MLA Format (Parenthetical Documentation)

Modern Language Association Most commonly used in the humanities; English literature Philosophy Cultural Studies Women’s Studies

How to use MLA Citing author’s names: Whenever an idea or quotation from one of your sources appears in your essay, insert the author’s name and the relevant page # (in parentheses) next to the item Ex: Policy during the Milner era denied Africans and Asians access to full citizenship (Davenport 152).

Note: The reference does not contain any punctuation or abbreviation for the word “page(s)”. Place the parenthetical reference close to the material it documents, preferably at the end of the sentence.

More than 1 author Include all of the authors’ names Ex: (Langer and Zasloff 1) But, if there are 4 or more authors, use the first author’s name and “et al.”,which means, “and others” Ex: (Johnson et al )

What if I have 2 quotations in 1 sentence? Position the reference as close as possible to the material being documented Ex: One historian refers to “cultural dismemberment” (LaViolette 18), while others use the term “assimilation” (Tobias 39).

Note If the information normally contained in a reference (author / page #) is clear in the text, the information does not need to be repeated Ex: Brody draws attention to the emphasis on naming in the language of the Inummariit ( ).

Titles When stating the title of a novel or other long texts, use “italics” Ex: In To Kill a Mockingbird… When stating the title of a short story, article, essay, etc. use quotation marks Ex: In “The Tell-Tale Heart”…

Works Cited MLA style does not include a bibliography. Instead, a “works cited” list is included. This list comes at the end of your work and it is organized alphabetically by authors’ last name

Works Cited Belenky, Mary Field, et al. Women’s Ways of Knowing: The Development of Self, Voice, and Mind. New York: Basic, Buchanan, Ian. “Deluze and Pop Music.” Australian Humanities Review 7 (1997): 24 pars. 2 June Standard example: Author’s last name, Author’s first name. Title of Novel. City of Publication: Name of Publisher, Date of Publication.