mla in text citations for paraphrasing

MLA Citation Guide (9th Edition): In-Text Citation

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In-Text Citation

Works Quoted in Another Source

No Author, No Date etc.
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Number of Authors/Editors	Format of In-Text Citation
One	(Author's Last Name Page Number) Example: (Case 57)
Two	(Author's Last Name and Author's Last Name Page Number) Example: (Case and Daristotle 57)
Three or more	(Author's Last Name et al. Page Number) Example: (Case et al. 57)

If you're using information from a single source more than once in a row (with no other sources referred to in between), you can use a simplified in-text citation. The first time you use information from the source, use a full in-text citation. The second time, you only need to give the page number.

Cell biology is an area of science that focuses on the structure and function of cells (Smith 15). It revolves around the idea that the cell is a "fundamental unit of life" (17). Many important scientists have contributed to the evolution of cell biology. Mattias Jakob Schleiden and Theodor Schwann, for example, were scientists who formulated cell theory in 1838 (20).

Note: If using this simplified in-text citation creates ambiguity regarding the source being referred to, use the full in-text citation format.

If you would like to cite more than one source within the same in-text citation, simply record the in-text citations as normal and separate them with a semi-colon.

(Smith 42; Bennett 71).

( It Takes Two ; Brock 43).

Note: The sources within the in-text citation do not need to be in alphabetical order for MLA style.

What Is a Long Quotation?

If your quotation is longer than four lines, it is a considered a long quotation. This can also be referred to as a block quotation.

Rules for Long Quotations

There are 4 rules that apply to long quotations that are different from regular quotations:

Place a colon at the end of the line that you write to introduce your long quotation.
Indent the long quotation 0.5 inches from the rest of the text, so it looks like a block of text.
Do not put quotation marks around the quotation.
Place the period at the end of the quotation before your in-text citation instead of after , as with regular quotations.

Example of a Long Quotation

Vivian Gornick describes the process of maturing as a reader as a reckoning with human limitations:

Suddenly, literature, politics, and analysis came together, and I began to think more inclusively about the emotional

imprisonment of mind and spirit to which all human beings are heir. In the course of analytic time, it became apparent

that—with or without the burden of social justice—the effort required to attain any semblance of inner freedom was

extraordinary. Great literature, I then realized, is a record not of the achievement, but of the effort.

With this insight as my guiding light, I began to interpret the lives and work of women and men alike who had

spent their years making literature. (x-xi)

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Citations - MLA: In-Text Citations - Quotations & Paraphrasing

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Works Quoted in Another Source (Secondary Source)
In-Text Citations - Quotations & Paraphrasing
Formatting - Essay, Works Cited, Appendix, & Sample Paper
Annotated Bibliography

Paraphrasing

In-Text Citation for One, Two, or More Authors/Editors

Unknown Author

Repeated use of sources, long quotations.

In-Text Citation for More Than One Source

Citing a Source that you Found in Another Source (Secondary Source)

Order of authors, physician credentials, about in-text citations.

In MLA, in-text citations are inserted in the body of your research paper to briefly document the source of your information. Brief in-text citations point the reader to the full citation on the works cited list at the end of the paper.

Create in-text citations for the following:

Direct quotes

If you're using information from a single source more than once in succession (i.e., no other sources referred to in between), you can use a simplified in-text citation.

Note: If using this simplified in-text citation creates ambiguity regarding the source being referred to, use the full in-text citation format.

What Is a Long Quotation?

If your quotation extends to more than four lines as you're typing your essay, it is a long quotation.

Rules for Long Quotations

There are 4 rules that apply to long quotations that are different from regular quotations:

The line before your long quotation, when you're introducing the quote, usually ends with a colon.
The long quotation is indented half an inch from the rest of the text, so it looks like a block of text.
There are no quotation marks around the quotation.
The period at the end of the quotation comes before your in-text citation as opposed to after , as it does with regular quotations.

Example of a Long Quotation

At the end of Lord of the Flies the boys are struck with the realization of their behaviour:

The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and sob too . (Golding 186)

Direct Quote - Add an in-text citation at the end of the quote with the author name and page number:

Authors Name in the Sentence & with a Direct Quote - If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name in the in-text citation, instead include the page number (if there is one) at the end of the quotation or paraphrased section. For example:

No Page Numbers & with a Direct Quote - When you quote from electronic sources that do not provide page numbers (like Web pages), cite the author name only.

"Three phases of the separation response: protest, despair, and detachment" (Garelli).

Note: The period goes outside the brackets, at the end of your in-text citation.

In-Text Citation For One, Two, or More Authors/Editors

Author Known:

"Here's a direct quote" (Smith 8).

Number of Authors/Editors	In-Text Citation Example
One	(Author's Last Name Page Number) (Lee 5)
Two	(Author's Last Name and Author's Last Name Page Number) Example: (Daristotle and Case 57)
Three or more	(Author's Last Name et al. Page Number) Example: (Daristotle et al. 57)

Number of Authors/Editors

In-Text Citation Example

One

(Author's Last Name Page Number)

(Lee 5)

Two

(Author's Last Name and Author's Last Name Page Number)

Example: (Daristotle and Case 57)

Three or more

(Author's Last Name et al. Page Number)

Example: (Daristotle et al. 57)

In-Text Citation For More Than One Source

If you would like to cite more than one source within the same in-text citation, simply record the in-text citations as normal and separate them with a semi-colon.

(Smith 42; Bennett 71).

( It Takes Two ; Brock 43).

Note: The sources within the in-text citation do not need to be in alphabetical order for MLA style.

When creating an in-text citation or full citation, the authors should be listed in the original order displayed on the item (book, article, ...).

Do not include academic credentials (e.g., MD, MPH, PhD,. DDS) when citing doctors in the in-text or full citation.

The writer may refer to the physician by Dr. (name), when writing a paraphrase or inserting a direct quotation, although, it is not required.

Using the medical credential in the sentence:

Dr. Higgins, said the reason behind the complication was "direct quote here" (257).

Dr. Price realized that nutrition was tied to health outcomes and encountered this observation in various regions of the world during his travels (390).

Omitting the medical credential from the sentence:

He sad the reason behind the complication was "direct quote here" (Higgins 257).

Price observed that nutrition was tied to health outcomes and encountered this in various regions of the world during his travels (390).

When you write information or ideas from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion.

Paraphrasing from One Page

Include a full in-text citation with the author name and page number (if there is one). For example:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt 65).

Hunt discussed mother-infant attachment becoming a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (65).

Paraphrasing from Multiple Pages

If the paraphrased information/idea is from several pages, include them. For example:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt 50, 55, 65-71).

Author Unknown:

If the author's name is not given, then use the first word or words of the title. Follow the same formatting that was used in the works cited list, such as quotation marks. This is a paraphrase ("Trouble" 22).
Where you'd normally put the author's last name, instead use the first one, two, or three words from the title. Don't count initial articles like "A", "An" or "The". You should provide enough words to make it clear which work you're referring to from your Works Cited list.
If the title in the Works Cited list is in italics, italicize the words from the title in the in-text citation.
If the title in the Works Cited list is in quotation marks, put quotation marks around the words from the title in the in-text citation.

( Cell Biology 12)

("Nursing" 12)

Sometimes an author of a book, article or website will mention another person’s work by using a quotation or paraphrased idea from that source. ( This may be called a secondary source.)

For example, the Kirkey article you are reading includes a quotation by Smith that you would like to include in your essay.

The basic rule: in your Works Cited and in-text citation you will still cite Kirkey NOT Smith.
A dd the words “qtd. in” to your in-text citation.

Examples of in-text citations :

According to a study by Smith (qtd. in Kirkey) 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia.

Smith (qtd. in Kirkey) states that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (A.10).

Example of Works Cited list citation:

Kirkey, Susan. "Euthanasia." The Montreal Gazette , 9 Feb. 2013, p. A.10. Canadian Newsstand Major Dailies.

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MLA Citation Guide

MLA Citations
Works Cited List
Library Databases
Online Sources
Print Books
Other Sources

In-Text Citations

Formatting Your Paper
General Information
Verbs in Signal Phrases
Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

In addition to crediting other creators, the point of in-text citations is to get your reader to the long-form citation on the Works Cited page. According to the MLA Handbook , the citation should interrupt the text of your essay as little as possible (227). There are two ways to do this:

Signal phrase (" Citation in prose " in the MLA Handbook ) : Introducing the name of the author or the work's title in the text of your sentence.
Parenthetical citation: Paraphrasing an idea or using a quotation without the author/title in your sentence text. The author/title goes in parentheses at the end of your sentence.

