Fill in the Blanks Citing Exact Words from a SourceOnline version Learn about the importance of citing exact words from a source and different approaches to incorporating direct quotations within a definition. by Mark Masloski 1 citing commas original marks words author citation external quoting quotation Citing Exact Words from a Source When writing , the ideas and wording typically originate from the . However , there are instances where it becomes necessary to borrow from sources like books or individuals . This action of acknowledging or referencing a source is referred to as . When a involves directly a source , it is essential to enclose the quoted words within marks ( " . . . " ) to indicate that they are not the author's words . Moreover , any , periods , or question marks that form part of the quote should be placed inside the quotation .