The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is commonly used for citing sources and formatting papers in the liberal arts and humanities fields. When writing a research paper, it is important to properly cite all sources that have contributed ideas, quotes, or other content that is not your own original work. The MLA format provides guidelines for how to cite both directly quoted material and ideas paraphrased from sources in the text of a paper as well as how to format a Works Cited page to list all sources consulted.
In general, any sources used in a research paper need to be cited, regardless of whether the information is directly quoted or paraphrased. This allows the reader to be able to easily locate the sources cited and gives credit to the original authors by properly attributing ideas and content. When writing an MLA formatted research paper, anytime you use a quote from or are paraphrasing an idea from a source, you need to provide an in-text citation that corresponds to the full citation listed on the Works Cited page. The in-text citation typically includes the author’s last name and a page number if page numbers are available. The citation can be inserted parenthetically or as part of the sentence. For example:
“Effective communication is key in developing trust” (Smith 134).
OR
According to Smith, effective communication is key in developing trust (134).
The Works Cited page should appear at the end of the paper and list full citations for each source in alphabetical order by author’s last name (or title if no author is provided). Each source citation should provide important bibliographic information such as publication date, publisher or website URL if applicable, and medium if it is not a standard print source. For example:
Smith, John. How to Build Trust. New York, Random House, 2018.
Here are some guidelines for citing common MLA source types:
Book with a single author:
Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Year.
Book with multiple authors:
Lastname, Firstname, and Firstname Lastname. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Year.
Article from a print periodical:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Periodical, Volume, Issue, Publication Date, pages.
Article from an online periodical:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Periodical, Volume/Issue, Publication Date, URL. Date of Access.
Web page or website:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Web Page.” Title of Larger Web Document/Site, Publisher or Sponsoring Organization, Date of Publication, URL. Date of Access.
For sources with no identifiable author, the Works Cited entry should begin with the title of the source instead. The format is generally the same otherwise, such as providing pertinent publication details and a date of access for online sources.
It is also important to properly format any quotes used in the body of a research paper. Shorter quotes should be enclosed in double quotation marks, while longer quotes that are over four lines should be in a block format with no quotation marks and a 1/2 inch indent. Any cited quotes also need to be accompanied by a corresponding parenthetical citation of the author’s last name and page number. For example:
“Communication is the basis of all human relations” (Smith 45).
OR
Effective communication cannot be achieved without active listening:
Listening is not a passive activity but an active process of receiving, interpreting, responding, and remembering. To be an active listener requires focus and practice to understand content and ensure it is accurately received. (Jones 23)
When citing any sources consulted throughout the research and writing process, consistent and accurate citation is important to avoid plagiarism. Formatting references in MLA style provides scholars and readers with important information to evaluate the ideas presented and locate the sources themselves if desired. By properly citing sources using both in-text parenthetical citations and a Works Cited page, a researcher gives credit to those whose work contributed to their own and demonstrates credibility for their arguments through integration of credible sources to support ideas and claims. Following MLA citation guidelines is an essential component of writing an academic research paper.