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Citing Sources: Documenting Your Research

MLA Citation Style

Work Cited Page
  • At the end of the essay; on a separate page from the text of your paper
  • Consult the following for formatting requirements. The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (5th edition), http://www.mla.org.
In-Text Citation
  • Use parenthetical citation: author’s last name and the page number(s), no comma, from which you got the information. (Leiker 102)
  • If you include the author’s name in the sentence you will place the page number at the end of the sentence in parentheses
There are two components in accurate citation:
  • A brief citation within the text of the paper

    This is a brief note to alert the reader to the origin of a thought, quote or resource which can then be pursued by checking the complete citation which gives the full information needed to retrieve the document.

  • Complete citation in the footnotes or at the end of the paper in the “References” “Bibliography” or “Works Cited” section.
Parts of a Citation (examples)

The basic components of any journal citation include the author, title of the article, title of the journal, volume (issue), date, pages.

The basic components of any book citation include the author, title of the book, place of publication, publisher, year.

For electronic resources including web pages, the rules are not as well defined but generally require adding to the basic information the date you looked at the site and web address and database name. Guidelines:

  • Reference should include document title or description, date of publication and/or date of retrieval, URL and author if known.
  • Direct readers as closely as possible to the information being cited; reference specific documents,  not home pages.
  • Provide addresses that work. The easiest way is to copy it directly from the address window in your browser and paste it into your paper. Be sure to test it once you have entered it into your paper.
  • Comparison of book citation (paper/electronic) in APA style:

    Paper: Leiker, J.N. (2002). Racial borders: Black soldiers along the Rio Grande. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press.

    Electronic: Leiker, J. N. (2002). Racial borders: Black soldiers along the Rio Grande. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press. Retrieved January 27, 2004, from NetLibrary database.

    In-text citation: (Leiker, 2002) - summary/paraphrase, (Leiker, 2002, pg. 78) – direct quote

  • Comparison of book citation (paper/electronic) in MLA style:

    Paper: Leiker, James N. Racial Borders: Black Soldiers Along the Rio Grande. College Station, TX: Texas A&M UP, 2002.

    Electronic: Leiker, James N. Racial Borders: Black Soldiers Along the Rio Grande. College Station, TX: Texas A&M UP, 2002. NetLibrary. Cal State Fullerton, Pollak Library. 27 Jan. 2004 http://www.netlibrary.com.