Including excerpt pages in a research paper written in MLA style is a common way to show sample material that supports your argument or analysis without including large block quotes in the body of the paper. By placing excerpts on their own designated pages immediately following the main text, it allows the reader to easily see relevant supporting evidence without disrupting the flow of your own writing and discussion. There are some specific formatting guidelines to follow when including excerpt pages in MLA style.
The heading for an excerpt page should be centered at the top and include the same basic information found in the running head on other pages: your last name followed by a space and the page number. Do not include any other descriptive title or header below the heading. Directly underneath the heading should be the excerpt taken from your source formatted according to MLA guidelines for short quotes. This includes enclosing quotes of 4 lines or fewer within double quotation marks. Maintaining indentation for paragraphs within the excerpt is optional and left to the writer’s discretion depending on length and formatting of the original source.
Include a parenthetical citation immediately following the excerpt indicating the author’s last name and page number(s) the quote or information was taken from. Place the closing parenthesis before any punctuation. For example:
Smith 5
“This study proves the theory to be highly likely based on the data collected.” (Johnson 45).
If the excerpt includes multiple paragraphs, put a blank line between paragraphs to create visual separation as needed for readability. Page numbers must be included on excerpt pages in the top right header, following the same format as the main body pages (last name space page number, flushed to the right margin).
It is not necessary to include a full bibliography entry for the source of each excerpt on the separate page as citations contained within each excerpt sufficiently direct the reader back to the Works Cited page for the full publication information. Some scholars prefer to include a shortened “Source:” line directly underneath the excerpt providing at minimum the author’s last name and a shortened title for clarification. For example:
Smith 5
“This study proves the theory to be highly likely based on the data collected.” (Johnson 45).
Source: Johnson, Statistical Analysis in Social Science
This practice helps differentiate source information at a glance but is not a formal requirement when following MLA formatting guidelines. The key elements to have on an excerpt page are the running head, excerpt(s), parenthetical citation(s), and page number in the header – additional labeling of sources is at the writer’s discretion based on their needs and preferences.
The excerpts and their respective citations should be carefully selected to directly support specific points and analysis presented in the body of the paper. It is helpful to introduce and contextualize why each excerpt is relevant prior to including the separate page in the paper. Inform the reader about what aspect or area the excerpt provides evidence for in your own written work. Placing highly related support material on designated pages breaks up long passages that interrupt the paper’s flow while still making key supporting information easily accessible.
As a courtesy, check with your specific instructor or publication if they have any additional requirements or preferences regarding excerpt pages. Common sources of information to include could be excerpts from books, interviews or survey responses, court cases, published journal articles, government or legal documents, and more. Follow all MLA formatting guidelines and check that citations are consistently and correctly formatted for each source used. Providing clear and relevant excerpt pages in MLA style strengthens your argument by allowing readers straightforward access to supporting evidence selected from background research materials.