The Modern Language Association (MLA) format is commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities fields. Research papers written using the MLA format require in-text citations and a Works Cited page at the end to give credit to sources referenced in the body of the paper and avoid plagiarism. Proper citing is an essential part of writing a research paper in MLA style.
Some key things to know about MLA citations in research papers:
In MLA style, providing citations and references allows readers to locate original sources themselves if they need more information. Without citations, your work could be accused of plagiarism.
There are two parts to MLA citations: in-text citations and the Works Cited page. In-text citations direct readers to the full citations listed on the Works Cited page at the end of the paper.
All sources cited must appear in the Works Cited list, and all sources in the Works Cited list must be used and cited within the body of the paper. This allows readers to match each in-text citation with its corresponding full reference.
For in-text citations, MLA uses the author’s last name and a page number for citations if available. If there is no author, use a shortened title instead. If no page number is available, omit it from the citation.
The Works Cited list appears on its own page at the very end of the paper titled “Works Cited” centered at the top without underlining, quotation marks, or bold text. All citations are double-spaced throughout.
Now let’s take a look at some specific examples of MLA citations for various source types you may include in your research paper:
Book with one author:
In-text citation: (Smith 25)
Works Cited entry: Smith, Jane. Book Title. Publisher, Publication Year.
Book with two or three authors:
In-text citation: (Johnson and Jackson 42)
Works Cited entry: Johnson, Bob, and Mary Jackson. Book Title. Publisher, Publication Year.
Book with more than three authors:
In-text citation: (Adam et al. 125)
Works Cited entry: Adam, Bob, Mary Jackson, Steve Lee, et al. Book Title. Publisher, Publication Year.
Chapter or part of an edited book:
In-text citation: (Anderson 45)
Works Cited entry: Anderson, Bob. “Chapter Title.” Book Title, edited by Jane Smith, Publisher, Publication Year, pp. 20-30.
Journal article from online database:
In-text citation: (Smith 2019)
Works Cited entry: Smith, Jane. “Article Title.” Journal Title, vol. 120, no. 4, 2019, pp. 30-40. Journal Database, https://doi.org/xxxx.
Newspaper article from online database:
In-text citation: (Johnson)
Works Cited entry: Johnson, Bob. “Article Title.” Newspaper Title, Date of Publication, https://www.newspaperwebsite.com/article-path/.
Website:
In-text citation: (“Facts About Dogs”)
Works Cited entry: “Facts About Dogs.” WebsiteName.com, Date Published, https://www.websitename.com/page.html.
When citing sources in MLA format, consistency in application is key. Always use the same format for each type of source, whether it is in the in-text citation or Works Cited entry. Pay attention to proper punctuation, capitalization and layout. Formatting sources correctly shows respect for the original authors and prevents plagiarism. Using MLA style citations properly demonstrates your research skills and ability to integrate outside information into your own paper in an ethical manner. Mastering MLA citation format takes practice but is an important skill for any student or researcher.