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Guide to MLA Works Cited

Return to Lake Land's Guides to Citing Sources

In-Text Citations:

MLA In-Text Citations

How to Cite a Source in the Body of Your Paper

  • Each in-text citation must correspond to a citation from your Works Cited list.
  • Cite sources in parentheses () with the author's name (if available) and page #.
  • If the work has no author, cite the first capitalized word of the title as it appears in your Works Cited list.
  • If you mention the author or source within your sentence, you don't need to repeat it in the citation.
  • List the page number of the source you're citing when appropriate and possible.
  • If no page numbers are available (i.e. online sources, films, performances, etc.) then cite the entire work.
  • If you're citing two or more works by the same author, add the first word of the title after the author's name.

This page is based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed. (2009)

Book Example: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown

Brown describes a chilling meeting between warriors and soldiers as the Indians explained why they needed to hunt buffalo in the Yellowstone country (302-310). The freezing temperature was the not the only reason for the meeting between the warriors and the soldiers to be chilling as the Indians explained why they needed to hunt buffalo (Brown 305).

The warriors and soldiers met to discuss hunting buffalo in the Yellowstone country. Brown states, "There were no preliminary speeches, no friendly smokes of the pipe" (304).
Newspaper Example ( from The New York Times): "U.S. Is Requesting Tighter Security at Utah Olympics" by Philip Shenon

Shenon (A1) explains that even though the security for the Super Bowl would be exhaustive, more preparations would need to be made for the upcoming Olympic games in Utah. Since the Olympic games have been a terrorist target in the past, security will need to be tighter than for the Super Bowl -- which is being treated as a National Security Special Event (Shenon A1).

With regard to security preparations for the Olympic games, it was reported, "… neither the World Economic Forum nor the Super Bowl could compare with the Olympic Games" (Shenon A1).

Magazine Example (from Newsweek): "Decade of the Spy " with no author

International espionage was as prevalent as ever in the 1990s ("Decade" 26).
Journal Example (from Special Care in Dentistry): "The Issues and Challenges of Orofacial Pain in the Elderly" by Matthew Cox

Cox recognizes that dentists must continue to study elderly orofacial pain to help change the stigma of visits being associated with pain rather than pain relief (248). Dentists must continue to study elderly orofacial pain to help change the stigma of visits being associated with pain rather than pain relief (Cox 248). Cox states, "When dentists better understand, assess, and treat pain in the elderly, dentistry will become more distantly associated with pain, and more closely associated with pain relief" (248).
Web Page Example: page titled "Snowy Owl" from the Hinterland Who's Who web site.

In winter the snowy owl feeds primarily on small rodents ("Snowy Owl"), but in spring it also feeds on the eggs of much larger waterfowl.

Last updated on June 29, 2010

 
 

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Mattoon, IL 61938
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