Attributing quotes to fictional characters?

Question

Let's say, for example, that I want to post my favourite quote from *Babylon 5* somewhere:> "I'm not saying what I'm saying. I'm not saying what I'm thinking. As a matter of fact, I'm not thinking what I'm thinking." - John Sheridan, *Babylon 5*How can I make it clear in the attribution that this is a line spoken by a character rather than an excerpt from a book called *Babylon 5* written by a guy named John Sheridan?

Answer 1

Great question, I always encourage students to indicate when they are using other peoples words or sources. So, If you are listening to John Sheridan and he says, "hey, please pass me the milk."

Notice, while this is not a super deep statement, but it gives credit to the speaker. Please note the following:

1. I put a comma before the quote
2. I but the first quote mark just efore I wrote his specific (not paraphrased, sentence.
3. I put the end punctuation before the end quote. PUNCTUATION IS ALWAYS PLACED PRIOR TO THE QUOTATION WHERE APPROPRIATE. :)
4. I ended the close of his words with an end quotation.

How about a more famous quote?

In reading MLK's famous speech, he stated, "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." (in text citation).

Here, you did some similar and some different things:

1. You introduced the person you are quotig
2. punctuation before the opening quote
3. ensure the quote is written IDENTICALLY to how it was said or read.
4. punctuation before closing quote.
5. Add end quote
6. Add in text citation in parenthesis (whih changes dependent on what style guide you use (MLA, APA, etc.)
7. MLA- the first time in a paragraph write the SPEAKER NAME and page no. (MLK 2). here the authors name is written, there is NO comma, and then the page no. If you have more quotes from the same author in that paragraph, simply write the page (4).
8. APA- In APA for one author, it is the same format. For 2 authors, you write their last names, (Stinky, Smelly 2)
9. what if there are more authors. You write (Stinky, Smelly, et. al 4).

do not forget to add to your referenCes pages (APA) or your Works Cited pages (MLA))!!!