How does one cite a direct famous quote on the References page? Is it common knowledge?
Answer
To cite a famous quote on the References page:
- Cite the source of the quote--article, book, e-book, video, or website.
- Visit the APA Help guide to see examples.
- Click on References and In-text Citation Examples.
- Find the source type used to see examples.
Common knowledge is:
- Things like folklore, common sense observations, myths, urban legends, and historical events.
- Usually not a famous quote.
- Common knowledge example: George Washington was the first President of the United States.
- Common knowledge does not have to be cited on the References page.
- For more information on what is or is not considered common knowledge, read Common Knowledge & Attribution.
To be safest, cite any famous quote.
Body of paper:
President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" in an attempt to calm the American people when the mood was bleak (Presidential Speeches, 2011).
References page:
Presidential Speeches: Franklin D. Roosevelt: First Inaugural Address. (2011). In D. Batten (Ed.), Gale Encyclopedia of American Law (3rd ed., Vol. 13, pp. 518-520). Gale.
Thank you for using ASK US. For further assistance, please contact your Baker librarians.
"Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out. "
-Benjamin Franklin
For this would you just want to google the quote and try to find a relatively reliable source (like a Newspaper source using it or better a source explaining where/when it was said) or is a source such as Brainyquote.com acceptable ?
Also if you heard someone mention it in a TedTalk, would you want to actually look up that quote or just cite the TedTalk video?