MLA CITATION
Claire reading a book.
Please visit this website for help with MLA format & citations.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
Here is some EXCELLENT information that you should study before writing your next essay. Please review when to quote, what to quote, and how to quote! 1. Author’s name and page number The two key facts to remember for most internal citations are the last “name of the author (or editor, translator, or narrator)” and the page number of the source, placed in parenthesis following the paraphrase, summary, or quotation, and, if the internal cite is placed at the end of a sentence, it should be followed by the end punctuation being placed outside of the parentheses (Gibaldi 238-239, 241). Example The code hero was developed in many works, both stories and novels (Baker 47). Used with a quotation in the body of the paper, the citation is placed AFTER the quotation marks which close the quotation, and BEFORE the end punctuation of the sentence. Example: Sometimes the reader can be misled, even by such a simple statement as, “He felt that he had left everything behind, the need for thinking, the need to write, other needs. It was all in back of him” (Hemingway 179).
For poems that are not divided into parts, use line numbers. For a first reference, use the word "lines": (lines 5-8). Thereafter use just the numbers: (12-13).
If you use an author's name to introduce a quote, then you only cite the page number (line number if it is a poem). Example: Sartre said, "hell is other people" (151). Obviously, the rest of the information (title, publication, etc.) will be on your Works Cited page.
MLA Documentation Style When incorporating sources in a paper, you must use a standard citation format to identify the sources and credit their author. There are a number of documentation styles (APA, MLA, Chicago, to name a few). This page illustrates basics of MLA style, a system used for documentation in humanities related fields. It includes information on documenting traditional and internet sources as well as offers a sample works cited page for a variety of source types. This is not a comprehensive source for the MLA documentation system. Consult the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (1999) for more detailed information about citing your sources. The CWC and Chemeketa library have copies of this handbook (Library call # 802.02F94). Why should I document my sources? Appropriately documenting sources helps your readers locate the original source should they want a first-hand understanding of it, and documentation demonstrates your credibility as a writer. Really, documentation is an ethical issue as well as an audience awareness issue. Failing to document sources constitutes plagiarism which the MLA Handbook defines as using "another person's ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source . . . . [It] is intellectual theft" (Gibaldi 30). Your audience will not trust you when you fail to acknowledge the sources you have used. The skillful and responsible use of sources in your prose demonstrates your authority in discussing a given issue. Readers are more likely to trust writers who have researched their issue, shown their knowledge of it, and participated in a professional dialogue concerning it. Acknowledgment and discussion of your sources shows your participation in that dialogue. AVOID ACCIDENTAL PLAGIARISM. Accidental plagiarism is still theft and may, like any form of plagiarism, be punishable in a variety of ways ranging from failure on a paper or in a course to fines, job loss or imprisonment depending on the circumstances in which you plagiarize. At the very least, accidental plagiarism will make you look like a sloppy and incompetent writer--blowing your chance at building reader confidence in your ability to handle the material you're covering. When researching a paper, students generally read several sources. It's easy to confuse who says what. Keeping good note cards of sources consulted can help eliminate accidental plagiarism. Note cards generally include bibliographic information (title, author, journal volume and number if applicable, dates, publishers, URL's for online materials, etc.). In addition a brief summary of the source, notation of any key information you plan to use, and page numbers for the particular information will remind you of material "borrowed." Keep track of page numbers, for you will ultimately need to give the precise location of the information when you use it in your paper. When do I have to acknowledge my sources? When writing a paper using sources, you must make it absolutely clear which ideas and word choices are yours and which come from the source. The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers states that "you must document everything that you borrow--not only direct quotations and paraphrases but also information and ideas" (Gibaldi 33). Information which can be identified as belonging to a particular person, group or document must be acknowledged in the text and through an alphabetically ordered Works Cited page that provides the full bibliographic information of the sources used. The operative word is particular, meaning that the information is not generally known and commonly repeated. Consistency in documentation is essential, for readers will become familiar with the system you begin using and will be confused if you switch styles. Common Knowledge: There are times when you do not have to document sources. For instance, you do not generally have to document familiar proverbs such as "To kill to birds with one stone" or "common Knowledge." Common Knowledge is information generally known and commonly accepted in a given field. A general rule of thumb is that common knowledge information is repeated in and can be easily accessed through at least three sources. The information is also commonly accepted as correct in a given field of study. For example, you don't have to acknowledge statements like "Nathaniel Hawthorne was a nineteenth-century writer" or "James Baldwin wrote Go Tell it on the Mountain." The words "familiar," "common" and "commonly accepted" are bolded, for they are the operative words defining these types of information. When in doubt, document the source. To Quote or Not to Quote
