Citing for Dummies
A Smithified version of MLA (Modern Language Association) citing and rules and all that
Why and What?
In English and other related courses like history, we cite using MLA documentation. Other courses will require that you use APA, Chicago, or even an obscure one like Turabian. Just be prepared in college to look up how to do it.
This means we have in text or parenthetical citations and a Works Cited page.
In Text
Whenever you use a source in your paper, you must give credit.
As a rule, you do not have to cite common information like George Washington was the first President.
We always cite when you have paraphrased into your own words but you still used a source or when you use a direct quotation.
Cite by author’s last name and the page number. Example: “The war began in the Crimea on April 22, 1897” (Mayfield 23).
In Text
Quotes: Use these sparingly. If you choose a direct quote, use it because the words are smooth and it makes a clear point. Don’t just drop a quote in and then not use or explain it.
Avoid using a quote at the end of a paragraph that you don’t analyze or explain.
When quoting, the citation must come at the end of the sentence that used the quote.
In Text
When paraphrasing and summarizing from a source that YOU HAVE PUT INTO YOUR OWN WORDS, you may simply cite at the end of the paragraph.
If you have used more than one source in a paragraph, cite the first one when you are done with it and then cite the second. You CANNOT cite back to back citations.
Do not cite huge amounts of pages together. A citation should be for just a few pages. Example: (Brown 22-25) NOT (Brown 1-98)
Examples
The issue of crime in the United States is rampant. In Detroit alone in 2005, there were 52 murders in the months of September and October (Smith 23). However, in New York City the same type of crime has been “all but abominated as the police have made this their complete focus” (Jones 122-123).
Author Tag
You may tag the author’s name. If this is done, be sure there is a reason to do so, like the person is famous or a well known critic. Don’t tag too often as names can get tedious.
Ex: India’s Premier Golda Meir is credited with saying, “Peace is a lofty goal, but one that must be achieved” (233).
This has the author’s name in the sentence, so it can be left off the citation.
Connecting the Two
If you have an in text citation, then that source must appear on the Works Cited page.
If there is no author, then use the title of the book, encyclopedia, magazine or web site.
Web sources do not use a page number, so those would be left off, too.
Works Cited
All sources used go here.
In alpha order.
Reverse indentation.
Look at my example page…
Other Stuff
Block quotes: for 4+ lines; ONLY if a good reason; only once per paper; this means the original has more than 4 lines, not that you just want it to be.
Ellipses: Use …to show that you have left out words from a quote or source
Adding words to a quote: You can add words to a quote using brackets [ ]. This would be for making the sentence sound better or be more grammatically correct.
Other Stuff cont.
If you find an error in grammar, there is a way to show that the error is not in your writing, but that it appeared in the original. Example: “The governnment [sic] put the law into effect in 2000” (Smith 221).
What’s the error in each of the following in text citations?
In the fall of 2001, there were approximately “211,334 soldiers serving during any one six month period in Korea while only 12 percent of these soldiers were married (Jones page 99).”
Mary Whitt wrote that “the rates for underage driving in the state are nearly fifty percent” (Whitt 22-87).
There are forty nine states in the United States (Sanders, page 87-89).
The corrections
“...were married” (Jones 99).
“…nearly fifty percent” (29).
…forty nine states [sic] in the United States (Sanders 87-89).
Where are the errors on this Works Cited?
Works Cited
Bell, James. The Significance of the War. New York, 2001.Print.
Abraham, Beth. “Thomas Jefferson.” Jeffersonian Topics. August 2002. Online. January 5, 2010.
Williams, Nathan. “Civil War politics.” Gale Encyclopedia. Volume 2. James Smith, editor. Houghton Publishers, 2005.
The corrections (Do NOT include bullets on your WC.)
Abraham, Beth. “Thomas Jefferson.” Jeffersonian Topics. August 2002. Online. January 5, 2010.
Bell, James. The Significance of the War.” New York: Page Publishers, 2001. Print.
Williams, Nathan. “Civil War Politics.” Gale Encyclopedia. Volume 2. James Smith, editor. Boston: Houghton Publishers, 2005.
