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Paraphrasing in MLA

Paraphrasing is a valuable skill. It allows you to seamlessly integrate another person’s ideas into your work, and it is the preferred way to integrate most research information into a paper.

In addition to writing a good paraphrase, you must also include a citation with the paraphrase. One effective way to do this is by using MLA in-text citations .

But first, let’s define paraphrasing.

What is a paraphrase? Why is it beneficial?

A paraphrase is a piece of information written in a new way after reading and analyzing a source.
A paraphrase translates the main ideas of a passage into a new passage that uses your own words and perspective.
A paraphrase lets you control what point or information is highlighted.
A paraphrase allows you turn a long passage into a condensed, focused passage.
Direct quotes are helpful, but paraphrasing allows you show that you truly understand a work. Think about it: Is it easier to quote a source or paraphrase?

What does MLA have to do with it?

Academic integrity is extremely important, and a paraphrase allows you to use someone’s ideas efficiently in your work…but that is only part of the work. In order to stay ethical, you’ll also need include an in-text citation. That’s where MLA style comes in.

An MLA in-text citation gives appropriate credit to the original source. By following the guidelines of the MLA style and including an accurate citation, you can avoid accusations of plagiarism.

MLA stands for the Modern Language Association, which is a scholarly association dedicated to the study and advancement of languages. The MLA style comes from their published MLA Handbook , which provides rules and guidelines on research and writing. The latest update to the MLA style occurred in 2021, and careful consideration needs to be paid to these guidelines.

Although there are other styles of research and writing, MLA is the primary style guide for humanities, language, and literature in the United States.

How to paraphrase

Steps in paraphrasing.

Read the original source material carefully. It is always a good idea to read it more than once so you can paraphrase accurately.
Consider why the source was written, when it was written, who it was written by, and who the target audience was.
What were the key ideas or points communicated?
What is the key point you want to highlight from the source?
What other contextual facts about the source do you think are important to include?
Based on your notes, put together a paraphrase.
Next, take a minute to double check your paraphrase against the original to ensure that you have used your own writing style.
Finally, add an MLA in-text citation.

How to add an MLA in-text citation

In order to give credit for ideas that are not yours, citing is key. According the MLA, after you create a paraphrase, you should include an in-text citation with the paraphrase. In addition to the short, in-text citation, a full reference of the source should be included on your Works Cited page. This article will focus only on the in-text citation, but see this guide for more information on MLA works cited citations.

An MLA in-text citation can be done in two ways:

Parenthetical

Both approaches require you to know the following:

Last name of the author
Page number

Parenthetical citation

One way to cite in the text is to use a parenthetical citation after the paraphrase. This includes putting the author’s last name and page number where you found the information at the end of the sentence, before the final period.

Using a website as a source? Note that if a source does not have page numbers, you do not have to include the page number in your parenthetical citation.

Parenthetical in-text citation structure:

Paraphrase (Author Last Name Page #)

Parenthetical example:

I kept pounding on the doors ’til my hands hurt and I woke up the dogs (Bronte 12).

Place that end punctuation carefully! Note that there is no period at the end of the sentence, but the period is outside the parentheses. Also, there is no comma between the author’s last name and the page number.

Citation in prose

A citation in prose means that you include the author’s last name within the page text and the page number at the end of the sentence in parentheses. A citation in prose would look like this:

Citation in prose citation structure:

Paraphrase with Author Last Name (Page #)

In-prose example:

Bronte explains how Lockwood kept pounding on the doors until his hands began to hurt and he woke up the dogs (12).

Example of how to paraphrase

Here is a piece of text taken from the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen:

“In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”

Elizabeth’s astonishment was beyond expression. She stared, coloured, doubted, and was silent. This he considered sufficient encouragement; and the avowal of all that he felt, and had long felt for her, immediately followed. He spoke well; but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed; and he was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride. His sense of her inferiority—of its being a degradation—of the family obstacles which had always opposed to inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend his suit.

A paraphrase of the above would go something like this:

Mr. Darcy had meant to communicate that he loved Elizabeth, but in the end all he managed to do was communicate all the reasons he had fought against his feelings for her (Austen 390).

Notice the benefits of paraphrasing here?

The paraphrase is (thankfully) much shorter than the full excerpt.
The paraphrase writer could have mentioned several different ideas and points. Instead, paraphrasing allowed the writer to focus on the main point they wanted to highlight.
The paraphrase demonstrates the writer’s deep understanding of what was communicated in the original passage.

Also, as mentioned previously, every in-text citation needs to have a matching, full citation in the Works Cited page. Here is the full citation for the above example:

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice . 1813. Project Gutenberg , 2008, www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42671.

How NOT to paraphrase

When you paraphrase, do not do the follow:

Use most of the same words and switch out a few words for synonyms.
Use most of the same words and change the sentence order a little.
Take key phrases from the sentences and put them into a new paragraph without quoting them.
Create a good paraphrase but forget to include an in-text citation.
Create a good paraphrase but cite the wrong source.

Other MLA considerations

The Modern Language Association advises that summaries, paraphrases, and direct quotations can all be used to back up your argument. However, direct quotations should be used infrequently. Try to save them for experts who are speaking on the topic.

Although you are putting a paraphrase into your own words, you still need to cite it because the ideas are not your own. MLA style asks for the author’s last name and the page number where you found the information.

Key takeaways

The ability to paraphrase is of the utmost importance in regard to academic integrity.
To paraphrase well, read the original a few times, consider the context, jot down the key ideas, compose your paraphrase, compare your paraphrase to the original, and add an in-text citation.
The MLA advises using in-text citations in order to give proper credit to a paraphrase’s original source.

Published October 28, 2020. Updated July 18, 2021.

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Paraphrasing in MLA

Paraphrasing can be a useful tool to help you avoid relying too heavily on quotes. You should avoid using too many quotes in your writing.

That being said, you still need to cite your sources properly when paraphrasing. You are borrowing other people’s ideas, so it’s important to give credit where it’s due.

If your instructor wants you to use MLA-style citations, it’s important to know how this works in regard to paraphrasing.

What is MLA style?

MLA stands for “Modern Language Association.” This association was founded in 1983, and it’s the leading professional academic organization in the United States. The MLA style is frequently used by schools, instructors, and academic organizations. While many students use the MLA style when writing, it’s especially popular in humanities courses.

What is paraphrasing?

When you paraphrase a passage, you are putting it in your own words. In most cases, the result is that this passage becomes clearer and easier to understand. Paraphrases can be shorter, longer, or the same length as the original passage. Paraphrasing is useful because it shows that you actually understand the key ideas behind the passage.

Paraphrasing & citing in MLA style

Once you understand the system for citing your sources in MLA style, paraphrasing is easy. You can use this process to cite your sources when paraphrasing, summarizing, or using direct quotes.

1. Create a works cited page

Both a works cited page and a bibliography list sources that were used in the making of your paper. The main difference is that a works cited page only includes sources that were referenced in your work (via an in-text citation). On the other hand, a bibliography includes all sources consulted, even if they were not directly referenced in your work. Both are placed at the end of your research paper or essay and follow the same MLA guidelines. It is important to create a works cited page because your in-text citations will help your reader to identify the source you are referencing from that list.

To create a works cited page based on the MLA format, you need to follow a number of guidelines.

This is the basic structure for a book reference in MLA format:

Author Last, Author First, Middle Initial. Title of Work . Publisher, Year.

Here’s an example:

Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis . Modern Library, 1915.

For more help creating citations, visit the Citation Machine MLA citation generator .

2. In-text citations

When writing according to the MLA style citation guide, you will use in-text citations. The goal of in-text citations is to direct your reader to the appropriate citation in your works cited list. At the end of your paraphrase, you’ll write the last name of the author and the page number you’re referencing.

This is the basic structure for an in-text citation in MLA format:

(Author Last Name Page number).

For example:

Captain Montgomery forced Pendrick off his ship, claiming that Pendrick was in league with “beasts and cannibals” (Wells 26).

The period is always placed after the parentheses.

If there’s more than one author, you simply use both of their last names, followed by the page number.

(Smith and Jones 77).

If there are three or more authors, you simply use the first author’s last name and then write “et al.”

(Smith et al. 77).

If there is no page number, just use the author’s last name. You’ll likely need to do this if you’re citing a web page or another source where page numbers are not included.

If you’re repeatedly citing the same source, you can simply refer to the page number after the first time. Note that you can only do this if you’re not citing other sources in between and this shouldn’t be used if it will cause confusion.

Captain Montgomery forced Pendrick off his ship, claiming that Pendrick was in league with “beasts and cannibals” (Wells 26). After being stranded on a small dinghy, Pendrick begs God to end his suffering (30).

You can also use only the page number if you have included the author’s name within the test itself. This is called a narrative citation.

Basic structure:

Text that mentions the author’s last name (page number).

Wells writes that Captain Montgomery forced Pendrick off his ship, claiming that Pendrick was in league with “beasts and cannibals” (26).

Key takeaways

When paraphrasing, you need to put the writing in your own words.
Citing your sources is important when paraphrasing.
The MLA style is used for academic writing, especially in the humanities.
The first step is to create a works cited page.
Next, you use in-text citations after your paraphrases to direct your reader to the source listed in your works cited page.
You generally use the last name of the author and the page number in parentheses after your paraphrases.

Published October 29, 2020.

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Citations - MLA: In-Text Citations - Quotations & Paraphrasing

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Paraphrasing

In-Text Citation for One, Two, or More Authors/Editors

Unknown Author

Repeated use of sources, long quotations.

In-Text Citation for More Than One Source

Citing a Source that you Found in Another Source (Secondary Source)

Order of authors, physician credentials, about in-text citations.

In MLA, in-text citations are inserted in the body of your research paper to briefly document the source of your information. Brief in-text citations point the reader to the full citation on the works cited list at the end of the paper.

Create in-text citations for the following:

Direct quotes

If you're using information from a single source more than once in succession (i.e., no other sources referred to in between), you can use a simplified in-text citation.