Signal Phrase

The signal phrase lets your reader know that you are paraphrasing or quoting an idea from someone else's work. If your paper deals with a particular work of literature, or if you are relying heavily on the work of one or more sources, a signal phrase introducing the source is recommended.

Page or paragraph numbers go in parentheses at the end of your sentence. (If your source has no page/paragraph numbers, do not include them.)
If you are quoting a source, the in-text citation always comes after the closing quotation mark.
If there is no author, use the title of the work in your signal phrase.

Examples of a Signal Phrase

Parenthetical citations.

When you do not include the author/title in your sentence text of the paragraph, a complete parenthetical citation is necessary.

Quotes in your paper flow better when they are integrated the into a sentence.
If the work has no author, use a shortened version of the title in your parenthetical citation.
Page or paragraph numbers come after the author or shortened title.

Examples of a Parenthetical Citation

Works cited.

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice . 1813. The Modern Library, 1995.

Duhigg, Charles. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business . Random House, 2012.

Kite, Allison. "Report: Residents in Kansas, Missouri Get Drinking Water from Lead Pipes at High Rates." Kansas Reflector , 15 Jul. 2021, kansasreflector.com/briefs/report-residents-in-kansas-missouri-get-drinking-water-from-lead-pipes-at-high-rates/.

MLA Handbook . 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021.

Upson, Matt, et al. Information Now: A Graphic Guide to Student Research . U of Chicago P, 2015.

Author Named in Your Paper

Duhigg argues that we can change our habits, but it can be a struggle to do so (20).

Kite reports that Kansas has 5,446 lead pipes per 100,000 residents, the third highest rate in the United States.

Two Authors Named in Your Paper

Strunk and White argue that writers should use the active voice because it is "direct and vigorous" (18).

Three or More Authors Named in Your Paper

For a source with three or more authors, the MLA Handbook recommends using the first author's name followed by one of the following phrases: "and colleagues" or "and others" (232-233).

Taylor and colleagues explore doctors' responses to patients with chronic illnesses after the doctors' diagnoses with long COVID (839).

One or Two Authors Not Named in Your Paper

We can change our habits, but because they are deeply ingrained into the brain, it can be a struggle to do so (Duhigg 20).

Writers should use the active voice because it is "direct and vigorous" (Strunk and White 18).

Three or More Authors Not Named in Your Paper

Although "research is a collective process, one shared and added to by all researchers," it is unacceptable to plagiarize someone else's work (Upson et al. 90).

If the source has no named author, your in-text citation will be an abbreviated version of the title. If it is a very short title, you may use the entire title. If the work without an author is an article, put quotes around the shortened title in the parenthetical citation; if it is a book, italicize it.

Full Title: Go Ask Alice

The diarist describes her first experience with LSD as "tremendous and wonderful and miraculous" ( Go Ask 30).

In Go Ask Alice, the diarist describes her first experience with LSD as "tremendous and wonderful and miraculous" (30).

Source with No Page Numbers

When citing an article without page numbers in your paper, omit the page element from your in-text citation.

According to DeRuy, a baby’s caretakers "have an enormous role in creating an environment where children have both the freedom and support to learn."

A baby’s caretakers "have an enormous role in creating an environment where children have both the freedom and support to learn" (DeRuy).

DeRuy, Emily. “The Complex Lives of Babies.” The Atlantic , 20 June 2016, www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/06/the-complex-lives-of-babies/487679/.

Duhigg, Charles. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business . Random House, 2012.

Go Ask Alice . 1971. Simon Pulse, 2006.

Strunk, William, Jr., and E. B. White. The Elements of Style . 4th ed., Allyn and Bacon, 2000.

Taylor, Anna K., et al. “‘Reluctant Pioneer’: A Qualitative Study of Doctors’ Experiences as Patients with Long COVID.” Health Expectations , vol. 24, no. 3, June 2021, pp. 833–842. doi.org/10.1111/hex.13223.

Upson, Matt, et al. Information Now: A Graphic Guide to Student Research . U of Chicago P, 2015.

To avoid overusing the words "say/says" and "according to," try mixing it up with one of the verbs listed below. For example, instead of writing the following sentence:

Using a variety of verbs can make your writing more interesting to your reader.

Alternatives to "Says"

acknowledges adds admits agrees argues asserts believes claims comments compares confirms contends declares denies disputes emphasizes endorses grants illustrates implies insists notes observes points out reasons refutes rejects reports responds suggests thinks writes

Powers, William. Hamlet's BlackBerry: Building a Good Life in the Digital Age . Harper Perennial, 2011.

Quoting Sources

When you quote a source, you include the author's exact words in your text. Use "quotation marks" around the author's words. Include signal phrases and an in-text citation to show where the quote is from.

Bad Example

The example below is technically correct, but the quote disrupts the flow of the essay.

Better Example

The sentences below have better flow because the quote is introduced with a signal phrase.

Paraphrasing and Summarizing Sources

When you paraphrase or summarize a source, you restate the source's ideas in your own words and sentence structure. Select what is relevant to your topic, and restate only that. Changing only a few words is not sufficient in paraphrasing or summarizing. Instead, you need to completely rephrase the author's ideas in your own words. Since you are restating the idea in your own words instead of quoting it, do not use quotation marks.

Always use in-text citations when you paraphrase or summarize so that the reader will know that the information or opinion comes from someone other than you. Continue to use signal phrases as well.

Plagiarism Example

The example below does not significantly change the source material - it uses the same sentence structure and most of the same words for key ideas. It is also plagiarism because it does not provide a citation.

Correctly Paraphrased Example

The next example is not plagiarism - it restates the author's idea, and it provides a citation in MLA format.

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice . 1813. The Modern Library, 1995.

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MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): In-Text Citation

Understanding Core Elements
Formatting Appendices and Works Cited List
Writing an Annotated Bibliography
Academic Honesty and Citation

In-Text Citation

Charts, Graphs, Images, and Tables
Class Notes and Presentations
Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
Generative AI
In Digital Assignments
Interviews and Emails
Journal and Magazine Articles
Newspaper Articles
Social Media
Special Collections
Videos and DVDs
When Information Is Missing
Citation Software

In-text citations are inserted in the body of your research paper to briefly document the source of your information.

In-text citations in MLA style follow the general format of author's last name followed by a page number enclosed in parentheses. Here is an example: "Here's a direct quote" (Smith 8).
If the author's name is not given, use the first word (or words) of the title. Follow the same formatting that is used in the works-cited list, such as quotation marks. Here is an example: This is a paraphrase ("Trouble" 22).
If the source does not have page numbers (for example, some online articles, websites and e-books), only include the author's name for the in-text citation. Do not estimate or make up page numbers.
In-text citations point the reader to the works-cited list, which is located at the end of your paper, for more complete bibliographic information.

Repeated Use of Sources

If you use information from a single source more than once in succession (i.e., no other sources referred to in between), you can use a simplified in-text citation. Here is an example:

Cell biology is an area of science that focuses on the structure and function of cells (Smith 15). It revolves around the idea that the cell is a "fundamental unit of life" (17).

Note: If using this simplified in-text citation creates ambiguity regarding the source being referred to, use the full in-text citation format.

In-Text Citation Formatting and Examples

Format: (Author's Last Name Page Number)

Example: (Hunt 358)

Two Authors

Format: (Author's Last Name and Author's Last Name Page Number)

Example: (Case and Daristotle 57)

Three or More Authors

Format: (Author's Last Name et al. Page Number)

Example: (Case et al. 57)

Unknown Author

Where you would normally put the author's last name, instead use the first one, two, or three words from the title. Do not use initial articles such as "A", "An" or "The". Provide enough words to clarify which sources from your works-cited list that you are referencing.

Follow the formatting of the title. For example, if the title in the works-cited list is in italics, italicize the words from the title in the in-text citation, and if the title in the works-cited list is in quotation marks, put quotation marks around the words from the title in the in-text citation.

