Overview

(See below for specifics on works cited entries and on how to cite in your essay itself.)

"When do I cite a source?"
Whenever you include a word, phrase, or idea from a source, it needs to be cited.  That source can include a web page, classroom lecture, an interview with your Uncle Pete, quote or summary from a book, magazine, etc.  And note that the "a" word: singular.  Even a single word from someone else, when included in your own essay, needs to be set off with quotation marks and then cited.

"When do I use MLA?"
In general, classes in the Humanities use MLA style citation.  You should always check with your professor and ask which style they would prefer for a particular assignment.

"How do I cite using MLA?"
The number two is important to remember when using MLA citation because it consists of two parts: an in-text citation (which includes the author and page number) and a works cited entry (included on separate "Works Cited" page at end of essay), as shown in the examples below:

1) Sample In-Text Citation (the part that goes in your essay)

Work for a living? Feeling a bit poor lately? The link between the two is not difficult to explain when you examine recent pay raises. In 1997, the average worker received a raise of 3 percent. Her CEO? Many earned a 21 percent raise (Cooper 339).

Note that the author's name and page number is enclosed in parenthesis (no p. or page is needed) and that the period goes to the right of the parenthesis.

2) Sample Works Cited Entry (the part that goes on a "Works Cited" separate page at the end) for in-text citation above:

Cooper, Mary H. "Income Inequality." CQ Researcher 17 April 1997: 337-360.

Together, these two parts let the reader know who wrote your article, where they can find it, and approximately how long the article is.

This two part citation method works like a code. In general, the reader looks for the author’s name and page number in the in-text citation (or the first word of the title if there is no author), and then goes to the works cited entry for additional information. Your job is to supply the correct parts of the code in the correct order.

You have to be sure that the name/word you include in your in-text citation will match the first word of one of your works cited entries. Thus, the word “Cooper” from the in-text example above (in the parenthesis) matches the word “Cooper” in the sample works cited entry.

Readers would see the citation (Cooper 339) and instantly know that the information before the citation is from a writer named “Cooper.” If they wanted to check your source, they would turn to the Works Cited page and scan the first word of the alphabetically arranged list of Works Cited entries until the word “Cooper” appeared.

The Specifics
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Below you'll find a series of links for a variety of commonly used sources from OCC's library.

First determine what kind of source you're taking information from (an anthology -- collection of articles into a book -- is a common book format, for example), then click on the link for a sample works cited entry and in-text citation.

Note: this page uses pop-up windows and javascript.  If you have pop-up blockers, you'll have to turn them off to access all features of this site.

For more complete information on these and other citation methods, go to Diana Hacker's website.

Print Sources

Article from an Anthology (see below for several examples)
Works Cited Entry Writing the World

Wilson, William Julius. “When Work Disappears.” Writing the World. Eds. Charles R. Cooper and Susan Peck MacDonald. Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000. 356-362. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citations for entry above:
Direct quote:

Urban ghettos were never a matter of choice. As William Julius Williams notes, “If large segments of the African-American population had not been historically segregated in inner-city ghettos, we would not be talking about the new urban poverty” (361). And this poverty is a direct result of a pattern of racism that affects education and job choice, and thus economic status.

Direct Quote of more than four lines on your page:

Another problem with ghettos is that they limit job choices for those that live there. Julius Williams argues that Segregated ghettos are less conducive to employment and employment preparation than are other areas of the city. Segregation in ghettos exacerbates employment problems because it leads to weak informal employment networks and contributes to the social isolation of individuals and families, thereby reducing their chances of acquiring the human capital skills, including adequate educational training [. . .] that facilitate mobility in a society. (361) This would help explain why people who are raised in ghettos have fewer job opportunities than those that grow up in the suburbs.

Note ellipsis for excluded words in square brackets.  Three dots are used because the words removed are within a sentence.

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History textbook (Anthology)
Works Cited Entry Sources of the Western Tradition

Sallust. "Moral Deterioration." Sources of the Western Tradition. Eds. Marvin Perry, Joseph R. Peden, and Theodore H. Von Laue.  Boston:  Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003. 123-125. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above:

One connection between the decline of the American Empire and the decline of the Roman Empire is corrupting influence of money.  The Roman writer Sallust traced the cause of the moral decay to a "Growing love of money, and the lust for power which followed it [. . . .] Ambition tempted many to be false, to have one thought hidden in their hearts, another ready on their tongues, to become a man's friend or enemy not because they judged him worthy or unworthy but because they thought it would pay them, and to put on the semblance of virtues that they had not" (124).  We see this in too many of our elected officials and citizens, as they profess their "faith" and "piety," yet arrange for special deals that line their pockets with greenbacks while ignoring the public good.

Note ellipsis for excluded words in square brackets.  Four dots are used because a period was included in the words removed.