Cell biology is an area of science that focuses on the structure and function of cells (Smith 15). It revolves around the idea that the cell is a "fundamental unit of life" (17). Many important scientists have contributed to the evolution of cell biology. Mattias Jakob Schleiden and Theodor Schwann, for example, were scientists who formulated cell theory in 1838 (20).

Note: If using this simplified in-text citation creates ambiguity regarding the source being referred to, use the full in-text citation format.

What Is a Long Quotation?

If your quotation extends to more than four lines as you're typing your essay, it is a long quotation.

Rules for Long Quotations

There are 4 rules that apply to long quotations that are different from regular quotations:

The line before your long quotation, when you're introducing the quote, usually ends with a colon.
The long quotation is indented half an inch from the rest of the text, so it looks like a block of text.
There are no quotation marks around the quotation.
The period at the end of the quotation comes before your in-text citation as opposed to after , as it does with regular quotations.

Example of a Long Quotation

At the end of Lord of the Flies the boys are struck with the realization of their behaviour:

The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too . (Golding 186)

Direct Quote - Add an in-text citation at the end of the quote with the author name and page number:

Mother-infant attachment has been a leading topic of developmental research since John Bowlby found that "children raised in institutions were deficient in emotional and personality development" (Hunt 358).

Authors Name in the Sentence & with a Direct Quote - If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name in the in-text citation, instead include the page number (if there is one) at the end of the quotation or paraphrased section. For example:

Hunt explains that mother-infant attachment has been a leading topic of developmental research since John Bowlby found that "children raised in institutions were deficient in emotional and personality development" (358).

No Page Numbers & with a Direct Quote - When you quote from electronic sources that do not provide page numbers (like Web pages), cite the author name only.

"Three phases of the separation response: protest, despair, and detachment" (Garelli).

Note: The period goes outside the brackets, at the end of your in-text citation.

In-Text Citation For One, Two, or More Authors/Editors

Author Known:

"Here's a direct quote" (Smith 8).

Number of Authors/Editors	In-Text Citation Example
One	(Author's Last Name Page Number) (Lee 5)
Two	(Author's Last Name and Author's Last Name Page Number) Example: (Daristotle and Case 57)
Three or more	(Author's Last Name et al. Page Number) Example: (Daristotle et al. 57)

Number of Authors/Editors

In-Text Citation Example

One

(Author's Last Name Page Number)

(Lee 5)

Two

(Author's Last Name and Author's Last Name Page Number)

Example: (Daristotle and Case 57)

Three or more

(Author's Last Name et al. Page Number)

Example: (Daristotle et al. 57)

In-Text Citation For More Than One Source

If you would like to cite more than one source within the same in-text citation, simply record the in-text citations as normal and separate them with a semi-colon.

(Smith 42; Bennett 71).

( It Takes Two ; Brock 43).

Note: The sources within the in-text citation do not need to be in alphabetical order for MLA style.

When creating an in-text citation or full citation, the authors should be listed in the original order displayed on the item (book, article, ...).

Do not include academic credentials (e.g., MD, MPH, PhD,. DDS) when citing doctors in the in-text or full citation.

The writer may refer to the physician by Dr. (name), when writing a paraphrase or inserting a direct quotation, although, it is not required.

Using the medical credential in the sentence:

Dr. Higgins, said the reason behind the complication was "direct quote here" (257).

Dr. Price realized that nutrition was tied to health outcomes and encountered this observation in various regions of the world during his travels (390).

Omitting the medical credential from the sentence:

He sad the reason behind the complication was "direct quote here" (Higgins 257).

Price observed that nutrition was tied to health outcomes and encountered this in various regions of the world during his travels (390).

When you write information or ideas from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion.

Paraphrasing from One Page

Include a full in-text citation with the author name and page number (if there is one). For example:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt 65).

Hunt discussed mother-infant attachment becoming a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (65).

Paraphrasing from Multiple Pages

If the paraphrased information/idea is from several pages, include them. For example:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt 50, 55, 65-71).

Author Unknown:

If the author's name is not given, then use the first word or words of the title. Follow the same formatting that was used in the works cited list, such as quotation marks. This is a paraphrase ("Trouble" 22).
Where you'd normally put the author's last name, instead use the first one, two, or three words from the title. Don't count initial articles like "A", "An" or "The". You should provide enough words to make it clear which work you're referring to from your Works Cited list.
If the title in the Works Cited list is in italics, italicize the words from the title in the in-text citation.
If the title in the Works Cited list is in quotation marks, put quotation marks around the words from the title in the in-text citation.

( Cell Biology 12)

("Nursing" 12)

Sometimes an author of a book, article or website will mention another person’s work by using a quotation or paraphrased idea from that source. ( This may be called a secondary source.)

For example, the Kirkey article you are reading includes a quotation by Smith that you would like to include in your essay.

The basic rule: in your Works Cited and in-text citation you will still cite Kirkey NOT Smith.
A dd the words “qtd. in” to your in-text citation.

Examples of in-text citations :

According to a study by Smith (qtd. in Kirkey) 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia.

Smith (qtd. in Kirkey) states that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (A.10).

Example of Works Cited list citation:

Kirkey, Susan. "Euthanasia." The Montreal Gazette , 9 Feb. 2013, p. A.10. Canadian Newsstand Major Dailies.

<< Previous: Works Quoted in Another Source (Secondary Source)
Next: Formatting - Essay, Works Cited, Appendix, & Sample Paper >>
Last Updated: May 31, 2024 10:37 AM
URL: https://libguides.lahc.edu/mla

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

MLA Formatting and Style Guide

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The following overview should help you better understand how to cite sources using MLA 9 th edition, including how to format the Works Cited page and in-text citations.

Please use the example at the bottom of this page to cite the Purdue OWL in MLA. See also our MLA vidcast series on the Purdue OWL YouTube Channel .

Creating a Works Cited list using the ninth edition

MLA is a style of documentation that may be applied to many different types of writing. Since texts have become increasingly digital, and the same document may often be found in several different sources, following a set of rigid rules no longer suffices.

Thus, the current system is based on a few guiding principles, rather than an extensive list of specific rules. While the handbook still describes how to cite sources, it is organized according to the process of documentation, rather than by the sources themselves. This gives writers a flexible method that is near-universally applicable.

Once you are familiar with the method, you can use it to document any type of source, for any type of paper, in any field.

Here is an overview of the process:

When deciding how to cite your source, start by consulting the list of core elements. These are the general pieces of information that MLA suggests including in each Works Cited entry. In your citation, the elements should be listed in the following order:

Title of source.
Title of container,
Other contributors,
Publication date,

Each element should be followed by the corresponding punctuation mark shown above. Earlier editions of the handbook included the place of publication and required different punctuation (such as journal editions in parentheses and colons after issue numbers) depending on the type of source. In the current version, punctuation is simpler (only commas and periods separate the elements), and information about the source is kept to the basics.

Begin the entry with the author’s last name, followed by a comma and the rest of the name, as presented in the work. End this element with a period.

Bhabha, Homi K. The Location of Culture. Routledge, 1994.

Title of source

The title of the source should follow the author’s name. Depending upon the type of source, it should be listed in italics or quotation marks.

A book should be in italics:

Henley, Patricia. The Hummingbird House . MacMurray, 1999.

An individual webpage should be in quotation marks. The name of the parent website, which MLA treats as a "container," should follow in italics:

Lundman, Susan. "How to Make Vegetarian Chili." eHow, www.ehow.com/how_10727_make-vegetarian-chili.html.*

A periodical (journal, magazine, newspaper) article should be in quotation marks:

Bagchi, Alaknanda. "Conflicting Nationalisms: The Voice of the Subaltern in Mahasweta Devi's Bashai Tudu." Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature , vol. 15, no. 1, 1996, pp. 41-50.

A song or piece of music on an album should be in quotation marks. The name of the album should then follow in italics:

Beyoncé. "Pray You Catch Me." Lemonade, Parkwood Entertainment, 2016, www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/.

*The MLA handbook recommends including URLs when citing online sources. For more information, see the “Optional Elements” section below.

Title of container

The eighth edition of the MLA handbook introduced what are referred to as "containers," which are the larger wholes in which the source is located. For example, if you want to cite a poem that is listed in a collection of poems, the individual poem is the source, while the larger collection is the container. The title of the container is usually italicized and followed by a comma, since the information that follows next describes the container.

Kincaid, Jamaica. "Girl." The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories, edited by Tobias Wolff, Vintage, 1994, pp. 306-07.

The container may also be a television series, which is made up of episodes.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, performance by Amy Poehler, season 2, episode 21, Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2010.

The container may also be a website, which contains articles, postings, and other works.

Wise, DeWanda. “Why TV Shows Make Me Feel Less Alone.” NAMI, 31 May 2019, www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/May-2019/How-TV-Shows-Make-Me-Feel-Less-Alone . Accessed 3 June 2019.

In some cases, a container might be within a larger container. You might have read a book of short stories on Google Books , or watched a television series on Netflix . You might have found the electronic version of a journal on JSTOR. It is important to cite these containers within containers so that your readers can find the exact source that you used.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation , season 2, episode 21, NBC , 29 Apr. 2010. Netflix, www.netflix.com/watch/70152031?trackId=200256157&tctx=0%2C20%2C0974d361-27cd-44de-9c2a-2d9d868b9f64-12120962.

Langhamer, Claire. “Love and Courtship in Mid-Twentieth-Century England.” Historical Journal , vol. 50, no. 1, 2007, pp. 173-96. ProQuest, doi:10.1017/S0018246X06005966. Accessed 27 May 2009.

Other contributors

In addition to the author, there may be other contributors to the source who should be credited, such as editors, illustrators, translators, etc. If their contributions are relevant to your research, or necessary to identify the source, include their names in your documentation.

Foucault, Michel. Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason. Translated by Richard Howard , Vintage-Random House, 1988.

Woolf, Virginia. Jacob’s Room . Annotated and with an introduction by Vara Neverow, Harcourt, Inc., 2008.

If a source is listed as an edition or version of a work, include it in your citation.