Format: (Title Page Number)

Examples :

( Cell Biology 12)

("Nursing" 12)

Multiple Sources

To cite more than one source when you are paraphrasing, separate the in-text citations with a semi-colon.

Format: (Author's Last Name Page Number; Author's Last Name Page Number).

(Smith 42; Bennett 71).

( It Takes Two ; Brock 43).

Note: In MLA style, the sources within the in-text citation do not need to be in alphabetical order.

Works Quoted in Another Source

Sometimes an author of a book, article or website will mention another person's work by using a quotation or paraphrased idea from that source. (This may be a secondary source.) For example, the Kirkey article you are reading includes a quotation by Smith that you would like to include in your essay. The basic rule is that in both your Works-Cited List and in-text citation you will still cite Kirkey. Kirkey will appear in your Works Cited list – NOT Smith. Add the words "qtd. in" to your in-text citation.

Examples of in-text citations:

According to a study by Smith (qtd. in Kirkey) 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia.

Smith (qtd. in Kirkey) states that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (A.10).

Example of Works Cited List citation:

Kirkey, Susan. "Euthanasia." The Montreal Gazette , 9 Feb. 2013, p. A.10. Canadian Newsstand Major Dailies.

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Mla quick citation guide.

In-text Citation
Citing Generative AI
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Using In-text Citation

Include an in-text citation when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source. For every in-text citation in your paper, there must be a corresponding entry in your reference list.

MLA in-text citation style uses the author's last name and the page number from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken, for example: (Smith 163). If the source does not use page numbers, do not include a number in the parenthetical citation: (Smith).

For more information on in-text citation, see the MLA Style Center .

Example paragraph with in-text citation

A few researchers in the linguistics field have developed training programs designed to improve native speakers' ability to understand accented speech (Derwing et al. 246; Thomas 15). Their training techniques are based on the research described above indicating that comprehension improves with exposure to non-native speech. Derwing and others conducted their training with students preparing to be social workers, but note that other professionals who work with non-native speakers could benefit from a similar program (258).

Works Cited List

Derwing, Tracey M., et al. "Teaching Native Speakers to Listen to Foreign-accented Speech." Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, vol. 23, no. 4, 2002, pp. 245-259.

Thomas, Holly K. Training Strategies for Improving Listeners' Comprehension of Foreign-accented Speech. University of Colorado, Boulder, 2004.

Citing Web Pages In Text

Cite web pages in text as you would any other source, using the author if known. If the author is not known, use the title as the in-text citation.

Your in-text citation should lead your reader to the corresponding entry in the reference list. Below are examples of using in-text citation with web pages.

Entire website with author: In-text citation Parents play an important role in helping children learn techniques for coping with bullying (Kraizer).

Works cited entry Kraizer, Sherryll. Safe Child. Coalition for Children, 2011, www.safechild.org.

Web page with no author: In-text citation The term Nittany Lion was coined by Penn State football player Joe Mason in 1904 ("All Things Nittany").

Works cited entry "All Things Nittany." About Penn State. Penn State University, 2006, www.psu.edu/ur/about/nittanymascot.html.

General Guidelines

In MLA style the author's name can be included either in the narrative text of your paper, or in parentheses following the reference to the source.

Author's name part of narrative:

Gass and Varonis found that the most important element in comprehending non-native speech is familiarity with the topic (163).

Author's name in parentheses:

One study found that the most important element in comprehending non-native speech is familiarity with the topic (Gass and Varonis 163).

Group as author: (American Psychological Association 123)

Multiple works: (separate each work with semi-colons)

Research shows that listening to a particular accent improves comprehension of accented speech in general (Gass and Varonis 143; Thomas 24).

Direct quote:

One study found that “the listener's familiarity with the topic of discourse greatly facilitates the interpretation of the entire message” (Gass and Varonis 85).

Gass and Varonis found that “the listener’s familiarity with the topic of discourse greatly facilitates the interpretation of the entire message” (85).

Note: For quotations that are more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse, display quotations as an indented block of text (one inch from left margin) and omit quotation marks. Place your parenthetical citation at the end of the block of text, after the final punctuation mark.

In addition to awareness-raising, practicing listening to accented speech has been shown to improve listening comprehension. This article recommends developing listening training programs for library faculty and staff, based on research from the linguistics and language teaching fields. Even brief exposure to accented speech can help listeners improve their comprehension, thereby improving the level of service to international patrons. (O'Malley 19)

Works by Multiple Authors

When citing works by multiple authors, always spell out the word "and." When a source has three or more authors, only the first one shown in the source is normally given followed by et al.

One author: (Field 399)

Works Cited entry: Field, John. "Intelligibility and the Listener: The Role of Lexical Stress." TESOL Quarterly , vol. 39, no. 3, 2005, pp. 399-423.

Two authors: (Gass and Varonis 67)

Works Cited entry: Gass, Susan, and Evangeline M. Varonis. "The Effect of Familiarity on the Comprehensibility of Nonnative Speech." Language Learning , vol. 34, no. 1, 1984, pp. 65-89.

Three or more authors: (Munro et al. 70)

Works Cited entry: Munro, Murray J., et al. "Salient Accents, Covert Attitudes: Consciousness-raising for Pre-service Second Language Teachers." Prospect , vol. 21, no. 1, 2006, pp. 67-79.

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MLA Citation Guide (9th Edition): In-Text Citation

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About In-Text Citation

In-text citation.

In-text citations include the last name of the author followed by a page number enclosed in parentheses. "Here's a direct quote" (Smith 8).
If the author's name is not given, then use the first word or words of the title. Follow the same formatting that was used in the Works Cited list, such as quotation marks. This is a paraphrase ("Trouble" 22).

Note: The period goes outside the brackets, at the end of your in-text citation.

Signal Phrases

Readers should be able to move from your own words to the words you quote without feeling an abrupt shift. Signal phrases provide clear signals to prepare the readers for the quotation. If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the page number (if there is one) at the end of the quotation or paraphrased section. For example:

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / MLA In-text Citations

MLA In-Text Citations

An in-text citation is a reference to a source that is found within the text of a paper ( Handbook 227). This tells a reader that an idea, quote, or paraphrase originated from a source. MLA in-text citations usually include the last name of the author and the location of cited information.

This guide focuses on how to create MLA in-text citations, such as citations in prose and parenthetical citations in the current MLA style, which is in its 9th edition. This style was created by the Modern Language Association . This guide reviews MLA guidelines but is not related directly to the association.

Here’s a quick rundown of the contents of this guide on how to use in-text citations.

Fundamentals

Why in-text citations are important
Prose vs parenthetical in-text citation differences
Parenthetical citation reference chart

In-text citation examples

In-text citation with two authors
In-text citation with 3+ authors
In-text citation with no authors
In-text citation with corporate authors
In-text citation with edited books and anthologies
In-text citation with no page numbers and online sources
Citing the same sources multiple times
Citing 2+ sources in the same in-text citation
Citing multiple works by the same author in the same in-text citation
Abbreviating titles
Citing religious works and scriptures
Citing long or block quotes

Why are in-text citations important?

In-text citations

Give full credit to sources that are quoted and paraphrased in a work/paper.
Help the writer avoid plagiarism.
Are a signal that the information came from another source.
Tell the reader where the information came from.

In-text citation vs. in-prose vs. parenthetical

An in-text citation is a general citation of where presented information came from. In MLA, an in-text citation can be displayed in two different ways:

In the prose
As a parenthetical citation

While the two ways are similar, there are slight differences. However, for both ways, you’ll need to know how to format page numbers in MLA .

Citation in prose

An MLA citation in prose is when the author’s name is used in the text of the sentence. At the end of the sentence, in parentheses, is the page number where the information was found.

Here is an example

When it comes to technology, King states that we “need to be comfortable enough with technology tools and services that we can help point our patrons in the right direction, even if we aren’t intimately familiar with how the device works” (11).

This MLA citation in prose includes King’s name in the sentence itself, and this specific line of text was taken from page 11 of the journal it was found in.

Parenthetical citation

An MLA parenthetical citation is created when the author’s name is NOT in the sentence. Instead, the author’s name is in parentheses after the sentence, along with the page number.

Here is an MLA parenthetical citation example

When it comes to technology, we “need to be comfortable enough with technology tools and services that we can help point our patrons in the right direction, even if we aren’t intimately familiar with how the device works” (King 11).

