What Is the MLA Format for References in an English Paper?

Students writing papers for English courses use the Modern Language Association format for referencing. MLA is also used when writers are not provided with a preferred style of writing or citation by their editors or professors. The MLA format is simpler than other academic citation styles and, according to the SourceAid.com, "focuses on citing information about the author, rather than the date, of the research source." In-text citations are the most commonly used form of referencing in an English paper.
  1. In-Text Citations

    • Parenthetical in-text citations take two forms. If a signal phrase including the author's name is used prior to the quote, then only the page number follows the quoted phrase. If no signal phrase is present, then use the author's surname with the page number upon which the quote is found. Do not place a comma between the author's name and page number. Likewise, the page number is not preceded by an abbreviation for the word "page." If the author's name is unknown, then use an abbreviated form of the cited works' title in its place.

      Suzy Writer stated "cite all your sources" (2).

      The common theme that ran through the article was "cite all your sources" (Writer 2).

    Works Cited Page Format

    • The Works Cited list starts on a separate page from the body of the paper. Like the rest of the paper, the Works Cited page has one-inch margins all around and is double-spaced throughout. Entries are made using a "hanging indent," meaning the first line is flush with the left margin and the remaining lines are indented by one-half inch. Punctuation is followed by a single space. Entries are alphabetized by the authors' last name or, if the name is unknown, the first principle word in the title. Entries should not be separated with an extra line between them.

    Works Cited Entry Format

    • Two entry formats can be used on the Works Cited page, depending on whether the author's name is known. If the author's name is known, the basic format is: Writer, Suzy, I. Title of Work. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.

      For a work by more than one author, or if the work appears in an edited collection, the entry should appear as follows: Writer, Suzy, I. and Edward Author. Title of Work. ed. Arthur Overwrite. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.

      When the author is not known, the entry begins with the title of the work. Although the initial article (a, an, the) still appears at the beginning of the title, the entry is alphabetized using the first principle word. Example: The Dog is Brown. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.

    Titles

    • All principle words are capitalized in titles, with the exception of articles, prepositions and conjunctions. Titles of books and magazines are italicized, while titles of short stories, poems and articles are enclosed in quotation marks.

Learnify Hub © www.0685.com All Rights Reserved