MLA Documentation

MLA Documentation In-text citations Adapted from source: Hacker, Diana. Working with Sources: Exercises to Accompany Rules for Writers. 6th edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008.

Every quote, paraphrase, and summary in the paper must give credit to the source where the idea(s) originated. This is done through in-text citations. • In-text citation = author’s last name and page number before the period. (Harvey 3) • If no author is provided, the title is to be used. (“Dancing” 3) • If no page number is provided, the paragraph number is to be used. (“Teaching” par. 5) • Should have AT LEAST one in-text citation per paragraph (with the possible exception of the introduction and the conclusion paragraphs).

The student is quoting from page 26: Hawley, Richard A. Thinking about Drugs and Society: Responding to an Epidemic. New York: Walker, 1988. a. Richard A. Hawley reports that although the ancient Chinese used marijuana for medical purposes, “there is no record of the Chinese using it as a pleasure-producing drug” (26). b. Richard A. Hawley reports that although the ancient Chinese used marijuana for medical purposes, “there is no record of the Chinese using it as a pleasure-producing drug.” (26)

The student is summarizing from page 63: Henningfield, Jack E., and Nancy AlmandAtor. Barbiturates: Sleeping Potion of Intoxicant? New York: Chelsea, 1986. a. Drugs classified as Schedule I by the Drug Enforcement Administration are illegal, even for medical purposes, but they are allowed in authorized experiments (Henningfield 63). b. Drugs classified as Schedule I by the Drug Enforcement Administration are illegal, even for medical purposes, but they are allowed in authorized experiments (Henningfield and Ator 63).

The student is summarizing from page 63: Henningfield, Jack E. and Nancy AlmandAtor. Barbiturates: Sleeping Potion of Intoxicant? New York: Chelsea, 1986. a. Drugs classified as Schedule I by the Drug Enforcement Administration are illegal, even for medical purposes, but they are allowed in authorized experiments (Henningfield 63). b. Drugs classified as Schedule I by the Drug Enforcement Administration are illegal, even for medical purposes, but they are allowed in authorized experiments (Henningfield and Ator 63).

The student is citing from an unsigned source: “Cross-Eyed and Painless.” Economist. 6 July 1991:89. a. Nearly half of 1,035 oncologists surveyed in 1991 said that if smokable marijuana were legal for cancer patients, they would prescribe it (Economist 89). b. Nearly half of 1,035 oncologists surveyed in 1991 said that if smokable marijuana were legal for cancer patients, they would prescribe it (“Cross-Eyed”89).

The student is quoting from page 79: (there are two works by Marshall on the works cited) Marshall, Eliot. Legalization: A Debate. New York: Chelsea, 1988. a. Marshall explains that marijuana can be dangerous for people with heart conditions because its use “can dramatically increase heart rate and blood pressure” (Legalization 79). b. Marshall explains that marijuana can be dangerous for people with heart conditions because its use “can dramatically increase heart rate and blood pressure” (79).

The student is paraphrasing from page 67: (there are two works by Marshall on the works cited) Marshall, Eliot. Legalization: A Debate. New York: Chelsea, 1988. a. The US Drug Enforcement Administration has allowed marijuana to be used in experiments with patients suffering from glaucoma (Legalization 67). b. The US Drug Enforcement Administration has allowed marijuana to be used in experiments with patients suffering from glaucoma (Marshall, Legalization 67).

The student is citing from paragraph 2 of an unpaginated online source: “Drug Intelligence Brief: Mexican Marijuana in the United States. September 1999.” US Drug Enforcement Administration. US Department of Justice. 10 Oct. 2001 <http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/ pubs/intel/9905.html>. a. The Drug Enforcement Administration of the US Department of Justice reports that marijuana use among young people age twelve to seventeen in the United States nearly doubled in the 1990s from 4.3% to 8.3% (“Drug Intelligence Brief” par. 2). b. The Drug Enforcement Administration of the US Department of Justice reports that marijuana use among young people age twelve to seventeen in the United States nearly doubled in the 1990s from 4.3% to 8.3% (“Drug Intelligence Brief”).

The student is quoting and paraphrasing from paragraph 5 of an unpaginated online encyclopedia: “Riot Grrl.” Encyclopedia Britanica. 8 May 2004. <http://britanica.org/brit/riot-grrl>. a. Encyclopedia Britanica notes that the term riot grrl “became an almost meaningless media catch-phrase” that was rarely used by artists themselves (Anonymous par. 5). b. Encyclopedia Britanica notes that the term riot grrl “became an almost meaningless media catch-phrase” that was rarely used by artists themselves (“Riot Grrl” par. 5).

Sample paragraph The shock of the sinking of the Titanic raised many questions. Almost immediately after the disaster, both the United States and Great Britain set up investigations. Through these investigations, the injustices that occurred on the Titanic that night were made public. These were conditions that would “never get by the social consciousness or news sense of today’s press” (Lord 108). There were lifeboats for only half the passengers on board, and of the 1,500 people in the water, only thirteen were picked up by lifeboats (Kingston and Lambert 145). Greatly debated was the treatment of the second-class, third-class, and steerage passengers. Of the women in first-class, only four of 143 drowned (three by choice); fifteen of 93 women in second-class drowned; and 81 of 179 women in third-class drowned. All except one of thirty children in first- and second-class survived, but only twenty three of the seventy-six children in steerage survived (Lord 107).

MLA Documentation