In the above example, King’s name is not included in the sentence itself, so his name is in parentheses after the sentence, with 11 for the page number. The 11 indicates that the quote is found on page 11 in the journal.

Full reference

For every source that is cited using an in-text citation, there is a corresponding full reference. This allows readers to track down the original source.

At the end of the assignment, on the MLA works cited page , is the full reference. The full reference includes the full name of the author, the title of the article, the title of the journal, the volume and issue number, the date the journal was published, and the URL where the article was found.

Here is the full reference for King’s quote

King, David Lee. “Why Stay on Top of Technology Trends?” Library Technology Reports , vol. 54, no. 2, Feb.-Mar. 2018, ezproxy.nypl.org/login?url=//search-proquest-com.i.ezproxy.nypl.org/docview/2008817033?accountid=35635.

Readers can locate the article online via the information included above.

Citation overview

mla-in-text-citations-reference-overview

The next section of this guide focuses on how to structure an MLA in-text citation and reference in parentheses in various situations.

A narrative APA in-text citation and APA parenthetical citation are somewhat similar but have some minor differences. Check out our helpful guides, and others, on EasyBib.com!

Wondering how to handle these types of references in other styles? Check out our page on APA format , or choose from more styles .

Parenthetical Citation Reference Chart

Author/Sources	In-text citation	Structure & Explanation
	41 (“Nothing Lost” 178)	(Title Location) Use the title. Use an abbreviated version if it’s long. Format the title like you do in the reference. “Quotation marks” = Work that’s part of a bigger source (e.g., book chapter, journal article, blog post, etc.) = Book, play, entire website, etc.
One author	(Epstein 161)	(Author’s last name Location)
	(Austen and )	(Last name and )
	(Eriksson and Sagen 23)	From one source – list both authors separated by , followed by the page number.
	(Leung et al. 58)	Use et al. to indicate that there are 3 or more authors.
	(The British Museum) (United States, Dept. of Education 82)	List the corporation or organization’s name. Use abbreviations as appropriate. If several names are given, list all the names and separate them by a comma.
	(Castillo 74)	Use the editor’s name instead of the author’s name.
	(Sarreal 11; DeArce 65)	Cite both authors/locations individually separated by a semicolon.

Sources with Two Authors

There are many books, journal articles, magazine articles, reports, and other source types written or created by two authors.

When a source has two authors, place both authors’ last names in the body of your work ( Handbook 232). The last names do not need to be listed in alphabetical order. Instead, follow the same order as shown on the source.

In an MLA in-text citation, separate the two last names with the word “and.” After both authors’ names, add a space and the page number where the original quote or information is found on.

Here is an example of an MLA citation in prose for a book with two authors

Gaiman and Pratchett further elaborate by sharing their creepy reminder that “just because it’s a mild night doesn’t mean that dark forces aren’t abroad. They’re abroad all of the time. They’re everywhere” (15).

Here is an example of an MLA parenthetical citation for a book with two authors

Don’t forget that “just because it’s a mild night doesn’t mean that dark forces aren’t abroad. They’re abroad all of the time. They’re everywhere” (Gaiman and Pratchett 15).

If you’re still confused, check out EasyBib.com’s MLA in-text citation generator, which allows you to create MLA in-text citations and other types of references in just a few clicks!

If it’s an APA book citation you’re looking to create, we have a helpful guide on EasyBib.com. While you’re at it, check out our APA journal guide!

Sources With Three or More Authors

There are a number of sources written or created by three or more authors. Many research studies and reports, scholarly journal articles, and government publications are developed by three or more individuals.

If you included the last names of all individuals in your MLA in-text citations or in parentheses, it would be too distracting to the reader. It may also cause the reader to lose sight of the overall message of the paper or assignment. Instead of including all last names, only include the last name of the first individual shown on the source. Follow the first author’s last name with the Latin phrase, “et al.” This Latin phrase translates to “and others.” Add the page number after et al.

Here’s an example of an MLA parenthetical citation for multiple authors

“School library programs in Croatia and Hong Kong are mainly focused on two major educational tasks. One task is enhancing students’ general literacy and developing reading habits, whereas the other task is developing students’ information literacy and research abilities” (Tam et al. 299).

The example above only includes the first listed author’s last name. All other authors are credited when “et al.” is used. If the reader wants to see the other authors’ full names, the reader can refer to the final references at the end of the assignment or to the full source.

The abbreviation et al. is used with references in parentheses, as well as in full references. To include the authors’ names in prose, you can either write each name out individually or, you can type out the meaning of et al., which is “and others.”

Here is an acceptable MLA citation in prose example for sources with more than three authors

School library programming in Croatia and Hong Kong is somewhat similar to programming in the United States. Tam, Choi, Tkalcevic, Dukic, and Zheng share that “school library programs in Croatia and Hong Kong are mainly focused on two major educational tasks. One task is enhancing students’ general literacy and developing reading habits, whereas the other task is developing students’ information literacy and research abilities” (299).

If your instructor’s examples of how to do MLA in-text citations for three or more authors looks different than the example here, your instructor may be using an older edition of this style. To discover more about previous editions, learn more here .

Need some inspiration for your research project? Trying to figure out the perfect topic? Check out our Dr. Seuss , Marilyn Monroe , and Malcolm X topic guides!

Sources Without an Author

It may seem unlikely, but there are times when an author’s name isn’t included on a source. Many digital images, films and videos, encyclopedia articles, dictionary entries, web pages, and more do not have author names listed.

If the source you’re attempting to cite does not have an author’s name listed, the MLA in-text citation or parenthetical citation should display the title. If the title is rather long, it is acceptable to shorten it in the body of your assignment. If you choose to shorten the title, make sure the first word in the full citation is also the first word used in the citation in prose or parenthetical citation. This is done to allow the reader to easily locate the full citation that corresponds with the reference in the text.

If, in the Works Cited list, the full reference has the title within quotation marks, include those quotation marks in the in-text citation or reference in parentheses. If the title is written in italics in the full reference, use italics for the title in the in-text citation or reference in parentheses as well.

Parenthetical Citations MLA Examples

The example below is from a poem found online, titled “the last time.” the poem’s author is unknown..

“From the moment you hold your baby in your arms you will never be the same. You might long for the person you were before, when you had freedom and time and nothing in particular to worry about” (“The Last Time”).

The example below is from the movie, The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain .

“Perhaps it would have been different if there hadn’t been a war, but this was 1917, and people were exhausted by loss. Those that were allowed to stay manned the pits, mining the coal that would fuel the ships. Twenty-four hours a day they labored” ( Englishman ).

Notice the shortened title in the above reference. This allows the reader to spend more time focusing on the content of your project, rather than the sources.

If you’re looking for an MLA in-text citation website to help you with your references, check out EasyBib Plus on EasyBib.com! EasyBib Plus can help you determine how to do in-text citations MLA and many other types of references!

Corporate Authors

Numerous government publications, research reports, and brochures state the name of the organization as the author responsible for publishing it.

When the author is a corporate entity or organization, this information is included in the MLA citation in prose or parenthetical citation.

“One project became the first to evaluate how e-prescribing standards work in certain long-term care settings and assessed the impact of e-prescribing on the workflow among prescribers, nurses, the pharmacies, and payers” (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 2).

If the full name of the organization or governmental agency is long in length, it is acceptable to abbreviate some words, as long as they are considered common abbreviations. These abbreviations should only be in the references with parentheses. They should not be used in citations in prose.

Here is a list of words that can be abbreviated in parentheses:

Department = Dept.
Government = Govt.
Corporation = Corp.
Incorporated = Inc.
Company = Co.
United States = US

Example of a shortened corporate author name in an MLA parenthetical citation

“Based on our analysis of available data provided by selected states’ departments of corrections, the most common crimes committed by inmates with serious mental illness varied from state to state” (US Govt. Accountability Office 14).

Here is how the same corporate author name would look in an MLA citation in prose

The United States Government Accountability Office states, “Based on our analysis of available data provided by selected states’ departments of corrections, the most common crimes committed by inmates with serious mental illness varied from state to state” (14).

Remember, citations in prose should not have abbreviations; other types of references can.

Looking for more information on abbreviations? Check out our page on MLA format.

