Quoting in MLA: A Step-by-Step Guide
When working with sources in MLA (Modern Language Association) format, it's essential to understand how to quote properly. Quoting involves including the original words of an author in your own writing, and doing so in MLA style requires attention to detail and adherence to specific guidelines. In this article, we'll walk you through the process of quoting in MLA, covering in-text citations, parenthetical citations, and block quotes.
In-Text Citations
In-text citations are used to acknowledge the source of a quotation within the text. They typically consist of the author's last name and the page number(s) where the quote can be found. For example:
- Author's last name (page number)
- Smith 23
For in-text citations with multiple authors, you can separate their last names with commas:
- Authors' last names (page number)
- Smith, Johnson, and Williams 12
When citing multiple sources in one in-text citation, separate them with semicolons:
- Authors' last names (page numbers)
- Smith 10; Johnson 20
Parenthetical Citations
Parenthetical citations, also known as in-text citations, are used to acknowledge the source of a quotation in parentheses. They usually consist of the author's last name and the page number(s). However, there are cases where parenthetical citations are not necessary:
- When the source is a well-known or frequently cited work, such as the Bible or Shakespeare's plays
- When the source is a work that is already mentioned in the works cited page
Here's an example of a parenthetical citation:
According to Smith (23), "the new policy has been widely criticized."
Block Quotes
Block quotes are used to quote a passage of more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse. They are usually indented and do not require quotation marks. Here's an example:
Smith argues that the new policy has been widely criticized. "The policy has been shown to be ineffective in addressing the root causes of the problem" (24-25).
Block quotes require a parenthetical citation at the end of the quote, as well as an in-text citation. In this example, the in-text citation would be:
Smith 24-25
Quoting from Sources with No Author
When quoting from sources with no author, the title of the source is used in the in-text citation. Here's an example:
The study found that the new policy has been widely criticized. "The policy has been shown to be ineffective in addressing the root causes of the problem" (The New York Times 23).
The in-text citation would be:
The New York Times 23
Quoting from Sources with Multiple Authors
When quoting from sources with multiple authors, the authors' last names are separated by commas in the in-text citation. Here's an example:
Smith, Johnson, and Williams argue that the new policy has been widely criticized. "The policy has been shown to be ineffective in addressing the root causes of the problem" (12).
The in-text citation would be:
Smith, Johnson, and Williams 12
Quoting from Sources with No Page Numbers
When quoting from sources with no page numbers, the in-text citation typically consists of the author's last name and the title of the source. Here's an example:
The study found that the new policy has been widely criticized. "The policy has been shown to be ineffective in addressing the root causes of the problem" (The New York Times).
The in-text citation would be:
The New York Times
