Quotesindented

Quotesindented is a typographic convention in which quoted material is set apart from the main text by indenting the entire quotation block. This approach helps readers identify the extent of quoted material and distinguishes it from surrounding prose. It is commonly used for longer quotations and in contexts where the structure of the quote—such as multiple paragraphs or embedded citations—benefits from visual separation.

In traditional print and many style guides, block quotations are indicated by indenting the left margin of the quoted text. Depending on the guideline, the quotation may be presented with or without surrounding quotation marks, and a citation is typically provided after the quote, either in parentheses, as a footnote, or in a reference list. Short quotations are usually integrated into the sentence with quotation marks, while longer quotes are set off as indented blocks.

In digital writing, indentation can be achieved through formatting mechanisms such as HTML’s blockquote element or CSS margins. Markdown and other lightweight formats offer similar blockquote syntax, often using a leading symbol to denote the indented material. The choice of method depends on the publishing platform and the desired visual outcome.

Best practices for quotesindented blocks include preserving the original punctuation and capitalization, maintaining consistent indentation across similar blocks, and ensuring accessibility. For poetry or verse, indentation may reflect line breaks or stanza structure, whereas prose quotations typically follow standard paragraph formatting. Overall, indenting quotes is a widely used technique to improve readability and clearly delineate sourced material.