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MLA IN-TEXT CITATION

MLA IN-TEXT CITATION. Introducing the Basics. MLA IN-TEXT CITATION: Basic Principles. The basic principle of MLA in-text citation is that a brief parenthetical reference after a summary, paraphrase, or quotation guides you to a much fuller entry on the Works Cited page.

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MLA IN-TEXT CITATION

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  1. MLA IN-TEXT CITATION Introducing the Basics

  2. MLA IN-TEXT CITATION:Basic Principles • The basic principle of MLA in-text citation is that a brief parenthetical reference after a summary, paraphrase, or quotation guides you to a much fuller entry on the Works Cited page. • The idea is to keep the parenthetical reference AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE. • This is usually done by starting with a SIGNAL PHRASE that includes the author’s name, and then putting only the page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence.

  3. MLA IN-TEXT CITATION = Signal Phrase + Parenthetical Reference • Thomas Smith, a renal specialist on the faculty at Johns Hopkins University, points out that “most kidney cancers have a good prognosis if detected early” (53). • In the first signal phrase, give the author’s full name. • Smith further observes that advanced cancers have a better prognosis if treated aggressively (82). • In subsequent signal phrases, just give the last name.

  4. BASIC RULES • If the author—in this case, Smith—is named in the signal phrase, just give the page number in a parenthetical reference at the end of the sentence before the period (52). • If the author isn’t named in the signal phrase, however, give the author’s last name and the page number in the parenthetical reference (Smith 52). • Note that there is no comma between the last name and page #. • If there is more than one work by the author who’s named in the signal phrase, or if there is NO author, then put a shortened form of the work’s title in the parenthetical reference (“Kidney” 52).

  5. SOME WRINKLES • When the quote ends with a question mark or exclamation point, leave it in. • Smith ends by enthusing, “Kidney cancer is an exciting field!” (72). • Titles of books are always italicized, NOT UNDERLINED. Titles of articles are always in quotation marks. • If there are four or more authors, name only the first followed by the Latin phrase, et al. • In recent years, research on kidney cancer has increased exponentially (Smith et al. 14) • The recent explosion of research in this area is documented in Smith et al. (14).

  6. Incorporating Longer Quotes • When you include a quotation that’s longer than four typed lines: • Don’t use quotation marks • Keep standard double spacing—no extra space above or below • Indent the left margin 1 inch (2 tabs) and don’t alter the right margin • Just to make things more difficult, the parenthetical reference goes AFTER the final period.

  7. Example of Long Quotation in a Research Paper From Purdue OWL sample undergraduate research paper

  8. When in doubt… LOOK IT UP! http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/RES5e_ch08_s1-0001.html

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