Edited Books and Anthologies

Edited books and anthologies often include chapters or sections, each written by an individual author or a small group of authors. These compilations are placed together by an editor or a group of editors. There are tons of edited books and anthologies available today, ranging from ones showcasing Black history facts and literature to those focusing on notable individuals such as scientists like Albert Eintein and politicians such as Winston Churchill .

If you’re using information from an edited book or an anthology, include the chapter author’s name in your MLA citation in prose or reference in parentheses. Do not use the name(s) of the editor(s). Remember, the purpose of these references is to provide the reader with some insight as to where the information originated. If, after reading your project, the reader would like more information on the sources used, the reader can use the information provided in the full reference, at the very end of the assignment. With that in mind, since the full reference begins with the author of the individual chapter or section, that same information is what should be included in any citations in prose or references in parentheses.

Here is an example of an MLA citation in prose for a book with an editor

Weinstein further states that “one implication of this widespread adaptation of anthropological methods to historical research was the eclipse of the longstanding concern with “change over time,” and the emergence of a preference for synchronic, rather than diachronic, themes” (195).

Full reference at the end of the assignment

Weinstein, Barbara. “History Without a Cause? Grand Narratives, World History, and the Postcolonial Dilemma.” Postcolonial Studies: An Anthology , edited by Pramod K. Nayar, Wiley-Blackwell, 2015, p. 196. Wiley , www.wiley.com/en-us/Postcolonial+Studies%3A+An+Anthology-p-9781118780985.

Once you’re through with writing and citing, run your paper through our innovative plagiarism checker ! It’s the editor of your dreams and provides suggestions for improvement.

Sources Without Page Numbers and Online Sources

When a source has no page numbers, which is often the case with long web page articles, e-books, and numerous other source types, do not include any page number information in the body of the project. Do not estimate or invent your own page numbering system for the source. If there aren’t any page numbers, omit this information from the MLA in-text citation. There may, however, be paragraph numbers included in some sources. If there are distinct and clear paragraph numbers directly on the source, replace the page number with this information. Make it clear to the reader that the source is organized by paragraphs by using “par.” before the paragraph number, or use “pars.” if the information is from more than one paragraph.

Here is an example of how to create an MLA parenthetical citation for a website

“She ran through the field with the wind blowing in her hair and a song through the breeze” (Jackson par. 5).

Here’s an example of an MLA citation in prose for a website

In Brenner’s meeting notes, he further shared his motivation to actively seek out and secure self help resources when he announced, “When we looked at statistical evidence, the most commonly checked out section of the library was self-help. This proves that patrons consistently seek out help for personal issues and wish to solve them with the help of the community’s resources” (pars. 2-3).

Here’s another MLA in-text citation example for a website

Holson writes about a new mindful app, which provides listeners with the soothing sound of not only Bob Ross’ voice, but also the “soothing swish of his painter’s brush on canvas.”

In above example, the information normally found in the parentheses is omitted since there aren’t any page, parentheses, or chapter numbers on the website article.

Looking for APA citation website examples? We have what you need on EasyBib.com!

Need an in-text or parenthetical citation MLA website? Check out EasyBib Plus on EasyBib.com! Also, check out MLA Citation Website , which explains how to create references for websites.

Citing the Same Source Multiple Times

It may seem redundant to constantly include an author’s name in the body of a research project or paper. If you use an author’s work in one section of your project, and the next piece of information included is by the same individual(s), then it is not necessary to share in-text, whether in prose or in parentheses, that both items are from the same author. It is acceptable to include the last name of the author in the first use, and in the second usage, only a page number needs to be included.

Here is an example of how to cite the same source multiple times

“One of the major tests is the Project for Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills. This measurement was developed over four years as a joint partnership between the Association of Research Libraries and Kent State University” (Tong and Moran 290). This exam is just one of many available to measure students’ information literacy skills. It is fee-based, so it is not free, but the results can provide stakeholders, professors, curriculum developers, and even librarians and library service team members with an understanding of students’ abilities and misconceptions. It is not surprising to read the results, which stated that “upper-level undergraduate students generally lack information literacy skills as evidenced by the results on this specific iteration of the Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills test” (295).

The reader can assume that the information in the second quote is from the same article as the first quote. If, in between the two quotes, a different source is included, Tong and Moran’s names would need to be added again in the last quote.

Here is the full reference at the end of the project:

Tong, Min, and Carrie Moran. “Are Transfer Students Lagging Behind in Information Literacy?” Reference Services Review , vol. 45, no. 2, 2017, pp. 286-297. ProQuest , ezproxy.nypl.org/login?url=//search-proquest-com.i.ezproxy.nypl.org/docview/1917280148?accountid=35635.

Citing Two or More Sources in the Same In-text Citation

According to section 6.30 of the Handbook , parenthetical citations containing multiple sources in a single parenthesis should be separated by semicolons.

(Granger 5; Tsun 77) (Ruiz 212; Diego 149)

Citing Multiple Works by the Same Author in One In-text Citation

Just as you might want to cite two different sources at the same time, it can also be useful to cite different works by the same author all at once.

Section 6.30 of the Handbook specifies that “citations of different locations in a single source are separated by commas” (251).

(Maeda 59, 174-76, 24) (Kauffman 7, 234, 299)

Furthermore, if you are citing multiple works by the same author, the titles should be joined by and if there are only two. Otherwise, use commas and and .

(Murakami, Wild Sheep Chase and Norwegian Wood ) (Murakami, Wild Sheep Chase , Norwegian Wood , and “With the Beatles”)

Abbreviating Titles

When listing the titles, be aware that long titles in parenthetical citations can distract the reader and cause confusion. It will be necessary to shorten the titles appropriately for in-text citations. According to the Handbook , “shorten the title if it is longer than a noun phrase” (237). The abbreviated title should begin with the word by which the title is alphabetized.

Best practice is to give the first word the reference is listed by so the source is easily found in the works cited. Omit articles that start a title: a, an, the. When possible, use the first noun (and any adjectives before it). For more on titles and their abbreviations, head to section 6.10 of the Handbook .

Full title : The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Abbreviated: Curious
Full title: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Abbreviated: Disreputable History

Religious Works and Scriptures

There are instances when religious works are italicized in the text of a project, and times when it is not necessary to italicize the title.

If you’re referring to the general religious text, such as the Bible, Torah, or Qur’an, it is not necessary to italicize the name of the scripture in the body of the project. If you’re referring to a specific edition of a religious text, then it is necessary to italicize it, both in text and in the full reference.

Here are some commonly used editions:

King James Bible
The Orthodox Jewish Bible
American Standard Bible
The Steinsaltz Talmud
The Babylonian Talmud
New International Bible

When including a reference, do not use page numbers from the scripture. Instead, use the designated chapter numbers and verse numbers.

MLA example of an in-text citation for a religious scripture

While, unacceptable in today’s society, the Bible is riddled with individuals who have two, three, and sometimes four or more spouses. One example in the King James Bible , states that an individual “had two wives, the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children” (1 Sam. 1.2)

The only religious scripture that is allowed to be in the text of a project, but not in the Works Cited list, is the Qur’an. There is only one version of the Qur’an. It is acceptable to include the name of the Qur’an in the text, along with the specific chapter and verse numbers.

If you’re attempting to create a reference for a religious work, but it’s not considered a “classic” religious book, such as a biography about Mother Teresa , or a book about Muhammed Ali’s conversion, then a reference in the text and also on the final page of the project is necessary.

If you’re creating an APA bibliography , you do not need to create a full reference for classic religious works on an APA reference page .

For another MLA in-text citation website and for more on the Bible and other source types, click here .

Long or Block Quotes

Quotes longer than four lines are called, “block quotes.” Block quotes are sometimes necessary when you’re adding a lengthy piece of information into your project. If you’d like to add a large portion of Martin Luther King ’s “I Have a Dream” speech, a lengthy amount of text from a Mark Twain book, or multiple lines from Abraham Lincoln ’s Gettysburg Address, a block quote is needed.

MLA block quotes are formatted differently than shorter quotes in the body of a project. Why? The unique formatting signals to the reader that they’re about to read a lengthy quote.

Block quotes are called block quotes because they form their own block of text. They are set apart from the body of a project with different spacing and margins.

Begin the block quote on a new line. The body of the full project should run along the one inch margin, but the block quote should be set in an inch and a half. The entire quote should be along the inch and a half margin.

