MLA Formatting and In-Text Citations: Key Concepts and Examples

MLA In-Text Citations: Core Rules

  • The in-text citation should reflect the first item on the corresponding Works Cited entry for a source. If the source has no author, the in-text citation uses the first element of the entry that is available (often the article title).
  • Practical rule demonstrated in the lesson: the in-text citation is determined by the source's entry on Works Cited, not by guessing the author from elsewhere.
  • Example pattern after a direct quote or paraphrase: (Author Last Name Page Number). If there is no author, use the article title (in quotation marks) or a shortened version of the title, followed by the page number if available.
  • If a source is online and authorless, the article title can function as the in-text citation: ("Mount Yonah Hiking Trails"). If there is an author, use the author’s last name: (Austin 24).
  • For sources without page numbers (common for many online sources): use author name or article title in the in-text citation and do not include a page number. If the work is a journal with page numbers, you may include the page range, e.g., (Austin 24-25).
  • Placement and punctuation: the period goes after the closing parenthesis of the in-text citation when the citation is parenthetical; if the author’s name is integrated in the sentence, place the page or section in parentheses after the quoted or paraphrased material.
  • When introducing a quote, do so with a lead-in clause rather than starting the paragraph with the quote. Example: Austin states that women of the Romantic era married for money. Then insert the in-text citation for the source after the quote or at the end of the sentence.
  • Two patterns for introducing quotes (illustrative from the lesson):
    • Pattern A (author mentioned in sentence): "Austin states that women of the Romantic era married for financial gain" (Austin 24).
    • Pattern B (author not in sentence): If you omit the author, you would cite as (Austin 24) or ("Mount Yonah Hiking Trails").

Bible quotations in MLA: special handling

  • Always include the version name the first time you quote a Bible passage; you may spell out the version name in full on the first citation.
  • After the first citation of a given version, subsequent quotations from the same version can be cited using just the book, chapter, and verse (e.g., John 3:16) if the version is understood to be the same.
  • Ellipses for omitted portions: when you quote only a portion of a verse, indicate omission with an ellipsis (three periods) and then continue the verse. The instructor notes that the “three dot 16” convention was discussed; the intent was to show ellipses plus verse numbers in the citation portion, though MLA typically places verse numbers after the chapter (book 3:16).
  • Example structure for a Bible quotation in-text (first citation): (John 3:16, New American Standard). If you quote from the same version again, you may simply use (John 3:16).
  • If you quote multiple Bible versions within the same essay, you should indicate the version each time you quote (e.g., (NIV, John 3:16) vs (NASB, John 3:16)).
  • Works Cited entry for the Bible: include an entry for the Bible as a source, noting the version used, and the publisher if relevant information is provided.
  • When quoting the Bible in a personal essay, you must decide whether to include it in the Works Cited page; if you quote from it, you should provide the citation in the Works Cited list.

Works Cited: Books and Anthologies

Basic book (single author)

  • Structure as taught in the lesson:
    • Last name, First name. Title of Book. Edition (if not first), Publisher, Year.
  • Example elements touched in the class:
    • The author is listed first: Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Italicized title.
    • The title is always in italics for books.
    • If quoting from a textbook or anthology, additional details follow (edition, publisher, year).
  • In-class note: for a very common textbook example, the edition may be noted (e.g., 12th ed.). The entry should include the edition information before the publisher if following the exact examples given in the handouts.

Anthology or edited volume

  • An anthology contains multiple works by different authors, plus editorial content (introductory material, interviews, articles about writing mechanics, etc.).
  • The MLA entry format centers on the editors: editor names followed by the book title and publication details.
  • Format illustrated in the lesson:
    • Miller, George, and John Miller, editors. The Apprentice Hall Reader. Publisher (Pearson Education Incorporated), Year, edition if relevant.
    • Note on editors: when there are two editors, list both after the author block with the comma and the word editors.
  • Title handling:
    • Book title is italicized.
  • Publisher and date:
    • Include the publisher name, followed by the year of publication; if using a specific edition, include the edition indicator (e.g., twelfth edition) before the year.
  • If you are citing a specific chapter or article from the anthology, you also list the piece’s author, title (in quotation marks), and page numbers for the piece, along with the editors, anthology title, edition, publisher, year, and pages.
  • Special case in the lecture: for a short story or article within the anthology, you would cite the author of the piece, the title of the piece, the anthology title (italicized), editors, edition, publisher, year, and page numbers.

