MLA Citations: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Formatting

MLA Citations: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Formatting

Modern Language Association (MLA) citations are a standard format used in the humanities, particularly in English language and literature. If you're writing a research paper or essay within this academic discipline, it's crucial to understand the basics of MLA citations, which will help you avoid plagiarism and present your sources accurately. In this article, we'll dive into the specifics of MLA citations, covering quoting and paraphrasing, formatting guidelines, in-text citations, and the works cited page.

Quoting and Paraphrasing in MLA

MLA citations help you properly attribute the ideas and words of others in your work. Quoting, or directly copying a passage from a source, requires using quotation marks. Paraphrasing, or putting someone else's ideas into your own words, also needs to be cited, but without quotation marks.

Quoted text should be placed between double quotation marks, and punctuation should remain as it appears in the original source. If a quote is longer than four lines, it needs to be indented half an inch from the left margin and not enclosed in quotation marks.

Paraphrasing helps avoid direct quotations and repetition, but the ideas and words must still be attributed to their original source. Paraphrasing may include restating an idea using different words or providing additional context to help readers understand a concept. Be sure not to alter the meaning of the original passage or portray someone else's ideas as your own.

Formatting Guidelines

The general formatting guidelines for MLA citations include:

• Double-spaced text
• One-inch margins (top, bottom, left, right)
• In-text citations placed parenthetically after the first mention of a source within a paragraph
• Works Cited page at the end of the document

In-Text Citations

In-text citations provide readers with the necessary information to locate the source you're referencing. MLA citations use author's last name and page number(s) in parentheses. For example:

• Smith (2010) argues that... (if cited from the author's full name)
• Smith (p. 53) argues that... (if cited from a specific page)
• Smith (12-14) argues that... (if cited from a specific range of pages)

If the source has no page numbers (like a website), use a paragraph number or section title instead.

Works Cited Page

The Works Cited page is the final list of sources that you cited in your paper. Each entry should be double-spaced and alphabetized by the author's last name. In MLA citation style, the most common source types include books, articles, and websites. Here's how to cite each:

Book: Smith, John. The History of the English Language. Oxford University Press, 2010.

Article: Johnson, Mary. "The Evolution of Slang in Modern Language." The Journal of English Linguistics 35.4 (2020): 1-10.

Website: Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Document." Title of Website, Publisher, Day Month Year, URL.

Using MLA citations correctly will help you avoid plagiarism and indicate to your readers that you've done your research. When writing your paper, remember to use quotation marks when directly quoting, but leave them out when paraphrasing. Always include page numbers or other source identifiers when providing in-text citations. Lastly, create a Works Cited page to provide your readers with a clear list of sources.