If there aren’t any quotation marks in the text itself, do not include any in the block quote. This is very different than standard reference rules. In most cases, quotation marks are added around quoted material. For block quotes, since the reader can see that the quoted material sits in its own block, it is not necessary to place quotation marks around it.

Here is an MLA citation in prose example of a block quote

Despite Bruchac’s consistent difficult situations at home, basketball kept his mind busy and focused:

When I got off the late bus that afternoon, my grandparents weren’t home. The store was locked and there was a note from Grama on the house door. Doc Magovern had come to the house because Grampa was “having trouble with his blood.” Now they were off to the hospital and I “wasn’t to worry.” This had happened before. Grampa had pernicious anemia and sometimes was very sick. So, naturally, it worried the pants off me. I actually thought about taking my bike down the dreaded 9N the three miles to the Saratoga Hospital. Instead, I did as I knew they wanted. I opened the store and waited for customers. None came, though, and my eye was caught by the basketball stowed away as usual behind the door. I had to do something to take my mind off what was happening to Grampa. I took out the ball and went around the side. (13)

Notice the use of the colon prior to the start of the block quote. Do not use a colon if the block quote is part of the sentence above it.

Here is an example of the same block quote, without the use of the colon:

Despite Bruchac’s consistent difficult situations at home, it was clear that basketball kept his mind busy and focused when he states

When I get off the late bus that afternoon, my grandparents weren’t home…

If two or more paragraphs are included in your block quote, start each paragraph on a new line.

Looking for additional helpful websites? Need another MLA in-text citation website? Check out the style in the news . We also have other handy articles, guides, and posts to help you with your research needs. Here’s one on how to write an MLA annotated bibliography .

Visit our EasyBib Twitter feed to discover more citing tips, fun grammar facts, and the latest product updates.

Overview of MLA in-text citation structures

If you’re looking for information on styling an APA citation , EasyBib.com has the guides you need!

MLA Handbook . 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021.

Published October 31, 2011. Updated July 5, 2021.

Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Elise Barbeau. Michele Kirschenbaum is a school library media specialist and the in-house librarian at EasyBib.com. Elise Barbeau is the Citation Specialist at Chegg. She has worked in digital marketing, libraries, and publishing.

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

Annotated Bibliography
Bibliography
Block Quotes
et al Usage
In-text Citations
Paraphrasing
Page Numbers
Sample Paper
Works Cited
MLA 8 Updates
MLA 9 Updates
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Citation Examples

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In MLA style, if multiple sources have the same author , the titles should be joined by and if there are only two. Otherwise, use commas and and .

In-text citation: (Austen Emma and Mansfield Park )
Structure: (Last name 1st Source’s title and 2nd Source’s title )
In-text citation: (Leung et al. 58)

If the author is a corporate entity or organization, included the name of the corporate entity or organization in the in-text citation.

In-text citation: (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 2)

Yes, there’s an option to download source citations as a Word Doc or a Google Doc. You may also copy citations from the EasyBib Citation Generator and paste them into your paper.

Yes! Whether you’d like to learn how to construct citations on your own, our Autocite tool isn’t able to gather the metadata you need, or anything in between, manual citations are always an option. Click here for directions on using creating manual citations.

An in-text citation is a shortened version of the source being referred to in the paper. As the name implies, it appears in the text of the paper. A works cited list entry, on the other hand, details the complete information of the source being cited and is listed within the works cited list at the end of the paper after the main text. The in-text citation is designed to direct the reader to the full works cited list entry. An example of an in-text citation and the corresponding works cited list entry for a journal article with one author is listed below:

In-text citation template and example:

Only the author surname (or the title of the work if there is no author) is used in in-text citations to direct the reader to the corresponding reference list entry. For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the author for the first occurrence. In subsequent citations, use only the surname. In parenthetical citations, always use only the surname of the author. If you are directly quoting the source, the page number should also be included in the in-text citation.

Citation in prose:

First mention: Christopher Collins ….

Subsequent occurrences: Collins ….

Parenthetical:

….(Collins)

….(Collins 5)

Works cited list entry template and example:

The title of the article is in plain text and title case and is placed inside quotation marks. The title of the journal is set in italics.

Surname, F. “Title of the Article.” Journal Title , vol. #, no. #, Publication Date, page range.

Collins, Christopher. “On Posthuman Materiality: Art-Making as Rhizomatic Rehearsal.” Text and Performance Quarterly , vol. 39, no. 2, 2019, pp. 153–59.

Note that because the author’s surname (Collins) was included in the in-text citation, the reader would then be able to easily locate the works cited list entry since the entry begins with the author’s surname.

An in-text citation is a short citation that is placed next to the text being cited. The basic element needed for an in-text citation is the author’s name . The publication year is not required in in-text citations. Sometimes, page numbers or line numbers are also included, especially when text is quoted from the source being cited. In-text citations are mentioned in the text in two ways: as a citation in prose or a parenthetical citation.

Citations in prose are incorporated into the text and act as a part of the sentence. Usually, citations in prose use the author’s full name when cited the first time in the text. Thereafter, only the surname is used. Avoid including the middle initial even if it is present in the works-cited-list entry.

Parenthetical

Parenthetical citations add only the author’s surname at the end of the sentence in parentheses.

Examples of in-text citations

Here are a few tips to create in-text citations for sources with various numbers and types of authors:

Use both the first name and surname of the author if you are mentioning the author for the first time in the prose. In subsequent occurrences, use only the author’s surname. Always use only the surname of the author in parenthetical citations.

First mention: Sheele John asserts …. (7).

Subsequent occurrences: John argues …. (7).

…. (John 7).

Two authors

Use the first name and surname of both authors if you are mentioning the work for the first time in the prose. In subsequent occurrences, use only the surnames of the two authors. Always use only the authors’ surnames in parenthetical citations. Use “and” to separate the two authors in parenthetical citations.

First mention: Katie Longman and Clara Sullivan ….

Subsequent occurrences: Longman and Sullivan ….

…. ( Longman and Sullivan).

Three or more authors

For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the first author followed by “and others” or “and colleagues.” For parenthetical citations, use only the surname of the first author followed by “et al.”

Lincy Mathew and colleagues…. or Lincy Mathew and others ….

…. (Mathew et al.).

Corporate author

For citations in prose, treat the corporate author like you would treat the author’s name. For parenthetical citations, shorten the organization name to the shortest noun phrase. For example, shorten the Modern Language Association of America to Modern Language Association.

The Literary Society of Malaysia….

…. (Literary Society).

If there is no author for the source, use the source’s title in place of the author’s name for both citations in prose and parenthetical citations.

When you add such in-text citations, italicize the text of the title. If the source title is longer than a noun phrase, use a shortened version of the title. For example, shorten the title Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to Fantastic Beasts .

Knowing Body of Work explains …. (102).

….( Knowing Body 102).

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MLA Citation Guide

MLA 9th Edition
In-Text Citations and Paraphrasing
Works Cited
Formatting Research Paper
MLA Citation Examples
Test Your Knowledge

MLA In-Text Citations and Paraphrasing

MLA in-text citations PowerPoint MLA in-text citations PowerPoint presentation.

In-Text Citations

Mla in-text the basics.

In MLA Style, when including a source you must include the following elements in your research paper:

Author's Last Name
The source is written in quotes or the source is paraphrased.
Page Number

Please note that there are always exceptions to the rule, for example, if the source does not include a page number such as a website, then skip the element and only include the author's last name and quotation or paraphrase.

Examples of In-Text Citations

The following examples display in-text citations. Although all three examples are different they are still correct because they include the author's last name, quotation or paraphrase, and the page number.

Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (263).

Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263).

Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the creative process (263).

Source: "MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics." Purdue Online Writing Lab. Purdue U, 2021, owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html. Accessed 1 March 2022.

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Last Updated: Sep 19, 2022 11:46 AM
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VCU Writes: A Student’s Guide to Research and Writing

Focused inquiry, mla quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing.

An essential skill in writing is the ability to ethically and accurately share the ideas of others. Quotations, paraphrases and summaries are all methods of including research in your writing or presentations. Here is a quick overview of the difference between quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing:

What it is: Using the exact words of your source; must be placed within quotation marks.
When to use it: Specific terminology, powerful phrases.
Example: McMillan Cottom explains that “Reading around a subject is about going beyond the object of study to unpack, examine, or pick apart what the person or the object of study represents” (1).

