Hello all,

Does anyone have any guidelines or advice on how to reference a famous quote in the thesis, i.e. a quote like:

"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.
Thomas A. Edison"
(http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/thomas_a_edison.html)

I look forward to any input, thanks.

To be quoted in a similar way as any other quotes, (Edison, 2011).
On your reference list, the reference should appear as follows:
Edison T.A. (2011), Quotation by Thomas A. Edison, Available at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/thomas_a_edison.html, Accessed: November 29, 2010.

Hence, look for the title of the web page that you have taken the quotes from. Happy researching. Cheers.

Thanks Sre292, thats very helpful, the only problem is I don't know when Edison said this, I am 100% sure that it was not 2011 :$

Personally I think you have to try and track a quote down to its original source and that can be difficult. 'Brainyquote' is not great giving you the providence of an actual quote and I don't think a brainyquote link looks hectic in a PhD bibliography.

It it is such a well known quote you could try simply putting into Google and see what you get. Sometimes it's worth going beyond the first page on google, you can occasionally find a gem.

Alternatively try looking up the person who said it, as opposed to the quote itself. For quotes I often find consulting the hardcopy better, as in a book!! If you're near a library have a look for an original Oxford English Dictionary of Quotations and you might strike it lucky. I have four or five quotation books, given me by my late sister which I have found useful over time. If you want, give me the actual quote and who said it, and I will see if I can find it. Pm me if you would prefer.

I hate to be beaten by things like that!!

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http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/genius-is-one-percent-perspiration-ninety-nine-percent-perspiration.html

I found this that traces the quote to the September 1932 edition of Harper's Monthly Magazine.

If you can find that magazine, that might be your primary source!


oh and also found this page that offers the same original source and some others where you might be able to track down the quote.

http://angelwingshealoneself.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/genius-is-one-percent-inspiration-ninety-nine-percent-perspiration/

apologies for another edit, but 8-) Phd Comics seemed to be right on topic for this today!!!

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php

Oxford Dictionary of Quotations gives details of famous quotations