The Bible . Authorized King James Version, Oxford UP, 1998.

Crowley, Sharon, and Debra Hawhee. Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students. 3rd ed., Pearson, 2004.

If a source is part of a numbered sequence, such as a multi-volume book or journal with both volume and issue numbers, those numbers must be listed in your citation.

Dolby, Nadine. “Research in Youth Culture and Policy: Current Conditions and Future Directions.” Social Work and Society: The International Online-Only Journal, vol. 6, no. 2, 2008, www.socwork.net/sws/article/view/60/362. Accessed 20 May 2009.

Quintilian. Institutio Oratoria. Translated by H. E. Butler, vol. 2, Loeb-Harvard UP, 1980.

The publisher produces or distributes the source to the public. If there is more than one publisher, and they are all are relevant to your research, list them in your citation, separated by a forward slash (/).

Klee, Paul. Twittering Machine. 1922. Museum of Modern Art, New York. The Artchive, www.artchive.com/artchive/K/klee/twittering_machine.jpg.html. Accessed May 2006.

Women's Health: Problems of the Digestive System . American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2006.

Daniels, Greg and Michael Schur, creators. Parks and Recreation . Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2015.

Note : The publisher’s name need not be included in the following sources: periodicals, works published by their author or editor, websites whose titles are the same name as their publisher, websites that make works available but do not actually publish them (such as YouTube , WordPress , or JSTOR ).

Publication date

The same source may have been published on more than one date, such as an online version of an original source. For example, a television series might have aired on a broadcast network on one date, but released on Netflix on a different date. When the source has more than one date, it is sufficient to use the date that is most relevant to your writing. If you’re unsure about which date to use, go with the date of the source’s original publication.

In the following example, Mutant Enemy is the primary production company, and “Hush” was released in 1999. Below is a general citation for this television episode:

“Hush.” Buffy the Vampire Slayer , created by Joss Whedon, performance by Sarah Michelle Gellar, season 4, Mutant Enemy, 1999 .

However, if you are discussing, for example, the historical context in which the episode originally aired, you should cite the full date. Because you are specifying the date of airing, you would then use WB Television Network (rather than Mutant Enemy), because it was the network (rather than the production company) that aired the episode on the date you’re citing.

“Hush.” Buffy the Vampire Slayer, created by Joss Whedon, performance by Sarah Michelle Gellar, season 4, episode 10, WB Television Network, 14 Dec. 1999 .

You should be as specific as possible in identifying a work’s location.

An essay in a book or an article in a journal should include page numbers.

Adiche, Chimamanda Ngozi. “On Monday of Last Week.” The Thing around Your Neck, Alfred A. Knopf, 2009, pp. 74-94 .

The location of an online work should include a URL. Remove any "http://" or "https://" tag from the beginning of the URL.

Wheelis, Mark. "Investigating Disease Outbreaks Under a Protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention." Emerging Infectious Diseases , vol. 6, no. 6, 2000, pp. 595-600, wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/6/6/00-0607_article. Accessed 8 Feb. 2009.

When citing a physical object that you experienced firsthand, identify the place of location.

Matisse, Henri. The Swimming Pool. 1952, Museum of Modern Art, New York .

Optional elements

The ninth edition is designed to be as streamlined as possible. The author should include any information that helps readers easily identify the source, without including unnecessary information that may be distracting. The following is a list of optional elements that can be included in a documented source at the writer’s discretion.

Date of original publication:

If a source has been published on more than one date, the writer may want to include both dates if it will provide the reader with necessary or helpful information.

Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine. 1984. Perennial-Harper, 1993.

City of publication:

The seventh edition handbook required the city in which a publisher is located, but the eighth edition states that this is only necessary in particular instances, such as in a work published before 1900. Since pre-1900 works were usually associated with the city in which they were published, your documentation may substitute the city name for the publisher’s name.

Thoreau, Henry David. Excursions . Boston, 1863.

Date of access:

When you cite an online source, the MLA Handbook recommends including a date of access on which you accessed the material, since an online work may change or move at any time.

Bernstein, Mark. "10 Tips on Writing the Living Web." A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites, 16 Aug. 2002, alistapart.com/article/writeliving. Accessed 4 May 2009.

As mentioned above, while the MLA handbook recommends including URLs when you cite online sources, you should always check with your instructor or editor and include URLs at their discretion.

A DOI, or digital object identifier, is a series of digits and letters that leads to the location of an online source. Articles in journals are often assigned DOIs to ensure that the source is locatable, even if the URL changes. If your source is listed with a DOI, use that instead of a URL.

Alonso, Alvaro, and Julio A. Camargo. "Toxicity of Nitrite to Three Species of Freshwater Invertebrates." Environmental Toxicology , vol. 21, no. 1, 3 Feb. 2006, pp. 90-94. Wiley Online Library, doi: 10.1002/tox.20155.

Creating in-text citations using the previous (eighth) edition

Although the MLA handbook is currently in its ninth edition, some information about citing in the text using the older (eighth) edition is being retained. The in-text citation is a brief reference within your text that indicates the source you consulted. It should properly attribute any ideas, paraphrases, or direct quotations to your source, and should direct readers to the entry in the Works Cited list. For the most part, an in-text citation is the author’s name and the page number (or just the page number, if the author is named in the sentence) in parentheses :

When creating in-text citations for media that has a runtime, such as a movie or podcast, include the range of hours, minutes and seconds you plan to reference. For example: (00:02:15-00:02:35).

Again, your goal is to attribute your source and provide a reference without interrupting your text. Your readers should be able to follow the flow of your argument without becoming distracted by extra information.

How to Cite the Purdue OWL in MLA

Entire Website

The Purdue OWL . Purdue U Writing Lab, 2019.

Individual Resources

Contributors' names. "Title of Resource." The Purdue OWL , Purdue U Writing Lab, Last edited date.

The new OWL no longer lists most pages' authors or publication dates. Thus, in most cases, citations will begin with the title of the resource, rather than the developer's name.

"MLA Formatting and Style Guide." The Purdue OWL, Purdue U Writing Lab. Accessed 18 Jun. 2018.

Penn State University Libraries

Mla quick citation guide.

In-text Citation
Citing Generative AI
Citing Web Pages and Social Media
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Other formats
MLA Style Quiz

Using In-text Citation

Include an in-text citation when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source. For every in-text citation in your paper, there must be a corresponding entry in your reference list.

MLA in-text citation style uses the author's last name and the page number from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken, for example: (Smith 163). If the source does not use page numbers, do not include a number in the parenthetical citation: (Smith).

For more information on in-text citation, see the MLA Style Center .

Example paragraph with in-text citation

A few researchers in the linguistics field have developed training programs designed to improve native speakers' ability to understand accented speech (Derwing et al. 246; Thomas 15). Their training techniques are based on the research described above indicating that comprehension improves with exposure to non-native speech. Derwing and others conducted their training with students preparing to be social workers, but note that other professionals who work with non-native speakers could benefit from a similar program (258).

Works Cited List

Derwing, Tracey M., et al. "Teaching Native Speakers to Listen to Foreign-accented Speech." Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, vol. 23, no. 4, 2002, pp. 245-259.

Thomas, Holly K. Training Strategies for Improving Listeners' Comprehension of Foreign-accented Speech. University of Colorado, Boulder, 2004.

Citing Web Pages In Text

Cite web pages in text as you would any other source, using the author if known. If the author is not known, use the title as the in-text citation.

Your in-text citation should lead your reader to the corresponding entry in the reference list. Below are examples of using in-text citation with web pages.

Entire website with author: In-text citation Parents play an important role in helping children learn techniques for coping with bullying (Kraizer).

Works cited entry Kraizer, Sherryll. Safe Child. Coalition for Children, 2011, www.safechild.org.

Web page with no author: In-text citation The term Nittany Lion was coined by Penn State football player Joe Mason in 1904 ("All Things Nittany").

Works cited entry "All Things Nittany." About Penn State. Penn State University, 2006, www.psu.edu/ur/about/nittanymascot.html.

General Guidelines

In MLA style the author's name can be included either in the narrative text of your paper, or in parentheses following the reference to the source.

Author's name part of narrative:

Gass and Varonis found that the most important element in comprehending non-native speech is familiarity with the topic (163).

Author's name in parentheses:

One study found that the most important element in comprehending non-native speech is familiarity with the topic (Gass and Varonis 163).

Group as author: (American Psychological Association 123)

Multiple works: (separate each work with semi-colons)

Research shows that listening to a particular accent improves comprehension of accented speech in general (Gass and Varonis 143; Thomas 24).

Direct quote:

One study found that “the listener's familiarity with the topic of discourse greatly facilitates the interpretation of the entire message” (Gass and Varonis 85).

Gass and Varonis found that “the listener’s familiarity with the topic of discourse greatly facilitates the interpretation of the entire message” (85).

Note: For quotations that are more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse, display quotations as an indented block of text (one inch from left margin) and omit quotation marks. Place your parenthetical citation at the end of the block of text, after the final punctuation mark.

In addition to awareness-raising, practicing listening to accented speech has been shown to improve listening comprehension. This article recommends developing listening training programs for library faculty and staff, based on research from the linguistics and language teaching fields. Even brief exposure to accented speech can help listeners improve their comprehension, thereby improving the level of service to international patrons. (O'Malley 19)

Works by Multiple Authors

When citing works by multiple authors, always spell out the word "and." When a source has three or more authors, only the first one shown in the source is normally given followed by et al.

One author: (Field 399)

Works Cited entry: Field, John. "Intelligibility and the Listener: The Role of Lexical Stress." TESOL Quarterly , vol. 39, no. 3, 2005, pp. 399-423.

Two authors: (Gass and Varonis 67)

Works Cited entry: Gass, Susan, and Evangeline M. Varonis. "The Effect of Familiarity on the Comprehensibility of Nonnative Speech." Language Learning , vol. 34, no. 1, 1984, pp. 65-89.