When you use sources, it's generally a good idea to paraphrase or summarize information rather than quote it. Summarizing and paraphrasing demonstrate your understanding of the material used; and, in doing so, also allows you to build your credibility as a writer. A paraphrase restates a passage in your own words and in your own sentence style. A paraphrase is roughly the same length as the original and does not significantly alter the information in the passage. A summary condenses the main points (thesis and key reasons in support of the thesis) made in a source. It is roughly 10 to 15 percent of the original source's length and captures the "gist" of a the original without altering the key ideas. Like a paraphrase, a summary must be in your own words and in your own sentence style. It is a good idea to close the original from view before summarizing and paraphrasing to avoid incorporating the author's words and/or sentence structure into your version. To paraphrase or summarize, you must know the information well. Re-read it. Otherwise you might lean on the original author's phrasing to make the point. Rephrasing a passage too closely to the original (for instance changing the words but using the original writer's sentence patterns is a form of plagiarism, even when you cite the source). Summaries and paraphrases, like all writing, often require revision. Once you complete your summary or paraphrase, go back and check the original to ensure you have captured the key ideas and avoided restating too close to the original. So when do you quote? Quote when
- the phrasing of the original is truly exceptional. There is absolutely no way to say it better. The original shines.
- you need to analyze or comment on the phrasing of the original.
- you want to call attention to a powerful, key word choice.
- Quote sparingly; paraphrase or summarize when possible.
- Remember to discuss the evidence (analyze it, explain what it shows and how it is connected to your thesis/topic sentence.
- Introduce authorities the first time and, if possible, qualifications (For instance, "According to David Smith, professor of law at ____." ) After introducing, you may then refer to the authority by last name.
- Introduce study (if possible method/what studied), source of statistics. For instance, "in a study of 50 children, Smith found that . . . "
- Work quotations into the grammatical structure of your sentence. Ellipses (. . . ) allow you to leave out nonessential information. Brackets [] allow you to add information to a quotation such as a necessary verb or pronoun.
- Avoid drop quoting by introducing the quotation in your sentence.
Documentation in your text
MLA parenthetical in-text citations directly correspond to the alphabetized Works Cited page(s) so that readers can use this alphabetical list to locate the original source. Punctuation: When a quotation is formally introduced with a full sentence, use a colon before the quotation. Otherwise a comma or no punctuation is used.
Introduced formally:
Examples for different ways to incorporate a quote:
(colon) Piercy Shelley claims poets have the power to mold civilizations: "Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world" (210). As part of your sentence: Poets have the power to mold civilizations as "unacknowledged legislators of the world" (Shelley 210). Introduced with he/she "says," "claims,"
etc.
(comma) Piercy Shelley argues, "Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world (210). Single author work with name mentioned in sentence: If you mention the author's full or last name in your sentence, put the page number(s) in parentheses at the end of the quotation or paraphrase. When quoting, especially from literature, it's important to clarify who is speaking and in what context, for a character's (narrator's/author's) perspective can also give reader's information about the quotation. Note: the period for the sentence appears after the parentheses.
In Miguel Cervantes' novel Don Quixote, Sancho Panza insists upon the veracity
of history about the "mannish" shepherdess and her lover by arguing, "but the
man who told me this story said that it was so true and authentic that when I told
it to anyone else I could swear on my oath that I had seen it all" (153). Single author, name omitted from sentence: If the author's last name is not mentioned in your sentence, put the last name and the page number(s) in parentheses at the end of the paraphrase or quotation.
Don Quixote interrupts Sancho's telling of the Shepherd's story saying, it "is
natural to women . . . to scorn those who love them, and love those who loathe
them" (Cervantes 153). Quotation that runs four or more lines Lengthy quotations need to be blocked. Set the quotation off from your text by beginning the blocked quotation on the next line. If your essay is double-spaced, maintain double-spacing, and indent the quotation ten spaces from the left margin. Because the quotation is blocked, quotation marks are not used. Generally a colon introduces the blocked quotation; and the period, rather than appearing after the parentheses, is located before them.
