1. MLA: Formatting Quotes

2. Punctuation
Use COMMAS as if the quotation marks weren’t there. Obey comma rules and add no additional commas.
End punctuation should always be held until after the parenthetical citation…
…unless the quoted material includes an exclamation point or question mark. Then those go WITHIN the quotations marks with a period at the end after the parenthetical citation and…
…unless the sentence doesn’t require a parenthetical citation. Then the end punctuation goes WITHIN the quotation marks.

3. Examples
According to Graeber’s study, dreams may express "profound aspects of personality" (184).
She noted that “I loved to dream about squirrels!” (Graeber 185).
Is it possible that dreams may express "profound aspects of personality" (Graeber 184)?
Graeber’s study shows that “squirrels are more common than sloths in dreams.”

4. Long Quotes Long = more than four lines of prose
Use free-standing block of writing with NO quotation marks
Start quote on new line and indent the entire quote one inch from the left
Maintain double-spacing
Parenthetical citation comes after the final period with no period after it

5. Changing Quoted Material
Changing a word: put brackets [ ] around the added/changed element of a word
Omitting a word/phrase: insert ellipsis mark …
It is not necessary to include ellipsis at the beginning or end of your quoted material
It is not necessary to put a bracket around an ellipsis