A Brief Guide to MLA Citation

A Brief Guide to MLA Citation Need From MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Help? 7th edition, New York: MLA, 2009. Print.

“Nearly all research builds on previous research….This process is largely responsible for the continual expansion of human knowledge” (MLA 126).

Summarize, paraphrase, or quote the ideas & works of others and cite your sources!

Title Page - Example

1” ½” Addison 1

Your Name

Teacher’s Name (double space) Course Name

3 February 2012 Title (indent 5) Begin typing your paper here. Double space the entire paper.

In-text Citations – Examples

In-text citations appear within the text of the paper & refer to the Works Cited page. Put the author’s last name & the page number(s) in parentheses after the summary, paraphrase, or quote. If there is no author, use the title of the article or book instead. If a signal phrase identifies the author or title, use only the page number(s). The period goes after the end parentheses.

“Plagiarism is almost always seen as a shameful act, and plagiarists are usually regarded with pity and scorn” (Gibaldi 66).

As of 2001, at least three hundred towns and municipalities had considered legislation regulating use of cell phones while driving ("Lawmakers" 2).

Sean Covey believes that people should live by their principles, even when they see others lying and cheating. Dishonesty always catches up with people, and, eventually, they will be caught (25).

Works Cited Page - Examples The Works Cited page is the last page of your paper. Cite the information that is available - you may not be able to find all of the required information. Begin entries at the left margin; indent succeeding lines of the same entry 5 spaces (hanging indent). Double-space all lines – examples are single-spaced to save paper. Alphabetize all entries by author’s last name, or, if no author, by editor. If no author or editor, alphabetize by title of article or book.

1” Addison 5

Works Cited

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th edition. New York: MLA of America,

2003. Print.

“Writing Annotated Bibliographies.” The OWL at Purdue. Purdue Writing Lab, 2009. Web. 24 Sept. 2009.

Book – Print (pp. 148-80) Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title. City Published: Publisher, Year Published. Print.

Behrendt, Greg, and Liz Tuccillo. He's Just Not That into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys. New York: Simon Spotlight, 2004.

Follow example if there is an edition #, volume #, or series name or #: Rovin, Jeff. The Encyclopedia of Monsters. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. New York: Facts on File, 1989. Print. World Monsters.

Book – Electronic (eBook) (pp. 187-89) Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title. City Published: Publisher, Year Published. Title of Website or Database. Web. Date Accessed.

Brown, Dan. Angels and Demons. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000. Digital Book Index. Web. 5 June 2009.

The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. 3rd ed. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Web. 5 June 2009.

Follow example if book was published before 1900: Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Boston, 1873. Google Book Search. Web. 5 June 2009.

Part of a Book/Anthology – Print (pp.157-60) Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Chapter, Poem, Story, or Article.” Title of Book. Editor/Compiler. City Published: Publisher, Year Published. Pages. Print.

Bloor, Laura. “I Just Wanted to Be Skinny.” Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul III: More Stories of Life, Love, and Learning. Comps. Jack Canfield, Mark Hansen, and Kimberly Kirberger. Deerfield Beach: Health Communications, 2000. 253-55. Print. Follow example if published previously, using Rpt. in for Reprinted in: Farrell, Jr., Walter C., and Patricia A. Johnson. “Poetic Interpretations of Urban Black Folk Culture: Langston Hughes and the ‘Bebop’ Era.” MELUS. 8.3 (Fall 1981): 57-72. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Daniel G. Marowski. Vol. 35. Detroit: Gale, 1985. 221-22. Print.

Part of a Book/Anthology – Website/Database (pp. 190-93) Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Chapter, Poem, Story, or Article.” Title of Book. Editor/Compiler. Title of Website/Database. Publisher/Sponsor of Website/Database. City Published: Publisher, Date. Pages. Web. Date Accessed.

Steuer, Matthew. “Daddy’s Ghost.” Anthology of Short Stories by Young Americans. Anthology of Poetry Publications, Inc. 2008. Web. 29 Oct. 2009.

“France.” CultureGrams 2009 World Edition. Provo, UT: ProQuest, 2008. 241–44. Web. 5 June 2009.

Article in a Scholarly Journal—Print (pp. 137-41) Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal (omit A, An, The). Volume.Issue (Year): Pages. Print.