Literature textbook (Anthology)
 Works Cited Entry The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces (Follow this format for other literature anthologies)

Aristophanes. Lysistrata. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Eds. Sarah Lawall et al. 2 vols. New York: Norton, 1999. 647-726. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entries above:
Direct quote from play included in essay

The colloquial translation of Douglass Parker is indicated by such lines as “Relax, honey” (285).

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Twentieth Century (Or contemporary) Literary Criticism (Anthology)
 Works Cited Entry

Boxer, David and Cassandra Phillips. From "’Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?’: Voyeurism, Dissociation, and the Art of Raymond Carver." Iowa Review 10 (1979): 75-90. Rprt. In “Raymond Carver.” Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Sharon R. Gunton and Jean C. Stue. Vol. 22. Detroit: Gale Research, 1982. 98-101. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entries above:
Direct quote

The critics David Boxer and Cassandra Phillips also note Carver’s seeming lack of style. They write that "[. . .] what seems to be casual talk, virtually empty of communication, is really very deliberately and finely wrought" (99). This emphasis on the craft of his fiction – it is “deliberately and finely wrought” – underscores the nature of Carver’s oxymoronic talent: he made conversation seem so natural that it seems to merely record what is being said.

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Anthology Series (Taking Sides, Opposing Viewpoints, etc.)
Works Cited Entry Opposing Viewpoints:

Marsh, Daniel L. "America's Values Are Found in Its Documents." American Values: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. David L. Bender. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1989. 17-25. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above:
Partial direct quote: From Opposing Viewpoints

For our political system to function, our electorate needs a basic understanding of the underpinnings of democracy. Daniel L. Marsh, former president of Boston College, argues that Americans "must have an intelligent comprehension of the ideas and ideals that underlie our [. . .] democracy" (18). His emphasis on "intelligent comprehension" supports the view that the dreaded civics class needs to be revitalized.

Note ellipsis for excluded words in square brackets.  Three dots are used because the words removed are within a sentence.

MATERIAL BY EDITOR IN AN ANTHOLOGY
Works Cited Entry:

Cooper, Charles and Susan Peck MacDonald, eds. Writing the World.  Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above
Direct Quote

To fully engage in American culture, Charles Cooper and Susan Peck MacDonald  write, "means entering the conversation finding out what others think, figuring out what you think, and gaining a deeper understanding of the world you live in" (1).

Article from CQ Researcher (Print)
Works Cited Entry:

Cooper, Mary H. "Income Inequality." CQ Researcher 10(1997): 337-360.  Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above
Summarized source:

Work for a living? Feeling a bit poor lately? The link between the two is not difficult to explain when you examine recent pay raises. In 1997, the average worker received a raise of 3 percent. Her CEO? Many earned a 21 percent raise (Cooper 339). Feeling a bit angry now?

Book
Works Cited Entry

Hirsch, E. D. Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know. New York: Vintage Books, 1987.  Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above
Direct Quote

E. D. Hirsch warns that focusing only on a particular trade or field can ultimately limit a person's career choices: "Narrow vocational training in one state of a technology will not enable a person to read manuals that explain new developments in the same technology.  In modern life we need general knowledge that enables us to deal with new ideas, events, and challenges" (11).  Embracing all the knowledge that a culture offers, including literature, music, art, mathematics, history, and the sciences, amounts to job security, because it gives students the skills to face any intellectual -- or employment --  challenge.

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Magazine (Print)
Works Cited Entry

Levinson, Marc and Rich Thomas. "One Tax Fits All." Newsweek 15 January 1996: 36. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above
Summary:

A flat tax rate sounds like a good idea, but as Marc Levinson and Rich Thomas argue, it would amount to higher taxes for the working class, and no taxes at all for the leisure class -- those people who live off money handed down to them (36).

Newspaper (Print)
Works Cited Entry:

James, Caryn. "Dysfunction Wears Out Its Welcome." New York Times 3 December 1995: H1+. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

If source was in a numbered section, use the following format

James, Caryn. "Dysfunction Wears Out Its Welcome." New York Times 3 December 1995, sec. 3:1+.

In-text citation for entry above
Partial direct quote – ellipsis dots rule is three if within sentence, four if subtracted phrase include a period.  Use brackets to separate your ellipsis from the quote

After analyzing current sitcoms, Caryn James discovers that "[. . .] they have come to resemble melodrama and soap opera more than they reflect comic versions of real life" (H1).

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Encyclopedia (note: usually only signed articles are acceptable for academic essays)
Works Cited Entry:

Frueh, Christopher B. "Posttraumatic Stress Disorder."  Encyclopedia of Psychology. Ed. Alan E. Kazdin. 6 vols. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.  249-251. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above:

Psychologists note that one of the main features of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is that the "event is persistently reexperienced" (249).

