Using ellipses correctly in APA style is crucial for maintaining academic integrity and ensuring your writing is clear and unambiguous. This guide provides a concise yet comprehensive overview of APA's rules regarding ellipses, helping you avoid common mistakes and present your work professionally. Whether you're summarizing a lengthy quote, omitting unnecessary words, or indicating a pause in a direct quote, understanding these guidelines is essential for any student or researcher using the APA style guide.
What are Ellipses?
Ellipses (...) are three periods used to indicate an omission of words within a quoted passage. They signal to the reader that material has been removed, preserving the original meaning while shortening the quote for brevity and clarity. Misusing ellipses can alter the meaning of the original text, so precision is paramount.
APA Style Rules for Using Ellipses
Here's a breakdown of the key rules to remember when using ellipses in your APA-style writing:
1. When to Use Ellipses:
Use ellipses to show the omission of words within a quote. You do not use ellipses at the beginning or end of a quote unless the omission occurs there.
Example:
Original quote: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog, and then it runs away."
Shortened quote: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog..." (Incorrect – no ellipsis needed at the end)
Correct shortened quote: "The quick brown fox...runs away."
2. Spacing and Punctuation:
- Spacing: In APA style, there should be a space before and after each ellipsis point.
- Period before ellipses: If the omission occurs at the end of a sentence within a quote, use a period followed by the three spaced ellipses.
Example:
Original quote: "The experiment concluded successfully. The data analysis will follow."
Shortened quote: "The experiment concluded successfully...The data analysis will follow." (Incorrect - missing period before ellipses)
Correct shortened quote: "The experiment concluded successfully... The data analysis will follow."
3. Omitting Entire Sentences:
If you omit an entire sentence or more, use four periods to indicate this – three for the ellipsis, plus a fourth to represent the omitted sentence's final punctuation.
Example:
Original quote: "The research was conducted in two phases. First, participants completed a survey. Second, they engaged in a series of interviews. The findings were significant."
Shortened quote: "The research was conducted in two phases.... The findings were significant."
4. Bracketing Your Changes (Important!)
If you need to change capitalization within a quote (e.g., for grammatical reasons or to maintain sentence flow), place the changed letter or word within brackets [ ]. This ensures transparency and prevents misrepresentation of the original text.
Example:
Original quote: "the results were unexpected."
Shortened quote with capitalization change: "The results...were unexpected." (Incorrect – capitalization change not bracketed)
Correct shortened quote: "[T]he results...were unexpected."
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I use ellipses when quoting multiple sentences?
When quoting multiple sentences and omitting words or sentences in between, use four periods to indicate the omission of an entire sentence. Remember to space the ellipses correctly and use brackets for any capitalization changes.
Can I use ellipses to shorten a quote at the beginning?
No, only use ellipses to show omissions within a quote. If you're starting your quote mid-sentence, begin the quote directly with the words you are including.
What if the original quote already contains an ellipsis?
Maintain the original ellipsis as is. Do not add additional ellipses.
Are there any exceptions to the rules?
While these guidelines are generally applicable, certain contexts might require slight variations. Always prioritize clarity and accuracy to ensure faithful representation of the source material. Refer to the official APA Publication Manual for the most comprehensive and up-to-date guidelines.
This comprehensive guide provides a clear understanding of ellipses in APA style. Following these rules will help you use them correctly and present your work with academic rigor and precision. Remember, accuracy and transparency are key to maintaining the integrity of your research.
