| MLA citation style uses a simple two-part | | | | that contains the cited material. Electronic and |
| parenthetical documentation system for citing | | | | online sources are cited just like print resources in |
| sources: citations in the text of a paper are used | | | | references cited in the text. If an online source |
| to point to an alphabetical Works Cited list that | | | | lacks numbering, omit numbers from the |
| appears at the end of the paper. Together these | | | | parenthetical references. If a source includes fixed |
| references identify and credit the sources used in | | | | page numbers or section numbering, such as |
| the paper and allow others to access and retrieve | | | | numbering of paragraphs (pars.), cite the relevant |
| this material. The Modern Language Association | | | | numbers. The following examples are based on |
| (MLA) Style is used for identifying research | | | | the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research |
| sources. In MLA style you briefly credit sources | | | | Papers, 6th ed., by Joseph Gibaldi. This is the basic |
| with parenthetical citations in the text of the | | | | format for a Works Cited entry. Take the title |
| paper, give the complete description of each | | | | from the title page, not the cover. The author's |
| source in your Works Cited list. The Works Cited | | | | name should be written Last Name, First Name: |
| list, or Bibliography, is a list of all the sources used | | | | One Author |
| in your paper, arranged alphabetically by author's | | | | Berks, Andrew. The Victory. New York: Kraft, |
| last name, or when there is no author, by the | | | | 1993. |
| first word of the title (except A, An or The). In | | | | Editor or Compiler |
| MLA style, references to sources are placed in | | | | If the person named on the title page is the |
| the text of the paper in order to briefly identify | | | | editor or compiler, rather than the author, add a |
| sources for readers and enable them to locate | | | | comma then the abbreviation "ed." or "comp." |
| the source of the cited information in the Works | | | | Cerry, John, comp. Facts About Wars. New York: |
| Cited list. These parenthetical references should | | | | Winston, 1992. |
| be kept as brief and as clear as possible. Give | | | | If you have |
| only the information needed to identify a source. | | | | Two or More Authors, then list the names in the |
| Usually the author's last name and a page | | | | order they appear on the title page. Only the first |
| reference are all that is needed. Place the | | | | author's name should be reversed: Last Name, |
| parenthetical reference as near as possible to the | | | | First Name. Use a comma between the authors' |
| material being documented, and where a pause | | | | names. Place a period after the last author's |
| would naturally occur, preferably at the end of a | | | | name. |
| sentence. Parenthetical material should | | | | Example: Ryan, Richard, and Larry Jennings. The |
| complement not repeat, information that is given | | | | Essential Power: Heat of the Earth. |
| in your text. If you include an author's name in a | | | | Aldery: Delran, 2000. |
| sentence, you do not need to repeat it in your | | | | In general MLA Citation Style is one of main |
| parenthetical statement. The parenthetical | | | | styles that are used in literature, Internet and it's |
| reference should precede the punctuation mark | | | | considered to be the most practical one. |
| that concludes the sentence, clause, or phrase | | | | |