Three or more authors: (Munro et al. 70)

Works Cited entry: Munro, Murray J., et al. "Salient Accents, Covert Attitudes: Consciousness-raising for Pre-service Second Language Teachers." Prospect , vol. 21, no. 1, 2006, pp. 67-79.

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Last Updated: Feb 14, 2024 8:47 AM
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MLA Style Guide, 8th & 9th Editions: How to Paraphrase and Quote

Works Cited entries: What to Include
Title of source
Title of container
Contributors
Publication date
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In-text Examples

How to Paraphrase and Quote

Citing Poetry
Formatting Your MLA Paper
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MLA 9th Edition Quick Guide
Submit Your Paper for MLA Style Review

Block Quotes in MLA Style

Short quotations can be included as part of a larger sentence or within a paragraph in the body of your paper. For quotations longer than four lines, use a block quote. Press enter to start the quotation on a new line. Press Tab to indent the entire quotation 1/2 inch from the left margin. Continue double spacing for the quotation. Do not use double quotation marks. Place your in-text citation at the end after the closing punctuation mark.

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Last Updated: May 21, 2024 5:26 PM
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How To - Use the MLA Style Guide: How to Paraphrase and Quote

Title of source
Title of container
Other contributors
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Book with Organization as Author
Parts of Books
Government Publication
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Multivolume Works
Newspaper Article
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Works Cited Practice
About In-text Citations
In-text Examples

How to Paraphrase and Quote

Formatting Your MLA Paper
Formatting Your Works Cited List
MLA Annotated Bibliography
Using Zotero This link opens in a new window
Using Mendeley This link opens in a new window
Citation Styles This link opens in a new window

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MLA Style: Writing & Citation

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When you write information or ideas from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion.

Paraphrasing from One Page

Include a full in-text citation with the author name and page number (if there is one). For example:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt 65).

Paraphrasing from Multiple Pages

If the paraphrased information/idea is from several pages, include them. For example:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt 50, 55, 65-71).

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Last Updated: Jun 10, 2024 10:58 AM
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MLA Style Guide: 8th Edition: Paraphrase/Summary

Works Cited examples
Direct Quote
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Paraphrase/Summary

Indirect Quote
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MLA Handbook/Other Resources
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IN-TEXT CITATIONS FOR A...

Paraphrasing is when you, as the researcher, put into your own words a passage or idea from another work. A paraphrased passage is generally shorter and more condensed than the original. Summarizing is very similar to paraphrasing, in that it also involves putting someone else’s ideas into your own words in order to condense the material (and to show that you understand the source material). A summary includes only the main points and/or ideas in a longer passage or entire work.

Paraphrasing is often used because it is easier to integrate into the text of a paper. Remember though, you must still cite your source using author name and page number:

Author Incorporated into Text

Kafka describes the insecurities of his youth, analyzing his social shortcomings in school and his rocky relationship with his father (44-46).

Author After Paraphrase

The insecurities of youth are described, as the author analyzes his social shortcomings in school and his rocky relationship with his father (Kafka 44-46).

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Last Updated: Jan 5, 2023 1:44 PM
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How to paraphrase citations in mla format.

Image: freepik.com by @thanyakij-12

Paraphrasing in MLA is a necessary skill for academic writing, since the majority of students has the need to refer to another source in their works. This guide will give you clear examples and steps to make sure you accurately and ethically incorporate source material into your own paper.

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing in MLA involves rewording someone else’s ideas or information in your unique style while keeping the original meaning and ideas. It’s different from summarizing, which only focuses on the main ideas, and is more detailed.

Importance of Paraphrasing:

🚫 Avoids Overquoting: It limits the use of direct quotes from unremarkable passages.
💡 Enhances Understanding: It involves a deep analysis of the source material.
✍️ Maintains Originality: It helps in presenting information in a new form, showing your understanding and interpretation.

Examples of Paraphrasing

Original Text	Paraphrased Version
“Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result, they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper.” (Lester 46-47)	“In research papers, students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a desirable level.” (Lester 46-47)
“Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby’s studies” (Hunt 65).	“Hunt discussed mother-infant attachment becoming a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby’s studies” (65).

Keep Your Writing Problems at Bay with Our Free Paraphraser

6 steps to effective paraphrasing in mla.

Effective paraphrasing involves several key steps, if you want to be accurate in your work and also follow the necessary academic rules:

📖 Understand the Source: Read the original text thoroughly to grasp its meaning.
✏️ Rewrite Without Looking: Set the original text aside and write your version.
📝 Note Key Points: Jot down key phrases to guide your paraphrase.
🔍 Compare with Original: Ensure your paraphrase accurately reflects the source’s ideas.
📌 Use Quotation Marks for Direct Quotes: Identify any exact phrases from the source.
📑 Cite the Source: Include an in-text citation with the author and page number.

Paraphrasing Examples with MLA Citation

Original Text	Paraphrased Version	Citation Style
“Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby’s studies” (Hunt 65).	“Developmental research saw a surge in interest in mother-infant attachment post Bowlby’s studies” (Hunt 65).	Paraphrasing from One Page
“Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby’s studies” (Hunt 50, 55, 65-71).	“Post Bowlby’s publication, research on mother-infant attachment gained significant momentum” (Hunt 50, 55, 65-71).	Paraphrasing from Multiple Pages

See, it is practically a no-brainer if you know hor to do it. By following these tips and practicing with examples, you can integrate source materials into your work even better than before. This way, you will both keep your papers originality in check and respect the author you are referring to.

What is paraphrasing in the context of MLA style writing?

Paraphrasing, in the context of MLA style writing, refers to the practice of rephrasing someone else’s words or ideas in your own words while retaining the original meaning. It is a way to incorporate information from sources into your research paper without directly quoting them.

Why is paraphrasing important in academic writing?

Paraphrasing is essential in academic writing for several reasons. It allows you to integrate information from sources smoothly into your paper, providing support for your arguments. It also demonstrates your understanding of the source material and helps you avoid issues related to plagiarism.

How can I ensure that my paraphrase is effective and avoids plagiarism?

To avoid plagiarism in your paraphrasing, follow these steps:

Understand the source material thoroughly.
Write your paraphrase without looking at the original.
Use your own vocabulary and sentence structures.
Compare your paraphrase with the original to check for any similarities.
If you find exact sequences of words from the original, enclose them in quotation marks (“) or rephrase them.
Make sure your paraphrase retains the original meaning of the source while using your own words.

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MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): Quoting vs. Paraphrasing

Source Types
Evaluating Sources
Quoting vs. Paraphrasing
Advertisements
Audio Materials
Books, eBooks & Course Packs
Creative Commons Licensed Works
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
Games & Objects
Government Documents
Images, Infographics, Maps, Charts, & Tables
Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers (Oral Communication)
Journal Articles
Magazine Articles
Newspaper Articles
Personal Communications (including emails and interviews)
Religious Works
Social Media
Websites (including documents/PDFs posted on websites)
When Information Is Missing
Works Quoted in Another Source
Works Cited & Paper Format
Plagiarism & Academic Integrity
End of Paper Checklist

Quoting vs Paraphrasing

Quoting vs paraphrasing: what's the difference.

There are two ways to integrate sources into your assignment: quoting directly or paraphrasing.

Quoting is copying a selection from someone else's work, phrasing it exactly as it was originally written. When quoting place quotation marks (" ") around the selected passage to show where the quote begins and where it ends. Make sure to include an in-text citation.

Paraphrasing is used to show that you understand what the author wrote. You must reword the passage, expressing the ideas in your own words, and not just change a few words here and there. Make sure to also include an in-text citation.

"The Basics of MLA In-text Citations." Video, 4:13. Posted by Scribbr, 2021. Accessed April 24, 2021. YouTube. YouTube, 2021.https://youtu.be/ypWxhhpGeyM

Long quotations
Modifying quotations

Quoting - Example:

There are two basic formats that can be used when quoting a source:

Parenthetical Style:

Narrative Style:

Note: If there are no page numbers, as in a website, cite the author name only.

What is a Long or Block Quotation?

A long or block quotation is a quotation which is 4 lines or more.

Rules for Long Quotations

There are 4 rules that apply to long quotations that are different from regular quotations:

The line before your long quotation, when you're introducing the quote, usually ends with a colon.
The long quotation is indented half an inch from the rest of the text, so it looks like a block of text.
There are no quotation marks around the quotation.
The period at the end of the quotation comes before your in-text citation as opposed to after , as it does with regular quotations.

Example of a Long Quotation

At the end of Lord of the Flies the boys are struck with the realization of their behaviour:

Modifying Quotations

Sometimes you may want to make some modifications to the quote to fit your writing. Here are some MLA rules when changing quotes:

Changing Quotations

Omitting parts of a quotation

If you would like to exclude some words from a quotation, replace the words you are not including with an ellipsis - ...

Adding words to a quote

If you are adding words that are not part of the original quote, enclose the additional words in square brackets - [XYZ]

Paraphrasing

Correct vs. incorrect paraphrasing
Long paraphrases

Paraphrasing - Examples:

When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows:

If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the page number if there is one:

Correct vs. Incorrect Paraphrasing

Original Source

Homeless individuals commonly come from families who are riddled with problems and marital disharmony, and are alienated from their parents. They have often been physically and even sexually abused, have relocated frequently, and many of them may be asked to leave home or are actually thrown out, or alternatively are placed in group homes or in foster care. They often have no one to care for them and no one knows them intimately.

Source from:

Rokach, Ami. "The Causes of Loneliness in Homeless Youth." The Journal of Psychology, 139, 2005, pp. 469-480. Academic Search Premier.

Example: Incorrect Paraphrasing

Example: Correct Paraphrasing

Long Paraphrases

If you paraphrase a source more than once in a single paragraph and no other sources are mentioned in between, provide an in-text citation for the source at the end of each paraphrase. In the examples, the second in-text citation only includes the page number since it is clear that the same source is still being paraphrased.

If your paraphrase continues to another paragraph and/or you include paraphrases from other sources within the same paragraph, repeat the in-text citations for each.

