Changing direct quotes

Adapted from Changes to Quotations (APA)

Use square brackets [ ] when adding words that are not part of the quote

De Backer and Fisher (2012) noted that “those [adults] who read gossip magazines, watch gossip-related television shows, or read gossip articles from internet sites … may feel guilty about wasting their time on a leisure pursuit” (p. 421). The emphasized that “it is important to remember that gossip helped our ancestors survive, and thus by accessing gossip, one is faced with an opportunity to vicariously learn solution [sic] to adaptive problems” (De Backer & Fisher, 2012, p. 421).

Use ellipses ... to show that you have omitted certain words from a quote

Add [sic] after an error in the original quote

Noting errors in the original quote

If any incorrect spelling, punctuation, or grammar in the source might confuse readers, insert the word “[sic],” italicized and in brackets, immediately after the error in the quotation. Alternatively, you can also consider paraphrasing instead of quoting.

Tips when using ellipses

• Use an ellipses (...) with a space before and after in the middle of a quotation to indicate that you have omitted material from the original sentence.
• Use four ellipsis (....) to indicate any omission between two sentences. For example: Call et al. (2015) theorized that star employees “may be motivated to remain with organizations that provide opportunities to influence others or be involved in strategic decision-making. . . . providing such influence opportunities may help organizations retain stars more than they help retain other employees” (p. 633).
• If you're quoting from the middle of a sentence, it's not necessary to add ellipses before and after the quote.