Citation Styles

Properly cited sources require a brief in-text citation, with full details of each source on a final Works Cited page. For additional help consult the MLA Handbook or contact a librarian.

Place in-text citations at the end of sentences where you either quote or paraphrase a source; include author(s) and pages (if available).

In-text citation when paraphrasing:

• According to one researcher, students learn best when they take notes (Gomez 76-77).
• In her research, Gomez found that students learn best when they take notes (76-77).

In-text citation when quoting:

• According to Gomez, “college students learn best when they are note-taking” (77).
• NASA scientists have discovered “remnants of water pursuant to life” on Mars (Johnson et al. 235)

In-text citation for sources with no author:
Give entire title—as listed in your Works Cited—in the body of your paper or abbreviate the title in parentheses:

• According to "What the World Needs Now," more kittens would make humans significantly happier (179).
• Kittens make humans significantly happier (“What” 179).
• The film Helping Hands shows an average day in a hospital.
• Nurses often work long, thankless hours (Helping).

In-text/Works Cited for 3+ authors:
List "et al." after the first author in-text and on the Works Cited page:

• According to Lopez et al., “college students are happy” (9).
  Lopez, Enrique, et al. Community College Leadership. U of California Press, 2018.

A Works Cited list is the final page of a research paper and should be alphabetized and double-spaced. All citations longer than one line should have a .5 inch hanging indent.

Only cite available info. Citations for databases (journal articles, eBooks) end with the database name & digital object identifier (DOI) or stable URL/permalink. Find more info on citation elements in the MLA Handbook, 8th ed. (28-58).

 

Works Cited

Allom, Vanessa, et al. “Physical Activity and Transitioning to College: The Importance of Intentions and Habits.” American Journal of Health Behavior, vol. 40, no. 2, Mar. 2016, pp. 280–290. EBSCOhost, doi:10.5993/AJHB.40.2.13.

Lansky, Sam. “Adele on Motherhood, Social Media and Breaking Records.” Time, 21 Dec. 2015, https://time.com/4155795/adele-time-cover-story-interview-motherhood-25/.

Moonlight. Directed by Barry Jenkins, A24, 2016.

Stone, Jim. "Harry Potter and the Spectre of Imprecision." Analysis, vol. 70, no. 4, Oct. 2010, pp. 638–44. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40930271. 

“Where Young Syrian Refugees Sleep.” YouTube, uploaded by BuzzFeedBlue, 20 May 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_kP2jMzn24.

eBook in Library Database:

Marshall, Charles, and George Kovacs. Classics and Comics. Oxford UP, 2011. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true=352893&ehost-live.

In-text citation: Many comic book heroes are based on Greek gods and goddesses (Marshall and Kovacs 211–213).

Essay / Chapter in eBook in Library Database Citation:

Mackenzie, Stenton. “Switcheroo.” Trans People in Love, edited by Katrina Fox and Tracie O’Keefe, Routledge, 2008, pp. 1–10. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=228529&site=ehost-live.

In-text citation: Mackenzie said love “was like a drug” (1).

eBook in Google Books Citation:

Soyinka, Wole. Of Africa. Yale UP, 2012. books.google.com/books?isbn=0300140460

In-text citation: African cultures are thriving both on the continent and in the diaspora abroad (Soyinka 89–90).

Essay / Chapter in Print Book Citation:

Pellerin, Robert M. “Disability and Inequality.” Our Social World, edited by Jeanne H. Ballantine, et al., 5^th ed., Sage, 2016, pp. 359–60.

In-Text citation: Pellerin argues “students with disabilities need more support from school principals” (363).

Journal Article in EBSCOhost Citation:

Author(s). Allom, Vanessa, et al.
[note: for sources with 3+ authors list first only then et al.]
Article title. “Physical Activity and Transitioning to College:
The Importance of Good Habits.”
Journal title, American Journal of Health Behavior,
Volume & Issue, vol. 40, no. 2,
Publication date, Mar. 2016,
Pages. pp. 280–290.
Database, EBSCOhost,
DOI (or Permalink if no DOI). doi:10.5993/AJHB.40.2.13.
Date of access (optional). 3 Nov. 2018.

Allom, Vanessa, et al. “Physical Activity and Transitioning to College: The Importance of Good Habits.” American Journal of Health Behavior, vol. 40, no. 2, Mar. 2016, pp. 280–290. EBSCOhost, doi:10.5993/AJHB.40.2.13. 

In-text citation: Taking regular breaks between studying to stand up is “essential for good health” (Allom et al. 285).

Journal Article in JSTOR Citation:

Stone, Jim. "Harry Potter and the Spectre of Imprecision." Analysis, vol. 70, no. 4, Oct. 2010, pp. 638–44. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40930271. 

In-text citation: Illusion and mystery are common themes used in the Harry Potter book series (Stone 642–643).

Journal Article on a Website Citation:

Ruiz, Pollyanna. “The Cartographies of Protest.” Contention: The Multidisciplinary Journal of Social Protest, vol. 3, no. 2, Apr. 2016, pp. 65–80, contentionjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Ruiz.pdf. 

In-text citation: Political signs and posters at protests are a main method of communicating one’s views (Ruiz 69).

Article on a Website:
Author(s). Lansky, Sam.
Article title. “Adele on Motherhood, Social Media, and Breaking Records.”
Website name, Time, [Sponsor/Publisher if different than website name,]
Publication date, 21 Dec. 2015,
URL. time.com/4155795/adele-time-cover-story-interviewmotherhood25/.

Lansky, Sam. “Adele on Motherhood, Social Media, and Breaking Records.” Time, 21 Dec. 2015, time.com/4155795/adele-time-cover-storyinterview-motherhood25/. 

In-text citation: Adele said that motherhood helped her to feel more grounded and fulfilled while on tour (Lansky).

Entire Website Citation:

Supreme Court of the United States. The United States Government, 15 July 2018, www.supremecourt.gov. 

In-text citation: The United States Supreme Court has existed since 1789 (Supreme).

YouTube Video:

"Where Young Syrian Refugees Sleep.” YouTube, uploaded by BuzzFeedBlue, 20 May 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_kP2jMzn24.

In-text citation: Some refugees are homeless (“Where”). 

TED Talks Video:

Calix, Mira. “Sound and Sentiment.” TED, Mar. 2013, www.ted.com/talks/mira_calix_sound_and_sentiment.

In-text citation: Sound affects emotion in humans (Calix).