1. MLA Citations Let us give credit where credit is due
The Writing Center

2. Why should I document sources?
Sources are documented for these reasons:
To make your style consistent for readers
To give credit to the writers you used
To enhance your own credibility as a writer

3. When should I cite sources?
Borrow ideas from a source by….
paraphrasing or summarizing parts of it
lifting key words or phrases from it
pulling statistics or facts from it, or
using information in tables, graphs, or diagrams
If you’re unsure, cite the source!

4. MLA Format MLA (Modern Language Association) Format
Used in literature, languages, linguistics, history, philosophy, and composition studies
Requires in-text citations and a “Works Cited” page at the end of the paper
Example of MLA in-text citation
(Yang 13); (Author last name page #)
Example of MLA works-cited entry
Yang, Christina. The Trouble with Harper Avery. Penguin, 2010.

5. MLA Paper Format One-inch margins on all sides
Easily readable typeface (Times New Roman is preferred)
Double-space throughout
Running head in right-hand corner, ½ from the top, right- justified
Student last name and page number
Appears on every page
Header with student’s name and course title is left justified
Title is center-justified (and original)

6. MLA In-text Citations Citations within the paper:
Refer your readers to the relevant source in the works-cited list at the end of the paper
Signal where to find the borrowed material in the original source
Indicate the boundaries between your ideas and those you have borrowed
Italicize longer works (book titles, movies, plays), and put shorter works in quotes (poems, articles, songs)

7. MLA In-text Citations
Cite directly after the information you used and before the punctuation mark (period, question mark, comma, semicolon, etc.)
One way to cite
Place both the author’s last name and the page number in parentheses
“The sky is falling!” (Little 33).
Alternative way to cite
Introduce the author’s name in the sentence and supply just the page number in parentheses
Chicken Little informs his colleagues that the end of the world is imminent (33).

8. MLA In-text Citations: An Exercise
According to one neurological hypothesis, “feelings are the expression of human flourishing or human desires” (Damasio 6).
_______________________________________________
Where would a reader find the paraphrased/quoted material in the source?
Page 6
Which words/phrases are original?
According to one neurological hypothesis
Which words/phrases are borrowed from the source?
Feelings are the expression of human flourishing or human desires

9. Only when you have block indented
When is it acceptable to use someone’s exact words without using quotation marks?
Only when you have block indented
When a quote spans four or more lines of prose and three or more lines of poetry, you should use a block quote instead of quotation marks.

10. Colon leads into block quote Period before page number
Block Quote Example
Desmond described how Washoe tried signing to the other apes when the Gardners returned her to an ape colony in Oklahoma:
One particularly memorable day, a snake spread terror through the castaways on the ape island, and all but one fled in panic. This male sat absorbed, staring intently at the serpent. Then Washoe was seen running over, signing to him. (42)
Colon leads into block quote
Page number at the end
Period before page number

11. In-text citation vs. Works Cited
Rumbaugh reported that "Kanzi's comprehension of over 600 novel sentences of request was very comparable to Alia's" (722).
Entry on the Works Cited page:
Rumbaugh, Duane. “Primate language and cognition: Common ground.” Social Research. Random House, 1997.

12. MLA Works-Cited Page: Format
Center the words Works Cited at the top of the page
Double space all citations
Do not skip spaces between entries
Entries are listed alphabetically by the author’s last name
Place a period at the end of each entry

13. Use Hanging Indent

14. MLA Works-Cited Entries: Books
Basic Book Format:
Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date. ____________________________________________________
Practice
Write out a Works-Cited entry using the following information:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Published in 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co.

15. MLA Works-Cited Entries: Periodicals
Basic Format for Magazines, Newspapers, Scholarly Journals:
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Title of Periodical, vol. #, no. (of the issue) #, Day Month Year, p. #.
_______________________________________________________
Practice
Write out a Works-Cited entry using the following information:
“Is Texting Killing the English Language?” by John McWhorter
Published April 25, 2013 in Time magazine

16. MLA Works-Cited Entries: Electronic Sources
Basic Website Format:
Last Name, First Name. “Name of webpage or article.” Name of Site or Web Magazine, Day Month Year, URL (without the Accessed Day Month Year.
______________________________________________________________
Example:
“MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources (Web Publications).” Purdue Online Writing Lab, 10 Dec. 2017, owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/. Accessed 11 Feb

17. MLA Works-Cited Entries: Answers
Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Smith, Elder & Co., McWhorter, John. “Is Texting Killing the English Language?” Time. 25 April 2015.

18. Helpful Resources Purdue Owl https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
The MLA Style Center
The Writing Center
(First floor of the duPont-Ball Library)
Monday - Thursday
12 pm – 10 pm
Friday
12 pm – 3 pm
Sunday
3 pm – 6 pm