Indian River State College Academic Support Center (Version 2012)

MLA Citation Style (7th Edition, 2009)

In-text Citations

Long Quotations (more than four typed lines) MLA 3.7.2 *Use a colon to introduce the quotation. *Starting a new line, indent the entire quotation one inch from the left margin. *Use the normal right margin and double space. *Do not put quotation marks around an indented quotation. *Place the citation in parentheses at the end of the quotation. Example (long quotation) Other studies have revealed similar results. For example, researcher Czeisler explains his findings: People exposed to five hours of bright lights during the nighttime over a threeday period reset their internal clocks as much as twelve hours. The timing of the light could not be haphazard, however. The exposure had to be synchronized with particular phases of a person's circadian rhythm in order for it to be effective. (72)

In the written body of your paper, you must give credit whenever you quote or use anothers words, ideas, or thoughts. You give credit by using in -text citations that typically consist of the authors last name (or the title of the source if the author is unknown) and a reference marker (e.g., page number). Place a citation as close to the quoted or paraphrased material as possible without disrupting the sentence. Subsequent Citations Within a Paragraph MLA 6.3 If you borrow more than once from the same source within a single paragraph and no borrowing from another source intervenes, you may give a single parenthetical reference after the last borrowing. Missing Citation Information *If no author is given, use an abbreviated version of the title (see examples). *When a source lacks page numbers or any other kind of reference number, cite the author without a page reference. If a source has numbered paragraphs or sections, use the abbreviation "par." or sec. followed by the number (Hall, par. 5). General Guidelines for Quotations If a quotation is less than four typed lines in length, incorporate it into the text of your report. Do not use a quotation as a complete sentence all by itself. Note: When you use quotations, you must use the authors exact words (and interior punctuation and spelling). Note some exceptions in the examples that follow. Examples Circadian rhythms are [biological] processes that occur repeatedly on approximately a twenty-four hour cycle (Feldman 125). Note: Brackets are used to enclose a word for clarification that was not in the original quote. Since the quotation is blended into the sentence, a comma before the quotation and a capital letter on the first word in the quotation are not required. Czeisler writes, The timing of the light . . . had to be sinchronized [sic] with particular phases of a persons circadian rhythm in order for it to be effective. Note: Ellipsis points are used to show that some of the authors words have been omitted, and brackets enclosing sic are used to indicate that the word synchronized was misspelled in the source.

In-text Citation Examples

In-text citations are written either as a signal phrase or parenthetical reference: The reference marker for the cited material is placed in parentheses at the end of the sentence containing the quotation, paraphrase, or summary, followed by a period after the parentheses.

Signal phrase in a quotation

Czeisler reports, "Bright light produces a clear resetting of the subject's circadian rhythms, yet it is too early to know why this happens" (137).

Signal phrase in a paraphrase or partial quote

Czeisler reports that bright light affects one's "circadian rhythms" although the explanation is not yet known (137).

Signal phrase in a summary

Czeisler finds that the proper timing of bright lights causes a longer period of alertness and clearer thoughts (137).

Parenthetical reference in a summary.

Other researchers confirm that bright light produces an actual resetting of the circadian rhythms (Rosenthal 147).

Parenthetical reference in a quotation

Circadian rhythms are [biological] processes that occur repeatedly on approximately a twenty-four hour cycle (Feldman 125).

A Work with One Author MLA 6.2-6.3

Partial title in the parenthetical reference

Signal phrase

In fact, Mapes believes that the accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant happened because engineers ignored a series of warning signals (15).

The pineal gland, which regulates melatonin at night, regulates the biological clock ("Are You" 14). Corporate Author MLA 6.4.5 For names of groups that serve as authors, use the name of the corporate author in the signal phrase or the parenthetical reference. If you give the name in the parenthetical reference, you may abbreviate it.

Parenthetical reference

The accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant happened at 4:00 a.m., and the Chernobyl reactor exploded at 1:23 a.m. (Mapes 15). A Work with Two or Three Authors MLA 6.2-6.3 List all authors in the signal phrase or parentheses each time you cite the source.

Signal phrase

The National Institute of Mental Health is studying the effect that altering circadian rhythms has on the memory (91).

Signal phrase

Worchel and Shebilske report that a person's biological clock is internally set at twenty-four hours (125).