Whalen, Carol K., et al. “The ADHD Spectrum and Everyday Life: Experience Sampling of Adolescent Moods, Activities, Smoking, and Drinking.” Child Development. 73.1 (2002): 209-27. Print.

Article in a Scholarly Journal—Web/Database (pp. 190-93) Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal. Volume.Issue (Year): Pages. Database Name. Web. Date Accessed.

Munro, Neil. “Animal Testing Battle Focuses Anew on Apes.” National Journal (2009): n. pag. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 27 Oct. 2009.

“Samuel Langhorne Clemens.” Contemporary Authors Online (2004): n. pag. Web. 5 June 2009.

Article in a Newspaper – Print (pp. 141-42) Cite city of newspaper in brackets if not given in title: News and Observer [Raleigh] Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper (omit A, An, The) Date, Edition (if noted): Pages. Print.

Sternberg, Steve. “H1N1 Flu Pushing Hospitals to Their Limit.” USA Today 29 Oct. 2009: A1+. Print.

Article in a Newspaper – Web/Database (p. 192-93) Author’s Last name. First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper (omit A, An, The) Date, Edition (if noted): page #s and/or Letters. Name of Database. Web. Date Accessed.

Abney, Andrea. “'Romeo & Julien': Update of Star-Crossed Tragedy Ditches All that Interfamily Feuding and Gets a Modern-Day Twist.” San Francisco Chronicle 10 Sept. 2009: F16. Student Resource Center – Gold. Web. 3 November 2009. Article in a Magazine – Print (pp. 142-43) Author’s Last Name. First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine (omit A, An, The) Date: Pages. Print.

Marcus, Frank. “A Grand Design: Corvette Grand Sport.” Motor Trend Nov. 2009: 34-40. Print

Article in a Magazine – Web/Database (p. 192-93) Author’s Last name. First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine (omit A, An, The) Date, Edition: Pages. Name of Database. Web. Date Accessed.

"Recipe for a Resurrection: Bringing Extinct Species Back to Life Is No Longer Considered Science Fiction. But Is It a Good Idea?" National Geographic May 2009, Student Edition: 50-6. Infotrac. Web. 3 Nov. 2009.

Work Cited only on the Web (pp. 184-90) Author’s Last Name, First Name. “Title.” Title of Website. Version or Edition. Name of Organization or Institution (if none, write n.p.), Date of Publication or Update (if unavailable, write n.d.). Web. Date Accessed.

“Writing Annotated Bibliographies.” The OWL at Purdue. Purdue Writing Lab, 2009. Web. 15 May 2009.

General Rules for the Works Cited Page Authors, Editors, and Titles Author’s last name begins entry: Lee, Harper. Group or corporate author: Bureau of Labor Statistics. No author = begin with editor’s last name: Bloom, Harold, ed. No author or editor = begin with title of article or “Greece.” CultureGrams 2009 World Edition. book: Both author and editor (or other identifier below): Poe, Edgar Allen. The Portable Poe. Ed. Philip Van Doren Stem. Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. E. V. Rieu. 2 or 3 authors: Addison, Bonnie and Jan Healy. Addison, Bonnie, Jan Healy, and Debbie Kramer. 4 or more authors = list all or use “et. al.” to stand Hedrick, James, Scott Brouthers, Chris Clayton, Michelle Burton, for “and others”: and Kim Collins. Hedrick, James, et. al. Identifiers: ed. (or eds.) = editor(s) McClay, John B., and Wendy L. Matthews, eds. trans.= translator or translator comp. (or comps.) = compiler(s) Comps. Jack Canfield, Mark Hansen, and Kimberly Kirberger. Publishing Information More than 1 city: Use first listed More than 1 date: Use most recent No place of publication: n.p. No publisher: n.p. No date: n.d. Shorten publisher’s names: Gale, McGraw, Random, U of Chicago P Medium of publication: Print, Web, Performance, CD, DVD, Radio, Television, Film Numbers – Series, Volume, Issue, Date, Pages Series name or number: Insert after name of journal, magazine, or newspaper, before period = 2nd ser. Abbreviate months: Except May, June, July Use inclusive page numbers: 1-3; 22-25; 103-04; 423-59; A32-34; vi-viii Skipped page numbers: 3+ No page numbers: n. pag.