3 Ways to Cite Sources in MLA Format

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-02 13:14

The Modern Language Association (MLA) presents its guidelines for citing sources, and your teacher or employer may require you to use them. The standards can be found in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Here's how to get started.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Quotes in the Text

Step 1. Refer to the author

This can be done in two ways. The author's name can either be found in the essay itself or be included as a source. Both methods involve the use of parentheses and the number (s) of pages. Read these two examples from Purdue:

• "Humans have been described by Kenneth Burke as" animals that use symbols "(3)". In this way, the author's name is found in the actual sentence.
• "Humans have been described as" animals using symbols "(Burke 3)". This way, the author's name is found in the reference.

Step 2. If the author is unknown, using the title of the work is enough

With the technology we have today, it has become increasingly common to find texts that are not attributed a specific writer. If that's the case, just mention the title. Take this example from Cornell:

"Arguably, we see so many hot spots in North America when it comes to global warming because this region has" more easily accessible climate data and more comprehensive programs to monitor and study environmental change … "(" Global Warming Impact "6)". If the title is long, you can shorten it. Omit the leading articles and start with the word entered in alphabetical order in the bibliography list

Step 3. Mention multiple things in one sentence

Yes, it is doable. If you have multiple authors or multiple localizations (or both), you can quote them in the same sentence. However, this is a bit inconvenient to the eye due to the amount of brackets used, so it's best not to do it often.

• This hypothesis (Herrick and Coleman 18) denounced this theory (Clark, Masterson and Andrews 32). To avoid putting two quotes in a sentence, put the author's name (or authors' names) in the sentence itself. This will make it easier to read.

  If you have two authors (whether they are in the same quote or not), use their initials to distinguish them

• If the citation refers to a volume, precede the information on the page with the volume number. For example, "Jennings alludes to these future consequences (116-19, 203)".

Step 4. Cite electronic and indirect sources

This is where MLA formatting gets a little tricky. But just because things get more complex doesn't mean you have to back down. However, note that most online sources should not be used; who knows if they are valid and legitimate?

• If you have a quote whose source is from another work, you have an indirect source. In such a situation, use "quoted in" to indicate the source you have actually consulted.

• Paragraphs or page numbers as determined by your print preview feature are not needed

Method 2 of 3: Basics of the Bibliography

Step 1. Start writing the bibliography page

References cited in the text of a research paper must appear at the end of the text in a cited work list, or bibliography. This is a separate page. This list provides the information you need to identify and retrieve each source that specifically supports your research. It should have the same 2.5 cm margins and the same header line with your last name and page number as the rest of the essay.

All your quotes should be double-spaced, but don't overlook the spaces between the entries. Also, indent the second and following lines of the quote by 1.25 cm (for a pending indentation)

Step 2. Proceed in alphabetical order

Organize the citations in this order based on the surnames of the authors. If you don't know who the writers are, do it by title. If the author has a special title (such as PhD), don't include it. Too bad for the lickers.

• There are various nuances to remember:

  • Don't use the "&", always use the "e".
  • Capitalize all major words.
  • Abbreviate the publisher's name. The Illustrative Press Co. can only be "Illustrative".

  

  Step 3. Update on the MLA standards

  Unfortunately, they sometimes change. Your professor may or may not know. If you are aware of a recent change, ask your teacher what he or she prefers.

  • According to the 2009 MLA standards, for each citation, you must determine the publication medium. Most sources will likely be referred to as "Print" or "Web", but the other possibilities would include "Movies", "CD-ROMs" or "DVDs".
  • URLs used to be required for web sources, but not anymore. However, if your teacher insists, insert them in crochet brackets at the end and conclude with a stitch. For long internet addresses, only break lines in front of slashes.

  Method 3 of 3: Format of Quotations

  

  Step 1. Quote from the books

  There are numerous elements to include in a book quote. However, only worry about the ones you need, since they are not all necessary. References to an entire book should include the following elements:

  • Author or authors and publisher or publishers.
  • The full title.
  • The edition, if indicated.
  • Place of publication.
  • The abbreviated name of the publisher.
  • The date of publication.

  • The medium of publication.

    • An example of the formatting:

      Surname name. Book's title. Place of publication: publishing house, year of publication. Medium of publication.

