Alert the reader to additional information by adding a number at the end of the sentence to show that a footnote accompanies the text. Use a numerical sequence, starting with the number 1, to list footnotes. Create a list at the bottom of each text page showing each individual footnote and its corresponding number in the body of the text.
Use the following formula to create basic footnotes. Enter the author's name: first name, middle initial, last name, followed by a comma; the title of the book in quotation marks, italicized, or underlined; the publisher's name followed by a comma and the year of publication, all in parentheses; and the page where the information is located.
List author, title, journal title, volume number and page number if you are citing from a magazine or newspaper. To footnote a website, first show the website title, followed by the complete website address or URL. Enter the publication date after this in parentheses.
Use footnotes in the following instances: when you are including a direct quote; when paraphrasing, or rewriting in your own words what another author wrote; when summarizing the facts of your information; and when stating data and facts.
Consult the "Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook for Writers of Research Papers" for more detailed information. Copies are available at your local public library.