MLA Parenthetical Citation Guide

MLA Parenthetical Citation Guide

Adapted from :

Any source information that you provide in-text must correspond to the source information on the Works Cited page. More specifically, whatever signal word or phrase you provide to your readers in the text, must be the first thing that appears on the left-hand margin of the corresponding entry in the Works Cited List.

In-text citations: Author-page style

Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (263).
Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263).

Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the creative process (263).

Citing non-print or sources from the Internet

Include in the text the first item that appears in the Work Cited entry that corresponds to the citation (e.g. author name, article name, website name, film name).

You do not need to give paragraph numbers or page numbers based on your Web browser’s print preview function.

Unless you must list the Web site name in the signal phrase in order to get the reader to the appropriate entry, do not include URLs in-text. Only provide partial URLs such as when the name of the site includes, for example, a domain name, likeCNN.comorForbes.comas opposed to writing out or

Miscellaneous non-print sources

Werner Herzog'sFitzcarraldostars Herzog's long-time film partner, Klaus Kinski. During the shooting ofFitzcarraldo, Herzog and Kinski were often at odds, but their explosive relationship fostered a memorable and influential film.

During the presentation, Jane Yates stated that invention and pre-writing are areas of rhetoric that need more attention.

Electronic sources

One online film critic stated thatFitzcarraldois "...a beautiful and terrifying critique of obsession and colonialism" (Garcia, “Herzog: a Life”).

ThePurdue OWLis accessed by millions of users every year. Its "MLA Formatting and Style Guide" is one of the most popular resources (Stolley et al.).

In the first example, the writer has chosen not to include the author name in-text; however, two entries from the same author appear in the Works Cited. Thus, the writer includes both the author’s last name and the article title in the parenthetical citation in order to lead the reader to the appropriate entry on the Works Cited page (see below). In the second example, “Stolley et al.” in the parenthetical citation gives the reader an author name followed by the abbreviation “et al.,” meaning, “and others,” for the article “MLA Formatting and Style Guide.” Both corresponding Works Cited entries are as follows:

Garcia, Elizabeth. "Herzog: a Life."Online Film Critics Corner. The Film School of New Hampshire, 2 May 2002. Web. 8 Jan. 2009.

Stolley, Karl, et al. "MLA Formatting and Style Guide." The OWL at Purdue. 10 May 2006. Purdue University Writing Lab. 12 May 2006.

Multiple citations

To cite multiple sources in the same parenthetical reference, separate the citations by a semi-colon:

. . . as has been discussed elsewhere (Burke 3; Dewey 21).

Citing the Bible

In your first parenthetical citation, you want to make clear which Bible you're using (and underline or italicize the title), as each version varies in its translation, followed by book (do not italicize or underline), chapter and verse. For example:

Ezekiel saw "what seemed to be four living creatures," each with faces of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle (New Jerusalem Bible, Ezek. 1.5-10).

Citing indirect sources

Sometimes you may have to use an indirect source. An indirect source is a source cited in another source. For such indirect quotations, use "qtd. in" to indicate the source you actually consulted. For example:

Ravitch argues that high schools are pressured to act as "social service centers, and they don't do that well" (qtd. in Weisman 259).

Other General Guidelines

Book titles are italicized.
“Article titles are in quotes.”
Capitalize every “Important Letter in Article and Book Titles.”
Quotes SHOULD NOT be longer than three lines.
Longer quotes are inset in the text. See me if you wish to do this.
Stick to ONE small, concise idea per paragraph.

The Art of Paraphrasing

A writer needs to know the fine line between when to paraphrase and when to use a direct quote. While there is no hard and fast rule about paraphrasing, following are some general guidelines that will help add credibility and fluidity to your writing.

When deciding whether to paraphrase or use a direct quote ask yourself this question: What will my reader gain from the quote?

Does the quote add some sort of unique emotional appeal? If so, use it. If not, paraphrase. This is where we generally tell a story so interesting or atrocious that our readers begin to see the importance of the issue. It is generally good practice to paraphrase most of the story and include direct quotes when including specific conversation or reactions to an event. Remember, your audience must be “wow’ed” by the quote. It must be unique to the individual involved.

Is the author of the quote some amazing, influential well-known person who is credible or who may be so uncredible we need to hear their fallacious statements? If so, use it. If not, paraphrase. We tend to care about what well-known famous people say. We don’t always care about some obscure Harvard scholar. Consider your audience.

Does the quote provide some sort of logical rationale? If so, use it but if you can paraphrase, do so. This generally applies to statistics. You can always paraphrase statistics and there really is NO need to put statistical references in direct quotes.

ALWAYS CITE YOUR SOURCES!

The Art of Paraphrasing

When deciding whether to paraphrase or use a direct quote ask yourself this question: What will my reader gain from the quote?

ALWAYS CITE YOUR SOURCES!