Citing Sources

Citing Outside Sources

In-Text Citations

In-Text Citations: Purpose In-text citations tell us which information

came from which source. For ALL information that has been quoted,

paraphrased, or summarized.

Help readers distinguish between the writer’s thoughts and outside information.

They’re always important, but especially when using more than one source in a paper.

Parenthetical Citations

Format: (Author’slastname page#). Use this format

for ITW. (Author’slastname). Use this format for the

articles.▪ When no page number is present.

(“Article title” page#). ▪ When no author’s name is present.

(“Article title”).▪ When there is no author and no page

numbers.

Example

Citations Using Signal Phrases Mix things up! Use some of the information that would have

gone in the parenthetical citation in the sentence instead. The author can sympathize with Chris because he has

attempted to live out similar dreams (Krakauer 135).

In his book, Into the Wild, about McCandless, Krakauer can sympathize with Chris because he has attempted to live out similar dreams (135).

On page 135, Krakauer exposes his ability to sympathize

with McCandless because he has attempted to live out similar dreams.

Example

Citing Multiple Sources by the Same Author

Use a shortened version of the title instead.

Titles of books belong in italics. Titles of articles belong in quotation marks.

“Additionally, if the author's name is not mentioned in the sentence, you would format your citation with the author's name followed by a comma, followed by a shortened title of the work, followed, when appropriate, by page numbers” (“MLA In-Text Citations”).

Citing Multiple Sources by the Same Author

According to Krakauer, “it wasn’t arrogance that had killed him, it was ignorance” (“How Chris”). This quote not only makes me question this man’s motives for writing the story, but also how he could “claim to be an impartial biographer” when he has clearly passed judgment about McCandless (Krakauer, Into the Wild, ii).

Notice that I used roman numerals because I quoted the author’s note/ preface.

What’s Important?

“Any source information that you provide in-text must correspond to the source information on the Works Cited page” (“MLA In-Text Citations”).

The information you give in your in-text citation must be the first thing in the corresponding Works Cited entry (“MLA In-Text Citations”). *Whether your in-text citation is embedded or

parenthetical.

The Works Cited Page

Works Cited Page Entries

Use MLA format. Use easybib.com, your planner, or

Noodle Tools to create the entry for the appropriate kind of source. If it’s Into the Wild, use the book format. Check your articles for their citations (@

bottom).

Works Cited Page Format

Start on a new page. Double-space everything. Entries should appear in alphabetical

order. Indent the second and subsequent

lines of each entry. Center the words “Works Cited” at

the top of the page. No underline, no bold, no formatting.

Multiple Works with Same Author

List works alphabetically by title. Remember to ignore articles like A, An, and The.

Provide the author’s name in last name, first name format for the first entry only.

For each following entry by the same author, use three hyphens and a period.

Works Cited

Krakauer, Jon. "How Chris McCandless Died." The New Yorker. Condé

Nast, 12 Sept. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

---. Into the Wild. New York: Anchor Books, 1997. Print.

Example

Works Cited

"MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics."

Purdue

OWL: MLA Formatting and Style

Guide. Purdue University. Web. 23

Mar. 2014.