In-text Citation Tips

Repeated use of sources
Sources with same author and publication year
Citing more than one source

If you are using information from a single source more than once in succession (i.e., no other sources referred to in between), you can use a simplified in-text citation.

Note: If using this simplified in-text citation creates ambiguity regarding the source being referred to, use the full in-text citation format.

When you are citing two different sources that share the same author, for the Works Cited List list the first title only, and for any subsequent titles by the same author list three dashes (---) in place of the author name.

For in-text citations, include a shortened version of the source title following the author name.

If you would like to cite more than one source within the same in-text citation, simply record the in-text citations as normal and separate them with a semi-colon (;).

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Last Updated: Mar 13, 2024 8:51 AM
URL: https://columbiabasin.libguides.com/MLA

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MLA Citation Guide (9th Edition): In-Text Citation

What Kind of Source Is This?
Advertisements
Books, eBooks & Pamphlets
Book Reviews
Class Handouts, Presentations, and Readings
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
Government Documents
Images, Artwork, Charts, Graphs & Tables
Interviews and Emails (Personal Communications)
Journal Articles
Magazine Articles
Newspaper Articles
Primary Sources
Religious Texts
Social Media
Videos & DVDs
In-Text Citation

Works Quoted in Another Source

No Author, No Date etc.
Works Cited List & Sample Paper
Annotated Bibliography
Powerpoint Presentations

Number of Authors/Editors	Format of In-Text Citation
One	(Author's Last Name Page Number) Example: (Case 57)
Two	(Author's Last Name and Author's Last Name Page Number) Example: (Case and Daristotle 57)
Three or more	(Author's Last Name et al. Page Number) Example: (Case et al. 57)

If you're using information from a single source more than once in a row (with no other sources referred to in between), you can use a simplified in-text citation. The first time you use information from the source, use a full in-text citation. The second time, you only need to give the page number.

Note: If using this simplified in-text citation creates ambiguity regarding the source being referred to, use the full in-text citation format.

If you would like to cite more than one source within the same in-text citation, simply record the in-text citations as normal and separate them with a semi-colon.

(Smith 42; Bennett 71).

( It Takes Two ; Brock 43).

Note: The sources within the in-text citation do not need to be in alphabetical order for MLA style.

What Is a Long Quotation?

If your quotation is longer than four lines, it is a considered a long quotation. This can also be referred to as a block quotation.

Rules for Long Quotations

There are 4 rules that apply to long quotations that are different from regular quotations:

Place a colon at the end of the line that you write to introduce your long quotation.
Indent the long quotation 0.5 inches from the rest of the text, so it looks like a block of text.
Do not put quotation marks around the quotation.
Place the period at the end of the quotation before your in-text citation instead of after , as with regular quotations.

Example of a Long Quotation

Vivian Gornick describes the process of maturing as a reader as a reckoning with human limitations:

Suddenly, literature, politics, and analysis came together, and I began to think more inclusively about the emotional

imprisonment of mind and spirit to which all human beings are heir. In the course of analytic time, it became apparent

that—with or without the burden of social justice—the effort required to attain any semblance of inner freedom was

extraordinary. Great literature, I then realized, is a record not of the achievement, but of the effort.

With this insight as my guiding light, I began to interpret the lives and work of women and men alike who had

spent their years making literature. (x-xi)

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Last Updated: Apr 15, 2024 11:24 AM
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MLA 9 Citation Style: Direct Quotes, Paraphrasing, Summarizing

Textbook With One Author
Textbook With Two Authors
Textbook With Three or More Authors
Textbook as an Anthology or Edited Book
Textbook Work Within an Anthology or Edited Book
Textbook Two or More from an Anthology or Edited Book
Textbook with One Author (Mobile)
Textbook with Two Authors (Mobile)
Textbook with Three or More Authors (Mobile)
Textbook as an Anthology or Edited Book (Mobile)
Textbook Work Within an Anthology or Edited Book (Mobile)
Textbook Two or More from an Anthology or Edited Book (Mobile)
Two Authors
Three or More Authors
Anthology or Edited Book
Work in an Anthology or Edited Book
Two or More Selections from the Same Anthology or Edited Book
Journal Article (Print)
Journal Article (Online)
Newspaper Articles (Print)
Newspaper Articles (Online)
Database Article with One Author
Database Article with Two Authors
Database Article with More Than Three Authors
Database Previously Published Scholarly Article (Blooms, MasterPlots, Literary Reference Center)
Online Government Publication
Website with an Author’s/Contributor’s Name
Website with No Author’s/Contributor’s Name
Web Page with Author
Web Page with No Author’s/Contributor’s Name
Art – From a Book
Art – From a Web Page
Picture/Photo Online -- General
Motion Picture -- DVD
Motion Picture -- Streaming
Video -- Online (YouTube, etc.)
An Interview You Conducted
Lecture Notes, PowerPoints, or Handouts from Class
In-Text Citations
Works Cited Page
Popular vs. Scholarly Sources
Direct Quotes, Paraphrasing, Summarizing

Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarizing

You already know that you need to use various kinds of resources when you are researching. Now things can get a little more complicated when trying to use those resources in your assignments.

We find that most students accidently plagiarize because they don’t know how to correctly quote, paraphrase, and/or summarize information they are trying to incorporate into their papers. Or how and when to cite things.

So, what's the difference?

(Venn_quote, n.d.)

Direct Quotes

Quotes are the exact words that the author has used, word for word. When quoting, you must use quotation marks and include an in-text citation .

According to the MLA Handbook, quotes should be "used selectively" and should "be as brief as possible" (75).

Rather, most professors prefer you to paraphrase or summarize information from your source because it demonstrates that you really understand what you're writing about.

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing means putting the information you could have quoted into your own words, but keeping the intention of the original source. Paraphrases do not have quotation marks because you are using your own words, yet still must include an in-text citation at the end of the part you are paraphrasing.

Summarizing

When you summarize information, it's really a shorter version of the original source where you relate the overall meaning from the source. Like when paraphrasing, when you summarize you must still include an in-text citation at the end of the part you are summarizing.

Works Cited

The Modern Language Association of America. MLA Handbook , 8th edition. The Modern Language Association of America, 2016.

"Venn_quote." Dallas Learning Cloud , n.d., dlc.dcccd.edu/embed.php?key=dcccd+1dcccd234+englishcomp1rlc-units/quoting-paraphrasing-and-summarizing. Accessed 9 Sep 2019.

Additional Resources

When to Summarize, Paraphrase, and Quote (George Mason University's Writing Center)
Paraphrasing and Quoting 101 (IRSC Libraries)
Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing (Purdue University's Online Writing Lab)
Quoting and Paraphrasing (University of Wisconsin's Writing Center)
<< Previous: Popular vs. Scholarly Sources
Last Updated: Mar 7, 2024 10:33 AM
URL: https://warren.libguides.com/MLA9

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Scribbr MLA Citation Generator

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⚙️ Styles	MLA 9 & MLA 8
📚 Source types	Websites, books, articles
🔎 Autocite	Search by title, URL, DOI, or ISBN

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How to cite in MLA format

MLA is one of the most common citation styles used by students and academics. This quick guide explains how to cite sources according to the 9th edition (the most recent) of the MLA Handbook . You can also use Scribbr’s free citation generator to automatically generate references and in-text citations.

An MLA citation has two components:

In-text citation : Every time you quote or paraphrase a source, you cite the author and the page number in parentheses.
Works Cited : At the end of your paper, you give a full reference for every source you cited, alphabetized by the author’s last name.

MLA Works Cited list

The list of Works Cited (also known as the bibliography or reference page) gives full details of every source you cited in your text. Each entry is built from nine core elements:

Following this format, you can create a citation for any type of source—for example, a book , journal article , website , or movie . You only include information that’s relevant to the type of source you’re citing.

Missing information in MLA citations

Regardless of the source type, the most important elements of any MLA citation are the author , the source title , and the publication date. If any of these are missing from the source, the Works Cited entry will look slightly different.

What’s missing?	What to do	Works Cited example
No author	Start with the source title instead. Alphabetize by the first word (ignoring ).	“Australia fires: ‘Catastrophic’ alerts in South Australia and Victoria.” , 20 Nov. 2019, www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50483410.
No title	Give a brief description of the source. Use sentence case and no italics or quotation marks.	Mackintosh, Charles Rennie. Chair of stained oak. 1897–1900, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
No date	Leave out the publication date. Add the date you accessed the source at the end of the citation.	“Who are Scribbr Editors?” , www.scribbr.com/about-us/editors/. Accessed 10 June 2019.

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MLA in-text citations

MLA in-text citations are brief references that direct your reader to the full source entry. You include them every time you quote , block quote , paraphrase or summarize a source.

The in-text citation must match the first word of the Works Cited entry—usually the author’s last name . It also includes a page number or range to help the reader locate the relevant passage.

Author	What to do	Citation example
1 author	Give the author’s last name.	(Wallace 11–12)
2 authors	Give both author’s last names.	(Wallace and Armstrong 11–12)
3+ authors	Name the first author followed by “et al.”	(Wallace et al. 11–12)
Corporate author	If a source was created by an organization other than the publisher, use the organization name as author.	(U.S. Global Change Research Program 22)
No author	If the author is the same as the publisher, or if no author is credited, use the source title instead. Format the title the same as in the full Works Cited reference, and shorten if it is more than four words.	(“Australia Fires”)
Multiple sources by the same author	Include the title (or a shortened version) after the author’s name in each source citation.	(Morrison, , 73) (Morrison, , 45)

If you already named the author in your sentence, include only the page number in parentheses:

Sources with no page numbers

If the source has no page numbers, you either use an alternative locator, or leave the page number out of the citation:

Source type	What to do	Citation example
Audiovisual source (e.g. a or )	Give the time range of the relevant section.	(Arnold 03:15–03:21).
Source with numbered sections (e.g. an )	Give a paragraph, section, or chapter number.	(Smith, par. 38) (Rowling, ch. 6)
Source with no numbered sections (e.g. a )	Leave out the page number.	(Barker)

Tools and resources

Besides the MLA Citation Generator, Scribbr provides many more helpful tools and resources;

Citation generator : Generate flawless APA , MLA , and Harvard citations in seconds
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AI detector: Find out if your text was written with ChatGPT or any other AI writing tool. ChatGPT 2 & ChatGPT 3 supported.
Proofreading services : Hire a professional editor to improve your writing
Citation checker : Check your work for citation errors and missing citations.
Guides and videos : Explore hundreds of articles, bite-sized videos, time-saving templates, and handy checklists that guide you through the process of research, writing, and citation.

