How to Cite a Research Paper Using MLA Format

Writing in MLA --- Modern Language Association --- style is a must-have skill for college-level writing. Though MLA style is meant to be simple yet comprehensive, it has its gray areas. For any challenge not explicitly covered by the MLA guidelines, use common sense and your knowledge of the basic MLA format. Citing a research paper depends entirely on where the research paper is published, yet the MLA guidelines do not cover every type of publishing, so a general citation format is used.

Things You'll Need

  • MLA handbook
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Instructions

    • 1

      Reference the work with an in-text citation. At the end of the last sentence of the work being cited you must, in parentheses, place the author's last name and the page the referenced material is from. Insert the parenthetical citation before the period of the last sentence. If the author's name appears in the passage referencing the work, you will only need the page number in parentheses.

    • 2

      Go to the works cited page.

    • 3

      With a hanging indentation (all lines but the first indented), write the author's last name, a comma, then the author's first name followed by a period, e.g. Doe, John. Use the author's full name as it appears in the work cited. If the author uses a middle name it would come after his first name.

    • 4

      Insert one space then type the title of the research paper and underline it. The title should be capitalized and followed by a period and a single space.

    • 5

      Write the place of publication, a colon, then the publisher's name followed by a comma and year, followed by a period, e.g. New York: Penguin 1934. If the research paper was published on a class or personal website then you would include the URL after the year of publication, followed by a period. When no publication information is given supply as much information that you can in brackets, e.g. [1934], or with a question mark if it is not verifiable. This demonstrates the information did not come from the source. Use the abbreviation "n.p." for no place of publication or no publisher and "n.d." for no date of publication.

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