Parenthetical reference

Scientists are studying the effects that changing circadian rhythms may produce on the memory (Natl. Inst. of Mental Health 91). A Work in an Anthology or Collection Edited by Another MLA 6.2 If you are citing an essay that appears within a collection or anthology, cite the author of the essay or article not the editor. The black box in The Lottery symbolizes the towns peoples fear as evident in the words the villagers kept their distance and there was hesitation before two men volunteered to help steady the box (Jackson 572). Note: On the Works Cited page, you will cite the author and the title of the essay followed by the editor, title, and publishing information for the anthology or collection. (5.5.6) A Scholarly Article Reprinted in a Collection MLA 6.2 If you are quoting or paraphrasing a work that was previously published, cite the author of the work, not the collections author or editor. Demont reports that most individuals feel sleepy in mid-afternoon, a phenomenon due solely to the time of day, not to eating a heavy lunch (103). Note: On the Works Cited page, you will indicate that you were reading an article reprinted in Feldmans book and were not reading the originally published Demont article. You will cite the original publishing information of Demont (usually found at the end of the article). Then you will add Rpt. in followed by the title, editor, publishing information, and page numbers of the book in which the article appears. If you are citing an excerpt of Demonts work that you found in Feldmans book, you will add Excerpt from instead of Rpt. in. (5.5.6)

Parenthetical reference

A person's biological clock is internally set at twenty-four hours (Worchel and Shebilske 125). A Work with Four or More Authors MLA 6.2 When the work has more than three authors, follow the form you use in the Works Cited section of your paper; i.e., either list the first author's name followed by et al. (Latin for and others) or give all the last names.

Signal phrase

Czeisler et al. find similar results in monkeys (155).

Parenthetical reference
Similar results have been found in monkeys (Czeisler et al. 155). Similar results have been found in monkeys (Czeisler, Johnson, Duffy, Brown, Ronda, and Kronauer 155). Unknown Author MLA 6.4.4 If the author is not given, either use the complete title in the signal phrase or use the full title (if brief) or a shortened form of the title in parentheses.

Complete title in the signal phrase

The article "Are You a Day or Night Person?" states that the pineal gland, which releases melatonin at night, regulates the biological clock (14).

Indirect Sources MLA 6.4.7 When quoting or paraphrasing a quotation from an indirect source (a source quoted in the source you used), put the abbreviation qtd. in (quoted in) before the indirect source cited in your parenthetical reference.

Works Cited Format: Printed Resources

Note: Abbreviate publishers names.

Book with One Author MLA 5.5.2

Hartman, Charles. The Sleep Book. Chicago: Foresman, 1987. Print.

A reprinted quotation with a signal phrase

Demont states that feeling sleepy in mid-afternoon is a phenomenon due solely to the time of day, not to eating a heavy lunch (qtd. in Feldman 65). Note: In this situation, Demonts entire article is not found in the book by Feldman; Feldman has only quoted from Demonts article. In the Works Cited page, you will include a cite for Feldman (and not for Demont) because the quote was obtained indirectly from Feldmans book.

Book with Two or Three Authors MLA 5.5.4

Worchel, Stanley, and William Shebilske. Psychology: Principles and Application. Newark: Prentice, 1996. Print.

Book with Four or More Authors MLA 5.5.4

Gillman, Sandra, et al. Hysteria Beyond Freud. Berkeley: U of California P, 1993. Print.

Literature MLA 6.4.8

For verse plays and poems, cite the canto, stanza, and line number. For plays, give the act, scene, and line numbers (if used). Use periods between these numbers. If only line numbers are cited, the first cite should include the word line; subsequent cites will be only the number. For novels, if you give the chapter and the page number, your citation will be easier to find in any edition of the novel. If you use both a page number and chapter number, follow the page number with a semicolon and precede the chapter number with the abbreviation ch.

Unknown Author of an Article in a Weekly Magazine MLA 5.4.6 and 5.4.9

If the page numbers are not consecutive, cite only the first page number and a plus sign. "Are You a Day or a Night Person?" Newsweek 7 Mar. 1994: 26+. Print.

Corporate Author MLA 5.5.5

Cite the author by the corporate author (American Medical Association, Public Health Foundation) even if the corporate author is the publisher. Omit any article (A, An, The) in the beginning of the name. Public Health Foundation. The Timing is Wrong. Boston: Public Health Foundation, 1992. Print.

A poem with a signal phrase

In The Bustle in a House, Emily Dickinson describes the emotional housecleaning after death by the words The Sweeping up the Heart / And putting Love away (lines 5-6).

A verse play with a parenthetical reference

The lady doth protest too much, methinks is a frequently quoted line from Hamlet (Shakespeare 3.2.206).