Copy of Writing, Citing, Tutoring, and Studying Resources: MLA

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MLA Citation Examples

General Information for Works Cited Page

The term Works Cited is centered, and not bold, italicized, or underlined.
Double space all entries in the works cited and arrange entries alphabetically.
Apply the hanging indent to all entries: first line begins at the margin, subsequent lines begin ½ inch from the margin.
Title of source.
Title of container,
Other contributors,
Publication date,
Always end a citation with a period, even when a URL is the final element in the citation.
Use italics (instead of underlining) for titles of larger works (books, magazines) and quotation marks for titles of shorter works (poems, articles).
For web resources, you may include an access date if the source is likely to change. Delete http:// from the beginning of web addresses.

Digital Examples

An Article from an Online Article Database

Chaitlin, Julia and Dan Bar-On. "Emotional Memories of Family Relationships During the Holocaust." Journal of Loss and Trauma , vol. 7, no. 4, 2002, pp. 299-326. Academic Search Premiere , doi: 10.1080/10811440290057701.

An Article from an Online Periodical

Yi, Kei-Mu. "Can Vertical Specialization Explain the Growth of World Trade?" Journal of Political Economy, vol. 111, no. 1, 2003, pp. 52-102, www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/344805.

An Article from an Online Newspaper or News Service

Flores, Rosa. “A debt-free college for students who struggle more.” CNN.com , 2 Sept. 2016, www.cnn.com/2016/09/01/health/chicago-community-college-arrupe/index.html. Accessed 7 Sept. 2016.

Demaria, Robert. British Literature 1640-1789: An Anthology . 4 th ed., Wiley, 2016. Ebook Central , ebookcentral.proquest.com.dml.regis.edu/lib/ca/detail.action?docID=4205823.

An Institutional or Organization Web Site (corporate author)

University of Mississippi English Department. The Mississippi Writers Page . U of Mississippi, 2008, mwp.olemiss.edu.

An Online Government Publication

United States Dept. of State. “U. S. Relations with Belarus.” Bureau of Public Affairs, 6 Sept. 2016, www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5371.htm.

Print Examples

Gup, Ted. Nation of Secrets: The Threat to Democracy and the American Way of Life . Doubleday, 2007.

Book Chapters

Higson, Andrew. “The Concept of National Cinema.” Film and Nationalism , edited by Alan Williams, Rutgers UP, 2002, pp 52-67.

Print Journal Articles

David, Craig R. “A Perfect Marriage on the Rocks: Geoffrey and Philippa Chaucer, and the Franklin’s Tale .” Chaucer Review, vol. 37, no. 2, 2002, pp. 129-44.

Wasserman, David, and Alan Strudler. “Can a Nonconsequentialist Count Lives?” Philosophy & Public Affairs , vol. 31, no. 1, 2003, pp. 71-94.

Newspaper Articles

Barron, James. “Broadway Stars, Out a Bit Early.” New York Times , 18 Feb. 2003, late ed., pp. B1+.

Encyclopedias

Kersten, Holger. “Tramps and Hobos.” American History through Literature: 1870 – 1920 , edited by Tom Quirk and Gary Scharnhorst, Scribner’s, 2006. 3 vols.

Government Publications

United States Dept. of Education. Helping Your Child Succeed in School . Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs, Government Printing Office, 2002.

Videorecordings

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter . Directed by Robert Ellis Miller, performances by Alan Arkin and Sondra Locke, Warner Bros., 1968.

Research Help | [email protected]

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MLA In-Text Citation

In-text Citations

When citing from a specific page in a work, include the last name of the author, and the page number(s). When referring to one work by one author , use the following format:

The Marriage-Go-Round is about the conflicting values of individualism and marital commitment in American culture (Cherlin 19).

When the author’s name is already clear from the narrative of your paper , include only the page number within the parentheses at the end of the sentence:

Kovats-Bernat found that street children are active participants in Haitian society and culture (6).

When quoting a source, include the parenthetical citation after the quote:

“For the children who live on them, Port-au-Prince streets are deeply personal and subjective spaces, as these children identify with the street as their home” (Kovats-Bernat 36).

When citing from an entire work , include the last name of the author(s) but do not include page numbers in the parenthetical citation (if using).

Additional Examples & Formatting

A work by two authors: (Hartmann and Slapničar 89)

A work by three or more authors: (Martens et al. 293)

A work by an organization: (National Center for Health Statistics 12-13)

A source with no author: If no author is available, shorten or abbreviate the title of the source so that it is easily identified. When using a title (or part thereof) in an in-text citation, place quotation marks around an article or book chapter; italicize a book title: (“Palau officially” 20)

An indirect source: If the original source is unavailable when quoting or paraphrasing a quote, write “qtd. in” before the author and page(s): (qtd. in Smith 54)

A web source: Follow the previous examples based on the author, if needed. Page numbers or URLs are not necessary in parenthetical citations for online resources. Parenthetical citations may not be needed for sources from the web.

A journal article : If in print or PDF form with page numbers available, include in the citation. If in HTML form or other digital form without page numbers, do not include them.

Research Help

Research Help hours 303-458-4031 1-800-388-2366 x4031 [email protected] Schedule a research consultation

Printable Handouts

MLA Works Cited Handout, 9th edition
MLA In-text Citations Handout, 9th edition

MLA Sample Paper

MLA Sample Paper from Purdue OWL

MLA Formatting and Style Guides

MLA Formatting and Style Guide Purdue OWL's guide to MLA formatting and citation style.
MLA Formatting and Style PowerPoint Slide presentation from Purdue OWL
MLA Works Cited Page by SVSU Writing Center

MLA Style Tutorials

MLA Audio-Video Tutorials by Purdue OWL
Official MLA Style Center

Free Citation Generators

The library does not guarantee the citations created by the following services. It is suggested that all citations are thoroughly checked after creation.

EasyBib- Free MLA citation generator.

Mendeley - Free, downloadable "reference manager".

Zotero- Free, open source tool to help you collect, organize, and cite your research sources.

KnightCite - Maintained by the Heckman Library at Calvin College. Cite in APA, MLA, and Chicago.

UCSU Citation Builder - Created and managed by NCSU Libraries. Cite in APA, MLA, and Chicago.

Reference Management Tools

Zotero Basics This is a 3 part tutorial by Kimberly Kemp, Research & Instruction Librarian introducing the basics of using Zotero to manage your references and citing while you write.
Mendeley Basics This is a 3-part tutorial on the basics of using Mendeley by Research & Instruction Librarian Kimberly Kemp.
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Free Tools for Students
MLA Citation Generator

Free MLA Citation Generator

Generate accurate citations in MLA format automatically, with MyBib!

😕 What is an MLA Citation Generator?

An MLA citation generator is a software tool designed to automatically create academic citations in the Modern Language Association (MLA) citation format. The generator will take information such as document titles, author, and URLs as in input, and output fully formatted citations that can be inserted into the Works Cited page of an MLA-compliant academic paper.

The citations on a Works Cited page show the external sources that were used to write the main body of the academic paper, either directly as references and quotes, or indirectly as ideas.

👩‍🎓 Who uses an MLA Citation Generator?

MLA style is most often used by middle school and high school students in preparation for transition to college and further education. Ironically, MLA style is not actually used all that often beyond middle and high school, with APA (American Psychological Association) style being the favored style at colleges across the country.

It is also important at this level to learn why it's critical to cite sources, not just how to cite them.

🙌 Why should I use a Citation Generator?

Writing citations manually is time consuming and error prone. Automating this process with a citation generator is easy, straightforward, and gives accurate results. It's also easier to keep citations organized and in the correct order.

The Works Cited page contributes to the overall grade of a paper, so it is important to produce accurately formatted citations that follow the guidelines in the official MLA Handbook .

⚙️ How do I use MyBib's MLA Citation Generator?

It's super easy to create MLA style citations with our MLA Citation Generator. Scroll back up to the generator at the top of the page and select the type of source you're citing. Books, journal articles, and webpages are all examples of the types of sources our generator can cite automatically. Then either search for the source, or enter the details manually in the citation form.

The generator will produce a formatted MLA citation that can be copied and pasted directly into your document, or saved to MyBib as part of your overall Works Cited page (which can be downloaded fully later!).

MyBib supports the following for MLA style:

⚙️ Styles	MLA 8 & MLA 9
📚 Sources	Websites, books, journals, newspapers
🔎 Autocite	Yes
📥 Download to	Microsoft Word, Google Docs

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

ENGL 1301/INRW 0340: Ackers Summer '24: Writing & Citing in MLA

ACC Databases in Support of ENGL 1301 Research Paper Assignment
Finding Books, eBooks, and Streaming Videos
Finding Articles: Understanding Databases
Finding Articles: Searching in Databases
Writing & Citing in MLA
Search Exercise
Recognizing Fake News and Misinformation

Stumped by a Citation Question?

Ask a librarian, crediblehulk.

Edmunds, Anne. "Credible Hulk." 2019, Flickr https://flic.kr/p/2ea9z63.

Citing Sources Video Tutorial
Using Citation Tools Video Tutorial
Using a Database Email Tool Video Tutorial
How to Create a Hanging Indent in Word
How to Create a Hanging Indent in Google Docs
How to Set-up Your Software for MLA Format (Word, Mac, Google Docs)

Citation, Grammar, and Writing Help

MLA Citation Guides:

MLA Documentation Guide -- F rom ACC Library Services. Also available in PDF format .
MLA Style Center -- Writing resources from the Modern Langauge Association including a Works Cited quick guide, a digital citation tool, instructions for formatting in-text citations, and more.
OWL Purdue MLA Style Guide -- Produced by Purdue University, this site covers the general format and guidelines of MLA Style and gives detailed information about constructing in-text MLA citations and creating works cited lists.

