MLA Citation Guide

When referring to quotes or outside information in your paper, you will need to use an in-text citation. The two main components for MLA in-text citations are the author's last name and the page number. Use in-text citations for both direct quotes and paraphrasing of information.

The MLA Handbook Plus includes an in-depth video tutorial on how to quote and paraphrase in MLA format.

You may incorporate the names of the author(s) within your narrative or enclose both parts at the end of a sentence or paragraph.

Direct Quotations

Paraphrasing

All quotes should be enclosed in "quotation marks." If the quote is at the end of the sentence and there is no in-text citation following it, place the period inside the quotation marks. If there is an in-text citation, place the period after the in-text citation.

If you introduce quotes with a verb as part of its own sentence, place a comma prior to the quote and capitalize the first word of the quote; if the quote is not already capitalized, place the first capital letter in square brackets [].

Barreto de Souza asserts, "The death of Pedro I in Portugal in 1834 significantly shifted the political game."

In discussing war time nurses, Dixon Vuic ironically states, "[T]hey serve as romantic figures who grace the silver screen in billowing white uniforms mysteriously unsullied by work or war, while they selflessly soothe and comfort tragically wounded young men with whom they frequently fall in love" (22).

An introduction of a common phrase should be capitalized and does not include an introductory comma.

The phrase "We hold these truths to be self-evident" in the Declaration of Independence was originally drafted by Thomas Jefferson as "We hold these truths to be sacred & undeniable."

If a quote is introduced with 'that' or other adverbs, the first letter of the first word should be lowercase (unless a proper noun). If the original quote was capitalized, place the first lowercase letter in square brackets [].

Rector discusses the wide variety of weather and climate in Chile, noting for instance that "[t]he Andes have permanent snowfields from north to south" (6).

If you include the quote mid-sentence, use a lowercase letter.

Meggs and Purvis provide an in-depth look at how the printing press was received in Europe, the result of which meant that "manuscript production slowly declined" (360).

To show that you are removing part of a quotation, use three spaced periods: . . .

McGeough discusses how "Indian astronomy/astrology . . . was based on Mesopotamian methods and rigorous observation" (Burns 123).

If you need to add a phrase to clarify the quote, place it in square brackets.

In contrast to the Soviet Union, "censorship [in Russia] is more subtle" (Ziegler 187).

For two authors, list both last names with the word and between them.

Students who use the library receive better grades on research papers (Smith and Jones 12).

Smith and Jones state that students who use the library receive better grades on research papers (12).

For three or more authors, list only the first author's name and the phrase et al. if enclosed in parentheses, or the phrase and others if spelled out within the text.

Students who use the library receive better grades on research papers (Smith et al. 12).

Smith and others state that students who use the library receive better grades on research papers (12).

Sometimes authors may be a corporation, company, or organization. Write out the name of the organization in place of the author's last name.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends expanding farmers' markets to more community locations that are centrally located (21-22).

Expanding farmers' markets to more centrally located community areas could lead to an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 21-22).

Many online resources will not have specific page numbers. If the resource you are citing does not have page numbers and does not explicitly number its paragraphs, simply use the author. For eBooks, you can cite a chapter number.

Heckscher notes that the American Rococo style was most prevalent in the seaports of Boston, New York, Charleston, and Philadelphia.

Fitzgerald draws a stark parallel between the glamorous life led by the main characters and the decay of the valley of the ashes (ch. 2).

If applicable, give a time stamp for media quotations.

Pariser states that "Your filter bubble is your own personal, unique universe of information that you live in online. And what's in your filter bubble depends on who you are, and it depends on what you do" (00:04:12).

For citations that have no author and begin with a title, use the title, abbreviated. Keep the formatting of the title (in quotation marks or italicized) as given in the Works Cited list. Remember that authors can be organizations.

("How to Find")

(Beowulf 25)

If you have multiple works by the same author that you will be citing, clarify the work in your citation with a shortened title.

In his despair, Hamlet laments, "To be or not to be—that is the question..." (Shakespeare, Hamlet).

An indirect source is when the source you are using is quoting a different person. In this case, your Works Cited list will cite the source you are using, and the in-text citation will specify qtd. in (short for 'quoted in').

For example, you are reading the book Great Women's Speeches and find a quote from Sojourner Truth.

Russell, Anna. Great Women's Speeches: Empowering Voices That Engage and Inspire. White Lion, 2021.

You can include the original author in your narrative or in the in-text citation:

One famous speech declared "I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man" (Sojourner Truth qtd. in Russell 22)

Sojourner Truth passionately proclaimed that "I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man" (qtd. in Russell 22).