Book with Two or More Authors
Works Cited Entry:

Phelps, Timothy and Helen Winternitz. Capital Games. New York: Harper Perennial, 1993. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above
Direct quote:

In their examination of the Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas controversy, Timothy Phelps and Helen Winternitz come to the ominous conclusion that either "a Supreme Court justice had committed perjury to get himself on the bench or Hill and his opponents had engaged in an unprecedented criminal conspiracy in an attempt to defeat him" (441). From the evidence in their book, it seems that someone has committed perjury.

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Magazine: (published monthly/weekly)
Works Cited Entry:

Levinson, Marc and Rich Thomas. "One Tax Fits All." Newsweek 15 January 1996: 36. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Ocean County College Library. 3 December 2000. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above:
Summary:

A flat tax rate sounds like a good idea, but as Marc Levinson and Rich Thomas argue, it would amount to higher taxes for the working class, and no taxes at all for the leisure class -- those people who live off money handed down to them.

Note: because this is an online source, no page numbers are cited. Author's name must be included. If no author, use initial words of title for in-text citation. If a PDF version of file is available, use that version and cite page number.

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Lexis-Nexis
Works Cited Entry:

In-text citation for entry above:
Partial direct quote:

After analyzing sitcoms from the early 90s, Caryn James discovers that "they have come to resemble melodrama and soap opera more than they reflect comic versions of real life." James believes that sitcoms are supposed to reflect "real life" and thus are no longer relevant.

Note: because this is an online source, no page numbers are cited. Author's name must be included. If no author, use initial words of title for in-text citation. If a PDF version of file is available, use that version and cite page number.

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Proquest (New York Times)
Works Cited Entry:

James, Caryn. "Dysfunction Wears Out Its Welcome." New York Times 3 December 1995: H1+. Proquest. Ocean County College Library. 1998. 9 August 2004. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above:
Partial direct quote:

After analyzing sitcoms from the early 90s, Caryn James discovers that "they have come to resemble melodrama and soap opera more than they reflect comic versions of real life." James believes that sitcoms are supposed to reflect "real life" and thus are no longer relevant.

Note: because this is an online source, no page numbers are cited. Author's name must be included. If no author, use initial words of title for in-text citation. If a PDF version of file is available, use that version and cite page number.

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SIRS
Works Cited Entry:

Elson, John. "The Test That Everyone Fears." Time 12 Nov. 1995: 93-94. SIRS Knowledge Source. Ocean County College Library. 3 December 2000. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above:
Partial direct quote (remember that you do not have to cite the entire sentence if it is not needed) and paraphrase:

Testing by University of Georgia psychologist Dr. Stuart Katz showed that university students "correctly answered [. . .] 38% of the multiple choice comprehension questions without even reading the test selections" (qtd. in Elson). To answer a third of the questions through sheer luck illustrates the need to eliminate multiple choice evaluation.

Note: because this is an online source, no page numbers are cited. Author's name must be included. If no author, use initial words of title for in-text citation. If a PDF version of file is available, use that version and cite page number.

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Opposing Viewpoints
Works Cited Entry:

Bennet, William. “America Faces a Moral Crisis.” Opposing Viewpoints: American Values. Ed. Jennifer Hurley. 2000. Opposing Viewpoints Resources Center. Ocean County College. 8 March 2004. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above:
Partial direct quote

The professed gambler William Bennet – he of Book of Virtues infamy – illustrates this conservative hypocrisy. While he spends millions in gambling, he argues that it is not those of moral rectitude, like himself, that are despoiling his precious America, but others who suffer from “spiritual acedia.” But I have a question for Mr. Bennet: where in the bible does it say “Thou shalt lose millions at the green velvet tables of Las Vegas and Atlantic City”? He is a walking example of the difficulties of accusing others of leading an immoral life: and given his knowledge of the bible, he should know the danger of casting the first stone.

Note: because this is an online source, no page numbers are cited. Author's name must be included. If no author, use initial words of title for in-text citation. If a PDF version of file is available, use that version and cite page number.

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Science Digest
Works Cited Entry: (Scholarly Journal)

Weller, Aron and Ruth Feldman. “Emotion Regulation and Touch in Infants: the Role of Cholecystokinin and Opioids." Peptides. (24) May 2003: 779-788. Science Digest. Ocean County College. 10 August 2005. Click on the first line of the works cited entry for a detailed description of the format.

In-text citation for entry above:
Partial direct quote

Research suggests that even as infants, touch plays a role -- at the psychotropic level -- in our emotions (Weller and Feldman 779-781).

Note: Although this is an online source, a PDF version of the file was available, which amounts to a photocopy of the page – complete with page numbers. If possible use the PDF version and cite the page numbers.

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