HTML Quotations and Citations

HTML provides options for formally quoting text from other sources and highlighting authors or organizations. Specific tags are available for this, such as <blockquote>, <q>, <cite>, and <abbr>.

Long Quotations: <blockquote>

Use the <blockquote> element when quoting longer texts from another source. The 'cite' attribute can specify the URL of the source.

Short Quotations: <q>

The <q> element is ideal for short quotations, such as a sentence. Most browsers automatically place its content in quotation marks.

<blockquote cite="https://www.example.com">This is a long quotation from another source.</blockquote>

<q>This is a short inline quote.</q>

Identifying Authors: <cite>

Use the <cite> tag to mark the name of a work, book, article, or website author. This pays respect to the original creator and is semantically correct.

Abbreviations: <abbr>

The <abbr> tag lets you define the full meaning of an abbreviation using the 'title' attribute. Users can see the explanation when hovering the cursor over it.

Tips for Handling Quotations and Sources

• Always indicate the source when quoting.
• Make <blockquote> stand out visually, if needed.
• Don’t confuse the <q> tag with regular quotation marks.
• <abbr> is especially useful in professional or technical content.