In-text citations in MLA style are brief references within the body of your paper (as opposed to ad the end, in your works cited page) that acknowledge the sources you’ve consulted and used to support your ideas or arguments. They serve two primary purposes:
- Transparency during reading: In-text citations allow readers to easily identify the specific sources you’ve used. This transparency enables them to locate the original material for further exploration or verification of your claims.
- Credibility: In-text citations demonstrate that your work is grounded in existing research and scholarship. By citing sources, you showcase the references that inform your claims and perspectives.
How to Implement In-text Citation in MLA Format
You’ll integrate in-text citations in two contexts: when you paraphrase another’s work and when you directly quote them. Follow the guidelines below for using in-text citations:
Paraphrasing
- When you express someone else’s ideas or findings in your own words, you still need to acknowledge the source within the text.
- Cite the author’s last name(s) and page number(s) in parentheses after your paraphrase.
- Example: Social anxiety is a common mental health condition characterized by excessive fear of social situations (Smith et al., 163).
Direct Quotations
- When you use the exact words from another source, enclose the quoted passage within double quotation marks.
- Immediately following the quotation, include the author’s last name(s), publication year, and the specific page number(s) where the quotation appears, all enclosed in parentheses.
- Example: According to Jones (2019), “social anxiety can significantly impact a person’s quality of life” (p. 123).
Examples of In-text Citations for Different Types of Sources
- Book with One Author:
- (Smith 45)
- According to Smith (45)…
- Book with Two Authors:
- (Jones and Lee 72)
- Jones and Lee argue (72)…
- Book with Three or More Authors:
- (Brown et al. 124)
- As noted by Brown et al. (124)…
- Article in a Scholarly Journal:
- (Garcia 88)
- The study found significant results (Garcia 88).
- Article in a Magazine:
- (Roberts)
- According to Roberts…
- Newspaper Article:
- (Miller)
- Miller reported that…
- Website with Author:
- (Parker)
- As stated by Parker…
- Website without Author:
- (“Global Warming”)
- The effects of global warming are alarming (“Global Warming”).
- Government Report:
- (United States, Dept. of Education 34)
- According to the Department of Education (34)…
- Film or Video:
- (Citizen Kane)
- The scene in Citizen Kane…
Remember to include the author’s last name (or organization name) and the page number if available in parentheses after the borrowed information or quotation within the text. If there’s no page number, just the author’s last name will work.
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