Work/Essay in an Anthology or Collection Edited by Another MLA 5.5.6

Cite the author and title of the work; then cite information for a basic book entry. The edition follows the name of the editor if there is one (if not, after the name of the book). Place the title of the work in quotation marks unless it was originally published independently (such as novels and plays). Italicize the title of independently published works. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. Robert DiYanni. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw, 2008. 1545-1648. Print. Dickinson, Emily. The Bustle in a House. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. Robert DiYanni. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw, 2008. 936. Print.

A novel with a signal phrase

Conrad is quite adept at using animal imagery as when Gentleman Brown identifies himself as a rat in a trap (232; ch. 41).

A Scholarly Article Reprinted in a Collection MLA 5.5.6

Cite the author, title of the work, and earlier publication information. Then add Rpt. in (Reprinted in) followed by information for page numbers and print medium of the collection in which the article appears. The print medium for the earlier publication is not required. Demont, Alex. "Like Clockwork." The Science Monitor 9 Aug. 1993: 127. Rpt. in Essentials of Understanding in Psychology. 2nd ed. Ed. Robert Feldman. New York: McGraw, 1994. 102-104. Print.

Article, Online Magazine (weekly) (Web) Full Text MLA 5.6.2b

Letterman, David. CBS Librarian Researches Top Ten Lists. TelevisionToday.com. Television Today, 4 Aug. 2009. Web. 3 Sept. 2009.

Article, Newspaper (Online database) Full Text MLA 5.6.4

Craig, Kevin. Differing Views of One Truth. Globe & Mail 8 Jan. 2003: 20. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 17 Mar. 2008.

Article in a Journal MLA 5.4.2

Newman, Timothy. "Can We Regulate Circadian Rhythms?" Journal of Natural Healing 6.2 (1994): 72-78. Print. Aslan, Joseph. "Group Treatment of Sleep Disorders." Journal of Health 22 (1993): 22126. Print.

Article, Newspaper (Web) Full Text - MLA 5.6

Lomartire, Paul. Spielbergs Earth 2. Palm Beach Post. The Palm Beach Post, 5 Nov. 1994: C2. Web. 3 May 2009.

Blog MLA 5.6.2b

If there is no title for the blog entry, label it Weblog comment, but do not add quotation marks. If there is no sponsor or blog publisher, type N.p. Kendrick, Marta. Future of Novels. Free Range Librarian. Wordpress, 23 June 2009. Web. 31 Jul. 2009.

Works Cited Page: Electronic Resources

Article, Scholarly Journal (Online database) - Full Text MLA 5.6.4
Clemmitt, Marcia. Cyber Socializing. CQ Researcher 16.27 (2008): 625-648. CQ Researcher Plus Archive. Web. 3 Aug. 2008.

Book (eBook from the Web) MLA 5.6

Carroll, Lewis. Hunting of the Snark. NY: Macmillan, 1891. University of Virginia Library. Web. 21 Oct. 1995.

Article, Scholarly Journal (Web) Full Text MLA 5.6

Howe, Jeff. Social Networking Hits Campus. Journal of Students 3.2 (2009): 32-43. Web. 13 May 2009.

Dictionary Entry MLA 5.6.2 and 5.5.7

Oftentimes, the dictionary will provide several definitions for the same word and number them (Def. #). Literature. Def. 3a. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online, 2008. Web. 19 Aug. 2011.

Article, Magazine (monthly) (Online database) Full Text MLA 5.6.4

Lane, Mandy. Cyberscope. Ms Magazine Aug. 2008: 16. Business Source Complete. Web. 21 June 2008.

Article, Magazine (weekly) (Online database) Full Text MLA 5.6.4

Corey, Patti. H1N1 Scare. Time 4 Aug. 2009: 59. Business Source Premier. Web. 23 Aug. 2009.

Discussion Groups, eConferences, Bulletin Boards, etc. (Web) MLA 5.6.2b

Magnuson, Nancy. Digitizing Books. Online posting. 15 June 1995. College Libraries Bulletin Board. Web. 21 Oct. 1995.

Article, Online Magazine (monthly) (Web) Full Text MLA 5.6

Howe, Jeff. H1N1 Hits Campus. Campus Health Issues. Campus Health, Aug. 2009. Web. 3 Sept. 2009.

Encyclopedia Article MLA 5.5.7 and 5.6.2

Henri Bergson. Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2008. Web. 15 Aug. 2011.

Government Documents (Web) MLA 5.5.20 and 5.6

United States. Dept. of Justice. Crime Rates Increase during Winter Months. By John Timmons, Mary Jones, and Tom Bluestone. Feb. 2002. Web. 21 Oct. 2002.

