Quoting accurately is crucial for academic integrity and clear communication. The American Psychological Association (APA) style guide provides specific rules for using ellipses (...) to indicate omissions within quotations. Mastering these rules enhances the clarity and accuracy of your research papers and ensures you avoid plagiarism. This guide delves into the nuances of using ellipses in APA style, clarifying common misconceptions and providing practical examples.
What are Ellipses in APA Style?
Ellipses are three periods (...) used to indicate that you've omitted words, sentences, or paragraphs from a direct quote. They show the reader that the original text has been shortened for brevity or clarity. However, it's critical to use them correctly to avoid misrepresenting the author's original meaning. Improper use can lead to inaccurate citations and, potentially, accusations of academic dishonesty.
When to Use Ellipses in APA Style
You use ellipses when you want to shorten a quote without altering its original meaning. This is especially useful when:
- A quote is too long: You can omit unnecessary words or phrases to maintain conciseness while retaining the core message.
- Irrelevant information is present: Removing irrelevant parts focuses the reader's attention on the most pertinent aspects of the quote.
- You need to integrate a quote smoothly: Ellipses can help you seamlessly incorporate a relevant section of a longer quote into your writing.
APA Rules for Using Ellipses
Here are the key rules to remember when using ellipses in APA style:
- Space after the ellipses: Always put a space after the three periods. This helps distinguish the ellipsis from other punctuation.
- Brackets around ellipses (when beginning or ending a quote): If you omit words at the beginning or end of a quote, use brackets around the ellipses. This clarifies that the omission is intentional and not a mistake. For example: “[ …] the study concluded that…” (Incorrect omission at the beginning, should be "...the study concluded that...") and "...the study concluded that […]. (Incorrect omission at the end, should be "...the study concluded that...").
- No ellipsis after a complete sentence: If you omit material that ends with a complete sentence, then you do not include an ellipsis before the next sentence you are quoting, but you do if the material ends midsentence.
- No ellipsis at the beginning of a quote: Unless you're omitting words from the very start of the original quote (rare), you don't need an ellipsis at the beginning. Using brackets clarifies any omission at the beginning of the quote.
- Multiple sentences omitted: When omitting multiple sentences, use only one set of ellipses, not multiple. If there is more than one sentence left out, you only need to use three periods, not three periods for every sentence omitted.
Examples of Correct and Incorrect Ellipsis Usage
Correct:
Original quote: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. The dog is very sleepy."
Shortened quote: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog… The dog is very sleepy." (Omitting part of a sentence)
Shortened quote: "[...] the dog is very sleepy." (Omitting the beginning of the quote)
Incorrect:
Original quote: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."
Incorrect shortened quote: "...The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog…" (Ellipsis at the beginning without brackets)
Incorrect shortened quote: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog....." (Too many periods)
Incorrect shortened quote: "The quick brown fox... jumps over the lazy dog." (Incorrect spacing after ellipses)
How to Avoid Misrepresenting the Author
The most crucial aspect of using ellipses is to ensure you do not distort the original author’s intended meaning. Always carefully consider the context of the quote and make sure that the ellipses do not change the meaning of the shortened sentence or paragraph. If in doubt, err on the side of caution and quote the entire passage.
Further Considerations: Brackets and Square Brackets
Remember that square brackets [ ] are used to indicate your own additions to the quote (for clarification or grammatical reasons) as distinct from ellipses denoting omissions. Always use brackets to denote any edits you made to improve grammatical flow or clarity without changing the meaning.
Conclusion
Mastering the use of ellipses in APA style is essential for accurate and ethical quoting in academic writing. By following these guidelines, you can confidently shorten quotes while maintaining the integrity of the original source material, leading to more transparent and scholarly work. Always double-check your work for accuracy before submission.
