MLA Documentation

Tutorial

How to Cite Using MLA Style

 What Will this Tutorial
Cover?
 How and when to cite within your
text according to the MLA style
 How to create a Works Cited page,
citing a variety of sources:
 Print
 Electronic
 Media
 What to do if you come across
something unusual not covered in
this tutorial
 What is MLA?
MLA stands for Modern
Language Association which
promulgates guidelines for
preparing student research
papers and projects and
scholarly manuscripts in the
humanities. “MLA style” refers
to a system of citing research
sources.
 Why Should I Cite?
Citing identifies and credits sources used in a research
paper or project, acknowledging their role in shaping
your research. This also allows others to follow-up on or
retrieve this material.
When you borrow from other sources to support your
argument or research you must give proper credit. By
crediting your sources, you avoid plagiarism. If you do
not cite a source, you are guilty of plagiarism.

Plagiarism is a form of cheating or stealing. It is the

unacknowledged use or appropriation of another
person’s words or ideas.
 When Should I Cite?
When in doubt, give
credit to your source!
Many students plagiarize
unintentionally. Remember,
My mother always
whenever you summarize, said, “Make your bed”
paraphrase or quote another (Mom 12).
author's material you must
properly credit your source.

If you are using another person’s

idea, you must also cite your
source!
 In any of these cases, you must credit your source

Summary, Paraphrase, Quote

 A summary (aka ‘abstract’) briefly captures the main
ideas of your source
 A paraphrase is a restatement of the text of your source
in your own words
 Quotations can be direct (using quotation marks) or
indirect (no quotation marks and often introduced by
‘that’)
 A noted scientist states, “A hundred years ago, the average
temperature of the earth was about 13.7°C (56.5°F); today, it is
closer to 14.4°C (57.9°F)” (Silver 11).
 A noted scientist observes that the earth’s current average
temperature is 57.9°F compared to 56.5°F a hundred years ago
(Silver 11).
 How Do I Cite?
There are two parts to citing according to MLA style:

1. Brief In-text citations (in parentheses) within the body of your

essay or paper

2. List of full citations in the Works Cited page at the end of your
paper

Note:
References cited in the text must appear in the Works Cited.
Conversely, each entry in the Works Cited must be cited in the
text.
 MLA provides these
guidelines for citations:
In-text:
“References in the text must clearly point to
specific sources in the list of works cited”
(Gibaldi 214).
Works Cited:
“Identify the location of the borrowed
information as specifically as possible”
(Gibaldi 215).
 In-Text Citations
You must provide information that will
allow the reader to locate exactly where
you found information in your sources.
Usually this is the author's last name and
a page number, for example: (Polar 188)

Place the parenthetical reference at the end of

the sentence before the punctuation mark.
 The average world temperature is rising at

an alarming rate of 200 degrees Celsius

per year (Polar 188).
 In-Text Citations, Continued
If you use an author's name in a sentence (known as a
“signal phrase”), do not use it again in the parenthetical
citation. Simply give the page numbers:
 Polar argues that global warming will help heat our

jacuzzis (122).
If there is no known author, use the title and page number in
your citation:
 A single car trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco

produces more pollution than a tree does in its entire

lifetime (Save My Greenhouse 47).
 Other Citation Possibilities
More than one page:
Smith states some interesting facts about the changing
When possible, give only the last
world temperature (123-25). two digits for the second number
Citing two (page) locations from your source:
Jones alludes to this premise (136-39, 145).
Two works cited: Cite as you normally would and
(Taylor 54; Thomas 327) separate citations with a semicolon

When you cite more than one work by the same author
in your paper, indicate which work in your
parenthetical citation:
Everyone hates global warming (Smith, Our Environment
87). Author Comma Title Page Number
 In-Text Citations-
Electronic Sources
If possible, electronic and online sources are cited just like
print resources in parenthetical references.
Often electronic resources will not have page numbers. In
these cases omit numbers from the parenthetical
reference:
(Smith) – the author’s last name
(“Bovine Flatulence A Major Source of Greenhouse
Gases”) – if no author
 Works Cited Page
The Works Cited Page appears at the end of
your paper on its own page.
Everything you referenced in your text must be
listed in your Works Cited page.
Conversely, everything you list in the Works
Cited page must be cited in your essay.
The Works Cited page provides the information
needed for a reader to find and retrieve any
source used in your paper.
 Sample Works Cited Page
*Sources are listed alphabetically Title “Works Cited” is centered
at the top of the page