PARAPHRASING

What it is: Putting another’s ideas into your own words.
When to use it: To clarify a passage, to avoid over-quoting.
Example: McMillan Cottom contends that, in addition to reading about a subject itself, we also need to read about the ideas and concepts that are ingrained in a subject in order to truly understand its deeper meaning (1).

SUMMARIZING

What it is: Putting a larger main idea into your words.
When to use it: Overview of a topic, main point/idea.
Example: In McMillan Cottom’s article, “Sleep Around Before You Marry an Argument,” she describes the process of preparing to write about a subject and develop an argument. For her, the first and most important stage in this process is reading; however, she isn’t focused on simply reading everything ever written on a topic, but “reading around a subject.” In her view, the end goal is not just to compile facts, but to develop a thorough, but interesting final product that will connect with your audience. (1)

Work Cited McMillan Cottom, Tressie. “Sleep Around Before You Marry An Argument.” Essaying, Substack, 8 March 2021, https://tressie.substack.com/p/sleep-around-before-you-marry-an?utm_source=url

Note: This page reflects the 9th ed. of the MLA Handbook, published in April 2021.

The guidelines and examples below will help you determine when and how to appropriately incorporate research into your writing.

For the drop-down menus below, click on the plus (+) sign to open the example; click on the arrow to obtain a link for each specific item that you can copy or email to yourself.

General Guidelines

While you are still gaining experience and confidence in writing, there is often a temptation to rely heavily on the words and ideas of others. You might think, “How can I possibly say it as well as the expert?” or “How will anyone believe me unless I add in exhaustive research?” However, having confidence in your own ideas is one of the hallmarks of a more experienced writer, and this means that when incorporating the ideas of others, we should not allow them to “take over” our own ideas.

In addition, sometimes it is better to paraphrase or summarize an idea to keep it brief, rather than having an excessively long quotation. (See below for more info on both paraphrasing and summarizing ideas.)

That said, there are a number of reasons why we might want to quote the ideas of others. Here are some of the most common:

When wording is very distinctive so you cannot paraphrase it adequately;
When you are using a definition or explaining something very technical;
When it is important for debaters of an issue to explain their positions in their own words (especially if you have a differing viewpoint);
When the words of an authority will lend weight to your argument;
When the language of a source is the topic of your discussion (as in an interpretation).

Trying to balance your ideas and those of your sources takes a bit of skill and finesse. The goal is to make the ideas (both yours and those of your sources) feel and look like a conversation—a mutual exchange of voices and ideas that helps you and your audience work out your reasoning on a topic. (You can read more about this idea of academic conversations here.) Sometimes, in the process of trying to incorporate the ideas of others, things fall a bit short of the ideal. Here are some common missteps that can lead to your writing seeming less polished:

Over-using one source : If you find yourself repeatedly citing the same source again and again in your writing, it will begin to seem as if you are merely repackaging the other author’s ideas, rather than presenting your own. It also gives the appearance that your ideas are one-sided, due to the lack of a diversity of voices in the conversation.
Having more source material than your own original ideas *: Try color-coding your writing. Highlight each instance where you are quoting, paraphrasing or summarizing a source. What’s left? Is your essay a rainbow of colors, with little else? Or are the majority of ideas/sentences yours, with a few well-chosen instances of source material? Aim for the latter; otherwise, it will seem like you are just “reporting out” on all the research you have gathered, rather than developing your own thinking on a subject.
Does every aspect of this passage relate to my own paragraph ideas?
Can I cut out a section of this quotation to emphasize the points that are most relevant? (If yes, see below on proper formatting when you eliminate a portion of the quoted material.)
Would it be easier/better/more concise to paraphrase this idea? (If yes, see below on how to correctly and incorrectly paraphrase.)
Dropping in a random quote or source reference : Ideas without context are always confusing, whether they are yours or someone else’s. Make sure you provide adequate context and make connections between your ideas and those of your sources.
Signal phrase (a few words that introduce the author of the source; this might also include credentials of the author and/or title of work);
Quoted, paraphrased or summarized material, followed by a parenthetical citation;
Your own thinking that expands upon the ideas from the source material, and connects it back to your larger point.

For more on how to effectively incorporate evidence into your writing or presentation, see the handout “What Is Evidence?” here on VCU Writes.

*NOTE : This goal is more applicable to some writing situations than others. In a lab report or literature review, for example, the majority of your discussion might include restating/sharing research. Always confirm with your instructor if you are not sure what the appropriate balance of source material should be for your specific writing situation.

When quoting material from a source, wording and punctuation should be reproduced exactly as it is in the original. If you need to alter the quotation in any way, you must indicate this through punctuation or added material. Otherwise, you will be misrepresenting the ideas of others.

When paraphrasing or summarizing source info, you should still use quotation marks and cite any distinctive wording that you kept from the original.

For examples of how to correctly alter a quotation, see the “quoting material with alternate spellings or errors,” “omitting part of a quotation,” and “adding to or changing material in a quotation” sections below.

In certain instances, you do not need to cite information. Some examples include “common knowledge,” “passing mentions,” allusions, or epigraphs. To learn more about these situations and why we don’t need to cite them, see “when documentation (aka citation) is NOT needed” on the MLA parenthetical citations page of this site.

Direct Quotation of Sources

A. Quotations that are fewer than four lines should be included in the text and enclosed in quotation marks. If you introduce the quotation in a signal phrase with the author’s full name (or source title, if the author’s name is not provided), include the page number in parentheses after the end of the quotation and before the period. It is not necessary to repeat the name in the parenthetical citation:

On the efficacy and importance of religion, David Hume asserts , “The life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster” (319) .

B. If you do not introduce the quotation with the author’s full name (or source title, if the author’s name is not provided), include the author’s last name and page number in parentheses after the end of the quotation and before the period:

When considering the efficacy and importance of religion, one must understand that “the life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster” (Hume 319) .

C. If the quotation appears mid-sentence , end the passage with any applicable punctuation and a closing quotation mark, finish the sentence, and then cite the source in parentheses at the end of the sentence :

Based on the findings, Sommerfeldt argued that “the normative role of public relations in democracy is best perceived as creating the social capital that facilitates access to spheres of public discussion,” challenging dominant notions of democratic discourse (664).

(An exception to the mid-sentence example above would be if you have more than one source cited in the same sentence. In that case, include the parenthetical citation directly after each quotation in the sentence.)

Quotations that are more than four lines should be displayed in block quotation format . This is an indented passage that does not require quotation marks (the indent serves in place of quotation marks):

The question of voters’ reasons for picking a specific candidate or side in an issue is a complicated one.

Voters should have good grounds for thinking that they are voting for policies or candidates that will promote the common good. In general, there are three ways that voters will violate this norm. Bad voters might vote out of 1) ignorance, 2) irrational beliefs, or 3) immoral beliefs. In contrast, good voters not only know what policies candidates will try to implement, but also know whether those policies would tend to promote or harm the common good. Voters should aim to promote the common good rather than narrow self-interest. (Brennan 37)

Given that voters often don’t vote with the common good in mind, what steps can the community take to help change that?

Note that the period at the end of the block quotation is placed at the end of the sentence, rather than after the parenthetical citation. After the quotation is completed, continue your paragraph on the left margin (i.e., don’t indent as if it were a new paragraph).

If the quotation includes an alternate spelling (i.e., British English) or an error in grammar, punctuation, or spelling, write the word “sic” in brackets directly after the alternate spelling or error inside the quotation:

“VCU is well known for it’s [sic] diversity” (Jones 43).

This lets the reader know that it is the original writer’s spelling or error.

It is often useful to omit material when you do not need all words or sentences included in the passage you are citing. If you omit material, use three spaced periods (. . .) within a sentence (the three periods are called an ellipsis) to indicate that you have omitted material from the original source:

Ariel Levy notes that “in the decades since the McKennas’ odyssey, the drug . . . has become increasingly popular in the United States” (34).

If you omit material after the end of a sentence, use four spaced periods (. . . .) . This is a period, followed by an ellipsis.

A. Though direct quotations must be accurate, the first letter of the first word in the quotation may be changed either as uppercase or lowercase to match the flow of your sentence. Additionally, the punctuation mark ending a sentence may also be changed if necessary for appropriate syntax.