The narrator of Don Quixote begins the novel by calling readers lazy, even as he offers an excuse for the apparent lameness of his story: Idle reader, you can believe without any oath of mine that I would wish this book, as the child of my brain, to be the most beautiful, the liveliest and the cleverest imaginable. But I have been unable to transgress the order of nature, by which like gives birth to like. And so, what could my sterile and ill-cultivated genius beget but the story of a lean, shriveled, whimsical child, full of varied fancies that no one else has ever imagined--much like one engendered in prison, where every discomfort has its seat and every dismal sound its habitation? (Cervantes 25) More than three authors for a single source: If the work you site is written by more than three authors, use first author's name and et al to cover the rest. Otherwise use all authors' names in order that they appear on title page.
Mary Stevens et al found that most primates are capable of expressing a wide
range of emotions (27). Multiple sources by one author: If you have more than one source by the same author, use a short form of the title as well. (The shortened title, like a full title of a book, would be underlined)
Primates' use sign language demonstrates the sophistication of their potential
language skills (Stevens, Primates' Language Skills 15). Anonymous Source: If your source is anonymous, either the full title of the source or an abbreviated version of it should be substituted. When abbreviating a title, begin with the first key word. For instance, the title "Beware of Television Violence: Your Teens Act Out" shouldn't be shorted to "Teens Act Out" because then readers would look under the "t" portion of the Works Cited page. Anonymous works appear on the Works Cited page alphabetized by the first word of the title, excluding "the" and "a/an."
And editorial in a local newspaper argues that studies show teens act out
violently after viewing graphic violence on television ("Beware" A1+). Sources that cite other sources: Generally you should take information from the original source, but when unable to do so, use "qtd. in" to indicate that the material quoted or paraphrased is quoted in X work. For example,
Elizabeth Gaskell acknowledged that Charlotte Bronte really felt that her father
was an "exceptionally studious man" (qtd. in Jones 220). Documentation within text for Poetry and Drama Verse: When quoting verse of less than three lines, work the lines into your sentence. If you are incorporating more than one verse line into your sentence, separate lines with an (/) to indicate break. If the poem has line numbers, indicate the lines quoted in parentheses; otherwise use page numbers. If the poem is long and broken into books with the line numbers restarting at 1 with each new "book," then book plus line number appears in the parenthesis. (I: 2 -3) indicates book one, lines 2 -3.
Lao-Tzu warns, "Real words are not vain,/ Vain words not real" (1-2). For three or more lines:
Though we often think of absence or emptiness in negative terms, Lao-Tzu emphasizes the positive importance of unoccupied space: Doors, windows, in a house, Are used for their emptiness: Thus we are helped by what is not To use what is. (5-8) NOTE: when quoting poetry, organize lines as they appear in the original. If lines run at angles, in the image of a cross, in zig-zags, etc., your quotation of those lines should appear in the same format.
Plays: When integrating 3 or less lines spoken by a single character into your sentence, you may use the (/) to indicate line breaks. For more than 3 lines or when quoting dialogue of two or more characters, set the quotation off from your text. Begin each dialogue with the appropriate character's name indented one inch (ten spaces). The name should appear all in capitals and be followed by a period. All dialogue below the character's name should be indented an additional 3 spaces until you begin a new character's dialogue.
ANTIGONE. Dear God! Denounce me. I shall hate you more if silent, not proclaiming this to all.ISMENE. You have a hot mind over chilly things. ANTIGONE. I know I please those whom I most should please. (Sophocles 86 - 89) Note about information in the parentheses, if there are act numbers and scene numbers include those as well. (2 . 4. 254 - 58) would be act 2, scene 4, lines 254 - 58.
