MLA Research and Citation
Kirk Fontenot
Student Learning Outcomes
- Define the purpose of citation
- Correctly use in-text citations
- Write a properly formatted Works Cited page
Introduction to Citation
There are two main reasons why we research:
- To learn new information.
- To give credibility to our writing.
Of course, if no one knows that we have conducted the research, then it does nothing for our credibility. This is why we cite our sources, both in the text of the essay and at the end in a Works Cited page or bibliography.
MLA stands for Modern Language Association. This professional organization publishes a handbook of rules and standards that you should use when formatting your papers and citing your sources. MLA is generally used when writing about the liberal arts and the humanities; other disciplines may use other formatting guides, such as APA (American Psychological Association).
In this module, you will develop your skills in citing your research in an essay, using both in-text citation (also called parenthetical citation) and a Works Cited page. Specifically, this chapter will focus on MLA citation.
Integrating sources into your essay
When you mention information in your essay that came from an outside source, it’s a good idea to use a signal phrase to introduce that information. You want it to be extra clear that the information came from a source, not from your own experience.
Some common and easy-to-use signal phrases include:
According to (author’s name), …
In (author name)’s view, …
In (title of article or book), (author’s name) states that…
The author points out that…. She [or he] also stresses that…
You can vary the signal phrases by using one of the following verbs instead of state, point out, or stress:
admit
advise
argue
believe
claim
concede
conclude
deny
disagreed
discuss
emphasize
explain
find
imply
indicate
insist
note
observe
propose
reject
reply
report
suggest
think
What is the difference between a direct quote and a paraphrase?
Direct quote
Direct quotes are placed in quotation marks and are taken word-for-word from the source. Direct quotations draw attention to key passages. Include a direct quotation in a paper only if:
- you want to retain the beauty or clarity of someone’s words
- you need to reveal how the reasoning in a specific passage is flawed or insightful
- you plan to discuss the implications of the quoted material
Can you make changes to a direct quote? Yes!
If you need to clarify a quotation by changing it in any way, place square brackets around the added or changed words.
“In this role, he successfully conveys a wide range of emotion.”
“In this role, he [Robin Williams] successfully conveys a wide range of emotion.”
The brackets clearly indicate to your reader that this is added information that did not appear in the original, but it does not change the intended meaning.
If you want to omit part of a quotation, replace the deleted words with ellipsis points.
“Overseas markets such as China, India