Examples and common formats discussed in class

Example 1: Single-author book (print)

  • Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. 12th ed., Pearson Education Incorporated, 2003.

Example 2: Article from an edited anthology

  • Anderson, CB. "Title of Story." In Miller, George, and John Miller, editors. The Apprentice Hall Reader. 12th ed., Pearson Education Incorporated, 2003, pp. 45-68.
  • Note: If citing a specific page range, include pp. 45-68 after the edition and year.

Example 3: Article/Story from an anthology with no author provided on the website

  • If no author is given, start with the article title: "Title of Story." In Miller, George, and John Miller, editors. The Apprentice Hall Reader. 12th ed., Pearson Education Incorporated, 2003, pp. 45-68.

Example 4: Online source with no page numbers

  • Mount Yonah Hiking Trails. Georgia Mountains. Georgia Mountains, 2023. Web. Accessed 8 June 2024.
  • In-text citation: ("Mount Yonah Hiking Trails").

Alphabetizing Works Cited: order and edge cases

  • All works cited entries should be in alphabetical order by the first item in the entry (usually the author’s last name).
  • If there is no author, alphabetize by the first significant word of the title (ignoring articles like The, A, An).
  • Example given in class: The Bible example highlights ignoring leading articles; a source beginning with The would be alphabetized under B (Bible) rather than T.
  • When there are multiple entries by the same author, the order among those entries follows standard MLA rules (by title or by date if necessary).
  • The instructor emphasized paying attention to the first element of the entry for alphabetization, not the first word of the sentence or the page’s content.

Introducing quotations: best practices and cautions

  • Do not begin a paragraph with a quotation; always precede a quotation with your own lead-in sentence that signals the quote’s relevance.
  • When introducing a quote, you should name the source or the idea in your own words before the quotation to provide context.
  • If quoting from a website, avoid attributing the quote to the website name alone; credit the author or the article title within your sentence first, then provide the in-text citation for the source.
  • Example lead-ins from the lesson:
    • Pattern A: Austin states that women of the Romantic era married for money. (Austin 24).
    • Pattern B: If you omit the author in the sentence, you would cite (Austin 24).

Practical notes and tips from the session

  • Always keep the handouts (MLA handout, works cited examples, Bible citation guide) handy; the instructor plans to reference them in future lectures.
  • For quotes from the Bible, decide whether you will use a single version or multiple versions; this affects whether you must repeat the version name in subsequent quotes.
  • Remember: MLA is generally described as more straightforward than APA, but it still has specific punctuation and order rules that can be easy to misapply under time pressure.
  • The Purdue Writing Lab is a recommended resource for up-to-date MLA guidance; the instructor cites it as a trusted reference point.

Quick reference cheat sheet (summarized)

  • In-text citation rule: first item on the Works Cited entry → used in-text (author or article title if no author) after the quoted/paraphrased material.
  • Paraphrase vs. direct quote: both require an in-text citation; page numbers only apply to sources with page numbers.
  • Bible in MLA: present version on first citation; subsequent citations can be shorter; include Bible in Works Cited.
  • Works Cited: for a single-author book, author (last, first). Title. Edition, Publisher, Year.
  • Works Cited: for an anthology, editors (eds.). Title of Book. Publisher, Year. Include a separate entry for each piece with author, title, and page numbers if citing a specific piece.
  • Alphabetize by author last name; ignore leading articles in titles when no author is present.
  • Context before quotes; avoid starting a paragraph with a quotation; ensure logical flow.
  • When in doubt, consult the Purdue Writing Lab and keep the course handouts for reference.