Grammar and Writing Guides:

Excelsior Online Writi ng Lab MLA Style Guide -- Produced by Excelsior College, this guide provides information regarding MLA basic formatting, in-text citations, Works Cited entries, and writing and grammar guides.
University of Illinois Writer's Workshop -- Created by the University of Illinois, these resources are designed to help you better understand writing processes, academic writing expectations, how to manage long-term writing projects, writing for job searches and applications. Additionally, we have resources for linguistically diverse writers, such as multilingual and generation 1.5 writers.
Purdue Online Writing Lab: Grammar -- These OWL resources will help you use correct grammar in your writing. This area includes resources on grammar topics, such as count and noncount nouns, articles (a versus an), subject-verb agreement, and prepositions.
William & Mary: Writing Resources Center -- Writing and grammar guides and resources from the William & Mary University Writing Resources Center.
University of Wisconsin-Madison: The Writing Center: Quoting and Paraphrasing -- Explanations of when and how to use direct quotations and when and how to paraphrase.
Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching: Bloom's Taxonomy -- Explanation with graphics and definitions of Bloom's Taxonomy

Online Citation Generators - Listed below are several online citation generators that you may find helpful. Remember to always check the citations that these generators create for accuracy before adding them to your Works Cited list!

CiteThisForMe
Citation Machine

Academic Honesty/Plagiarism Tutorial

ACC Libraries Tutorial: Academic Honesty/Plagiarism

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Last Updated: Jun 25, 2024 4:01 PM
URL: https://researchguides.austincc.edu/AckersENGLINRW

ENGL 1102 Abbott Summer 2024

Research Paper Assignment
Let's Begin
Library Catalog
MLA Citation Guidelines
Tutoring at Decatur

Citation Resources

- BibMe Film Citations Guide

- GSU MLA Citation LibGuide

- MLA Style Center Citation Guide

- Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab)

MLA Works Cited Page Basics

From the purdue owl -.

Begin your Works Cited page on a separate page at the end of your research paper. It should have the same one-inch margins and last name, page number header as the rest of your paper.
Only the title should be centered. The citation entries themselves should be aligned with the left margin.
Double space all citations, but do not skip spaces between entries.
Indent the second and subsequent lines of citations by 0.5 inches to create a hanging indent.
List page numbers of sources efficiently, when needed. If you refer to a journal article that appeared on pages 225 through 250, list the page numbers on your Works Cited page as pp. 225-50 (Note: MLA style dictates that you should omit the first sets of repeated digits. In our example, the digit in the hundreds place is repeated between 2 25 and 2 50, so you omit the 2 from 250 in the citation: pp. 225-50). If the excerpt spans multiple pages, use “pp.” Note that MLA style uses a hyphen in a span of pages.
If only one page of a print source is used, mark it with the abbreviation “p.” before the page number (e.g., p.157). If a span of pages is used, mark it with the abbreviation “pp.” before the page number (e.g., pp.157-68).
If you're citing an article or a publication that was originally issued in print form but that you retrieved from an online database, you should type the online database name in italics. You do not need to provide subscription information in addition to the database name.

MLA In-Text Citing Basics

Two types of non-print sources you may encounter are films and lectures/presentations:

In the two examples above “Herzog” (a film’s director) and “Yates” (a presenter) lead the reader to the first item in each citation’s respective entry on the Works Cited page:

Herzog, Werner, dir. Fitzcarraldo . Perf. Klaus Kinski. Filmverlag der Autoren, 1982.

Yates, Jane. "Invention in Rhetoric and Composition." Gaps Addressed: Future Work in Rhetoric and Composition, CCCC, Palmer

House Hilton, 2002. Address.

Citing Films or Movies

List films by their title. include the name of the director, the film studio or distributor, and the release year. if relevant, list performer names after the director's name..

Speed Racer . Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, performances by Emile Hirsch, Nicholas Elia, Susan Sarandon, Ariel

Winter, and John Goodman, Warner Brothers, 2008.

To emphasize specific performers or directors, begin the citation with the name of the desired performer or director, followed by the appropriate title for that person.

Lucas, George, director. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope . Twentieth Century Fox, 1977.

<< Previous: Databases
Next: Tutoring at Decatur >>
Last Updated: Jun 27, 2024 2:51 PM
URL: https://research.library.gsu.edu/ENGL1102AbbottSummer2024

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Article Pakistan: Controversial Punjab Defamation Act Signed into Law

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On May 20, 2024, the Punjab Provincial Assembly passed the Punjab Defamation Act 2024 amid strong protest from opposition lawmakers and media stakeholders. It was signed into law on June 7 by Acting Governor Malik Ahmed Khan.

The bill’s Statement of Objects and Reasons (p.10) says it

envisages legal protection from false, misleading, and defamatory claims made via print, electronic, and social media against public officials and private citizens. These claims and assertions violate peoples’ privacy and damage the reputation and image of public figures or the government by defaming, slandering, and libeling them. This Bill is necessary to contain such unwarranted criticism and dislike for a person or authority.

As reported by Dawn news , the bill was vetted by a special committee instead of a typical standing committee, and on May 13 was moved and tabled by Punjab Minister for Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman. A request was made from opposition lawmakers for proposed amendments and a delay in voting, which was rejected.

Main Features of the Law

Section 3 of the act makes “defamation” actionable as a “civil wrong” and a person can initiate an action “without proof of actual damage or loss and, where defamation is proved, General Damages shall be presumed to have been suffered by the person defamed.” (§ 3.) Defamation is defined in the act to mean:

publication, broadcast or circulation of a false or untrue statement or representation made orally or in writing or visual form either by ordinary form or expression or by electronic or other modern medium, means or devices or through social media or any online or social media website, application or platform, which injures or may have the effect of injuring the reputation of a person or tends to lower him in the estimation of others, or ridicules him, or exposes him to unjust criticism, disliking, contempt or hatred, and such defamation shall also include comments, statements and representations targeted towards certain genders and minorities as contained in section 14 of this Act. (§ 2(h).)

A person accused of defamation shall have a defense if he can show that:

he was performing journalistic activities and broadcasted true news for the information of the public;
he was analyzing or discussing a situation in a fair and transparent manner in the public interest through online platform;
the matter commented on is fair and in the public interest and is an expression of opinion and not an assertion of fact;
the statement is based on truth;
assent was given for the publication by the claimant;
the matter complained of was privileged communication such as between lawyer and client or between persons having fiduciary relations; and
the matter is covered by absolute or qualified privilege. (§ 4.)

Absolute privilege pertains to the publication of statements, reports, notes and proceedings made in federal and provincial legislative assemblies. Qualified privilege applies to “[a]ny fair and accurate publication or broadcast of parliamentary proceedings, or judicial proceedings which the public may attend and statements made to the proper authorities in order to procure the redress of public grievances.” (§§ 5, 6.)

Section 8 gives the provincial government the authority to establish civil tribunals to try defamation cases. Under section 13, defendants must file an application seeking permission from the tribunal to defend the claim against them. If the defendant fails to obtain leave to defend, “the allegations of fact in the claim shall be deemed to be admitted and the Tribunal shall forthwith pass a preliminary decree of General Damages in favour of the Claimant on the basis thereof or such other material as the Tribunal may require in the interest of justice.” “General Damages” are set under the Bill at a minimum of 3,000,000 rupees (around US$10,750). (§ 2(k).)

If the case proceeds beyond the preliminary decree and the claim is proven, the tribunal can also impose “special” damages. (§ 2(w) & 21.) In case of “false, frivolous and vexatious claims,” the tribunal shall order “punitive damages” against claimants. (§ 20.)

In addition to damages, the tribunal has the authority to order the defendant to “tender an unconditional apology” and also to “issue a direction to the relevant regulatory authority to suspend or block the social media account of the Defendant, or any other medium or platform covered by this Act through which the defamatory content was disseminated.” (§ 21.)

Cases against persons who are “holders of a Constitutional Office” are instead tried by a special bench of the Lahore High Court. (§ 10(4).)

Reaction to the Law

Opposition lawmakers and media stakeholders have protested against the passage of the law for not taking into account proposed amendments to the bill and that “opposition members of the special committee were not present during the vetting of the bill.” Human rights groups also criticized the haste with which the bill was passed, with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan stating that “[f]ive days is too short a period for any meaningful consultation with civil society and digital and mainstream media stakeholders on what is a complex legal proposal affecting an entire digital ecosystem of opinion makers.”

The International Federation of Journalists and its affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists condemned the bill, “highlight[ing] its potential to be weaponised against critics of the governments.”

The bill was signed into law by the acting governor after Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider, who had previously expressed reservations about it and pledged to consult with media stakeholders before signing it, took leave to travel abroad . Hours after it was granted assent, journalists challenged the law before the Lahore High Court as being “ unconstitutional, unlawful and against the principles of the law .” On June 12, the Court placed a temporary suspension on certain sections of the law pending a final judgment.

Tariq Ahmad, Law Library of Congress June 26, 2024

Read more Global Legal Monitor articles .

About this Item

Pakistan: Controversial Punjab Defamation Act Signed into Law

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Global Legal Monitor (7,684)
Law Library of Congress (423,213)
Civil Actions
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of the Press

Jurisdiction

Article author.

Ahmad, Tariq

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Publications of the Library of Congress are works of the United States Government as defined in the United States Code 17 U.S.C. §105 and therefore are not subject to copyright and are free to use and reuse. The Library of Congress has no objection to the international use and reuse of Library U.S. Government works on loc.gov . These works are also available for worldwide use and reuse under CC0 1.0 Universal.

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For guidance about compiling full citations consult Citing Primary Sources.

Credit Line: Law Library of Congress

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Ahmad, Tariq. Pakistan: Controversial Punjab Defamation Act Signed into Law . 2024. Web Page. https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2024-06-25/pakistan-controversial-punjab-defamation-act-signed-into-law/.

