The exact words of a speaker or writer are indicated by the use of quotation marks or by a variation in type or indentation. In the latter methods no quotation marks are used. For quotations of less then 50 words or five lines, quotation marks are used. For quotations greater than 50 words, the quoted text is offset, set in smaller type, and no quotation marks are used. Whichever method is used, the author must reproduce in every detail the spelling, punctuation, and other characteristics of the original, even to the extent of reproducing errors, though attention may be called to such mistakes by writing sic (Latin meaning 'thus so') in square brackets thus: [sic] immediately after the error. Other interpolated matter must be enclosed in square brackets.

1. Quotation marks are used to enclose direct quotations. They are not used with indirect quotations:
   
   
   The party chief said, "I think the bear is gone now."
   The student said that, indeed, it had gone.
   
   
   
   
2. Double quotation marks are used for the main quotation, single ones for inside quotations, and double ones for a third quotation within the matter between single quotation marks. Quoted matter rarely ought to go beyond the third set of quotation marks:
   
   
   Walters (1994, p. 12) stated, "The outcrop reported by Kingsley as Green Formation and by Smith as 'probably "upper" Markum' is actually neither of those."
   
   
   
   
3. Titles of chapters, appendices, articles, essays, lectures, and short poems are placed in single quotation marks. Titles of books, plays, newspapers, journals, periodicals, and magazines given in the text are italicized:
   
   
   According to the article 'Coals in the North' in Fuel, exploration in the Tuktoyaktuk area should be continued.
   
   
   
   
4. Single quotation marks are used to enclose technical terms in nontechnical writing, colloquial words in formal writing, nicknames, slang, coined, or humorous words. Care must be taken to use single quotation marks and not the scarcely visible apostrophe marks as a substitute. If the term or word is repeated after the first use, the quotation marks are not required.
   
   
   The ore will have to be 'upgraded' to make mining profitable.
   Government policy in the matter has been to 'play it down'.
   Many 'experts' were called into consultation. (The word experts is used here in an ironical sense.)
   
   
   
   
5. Single quotation marks may be used to indicate an informal name or part of a name for a unit, zone, member, or formation:
   
   
   This section of the 'upper' Banff Formation is over 500 m thick.
   The 'lower member' consists of sandstone with minor shale.
   In this paper, these strata represent the 'Cadoceras' zone.
   
   
   
   
6. Matter following the terms entitled, marked, specified, as, endorsed, signed, indicated as, mentioned as, termed, the word, the name, the term, is usually either enclosed in single quotation marks:
   
   
   The word 'greywacke' has had a number of different definitions.
   The use of the name 'Turtle Formation' is a matter of some dispute.
   
   
   
   
7. Quotation marks are not used around a proper name, a company or firm name, or a slogan:
   
   
   The field party is grateful to Hector LaChance of Leadwing Helicopters Limited.
   
   
   
   
8. Quotation marks with other punctuation marks:
   
   
   1. Commas and periods (full stops) are always within the enclosing quotation marks, whether or not they are part of the quoted material:
      
      
      "Study carefully," the professor said, "the section on 'Tectonics', which appears at the end of the book."
      
      
      
   2. A closing semicolon or colon that was part of the quoted matter should be placed outside the closing quotation marks, or replaced by a period, comma, or ellipsis points within the quotation marks:
      
      
      The original text – No; you cannot. – becomes: "No," the captain wrote; "you cannot."
      
      
      
   3. The question mark and exclamation mark remain true to the original text by appearing within the quotation marks:
      
      
      Is the question "What are we doing?" or "What are we going to do?"
      
      
      
   4. The em dash is placed inside the quotation marks when it stands for something left unsaid, and outside when it is used as an ordinary punctuation mark:
      
      
      "Oh, but I thought — ," the student exclaimed.
      "It would be better not to go ahead with it," the field leader said – "the plan may be an utter failure."
      
      
      
   5. Parentheses are placed outside the quotation marks when the parenthetical clause is quoted, otherwise they are placed inside:
      
      
      Her very words ("I owe them nothing") indicated her feelings on the matter.
      "I realize (and with shame)," he wrote, "that I have neglected them."
      
      
      
   6. A quotation is separated from the rest of the text by commas, unless the meaning requires other punctuation (see examples above).