General MLA Guidelines

Use 8 x 11 inch white, standard typing paper. Double space the entire paper and use a standard black typeface (not script or italics). Except for page numbers, leave margins of one inch on all sides of paper. Let the right margin remain uneven. Do not justify. Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name, followed by a space and a page number. Number all pages consecutively with Arabic numbers, onehalf inch from the top and flush with the right margin. Center your title on the first page of the paper, and double space between it and the header. If your instructor prefers a separate title page, see page 6 for a sample title page. Do not underline your title, place it in quotation marks, or put it in all capital letters. (Italicize or place in quotation marks only those words that would normally be italicized or in quotation marks, e.g., the name of a book that you have included in your title.) Space once after the following punctuation marks: *After commas, colons, and semicolons. *After concluding punctuation (unless your instructor prefers two spaces). *After periods within author, date, title, or publishing information of a citation on the Works Cited page. *After periods following initials in personal names (J. R. Harris). When writing about literature or general truths, use the present tense Always check with instructor for exact requirements.

Homepage (Web) MLA 5.6.2b

Shelley, Mary. Victor Frankenstein: An Absent Parent. Mary Shelley. n.d. Web. 22 June 1998. Note: When a professional or personal site has no title, use the description Home page without italics and without quotations. You may want to include the Web address for this type of citation. For example: Chambers, Allison. Home page. Allison Chambers. 7 June 2003. Web. 8 July 2005. <http://allisonchambers.6789/~cham/>.

Poem (Online database) - MLA 5.6.4

Browning, Robert. Half-Rome. Columbia Granger's World of Poetry Online. Web. 18 Aug. 2009.

Works Cited Page: Missing Citation Information

Use the following abbreviations for information that cannot be supplied. n.p. n.d. n. pag. No place of publication or no publisher. No date of publication given. No pagination given.

Photographs of the Big Bend, Fort Davis, the Rio Grande, and West Texas Historical Sites. N.p., n.d. N. pag. Print. For a more detailed guide to MLA style, visit the one of the following IRSC library or ASC websites: http://www.irsc.edu/libraries/tutorials/tutorials.aspx?id=1239 http://www.irsc.edu/students/academicsupportcenter/researchpaper /researchpaper.aspx?id=4294967444

Sample MLA First Page and Works Cited Page

Andrews 1 Pat Andrews Professor Manning Introduction to Research 1201, Section A1 17 November 2012 Texting While Driving: A Deadly Dilemma When Gary Golatas climbed into the passenger seat of Allyson P. Smitters sports car on the morning of July 4, 2011, he had no idea that she would be taking him for his last ride. According to an article in the Terlingua Daily Express, Golatas, 17, and Smitter, 18, had planned a holiday excursion to festivities in nearby Appaloosa County. Six months later, it was no holiday when a Kiva County grand jury indicted Smitter for vehicular homicide (Buck A1+). Texting, statistics prove, is not only rising but creating problems on the nations highways. In the United States, texting increased from 9.8 billion messages a month in January of 2009 to 99.4 billion in January of 2010 (Bandelier 28). As quoted in Time for a Change, researcher Alan M. Tercero claims, As many as 70 percent of those messages are being sent by people driving cars (Automotive Review Council 29). An insurance accident investigator, Barry Hulicki, says that drivers using cell phones Works Cited "Are You a Day or Night Person?" McCalls Mar. 1994: 12. Print. Automotive Review Council. Time for a Change. Stuart: Automotive Review Council, 2009. Print. Bandelier, Adolfo. Watching Out for You. Scholarly Journal of Automotive Safety and Security 22 (2007): 26-30. Web. 11 Feb. 2012. Buck, Arva. Texting Driver Involved in Fatal Accident. Terlingua Daily Express 10 July 2011: A1+. Print. Demont, Alex. "Like Clockwork." The Science Monitor 9 Aug. 1993:127. Rpt. in Robert Feldman. Essentials of Understanding in Psychology. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw, 1994. 102-104. Print. Howe, Jeff. Social Networking Hits Campus. Journal of Students 3.2 (2009): 32-43. Web. 13 May 2009. Lane, Mandy. Cyberscope. Ms Magazine Aug. 2008: 16. Business Source Complete. Web. 21 June 2008. Rosenthal, Edgar. "Pulses of Light Give Astronauts New Rhythms." New York Times 23 Apr. 1991, sec. 1: 1. Print. Shelley, Mary. Victor Frankenstein: An Absent Parent. Mary Shelley. n.d. Web. 22 June 1998. Andrews 6