MLA stands for Modern Language Association MLA protects you from plagiarism. MLA citation is

about giving credit to the original author of a text or an idea. People’s intellectual property is legally theirs; it belongs to them. It is our responsibility as writers to give credit for ideas that are not our own.

MLA allows readers to cross-reference your sources easily

1. Works Cited Page (aka Bibliography)

2. Parenthetical Citations

Reference sources used in your paper must be listed

In MLA format, this page is labeled “Works Cited”

List sources alphabetically by author’s last name (or title, if author not known)

Works Cited

Heinerman, John. Heinerman’s Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables and

Herbs. Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1988.

Kowalchik, Claire and William H. Hylton. Rodale’s Illustrated

Encyclopedia of Herbs. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1998.

Wardlaw, Gordon M. and Anne M. Smith. Contemporary Nutrition.

Boston: McGraw Hill, 2006.

Author last name, Author first name. Title of book. City of Publication: Publisher, Year. Format.

Lipson, Charles. Doing Honest Work in College. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004. Print.

Title: Futuring: The Exploration of the FutureAuthor: Edward CornishFormat: PrintCity of Publication: Bethesda, MarylandPublisher: World Future SocietyDate: 2004

Author last name, Author first name. Title of book. City of Publication: Publisher, Year. Format.

Cornish, Edward. Futuring: The Exploration of the Future. Bethesda: World Future Society, 2004. Print.

Author last name, Author first name. “Title of Article.” Title of Book. Editor. Volume. City of Publication: Publisher, Year. Pages. Format.

Lampard, Eric Edwin. “Industrial Revolution.” World Book Encyclopedia. Ed. Katie Koster. Vol. 10. Chicago: World Book, 2000. 246-255. Print.

Author last name, Author first name. “Title of Page.” Title of Web Site. Publisher or Sponsor, Date of Publication. Format. Date of Access.

Naylor, Stephen. “Hindu Mythology.” Encyclopedia Mythica. N.p., 8 April 2006. Web. 21 Oct. 2009.

Title of Page: Child ObesityTitle of Site: Children’s AllianceDate of Access: January 31, 2010Format: WebDate of Publication: July 12, 2008Publisher: Children’s Alliance, Inc.Author: Bob Jones

Author last name, Author first name. “Title of Page.” Title of Web Site. Publisher or Sponsor, Date of Publication. Format. Date of Access.

Jones, Bob. “Child Obesity.” Children’s Alliance. Children’s Alliance, Inc., 12 July 2008. Web. 31 January 2010.

This is when a writer directly puts into the text a note from where he or she got the information. Parenthetical (or in-text) citation allows your reader to know from what source each idea/fact came.

Within the body of your text, you must cite your sources as you use them. Use the author’s last name and page number(s).

You must cite any and all data, facts, information, opinions, ideas, tables, charts, graphics, photographs, etc. that you obtained in your research.

Author’s name in textLipson’s first rule of academic honesty is, “When

you say you did the work yourself, you actually did it” (3).

Author’s name in reference“When you say you did the work yourself, you

actually did it,” is a good rule to keep in mind (Lipson 3).

Lipson, Charles. Doing Honest Work in College. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2004.

Cite just like a book IF you have all that info, BUT

Online sources usually don’t have page numbers, so you would just use the Author’s last name ex: (Smith)

If there is no author or page number listed, cite with the title of the webpage.◦ Ex: (“Life in 1912”)◦ Ex: (“Life . . .”) if the title is long. *Make sure it can’t

be confused with any other citations!

We see so many global warming hotspots in North America likely because this region has "more readily accessible climatic data and more comprehensive programs to monitor and study environmental change . . ." ("Impact of Global Warming”). Murray states that writing is "a process" that "varies with our thinking style" (Write to Learn ). Additionally, he argues that the purpose of writing is to "carry ideas and information from the mind of one person into the mind of another" (A Writer Teaches Writing ).

Author’s name in textLipson’s first rule of academic honesty is, “When

you say you did the work yourself, you actually did it” (3).

Author’s name in reference“When you say you did the work yourself, you

actually did it,” is a good rule to keep in mind (Lipson 3).

Lipson, Charles. Doing Honest Work in College. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2004.

Author’s name in textLipson has argued this point (38-40). Author’s name in referenceThis point has already been argued (Lipson

38-40).

Lipson, Charles. Doing Honest Work in College. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2004.

Cite just like a book IF you have all that info, BUT

Online sources usually don’t have page numbers, so you would just use the Author’s last name ex: (Smith)

If there is no author or page number listed, cite with the title of the webpage.◦ Ex: (“Life in 1912”)◦ Ex: (“Life . . .”) if the title is long. *Make sure it can’t

be confused with any other citations!

Formatting rules make research papers uniform and easy to read

The ability to verify facts through proper citation of sources is essential to good scholarship

In-text citation and the reference list:◦ Identify and credit the sources you used◦ Enable the reader to locate your sources