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