will learn the APA 7th edition rules for quoting a source within a source, complete with examples, formatting tips, and answers to common questions.
What Is a Quote Within a Quote in APA Style?
A quote within a quote occurs when you find a valuable passage in a secondary source
How to Cite a Secondary Source in APA 7
When you rely on a secondary source, the in‑text citation signals to readers that the idea or exact words originate elsewhere. Which means aPA 7 calls for the use of “as cited in” (or “as cited in” with the year) to indicate that you located the material through an intermediary. This format protects transparency while keeping your reference list focused on the works you actually consulted Nothing fancy..
In‑Text Citation Formats
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| Direct quotation | “The theory challenges conventional wisdom” (Brown, 2019, as cited in Green, 2022, p. Which means 78). |
| Paraphrased idea | Green (2022) argues that the theory offers a fresh perspective on the phenomenon. |
| Multiple authors in the secondary source | (Smith & Lee, 2020, as cited in Patel, 2021, p. 33). Also, |
| Organization or corporate author | (American Psychological Association, 2021, as cited in National Health Institute, 2023, p. 12). |
Key points to remember
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Only the secondary source appears in the reference list.
The entry follows the standard APA template for the type of work you consulted (e.g., journal article, book chapter). No reference is added for the original source unless you have accessed it directly. -
Include the page, chapter, or section number if the quotation is precise.
When you quote exactly, add the locator (page number, paragraph number, or slide number) after the year. If the secondary source does not provide a locator, omit it That's the part that actually makes a difference.. -
Maintain consistency across the paper.
Use the same citation style (e.g., “as cited in”) for all indirect references. Mixing “cited in” and “as cited in” can confuse readers.
Reference‑List Entry for a Secondary Source
Assume you found the quotation in a journal article by Green (2022). The reference list entry would look like this:
Green, J. A. (2022). Title of the article. *Journal Name*, 15(3), 210–225. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/jn12345
If the secondary source is a book chapter, the format would be:
Patel, R. (2021). Chapter title. In S. Thompson (Ed.), *Book title* (pp. 45–60). Publisher.
Practical Example Walk‑Through
Suppose you want to use a precise quotation from Smith’s 2018 study, but you only have access to a review article by Jones (2020) that reproduces the passage. Your citation would appear as follows:
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In the text (direct quote):
“Participants demonstrated a significant improvement in cognitive performance” (Smith, 2018, as cited in Jones, 2020, p. 112) Most people skip this — try not to.. -
In the reference list (Jones, 2020):
Jones, L. M. (2020). Overview of recent cognitive research. *Current Psychology*, 39(2), 105–118. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/cp20200202
Note that Smith’s 2018 article is not listed because you did not consult it directly. If later you obtain the original source, you would add its citation and reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What if the original author is unknown? | Cite the secondary source as you would normally; the lack of an original author does not change the format. |
| **Can I use “qtd. in” instead of “as cited in”?That said, ** | APA 7 prefers “as cited in. Because of that, ” “qtd. in” is acceptable in footnotes or endnotes but not in the main text. That's why |
| **Do I need to mention the original source in the reference list? ** | Only if you have accessed it directly. If you have not, omit it to avoid misleading readers. |
quotations when the original source is not available?
If you are paraphrasing or summarizing an idea that you found in a secondary source, you still need to attribute it to the original author, but you can use a simpler in‑text format. For example: “Smith (2018) argued that …” (as cited in Jones, 2020). In the reference list, only Jones (2020) is included, as you did not consult Smith’s work directly But it adds up..
By following these guidelines, you confirm that your citations are accurate, transparent, and consistent with APA 7 standards. Properly acknowledging secondary sources not only upholds academic integrity but also helps readers trace the lineage of ideas, fostering a clearer understanding of your research context. When in doubt, always err on the side of providing full attribution and, whenever possible, seek out the original source to strengthen the credibility of your work.
People argue about this. Here's where I land on it.
Beyond these foundational rules, several nuanced scenarios frequently arise in academic writing, each requiring careful handling to maintain citation integrity. One such case involves translated works. Think about it: if you encounter a quotation from a foreign‑language text that you accessed only through an English translation, you should credit the original author and the translator, noting the year of the translation you consulted. To give you an idea, in text: “The concept of Weltenschmerz is central to his philosophy” (Müller, 2010, as cited in Patel, 2022, p. 78). In the reference list, you would include Patel (2022) as the secondary source, and if you later obtain the original German edition, you would add Müller (2010) as well.
Another common situation is the citation of works that are themselves unpublished, in press, or classified as personal communications. When the original source is an unpublished manuscript, a conference presentation, or a personal email, the same “as cited in” format applies, but the reference entry must reflect the nature of the secondary source. Here's a good example: a presentation cited in a review article would be listed as an “Unpublished presentation” or “Conference paper” within the reference list of the secondary source, not as a separate entry.
Layered citations—where a passage is reproduced through multiple secondary sources—also demand precision. APA 7 advises using the most recent source you have directly examined. If you read a 2023 meta‑analysis that quotes a 2018 study, which in turn cites a 2005 book, you would format the in‑text citation as (Original Author, 2005, as cited in Middle Author, 2018, as cited in Recent Author, 2023). Still, in practice, simplifying to the immediate source you consulted—(Original Author, 2005, as cited in Recent Author, 2023)—is acceptable provided you have verified the chain. The reference list should then contain only the 2023 publication, as it is the sole source you reviewed.
Electronic and digital sources introduce additional considerations, particularly when no page numbers are available. For example: “The algorithm significantly reduces processing time” (Lee, 2021, as cited in Gomez, 2022, para. In such cases, use paragraph numbers or a locator phrase like “section 3” or “np” (no page). 4).
should be formatted as follows: Patel, A. Consider this: Title of translated work: Subtitle. (2022). Publisher. A. So (Original work published 2010). The entry appears in the bibliography.
When a digital source lacks a DOI, provide the direct URL and, if the content is likely to change, include the retrieval date.
For webpages without paragraph numbers, use a section heading or a heading and paragraph number, e.g., (Smith, 2020, section 2).
Video recordings should cite the timestamp of the specific segment used, for example (Brown, 2019, 12:35).
In sum, adhering to the detailed citation practices outlined above ensures that scholars give proper credit, facilitates transparent verification, and strengthens the scholarly discourse.
