MLA Citation
In-text Citation
In-text citation is the way readers of your paper will find out how you did your research. References in your paper must clearly point to specific sources in your Works Cited list. Basically, every time you include an in-text citation, you are telling your readers to go to your Works Cited page and look for the source. Generally, all you need is the last name of the author and the page number of the source.
Look at this bibliographic citation:
Smith, Jill. How to Write English Papers that Win Awards. New York: Norton & Company, 2003.
Here is an example of an in-text citation for this reference:
Though papers written for English class are often terrible, if one writes well, they can win awards (Smith 23).
Here is an example of an in-text citation that uses the author's name in the text:
Smith argues that well-written English papers can win awards (23).
Note that the final period comes after the parentheses.
Here is a list of some of the most common types of in-text citation. For ones not listed here or if you have questions, ask the librarian for help or use the MLA Handbook.
Multiple sources by the same author: put a comma after the author's last name followed by the title of the work or a shortened version of the title.
Example: (Smith, How to Write 23).
Source with no author: use the title or a shortened version of the title in place of the author.
Example: ("Comics in Schools" 23).
Source with no page number (often the case with Internet or database sources): don't make one up, just leave it blank and cite either the author or the title of the work.
Example: ("Scaldic poetry").
Source with two authors: this is exactly the same as with one author, but both authors are listed.
Example: (Smith and Barney 23).