      • If you don't have the name of the author or publisher, use the title directly. If you have more than three writers, feel free to use "et al.", A Latin expression meaning "and others".
      • If it is an article in a book, include the title of the article before the title of the book.

    

    Step 2. Cite an article from a newspaper or magazine

    This quote is similar to the one from a book, but with a few minor differences. You will need:

    • Author or authors.
    • Title of the article.
    • Title of the newspaper (newspaper, magazine, etc.).
    • Volume number.
    • Date of publication (shortened months, if necessary).
    • Page numbers.

    • Medium of publication.

      • Cite by inserting the name of the author of the article, writing the title of the piece in quotation marks and putting the name of the publication in italics. Follow with the release date. Remember to shorten the month!
      • If it's a local publication, include the name of the city and region in parentheses after the newspaper title.

      

      Step 3. Quote from electronic sources

      You should always refer to them as "publishing on the web", since the network is the medium. The MLA style no longer requires the indication of URLs in the citations because they are not needed: they are not static and change often or the site is completely closed. Gather as much information as you can and quote it in the following order:

      • Author and / or publisher names (if available).
      • Title of the article in quotes (if possible).
      • Title of the website, project or book in italics.
      • Available version numbers, including revisions, publication dates, volumes, or distribution numbers.
      • Information about the publisher, including his name and publication date.
      • Note any page numbers (if available).
      • Medium of publication.
      • Date you accessed the source.
      • URL (if required).

      

      Step 4. Cite the interviews

      Interviews typically fall into two categories: those printed or broadcast publicly and those unpublished (personal), although they may also appear in other similar formats, such as that of email or a web document.

      • If you conducted the interview, list it by the name of the person you met (of course, enter the surname first). Include the description "Personal interview" and its date.
      • For a published interview, start the same way. Then, if the interview title is part of a larger work (a book, TV show, or movie series, for example), put the interview title in quotes. The title of a larger work should be italicized. Italicize the interview title if it appears as a standalone title. Fill in the remainder of the entry with the required information based on the medium (print? Web? DVD?) Through which the interview was broadcast. For books, include the name of the author or publisher after the title of the text.

      

      Step 5. Remember that you can also quote tweets

      There are no more limits. You can mention just about anything, as long as it is relevant to your work. Who thought putting quotes into an essay wasn't fun?

      • It starts with the user's name (surname, first name), followed by their Twitter username in brackets. Put a period after the second bracket.
      • Then, put the full tweet in quotes. In these quotes, enter a period. Include the date and time of publication, using the time zone of the reader; separate the date and time with a comma and end with a period.
      • Next, enter the term "Tweet" (this is your medium) and conclude with a period. Your teacher will love it.

      Examples

      Books

      Ruechel, Julius. Grass-Fed Cattle. New York: Storey Publishing, 2006; Johnson, Elliot J., ed. Handbook of No-Till Agriculture. Kansas City: CRC, 1993. Fonda, Alison, and Jim Terezian. Banking in NYC. New York: Random House, 2000.

      Anthology

      Broman, Jason P. "Feasibility of Using Algae as an Energy Source." Renewable Energy: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Melissa DeAntonio. Albuquerque: Zia Publishing, 2003. 20-27.

      Encyclopedia

      Jones, Alessia. "Certificates of Deposit." Encyclopedia of Finance. Ed. James Michael Norton. 2nd ed. 4 vols. San Francisco: Macmillan, 2001.

      Article in a magazine

      Fellon, Brad. "Aurora Borealis." Travel May 2004: 36-41.

      Newspaper article

      Powell, Hope D., Benjamin Adams, Anthony Richter, and Patricia Roth. "Implementation of GIS in Soil Analysis." Soil Technology 47 (2003): 295-308. Maddox, Alex L., Anna Ali, and Jamie McNamara. "Effect of Visiting Animals on Patient Recovery." Hospital Observations 58.6 (2003): 12-18.

      Article in a newspaper

      Corvallis, Patrick. "Development Threatens Farmland." Mesilla Valley Bulletin 8 Apr. 2004, night final ed.: A3.

      Website

      Applegate, Tristan. "Judging the Credibility of Sources." Your Source for Sources. Ed. Madison Collar. 4 Sept. 2004 .

      On-line periodical

      Hernandez, Craig. "Desert Rat Carries Rare Infectious Disease." LasCrucesNews.com 4 Sept. 2004