How to Cite a Class Note in MLA Style

In academic writing, authors must document the source of all ideas that come from others. Copyright law rests on the concept of intellectual property rights; not only can physical objects be owned but so can ideas and words. To borrow or use someone else's ideas without giving proper credit results in plagiarism, a most serious academic charge that can lead to failure of an essay or a class. The Modern Language Association created the format for documentation in academic writing in the humanities disciplines that easily permits in-text citations and Work Cited entries for all types of sources, including notes taken in class.

Things You'll Need

  • Name of class
  • Location of class
  • Date of class note
  • Name of lecturer, if any
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Instructions

    • 1

      Reread the class note to be sure that you can identify the date and name of class before putting the information into the rough draft. Know whether the teacher or guest speaker lectured, or if the information came out of a class discussion.

    • 2

      Find the sentence(s) in your rough draft where the information from the class note appears. In the rough draft after the last word from the class note, create parentheses then write inside the parentheses the words "Class Note," and then place a period. It should look like this: The sun always rises in the east (Class Note).

    • 3

      Do not specify a speaker's name if the cited information emerged from class discussion, from the blackboard, overhead projector or from a hand-out. If you do not know the name of the speaker or the author of the idea, do not list as "anonymous." Just list it as a Class Note.

    • 4

      Acknowledge the instructor or guest speaker if the information came from an authority during the class. Within the sentence in your rough draft, write, for example: Prof. Brain mentioned that the sun always rises in the east (Class Note). A direct quote should look like this: Prof. Brain stated, "The sun always rises in the east" (Class Note).

    • 5

      Alphabetize your "Class Note" under the "C" in the Works Cited list if more than one source is cited in your paper. Include the name of the class, the instructor (if appropriate) and the location. An example of a Class Note Work Cited entry:

      Class Note. Name of Class. Location (both classroom and city), state. Day month year.

      Another example:

      Class note. Introduction to Mars. Krypton Hall, Cave, Idaho. 15 January 2011.

      If your instructor gave a lecture from which you took the note, the Work Cited entry should follow this format:

      Last name, First Name (of instructor). Name of Class. Location of Class. Day month year.

      For example:

      Brain, Herman. Introduction to Mars. Krypton Hall, Cave, Idaho. 15 January 2011.

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