quotations

Less is more when crafting direct quotes. Paraphrase easily verifiable facts; save direct quotes for opinion-type statements.

How to punctuate quotes:

Use quotation marks, not italics, around quotes.

Periods and commas always go inside the quotation marks; dashes, semicolons, question marks, and exclamation points go outside unless they apply to the quoted material. Will he show us how to find the place he described as “the world’s most beautiful garden sanctuary”? She asked the audience, “Will you support this mission?”

Use single quotation marks for quotes within a quote: “Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.’”