When it comes to italicizing quotes, the MLA style guidelines assume that any italics used in the original quotation are maintained unless otherwise indicated. This means that if the source you are quoting from already includes italics, you should include them in your quotation as well. However, if you need to make any changes or additions to the original quotation, you should indicate these alterations in square brackets.
For example, let’s say you are quoting a sentence from a book that originally appeared in italics: “The author asserts that ‘education is the key to success.'”
In this case, you would include the italics in your quotation to accurately reflect the original source: The author asserts that “education is the key to success.”
On the other hand, if you want to emphasize a particular word or phrase within a quotation, you can add italics to indicate this emphasis. In such cases, you should indicate that the italics have been added by using the phrase “[emphasis added]” in parentheses.
For instance, let’s say you are quoting a sentence that originally did not include italics but you want to highlight a specific word: The author states, “It is crucial to prioritize education.”
To indicate that you have added italics for emphasis, you would write: The author states, “It is crucial to prioritize education” (emphasis added).
It is important to consult the MLA Handbook for more specific guidelines on quoting sources exactly and using italics for emphasis. These guidelines provide comprehensive information on how to properly incorporate quotations in your writing and ensure accuracy and consistency.
When quoting sources in MLA style, it is generally assumed that italics in the original quotation are maintained unless otherwise indicated. If you need to add or alter anything within the quotation, you should clearly indicate these changes in square brackets. Additionally, if you want to add emphasis through italics, you should indicate that the italics have been added by including the phrase “[emphasis added]” in parentheses.