# Use of quotation marks **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 13, 2024, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-quotation-marks/1004129 "2024-07-13T02:53:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 5
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2024, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-quotation-marks/1004129/5 "2024-07-13T14:41:07Z")
Relevant rules in **TOS** [Terms of Service](https://boards.straightdope.com/tos) **Quotes must be accurate, whether displayed using the message board’s quote function or ordinary quotation marks.** > **Quoting.** Falsely attributing a quote to another SDMB user, or modifying another’s post in order to cast him/her in a bad light, is grounds for revocation of your posting privileges. We allow parody quotes under certain conditions. Here are the permissible options: > - _Quote attributed to real SDMB user_ . Quotes must be accurate, whether displayed using the message board’s quote function or ordinary quotation marks. Normal editorial rules apply. You may indicate omitted portions of a quote by the use of ellipses “…” or devices such as [snip]. You may add text to clarify a word using square brackets (e.g., “her [the sister’s] friend”), but you may not add editorial comments or edit a quote to change the substantive meaning, nor may you substitute text such as “some blather” or “more nonsense” inside the [QUOTE] tags or quotation marks. This applies to all forums including the Pit. > - _Unattributed quote (no name)._ Unattributed parody quotes are permitted in all forums provided they don’t violate other SDMB rules. > Note: > > - SDMB moderators do not routinely check quotes for accuracy. If you see a violation of the above rules, please report it. > - The above rules apply to quotes of SDMB users only. We encourage accurate quoting of off-board individuals in a serious discussion; links are recommended. If you derail a discussion with fake or misleading quotes of off-board individuals, we reserve the right to take action. * * * * * * This post: > [@Is the New York Times Pro-Trump?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-york-times-pro-trump/1003509/178): > > “Some mystery dem” would have to be better than Biden at this point, (couldn’t be much worse!). Again, the about indicates it was a paraphrase of what s/he said. Appears to just quote and not change anything. > [@Is the New York Times Pro-Trump?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-york-times-pro-trump/1003509/160): > > So you get your wish, some mystery Dem takes Biden’s place, and trump wins. What then? Earlier we do have this paraphrase though: > [@Is the New York Times Pro-Trump?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-new-york-times-pro-trump/1003509/169): > > The actual numbers are obviously vague, and I wasn’t saying that they fit the probabilities exactly. I was just replying to Sylvanz’s query about “What if you replace a poor candidate with a better one and s/he still loses?” It appears that shouldn’t done without a clear clarification that it is a paraphrase and/or better yet, no quote marks. * * * * * * The argument in thread was a heated hijack and post 169 probably should have been flagged instead. I’ll be honest, we enforced the Quote Tags far more rigidly and more often than quote marks. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/use-of-quotation-marks/1004129)._