The proper use of question marks and quotation marks in combination all depends on context: Namely, are you (a) quoting a question or (b) asking a question of a quotation? Let’s look at the two scenarios and how they impact punctuation. Show 1. When the quotation itself is a question, put the question mark inside the quotation marks.
2. When the sentence as a whole is a question, but the quoted material is not, put the question mark outside the quotation marks.
For more on how quotation marks work, see APA Publication Manual §4.07. Stay tuned for more Punctuation Junction posts coming soon! I’m quoting from a couple of different sources in my APA Style paper, and I can’t figure out what to do with all the quotation marks and periods and commas. Do I put the period inside or outside the quotation marks? What about question marks and quotation marks? I’ve been told so many different things over the years that the answers have just blurred together. Please help! —Quizzical in Queens Dear Quizzical, We’re not surprised that you have been told different ways to punctuate over the years, because there do indeed exist different practices in the world. On the upside, if you are writing an APA Style paper, we have some nice, straightforward solutions for you. To begin, let’s take a brief look at the two punctuation systems you’ve probably encountered, which are called American style (or North American Style) and British style. Here is a quick chart of the differences: Style issueAmerican StyleBritish StyleTo enclose a quotation, use…Double quotation marksSingle quotation marksTo enclose a quotation within a quotation, use…Single quotation marksDouble quotation marksPlace periods and commas…Inside quotation marksOutside quotation marksPlace other punctuation (colons, semi-colons, question marks, etc.)…Outside quotation marks*Outside quotation marks**Place other punctuation inside quotation marks when that punctuation is part of what is being quoted, such as a quoted question.
As you might guess from our name, APA Style uses American style punctuation (see p. 92 of the 6th ed. Publication Manual), as do several other major style guides (such as AP, Chicago, and MLA). The table below elaborates, with examples for each punctuation mark. Punctuation mark In relation to closing quotation mark, place it… Example Notes PeriodInsideParticipants who kept dream diaries described themselves as “introspective” and “thoughtful.” CommaInsideMany dream images were characterized as “raw,” “powerful,” and “evocative.” ParenthesesOutsideBarris (2010) argued that “dreams express and work with the logic of gaining a sense of and a relation to ourselves, our lives, or our sense of reality as a whole” (p. 4).See more examples of how to cite direct quotations here.Semi-colonOutsideAt the beginning of the study, participants described their dream recall rate as “low to moderate”; at the end, they described it as “moderate to high.” ColonOutsideParticipants stated they were “excited to begin”: We controlled for participants' expectations in our study. Question mark or exclamation point (part of quoted material)InsideThe Dream Questionnaire items included “How often do you remember your dreams?” and “What do you most often dream about?” We found intriguing results.When a quotation ending in a question mark or exclamation point ends a sentence, no extra period is needed.Question mark or exclamation point (not part of quoted material)OutsideHow will this study impact participants who stated at the outset, “I never remember my dreams”? We hypothesized their dream recall would increase. Quotation within a quotation + period or commaInsideSome participants were skeptical about the process: “I don’t put any stock in these ‘dream diaries.’”When multiple quotation marks are used for quotations within quotations, keep the quotation marks together (put periods and commas inside both; put semi-colons, colons, etc., outside both).
As a final note, we’d like to say that we realize APA Style is used in many places across the world that may not usually follow American style punctuation rules and that not all fields or publishers in the United States and Canada use American style punctuation. Does this mean that you should change to American style punctuation when you’re writing an APA Style paper? If you’re writing for publication with APA or you’ve been told to “follow the APA Publication Manual,” then the answer is yes. However, if you typically use British style punctuation (or some other style) and you have doubts about what to do, check with your publisher or professor to find out their preference. Does a question mark go inside quotes MLA?Question marks and exclamation points should appear within the quotation marks if they are a part of the quoted passage, but after the parenthetical citation if they are a part of your text.
How do you cite a quote with a question mark?If the quotation ends with an exclamation point or question mark, that punctuation is included INSIDE the quotation mark. The period after the parenthetical reference is also retained.
What are the 3 rules for using quotations?Direct quotations involve incorporating another person's exact words into your own writing. Quotation marks always come in pairs. Do not open a quotation and fail to close it at the end of the quoted material. Capitalize the first letter of a direct quote when the quoted material is a complete sentence.
Do question marks go inside quotations UK?In both American English and British English, when it's part of the quote, all punctuation goes inside the closing quotation marks. This includes commas, periods, question marks, and exclamation points.
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Do you put question mark inside quotations
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