Indent all lines after Be sure that each

the first ½ inch for citation has a
each work listed format descriptor
(properly placed
within the
citation); e.g.,
Web, Print, Film
*The entire
Works Cited
page is
double-spaced
All citations end
in a period (.)
 Most Citations Will Include:
For a book, most of this information
 Author can be found on the title page and
obverse of the title page.
 Title
 Publication information
 Format descriptor
Last Name, First Period Italicized Title

Gore, Albert. An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global

Period
Format descriptor
Warming. New York: Viking, 2007. Print. Period
Year
Period
City Colon Publisher Comma
 General Tips:
Print Resources
Book titles are italicized:
An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming

Article titles and titles of chapters, essays and short stories appear in
quotes:
"The Scientific Case for Modern Anthropogenic Global
Warming."

If more than one author is given, list first author’s “Last Name, First.”
The second or third authors should be listed “First Name Last
Name” with “and” connecting the last name:
Singer, Fred S., Christopher Hogwood, and Dennis T. Avery.
 Books
What Should Be Included?

Author(s) or Editor(s). Gore, Albert.

Complete title. An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis
of Global Warming.
Edition (if indicated).
Place of publication: New York If several cities
are listed, give
Publisher, Viking only the first

Date of publication. 2007.

Format descriptor. Print.
 Book Examples
Italicize title of book
With one author: Use a colon between the
main title and the subtitle
Gore, Albert. An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming.

New York: Viking, 2007. Print.

List the first author Last Name, First,
but the second First Name then Last.
With two to three authors:

Singer, S. Fred and Dennis T. Avery. Unstoppable Global Warming:

Every 1,500 Years. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2008. Print.
Remember to indent Postal codes for states of
the second line ½ inch lesser-known cities
 Books, Continued
For books with editors, list the editor’(s)
name(s) followed by “eds.”
Editors as authors:

Schmandt, Jurgen and Judith Clarkson, eds. The Regions and Global

Warming: Impacts and Response Strategies. New York: Oxford University

Press, 1992. Print.

Book by a corporate author: Cite a book by corporate author

National Research Council. China and Global Change: Opportunities for

Collaboration. Washington: Natl. Acad., 1992. Print.

 Two or More Sources by the
Same Author:
Firor, John. The Changing Atmosphere: A Global Challenge.

New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009. Print.

---. The Crowded Greenhouse: Population, Climate change,

and Creating a Sustainable World. New Haven, CT: Yale

University Press, 2002. Print.

For the second listing by the same author, type
three hyphens and a period in place of the name.
 Periodical Articles
What Should Be Included?
Depends on the type of Author(s).
periodical: Newspaper, Article title in quotes.
Magazine, or Journal Periodical title (journal,
magazine, etc.) italicized.
But they generally require Volume #.Issue #
this information Publication date
(abbreviate months, if
used):
Page numbers of the
article.
Format descriptor.
 What Should Be Included?
Journal Articles
Farley, John W.
Author(s).
Article Title in Quotes "The Scientific Case for Modern
Anthropogenic Global Warming." 
Periodical Title (journal,
magazine, etc.) Italicized. Monthly Review
Volume #.Issue #
Publication Date
(abbreviate months, if 60.3 
used):
Page Numbers of the (2008):
Article.
Format.
68-90.

Print.
 Articles
Journal: Article title in quotes

Farley, John W. "The Scientific Case for Modern Anthropogenic Global Warming." Monthly Review

60.3 (2008): 68-90. Print.
Italicize the name of the
Magazine: Volume 60 Issue 3 journal, magazine or newspaper

Manthorpe, Catherine. "Feminists Look at Science." New Scientist 7 Mar. 1985: 29-31. Print.
If available give complete
Newspaper: date: day, month and year
Tilgham, Shirley M. "Science vs. Women--A Radical Solution." New York Times 26 Jan. 1993, late ed.:

F1+. Print.

