Block quotes are used to indent and separate a quoted comment from your own writing. Unlike normal indents, adding block quotes in Microsoft Word requires a few extra steps.
Because academic writing is written according to strict style standards, the requirements for block quotes in Word vary from style to style. Fortunately, you can resize any indents by using the ruler bar or by using the “Paragraph”
RELATED: Using rulers in Microsoft Word
Using the layout menu
The fastest way to add block quotes to a Microsoft Word document is to use the “Paragraph” settings visible in the “Format” tab on the ribbon bar.
To add a block quote from this menu, open your Word document and select your quote text. Click the “Layout” tab on the ribbon bar to display the “Paragraph” settings.
Block quotes in both APA and MLA styles should start on their own line and indented 0.5 cm to the left. In APA style, quotation marks must be at least 40 words, while in MLA style, quotation marks must be at least four lines long.
If you’re using a different academic style, check your style guide to make sure the indentation size you’re using is correct.
Since both APA and MLA use 0.5 cm indents for block quotes, set the value for “Left Indent” to “0.5 cm” and press enter to confirm. You can also use the arrow keys on the right to increase the indent in 0.1 cm increments.
This will change the indentation of the selected text, creating a block quote. You can then add formatting, such as italics, to make the text stand out. You must repeat these steps for each additional block quote you add to your document.
Using the ruler bar
In previous editions of Microsoft Word, the easiest way to add a block quote to a Word document was to use the ruler, which shows the margins and indents currently used. However, in more recent versions, the ruler bar is no longer visible by default.
While it remains a quick and easy method to add a block quote, you need to enable the ruler bar first. To do this, open your Word document and click on the “View” tab on the ribbon bar.
In the “Display” category, check the box next to the “Ruler” option to enable the ruler.
This will create a block quote indent 0.5 cm in size, suitable for academic style APA and MLA documents.
Using the Paragraph Settings menu
You can also use the “Paragraph” settings menu in Microsoft Word to set a block quote indentation.
To do this, select the text with the block quote in your document, right-click on the text and choose the “Paragraph” option from the menu.
In the “Indents and Spacing” tab of the “Paragraph” menu you can apply an indent to your selected text.
Because APA and MLA block quotes require indentation 0.5 cm to the left, set the value for “Left Indent” to “0.5 cm” and press Enter. If you are using a different academic style, please check your style catalog for correct sizing here.
You can type the value manually or use the arrow keys in the text box to increase the indent in 0.1 cm increments.
Click “OK” to save your settings and apply the block quote indentation to your selected text.
Once saved, the 0.5cm indentation will be applied to your text, creating a block quote. You must repeat these steps for each additional block quote you add to your document.
