Quotations

This page describes for web editors in the School of Pharmacy how to format quoted text in a website built by the Office of Communications.

On this page

Inline quote

An inline quote is used when a quote appears within body text. This is the most typical kind of quote and doesn’t need further explanation. Example:

“More studies in this area would help us understand how mutations in RAS signaling drive malignancy, and may point to novel targets for antibody and cellular-therapy-based treatment in RAS-driven cancers,” senior author James Wells, PhD, told UCSF News.

See this example in context: Unmasking a cellular hallmark of cancer.

Inline quote with attribution

Sometimes an inline quote additionally specifies the speaker’s name outside of prose on a separate line. Example:

“There are lots of important problems. Only attack those for which you can divine simple experiments with clear answers.”
—Julius Axelrod

See this example in context: Guo applies curiosity and collaboration to research.

To achieve this result, press Shift+Enter at the end of the quote to insert a manual line break, then type an em dash followed by the name. No spaces should appear before or after the em dash.

Block quote

A block quote is used when quoting a passage, usually more than one sentence, usually adjacent to other body text. Attribution, if present, occurs in prose either before or after—never on one or more separate lines. Example:

We meet our mission within a culture of understanding, inclusion, equity, and respect. We recruit and support faculty members, staff members, and students who are diverse in gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. We have a particular commitment to historically excluded populations who are currently underrepresented. We are collaborative, engaging the expertise of colleagues at UCSF and beyond to meet our mission in mutually beneficial ways.

See this example in context: Update from the Dean - March 2017. The vertical line along the left edge informs readers that this is a long quotation.

block quote

Block Quote button

To specify a block quote, use the Block Quote button, which appears with a quotation mark symbol.

Block quotes should never include quotation marks at the start or end; the vertical line provides the indication to the reader that it is quoted material.

Block quotes should never include an attribution line below. Instead, work the attribution into the body copy before or after the block quote.

Pull quote

A pull quote is a graphic design element which originated with print publications such as newspapers and magazines. The idea is that prominent, larger pull quotes set amidst smaller body text would grab the reader’s eye, encouraging them to read an article that they might not otherwise have read. We have three kinds of pull quotes:

Pull quote full width

UCSF has put its stake in the ground on exposing industry manipulation of science.

–Dorie Apollonio, PhD

How to choose between pull quote and emphatic: Pull quote and emphatic look similar. Use pull quote when you are quoting a person; use emphatic to emphasize what the page author is saying. Pull quote automatically includes quotation marks; emphatic does not. Example: Taking a bite out of the proteome with PhaNGS uses emphatic instead of pull quote because these are the words of the page author, not someone interviewed for the story.

Apply pull quote full width formatting:

  1. Type the quoted material on its own new line. Do not include quotation marks. Press Enter at the end of the line.

  2. Type an em dash followed by the quoted person’s name. Do not use a space character after the em dash.

  3. Select all of the lines you have typed.

  4. Select the DIV button.

  5. In the Style picklist, select pull quote.

Advanced users: the source code for this example looks like this:

<div class="pull-quote"><p>UCSF has put its stake in the ground on exposing industry manipulation of science.</p><p>—Dorie Apollonio, PhD</p></div>

See this example in context: Study shows sugar industry buried evidence of health risks.

Pull quote half left

One thing that Esteban demands of us is to find ways to serve.

–Andrew Zeiger
Junior Researcher, Burchard Lab

Apply pull quote half left formatting:

Follow the steps above but choose pull quote left.

Advanced users: the source code for this example looks like this:

<div class="pull-quote left"><p>One thing that Esteban demands of us is to find ways to serve.</p><p>–Andrew Zeiger<br />Junior Researcher, Burchard Lab</p></div>​

Pull quote half right

One thing that Esteban demands of us is to find ways to serve.

–Andrew Zeiger
Junior Researcher, Burchard Lab

Apply pull quote half right formatting: Follow the steps above but choose pull quote right.

Advanced users: the source code for this example looks like this:

<div class="pull-quote right"><p>One thing that Esteban demands of us is to find ways to serve.</p><p>–Andrew Zeiger<br />Junior Researcher, Burchard Lab</p></div>

See this example in context: UCSF lab sends filters to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.