APA citation style:

Ahmad, T. (2024) Pakistan: Controversial Punjab Defamation Act Signed into Law . [Web Page] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2024-06-25/pakistan-controversial-punjab-defamation-act-signed-into-law/.

MLA citation style:

Ahmad, Tariq. Pakistan: Controversial Punjab Defamation Act Signed into Law . 2024. Web Page. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2024-06-25/pakistan-controversial-punjab-defamation-act-signed-into-law/>.

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By following the guidelines of the MLA style and including an accurate citation, you can avoid accusations of plagiarism. MLA stands for the Modern Language Association, which is a scholarly association dedicated to the study and advancement of languages. The MLA style comes from their published MLA Handbook, which provides rules and guidelines ...
Paraphrasing
6 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing. Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning. Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card. Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the ...
MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics
In-text citations: Author-page style. MLA format follows the author-page method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the page number (s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in the text, and a complete reference should appear on your Works Cited page. The author's name may appear either in the ...
MLA In-text Citations
Revised on March 5, 2024. An MLA in-text citation provides the author's last name and a page number in parentheses. If a source has two authors, name both. If a source has more than two authors, name only the first author, followed by " et al. ". If the part you're citing spans multiple pages, include the full page range.
Paraphrasing in MLA
Once you understand the system for citing your sources in MLA style, paraphrasing is easy. You can use this process to cite your sources when paraphrasing, summarizing, or using direct quotes. 1. Create a works cited page. Both a works cited page and a bibliography list sources that were used in the making of your paper.
Citations
If you would like to cite more than one source within the same in-text citation, simply record the in-text citations as normal and separate them with a semi-colon. Examples: (Smith 42; Bennett 71). (It Takes Two; Brock 43). Note: The sources within the in-text citation do not need to be in alphabetical order for MLA style.
MLA Formatting and Style Guide
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (9th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.
Library Guides: MLA Quick Citation Guide: In-text Citation
Include an in-text citation when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source. For every in-text citation in your paper, there must be a corresponding entry in your reference list. MLA in-text citation style uses the author's last name and the page number from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken, for example: (Smith ...
MLA Style Guide, 8th & 9th Editions: How to Paraphrase and Quote
In-text Citations Toggle Dropdown. About In-text Citations ; In-text Examples ; How to Paraphrase and Quote ; Citing Poetry ; Formatting Your MLA Paper; Formatting Your Works Cited List; MLA Annotated Bibliography; MLA 9th Edition Quick Guide; Submit Your Paper for MLA Style Review
How To
In-text Citations Toggle Dropdown. About In-text Citations ; In-text Examples ; How to Paraphrase and Quote ; Formatting Your MLA Paper; Formatting Your Works Cited List; MLA Annotated Bibliography; Using Zotero This link opens in a new window; Using Mendeley This link opens in a new window; Citation Styles This link opens in a new window
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing. When you write information or ideas from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion. Paraphrasing from One Page. Include a full in-text citation with the author name and page number (if there is one). For example: Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic ...
Student's Guide to MLA Style (2021)
This guide follows the 9th edition (the most recent) of the MLA Handbook, published by the Modern Language Association in 2021. To cite sources in MLA style, you need. In-text citations that give the author's last name and a page number. A list of Works Cited that gives full details of every source. Make sure your paper also adheres to MLA ...
LibGuides: MLA Style Guide: 8th Edition: Paraphrase/Summary
Paraphrasing is often used because it is easier to integrate into the text of a paper. Remember though, you must still cite your source using author name and page number: Author Incorporated into Text. Kafka describes the insecurities of his youth, analyzing his social shortcomings in school and his rocky relationship with his father (44-46).
If my paraphrase consists of several sentences ...
No. The citation should appear only after the final sentence of the paraphrase. If, however, it will be unclear to your reader where your source's idea begins, include the author of the source in your prose rather than in a parenthetical citation. For example, the following is a paraphrase from an essay by Naomi S. …
MLA Paraphrasing: How to Do It & Examples
Paraphrasing Examples with MLA Citation. Original Text Paraphrased Version Citation Style ... Paraphrasing, in the context of MLA style writing, refers to the practice of rephrasing someone else's words or ideas in your own words while retaining the original meaning. It is a way to incorporate information from sources into your research paper ...
MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): Quoting vs. Paraphrasing
Make sure to include an in-text citation. Paraphrasing is used to show that you understand what the author wrote. You must reword the passage, expressing the ideas in your own words, and not just change a few words here and there. ... The sources within the in-text citation do not need to be in alphabetical order for MLA style. << Previous ...
LibGuides: MLA Citation Guide (9th Edition): In-Text Citation
If you would like to cite more than one source within the same in-text citation, simply record the in-text citations as normal and separate them with a semi-colon. Examples: (Smith 42; Bennett 71). (It Takes Two; Brock 43). Note: The sources within the in-text citation do not need to be in alphabetical order for MLA style.
MLA 9 Citation Style: Direct Quotes, Paraphrasing, Summarizing
Paraphrasing . Paraphrasing means putting the information you could have quoted into your own words, but keeping the intention of the original source. Paraphrases do not have quotation marks because you are using your own words, yet still must include an in-text citation at the end of the part you are paraphrasing. Summarizing
Free MLA Citation Generator
How to cite in MLA format. MLA is one of the most common citation styles used by students and academics. This quick guide explains how to cite sources according to the 9th edition (the most recent) of the MLA Handbook.You can also use Scribbr's free citation generator to automatically generate references and in-text citations.. An MLA citation has two components:
Copy of Writing, Citing, Tutoring, and Studying Resources: MLA
In-text Citations. When citing from a specific page in a work, include the last name of the author, and the page number(s). When referring to one work by one author, use the following format:. The Marriage-Go-Round is about the conflicting values of individualism and marital commitment in American culture (Cherlin 19).. When the author's name is already clear from the narrative of your paper ...
Free MLA Citation Generator [Updated for 2024]
Scroll back up to the generator at the top of the page and select the type of source you're citing. Books, journal articles, and webpages are all examples of the types of sources our generator can cite automatically. Then either search for the source, or enter the details manually in the citation form. The generator will produce a formatted MLA ...
A Guide to In-Text Citation
When paraphrasing a source, you should include the author's name, publication date, and page number(s) where the original material was taken from. Example: Paraphrase with APA Style in-text citation If you feel afraid during a nightmare, it may mean that your worries are temporary and will resolve soon (Miller, 1988, p. 250).
Free MLA Citation Generator: Accurate Citations in Seconds—QuillBot AI
Generate flawless MLA citations with our user-friendly MLA format generator. Simplify referencing with our MLA citation generator for precise citation generation and formatting. ... QuillBot University Paraphrasing Guide AI Writing Assistant QuillBot Blog Meaning.io. Services. Premium Team Plan Affiliate Request a Demo. Get to Know Us. QuillBot ...
Free Citation Generator: APA, MLA & Chicago Style—QuillBot AI
Get 100% accurate citations for free. QuillBot's Citation Generator can quickly and easily create references for books, articles, and web pages in APA, MLA, Chicago, and many more styles. Follow the simple steps below to create, edit, and export both in-text and full citations for your source material.
MLA Citation Guide (9th Edition): Quoting vs. Paraphrasing
When quoting place quotation marks (" ") around the selected passage to show where the quote begins and where it ends. Make sure to include an in-text citation. Paraphrasing is used to show that you understand what the author wrote. You must reword the passage, expressing the ideas in your own words, and not just change a few words here and there.
ENGL 1301/INRW 0340: Ackers Summer '24: Writing & Citing in MLA
Grammar and Writing Guides: Excelsior Online Writi ng Lab MLA Style Guide-- Produced by Excelsior College, this guide provides information regarding MLA basic formatting, in-text citations, Works Cited entries, and writing and grammar guides.; University of Illinois Writer's Workshop-- Created by the University of Illinois, these resources are designed to help you better understand writing ...
How to Cite ChatGPT
For source pages, APA style calls for the author's name, the date, and a source link. In the case of ChatGPT, APA style says that you also cite the developer and the language model: OpenAI (2024 ...
How to Cite Sources
Chicago style format uses a Bibliography page to list all of the full citations used within a body of work. Let's take a look at how to cite Chicago style. In-text Citations. The structure for a Chicago style Author-Date in-text citation is as follows: (author's last name publication year, page number or range) or (Agarwal 2019, 88-90).
MLA Citation Guidelines
- MLA Style Center Citation Guide - Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) MLA Works Cited Page Basics. ... pp. 225-50). If the excerpt spans multiple pages, use "pp." Note that MLA style uses a hyphen in a span of pages. If only one page of a print source is used, mark it with the abbreviation "p." before the page number (e.g., p.157). If a ...
Pakistan: Controversial Punjab Defamation Act Signed into Law
On May 20, 2024, the Punjab Provincial Assembly passed the Punjab Defamation Act 2024 amid strong protest from opposition lawmakers and media stakeholders. It was signed into law on June 7 by Acting Governor Malik Ahmed Khan.. The bill's Statement of Objects and Reasons (p.10) says it. envisages legal protection from false, misleading, and defamatory claims made via print, electronic, and ...

Paraphrasing in MLA

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How to paraphrase

How to add an MLA in-text citation

Parenthetical citation

Citation in prose

Example of how to paraphrase

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Other MLA considerations

Key takeaways

Plagiarism Checker

Paraphrasing in MLA

What is MLA style?

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing & citing in MLA style

1. Create a works cited page

2. In-text citations

Key takeaways

Citations - MLA: In-Text Citations - Quotations & Paraphrasing

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Unknown Author

Citing a Source that you Found in Another Source (Secondary Source)

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MLA Formatting and Style Guide

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

Creating a Works Cited list using the ninth edition

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MLA Style Guide, 8th & 9th Editions: How to Paraphrase and Quote

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How To - Use the MLA Style Guide: How to Paraphrase and Quote

How to Paraphrase and Quote

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