A Comprehensive Guide to MLA Format Citation

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A Brief Overview of the MLA Format Citation

MLA, or the Modern Language Association, is a referencing style that provides guidelines for formatting and acknowledging sources used in a paper. The MLA format citation consists of two parts: Parenthetical and In-text Citations, and Works Cited. Parenthetical citations are used within the text to refer to sources, while the Works Cited section presents a list of references at the end of the paper. This system allows readers to access and verify the sources used in the paper, promoting trustworthiness and reliability in the information presented.

In April 2021, the 9th edition of the MLA Handbook was released to cater to the evolving needs of authors and establish consistent standards for documenting their papers. By following these guidelines, writers can legitimize their work and communicate ideas in a standardized way. The MLA format citation styles are commonly adopted by researchers and scholars in the humanities, such as literature, philosophy, and languages, as it enhances readability and establishes the credibility of authors by holding them accountable for their sources. Moreover, adhering to MLA format helps prevent unintentional or intentional plagiarism, which involves using sources without proper credit.

MLA Referencing Basics

MLA format citations can be categorized into two types: Parenthetical or In-Text citations and Works-Cited.

2.1 Basic Parenthetical or In-Text Citation Guidelines

According to the MLA referencing style, any content paraphrased or quoted from other works should be referenced using in-text citations. In the MLA format citation, parenthetical citations are used by placing relevant sources in parentheses whenever a paraphrase or quotation is included in a sentence. These citations should be clear and concise, typically including the author’s name(s) or editor(s) and the page number.

Some guiding principles for in-text citations are as follows:

  • Only provide the necessary information for identifying the source, usually the author’s last name and page number.
  • Place the reference before the punctuation that concludes the sentence, phrase, or clause containing the cited material.
  • Position the parenthetical reference as close as possible to its source within the text.
  • Cite online and electronic sources similarly to print resources in parenthetical references. If there are no page numbers in an online source, omit them from the citation. However, if the source has fixed page numbers, such as paragraph numbers, include them in the citation.

2.2 Basic Guidelines for Works-Cited

The reference list in the 9th edition of MLA format is titled ‘Works-Cited.’ Here are the fundamental guidelines for formatting the Works-Cited page:

  • Start the Works-Cited List on a new page at the end of the document.
  • Use a 1-inch margin, and indent the second and subsequent lines of each source by 0.5 inches from the margin.
  • Arrange works by the same author chronologically. If multiple works were done in the same year, sort them alphabetically by title.
  • Organize the list alphabetically based on the first author’s name.
  • Ensure all entries have double spacing.
  • When citing several works by the same author, use the full name in the first reference and replace subsequent references with ‘—‘.
  • Include complete references for all in-text citations used in the paper

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