If a newspaper article continues on another page,

write only the first page number and a plus sign
 General Tips
Electronic Resources
Dates: It is very important that you always include
the date you accessed the electronic or online
source. You should also include the date the
source was published or last updated.
Database: Indicate the name of the database, like
ProQuest or LexisNexis, italics.
Format descriptor: Indicate that it’s a web source
with the word, Web.
 Internet Sources
What Should Be Included?

Author(s), if available:
Title of the document. “Global Warming.”
Title of scholarly project,
database, periodical, or Stanford Solar Center.
website.
Date electronic publication
was last updated.
2008.
Name of the organization
sponsoring or associated
with the site. Stanford University.
Format descriptor.
Web.
Date when you accessed the
source.
4 Apr. 2010
 Websites

Climate Change. 24 Jul 2008. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Web. 4 Apr. 2010.

Date accessed Date source was last updated

Abbreviate the month
“Global Warming.” Stanford Solar Center. 2008. Stanford University.

Web. 4 Apr. 2010.

 Electronic Articles

Journal:

Laurance, William F. "Can Carbon Trading Save

Vanishing Forests?" Bioscience 58.4 (2008): 286-

Volume #.Issue#
87. ProQuest. Web. 4 Apr. 2010. (Year of publication)

Access date
Database, italicized
 Electronic Articles, Continued

Newspaper:

Ball, Jeffrey N. “Warming Program Draws Fire; Fund Designed to Spur

Renewable Energy Subsidizes Gas Plants." Wall Street Journal 

[New York, N.Y.] 11  Jul 2008, Eastern edition: A.1. Web. 4 Apr.

2010.
Date article was published
Format descriptor
Date of access
Place of publication is in brackets when it is not
explicitly indicated in the publication itself
 Electronic Books
Sweet, William. Kicking the Carbon Habit: Global Warming and the Case for Renewable

and Nuclear Energy. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006. NetLibrary. Web.

4 Apr. 2010.
“University Press” can be abbreviated “UP”

Again, include date of access and format descriptor

Moser, Susanne C. Creating a Climate for Change: Communicating Climate Change and

Facilitating Social Change. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge UP, 2007. NetLibrary.

Web. 4 Aug. 2010.

 Media Sources

Multimedia sources can also be used

and cited

Media sources (examples): Format descriptors:

•TV & radio broadcasts •Television; Radio
•Films & video recordings •Film; DVD; Video Recording
•Sound recordings •CD; Sound Recording
 Media Sources
What Should Be Included?
 “Title of The Episode.” “The Yada Yada”
 Title of program or Seinfeld
series.
Perf. Elaine Benes,
 Name(s) of director(s), George Constanza,
performer(s), narrator(s) Cosmo Kramer, and
 Name of Network. Jerry Seinfeld
 Call Letters and City of National Broadcasting
Station. Corp.
 DD MMM. YYYY.
KNBC, Los Angeles
 Format descriptor
24 Apr. 1997
Television.
 Works Cited
Badu, Eryka. “Rimshot.” Eryka Badu Live. Universal Records. 1997.
CD.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Dir. Niels Arden Oplev. Perf. Noomi
Rapace and Michael Nyquist. Music Box. 2009. Film.

Joyce, James. Ulysses. Perf. Jim Norton and Marcella Riordan. Naxos
Audiobooks. 2004. CD.

“The Yada Yada.” Seinfeld. Perf. Elaine Benes, George Constanza,

Cosmo Kramer, and Jerry Seinfeld. National Broadcasting Corp.
KNBC, Los Angeles, 24 Apr. 1997. Television.
 The MLA ‘Bible’
If you come across
anything not
mentioned in this
presentation or need
further information,
consult the MLA
Handbook
in the library!
There are many more examples
and much useful information inside!

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research

Papers. 7th ed. New York: Modern Language
Association of America, 2009. Print.
Trimmer, Joseph F. A Guide to MLA Documentation: with an
Appendix to APA Style. 8th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2010.
Print.