Works Cited FormatOn a separate sheet of paper at the end of your essay include a list of the works cited. Works cited lists are alphabetized by the last name of the author. In the case of an anonymous work, by the first main title word (excluding "the" and "a/an." If the paper is double-spaced, the list is double-spaced between all lines; if the paper is single-spaced, the list is likewise single-spaced. Every line, except the first of each entry, is indented 5 spaces (one tab mark). For internet entries, you should hope to have all of the standard bibliographic information such as author, title, publisher, journal title (if article in journal), publication date, page numbers, etc. However, all of these things are not always available. Use what is available and be sure to keep track of all URL addresses. The following works cited sample offers many of the most common source entries students use. If you cannot find the entry type you need here, check the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.
MLA Format requires all entires in a bibliography (or Works Cited) to be HANGING INDENTED and listed in ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
Work in an anthology, in this case with
translators Works Cited
Apuleius, Lucius. "The Golden Ass." Trans. J. Arthur Hanson. World Reader: Antiquity to the Early Modern World. Eds. Mary Ann Caws and Christopher Predergast. New York: Harper Collins College Publishers, 1994. E-mail communication Bauerly, Joan. "Delta Airlines." E-mail to Sydney Darby. 12 Dec. 2000. Document/article within a scholarly project online Brown, Arthur A. "Storytelling, the Meaning of Life, and The Epic of Gilgamesh." Exploring Ancient World Cultures. 1996. University of Evansville. 21 Dec. 2000 <http://eawc.evansville.edu/essays/brown.htm>.
Personal or professional site online Chruchyard, Henry. Jane Austen Information Page. 20 Dec. 2000 <http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/janeinfo.html>. Personal interview Davis, Arnold. Personal Interview. 16 Nov. 2000. Anonymous book Everyman and Other Miracle and Morality Plays. ed. James Jennings. New York: Dover, 1998. Journal article Fjagesund, Peter. "Samson and Delilah: Chapter 37 of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre." English Studies 80 (1999): 449-53. Full-text periodical articles from subscription database (such as EBSCO, ERIC, Proquest, Newsbank) Gilbert, Sandra M. "Jane Eyre and the Secrets of Furious Lovemaking." Novel: A Forum on Fiction. 31.3 (1998): 351 - 73. EBSCO Academic Search Elite. 11 Dec. 2000 <http://terra.chemeketa.edu/library/information/ alpha-database.htm#academic>. Encyclopedia online Hunter, James. "Achilles." The Encyclopedia Mythica. 2000. Pantheon.org. 12 Dec. 2000 <http://www.pantheon.org/mythica/articles/a/achilles.html>. Pamphlet If We Join Together Now, We Can Improve Our Children's Lives. Washington: Stand For Children, 2000. Book by two or more authors Jakobson, Roman, and Linda R. Waugh. The Sound Shape of Language. Bloomington: Indiana Up, 1979. Book Kingston, Maxine Hong. China Men. New York: Vintage Books, 1989. Book by same author ----. Woman Warrior. New York: Vintage Books, 1987. Newspaper article Law, Steve and Sarah Shipley. "TV Violence Raises Youth Aggression." Salem Statesman Journal 18 Oct. 1998: A6+. Encyclopedia (well known) "Mandarin." The Encyclopedia Americana. 1993 ed. Weekly Magazine Pound, Tory. "Streaked by." Time Magazine 12 Dec. 1998: 65 - 67. Monthly Magazine Preece, Andrew. "America's Cup 2000." Yachting World Dec. 1999: 84-87. Online Newspaper Reuters, John. "AT&T and Lucent Fall Sharply on Earnings Warnings." New York Times on the Web 21 Dec. 2000. 22 Dec. 2000 <http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business-att-lucent-d.html>. Encyclopedia (less well known) "Touchstone." The Reader's Encyclopedia of Shakespeare. Eds. Oscar James Campbell and Edward G. Quinn. NY: Crowell, 1966. Online Govt. Publications (includes date materials were posted by govt. and date accessed by researcher) United States. Dept. of Justice. Bureau of Justice. " Prisoners in 1999." 9 August 2000. 22 Dec. 2000 <http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/p99.htm>. Govt. Publication
(note: if author is known, list either by the author's last name or place the author's name after title of document) United States. Department of Justice. National Institute of Justice. National Evaluation of the Youth Firearms Violence Initiative. by Terence Dunworth. Washington: GPO, 2000. Surveys (Unpublished)
Note: If this is a published survey, then title is underlined and publisher information + date are given
