Empty quote marks usually indicate that a quote is being cited without attribution.
In academic writing, it is important to cite the source of any quoted material to avoid plagiarism. This can be done using a citation style such as MLA, APA, or Chicago.
For example, in MLA style, a quotation without attribution would be written as follows:
> "This is a quotation without attribution."
To add a citation, simply include the author's name and the publication date in parentheses after the quotation:
> "This is a quotation without attribution." (Smith, 2020)
If you are unsure of the source of a quotation, it is best to err on the side of caution and include a citation.