MLA Cite

Modern Language Association (MLA) Citations with Mrs. Stewart

Why does citing sources matter? What does citing sources offer to readers? How should correctly cited sources look?

There are two components for MLA Citations

• In-Text Citations

Inside the paper aka parenthetical citations

• End-Text Citations

At the end of the paper aka Work(s) Cited page

Books Internet sites Magazines Encyclopedias Newspapers Lectures Multivolume Works

Films Online Periodicals Documentaries Scholarly Journals Charts/Graphs Interviews Almanacs

Various Types of Sources to Cite

A statement that someone famous said known widely or thoroughly

Information that Doesn’t Require Citations

“To be or not to be. That is the question.” The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.

Common statements express a generalized truth and teach a lesson.

Common knowledge includes facts that are known by a lot of people and can be found in many sources.

The sky is blue. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet. Lincoln was the 16th President of the USA.

A friend in need… is a friend indeed.Give credit where… credit is due.

When in doubt ... Cite it!!

-Mrs. Stewart and ALL other Teachers

Four of the most common source types:

• Books
• Magazines/Journal Articles (Print)
• Magazines/Journal Articles (Library Web Database)
• Websites

MLA Works Cited Popular Entries

There are nine “core elements” to universally apply to any source material you want to cite. These core elements are the items you will look for when preparing to cite your sources. Depending on the type of source you have, you may or may not use all these components when building your Works Cited page. You’ll look at your source and decide “What is my source, and what are its common, key features?”

Nine Components to Note

Punctuation matters and info for entries appears in this order.

Author = Who wrote it? Title of Source = Name of the article, book, documentary, etc. Title of Container = Containers are the elements that “hold” the source. The "Title of Container" may represent the website or online database where your source has been published.

• For example, if a television episode is watched on Netflix, Netflix is the container.
• If a source is found in a magazine, that magazine is its container.
• It can be websites like SoundCloud, Facebook posts (direct), blogs, articles, tweets, songs, Bible verses, or artworks.
• Google, Amazon, Blackboard, Facebook (as a general source), Amazon website, or Google as the primary source cannot be considered a container.

Other contributors = translators, editors, etc. Version = Volume Number = Number Publisher = Company that published the source. Publication Date = Date a source is originally published/copyrighted. Location = For online sources, the location is the URL. If the source was found in an electronic database, that information is included as part of the location. Page numbers for print sources will need to be included here. You must also add the format of your media source like “MP3 format”, “Amazon Prime Videoapp”, or a TV channel like BBC or NBC, according to MLA 9th Handbook. The access dates may also be included.

Web Database Magazine/Journal Article Formula: Last name, First name. “Title of Source/Article.” Container (Title of Journal), vol, no, year, page(s), Online Database Name, Location (URL).

Book Example Citation Formula: Last name, First name. Title of Source. Publisher, Date of Publication.

*Note: Exclude publisher if title of website and publisher are the same. *Note: If the website does not have a date, add an access date after the URL: Accessed 7 May, 2016. *Note: Do not include the http:// or https:// in the URL.

Print Magazine/Journal Article Formula: Last name, First name. “Title of Source/Article.” Title of Container (Magazine or Newspaper), vol #, no #, Day Month Year, Page numbers.

Website Formula: Last name, First name. “Title of Source/Article.” Title of Container, Day Month Year of Publication, Location. Access date, Media Format.

Building the MLA Works Cited Page

What if I don’t have all nine components?

• Continue page numbering with last name from the body of your paper. It goes after the paper.
• Center the title Works Cited one inch from the top. No quote marks or underlining or bolding.
• Alphabetize entries by the author’s last name. If no author, alphabetize by the title (do not ignore A, An, The).
• Use hanging indent.
• Double space.

Just use what you have.

MLA Works Cited Page Overview

Write a Work Cited entry for the following source. Author: James Debrie Title: Days of Thunder City: Boston Publisher: Verizon, Inc. Date: 2004

Does yours look like this? Debrie, James. Days of Thunder. Verizon, Inc., 2004.

Write a Work Cited entry for the following source. Author: Annalyse Burton Title of Article: Mark Twain: The Satirist Title of Container: The Literati Publication Date: July 19, 1999 Pages: 125, 127, 128, 129 Electronic Database: OneFile Location: http://www.theliterati.com/marktwain Access Date: April 27, 2011

Does yours look like this? Burton, Annalyse. “Mark Twain: The Satirist.” The Literati, 19 July 1999, vol. 125, pp. 127-29, OneFile. www.theliterati.com/marktwain.