Parenthetical Citations using the

MLA (Modern Language

Association)Format

Parenthetical Citations What is a parenthetical citation?

Information borrowed from a source which is documented within the text by a brief parenthetical reference that direct readers to the full citation in the Works Cited page at the end of your paper.

In using the work (s) of others in your text, you must include the reference to their work in your paper AND on your works cited page. When you make reference to someone else's idea, either through paraphrasing, summarizing, or quoting them directly:

1. Provide the author's name or the title of the work if no author is provides and the page or paragraph number of the work in a parenthetical citation, then...

2 Provide full citation information for the work on your Works Cited page.

Parenthetical Citations in MLA

3 Ways to “Borrow” Information

Quoting - quote only the passages that deal directly with your subject…If you decide to omit part of the passage, use ellipsis points (…) to indicate omitted words from the original source (Trimmer 22).

Paraphrasing - reword the content of a short passage phrase by phrase, restating the author’s words using your own (Trimmer 24).

Summarizing - condenses a lengthy passage, rewording the main idea and outlines main points (Trimmer 24).

The author's name...

may appear in one of two places:

1) in the sentence itself or

2) in parentheses following the

quotation, paraphrase, or summary

Page number(s)…

should always appear in the parentheses

following the quotation, paraphrase, or

summary, not in the text of your sentence.

If no author is listed in your source, use a short title of the article or book, or web page you are using

1) in the sentence itself or

2) in parentheses following the

quotation, paraphrase, or summary

Quoting – Always use quotation marks.

(Author page) at the end of the quote.

President Truman was pleased that the President Truman was pleased that the testing of the atomic bomb had gone so well. testing of the atomic bomb had gone so well. In his opinion, “the atomic bomb could be In his opinion, “the atomic bomb could be used to bring the war in the Pacific to a quick used to bring the war in the Pacific to a quick end and, therefore, save end and, therefore, save American lives” (Malam 18).American lives” (Malam 18).

Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

Use quotation marks, parentheses, author’s last name and page numberThe period goes after the parentheses.

Long Quotations – four or more lines

Indent 1 inch one each side, do not use quotation marks, double-space, set off by a colon. The final period goes before the parenthetical citation.

Huckleberry Finn explains why he has to leave:

But I recon I got to light out for the Territory

ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s

going to adopt me and sivilize me and I can’t

stand it. I been there before. (Twain 366)Use author’s last name, and page number

Secondary Quotation

– The author of the book or article you are using is quoting someone else.

Einstein wrote Roosevelt, encouraging the building of the atomic bomb. John Malam, in his book The Bombing of Hiroshima, recounts statements made by Albert Einstein after the bomb was dropped, where Einstein said, “I could burn my fingers that I wrote that first letter to Roosevelt” (27).

OR

Secondary Quotation

- Author and page at end of sentence with quotation

- qtd. means quoted.

Albert Einstein had written to President Roosevelt encouraging the development and use of the atomic bomb. He felt guilty after he saw the destruction that it caused. In reflecting on a letter he had once written to President Roosevelt regarding uranium, he said, “I could burn my fingers” for ever writing it (qtd. in Malam 27).

Paraphrasing- Restating the original information in your own words- Author, page at the end of the paraphrase

President Truman was pleased that the testing of the atomic bomb had gone so well; he felt the use of the bomb could bring the war in the Pacific to an end, saving countless American lives (Malam 18).

Summarizing

- Author page at the end of the summary.

Though a tough political situation, President Truman thought it would be best to use the atomic bomb to end the war in the Pacific (Malam 18).

“MLA In-text Citations: the Basics.” The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue

and Purdue U, 2008. Web. 02 Dec. 2010. <http://owl.english.

purdue. edu/owl/resource/747/02/>.

Malam, John. The Bombing of Hiroshima. North Mankato, MN:

Smart Apple Media, 2003. Print.

Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Kemble edition. New York:

Modern Library, 1985. Print.

Trimmer, Joseph F. A Guide to MLA Documentation. 7th ed. Boston:

Houghton Mifflin, 2006. Print.

Works Cited

Summarizing

- Author page at the end of the summary.

Though a tough political situation, President Truman thought it would be best to use the atomic bomb to end the war in the Pacific (Malam 18).

Entries must be alphabetized by author or title if there is no author provided

Malam, John. The Bombing of Hiroshima. North Mankato, MN:

Smart Apple Media, 2003. Print.

“MLA In-text Citations: the Basics.” The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue

and Purdue U., 2008. Web. 02 Dec. 2010. <http://owl.english.

purdue. edu/owl/resource/747/02/>.

Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Kemble edition. New York:

Modern Library, 1985. Print.

Trimmer, Joseph F. A Guide to MLA Documentation. 7th ed. Boston:

Houghton Mifflin, 2006. Print.

Works Cited