B. It is sometimes important to insert material when it will help the reader understand a quotation. When inserting material, enclose it in brackets :

Original quotation : “By programming a variety of Twitter bots to respond to racist abuse against black users, he showed that a simple one-tweet rebuke can actually reduce online racism” (Yong 45).

Revised quotation with inserted material for clarity : “By programming a variety of Twitter bots to respond to racist abuse against black users, he [Kevin Munger] showed that a simple one-tweet rebuke can actually reduce online racism” (Yong 45).

C. If you decide to italicize part or all of a quotation to emphasize a point you’re trying to make, add “emphasis added” in the parenthetical citation directly after the quotation :

The Dalai Lama has said, “Whether you call it Buddhism or another religion, self-discipline, that’s important. Self-discipline with awareness of consequences” (1, emphasis added) .

Note : If words were already italicized in the quoted material, you do not need to include the “emphasis added” designation. It is assumed that all formatting is original to the quotation unless you indicate otherwise.

Paraphrasing source material

When a writer uses another person’s idea but puts it in their own words, the writer is paraphrasing . We use paraphrasing when we wish to preserve the original ideas in their entirety (as opposed to summarizing the main points). Some reasons a writer might choose to do this include preserving the flow of their writing, or if quoting the material directly would take up too much space.

It is important to remember that just as with quotations, paraphrased material requires an in-text citation to give credit to the original author.

When paraphrasing or referencing an idea from another source, make sure that you provide enough information for the reader to easily locate the passage from the source you reference (for example, the page number or the paragraph number).

Example paraphrase : Original passage : “Reading around a subject is about going beyond the object of study to unpack, examine, or pick apart what the person or the object of study represents” (McMillan Cottom).

Unacceptable paraphrase : It’s important to read around the subject that we are studying by examining what that subject represents.

Issue 1: Certain words from the original are simply moved around.
Issue 2: Certain words are only replaced with synonyms or similar words.
Issue 3: The sentence structure has remained the same.
Issue 4: The source citation is missing.

Acceptable Paraphrase : McMillan Cottom contends that, in addition to reading about a subject itself, we also need to read about the ideas and concepts that are ingrained in a subject in order to truly understand its deeper meaning (1).

Work Cited McMillan Cottom, Tressie. “Sleep Around Before You Marry An Argument.” Essaying , Substack, 8 March 2021, https://tressie.substack.com/p/sleep-around-before-you-marry-an?utm_source=url

Many writers are reluctant to paraphrase because they worry about making mistakes and unintentionally plagiarizing ideas in their writing. This is a valid concern, but with practice this skill can be developed just like any other. Learning to paraphrase effectively can demonstrate a deeper understanding and command of the ideas you are discussing, and aid in the flow of ideas in your essay or presentation. That said, there are some common mistakes that should be avoided:

When paraphrasing, make sure that you don’t copy the same pattern of wording as the original sentence or passage . This sometimes happens when a writer tries to just swap out a few words, but keeps the structure of the sentence the same or very similar.
Likewise, avoid using the same or very similar wording as the original . If your paraphrase includes a word or phrase borrowed from the original, make sure to put that portion in quotation marks.
As noted above, paraphrases require citations, just like direct quotations. Always include a signal phrase and parenthetical citation to indicate that the info you are sharing is not your own. This is especially important in paraphrasing to make a clear distinction between the writer’s own ideas and the source info. Also, citing your source makes sure that you provide enough information for the reader to easily locate the passage from the source you reference.

To make sure that you don’t fall prey to the above mistakes, read the passage you wish to paraphrase and then put it aside. Without looking at it, try to think about how you can say it in your own words, and write it down. Make sure you aren’t including your own ideas—just try to capture the essence of the original in as clear and straightforward a manner as possible.

Summarizing source material

As explained at the top of this page, a summary is when a writer wants to provide a brief overview of a larger idea. This is distinct from a paraphrase, which usually focuses on a single sentence or paragraph. A writer can summarize an entire essay, a section of an article, or the overall main idea of a composition. While summarizing is perhaps not used as frequently as quoting or paraphrasing in academic writing, it can be an effective critical thinking and reading tool. In fact, your instructor may ask you to do a summary as part of your reading and research gathering to demonstrate your understanding of the material. In most academic writing, summaries should be used sparingly, but can be an efficient way to provide additional context to the intended audience.

It is important to remember that just as with quotations and paraphrases, summarized material requires an in-text citation to give credit to the original author.

When summarizing an idea from another source, make sure that you provide enough information for the reader to easily locate the passage from the source you reference (for example, the page number or the paragraph number).

Example summary :

The following summary focuses on an online article written by Tressie McMillan Cottom, which you can read in full here .

In Tressie McMillan Cottom’s article, “Sleep Around Before You Marry an Argument,” she describes the process of preparing to write about a subject and develop an argument. For her, the first and most important stage in this process is reading; however, she isn’t focused on simply reading everything ever written on a topic, but “reading around the subject.” In her view, the end goal is not just to compile facts, but to develop a thorough, but interesting final product that will connect with your audience. (1)

McMillan Cottom, Tressie. “Sleep Around Before You Marry An Argument.” Essaying , Substack, 8 March 2021, https://tressie.substack.com/p/sleep- around-before-you-marry-an?utm_source=url

There are some common mistakes that should be avoided when summarizing a source:

Providing too much detail : While a summary is by its nature longer than a paraphrase, too much detail means that you are getting a bit “in the weeds” with your writing. A summary should be focused on the big ideas of a piece of writing, rather than the individual sections or minor points. A good summary should be much shorter than the original; in most cases, a full paragraph will be more than enough.
Using the same or very similar wording for part of the summary : Just as with paraphrasing, you want to avoid words, phrases, or patterns of wording from the original source. Stick to your own wording/ideas; if your summary does include a word or phrase borrowed from the original, make sure to put that portion in quotation marks.
Not providing a citation : As with paraphrases and quotations, summaries also require citations. Always include a signal phrase and parenthetical citation to indicate that the ideas you are summarizing are not your own. This is especially important in summarizing to make a clear distinction between your own ideas and the source info. Also, citing your source makes sure that you provide enough information for the reader to easily locate the source you reference.

To make sure that you don’t fall prey to the above mistakes, read the item you wish to summarize and then put it aside. Without looking at it, try to think about how you would explain the main ideas from the source to someone else in your own words, and write that down. Make sure you don’t add your own analysis or opinion—just try to capture the essence of the original in as clear and straightforward a manner as possible.

MLA Style: Writing & Citation

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Books, eBooks & Pamphlets
Class Notes & Presentations
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
Government Documents
Images, Charts, Graphs, Maps & Tables
Interviews and Emails (Personal Communications)
Journal Articles
Magazine Articles
Newspaper Articles
Religious Texts
Social Media
Videos & DVDs
When Information Is Missing
Works Quoted in Another Source
Unknown or Multiple Authors

Paraphrasing

Long Quotes
Repeated Sources
In-Text Citation For More Than One Source
Works Cited List & Sample Paper
Using Generative AI in Papers & Projects
Annotated Bibliography

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Research Help Appointments are one-on-one sessions with a librarian.

When you write information or ideas from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion.

Paraphrasing from One Page

Include a full in-text citation with the author name and page number (if there is one). For example:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt 65).

Paraphrasing from Multiple Pages

If the paraphrased information/idea is from several pages, include them. For example:

Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt 50, 55, 65-71).

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Last Updated: Sep 12, 2024 10:34 AM
URL: https://libguides.gvltec.edu/CiteMLA

MLA 9 Citation Style: Direct Quotes, Paraphrasing, Summarizing

Textbook With One Author
Textbook With Two Authors
Textbook With Three or More Authors
Textbook as an Anthology or Edited Book
Textbook Work Within an Anthology or Edited Book
Textbook Two or More from an Anthology or Edited Book
Textbook with One Author (Mobile)
Textbook with Two Authors (Mobile)
Textbook with Three or More Authors (Mobile)
Textbook as an Anthology or Edited Book (Mobile)
Textbook Work Within an Anthology or Edited Book (Mobile)
Textbook Two or More from an Anthology or Edited Book (Mobile)
Two Authors
Three or More Authors
Anthology or Edited Book
Work in an Anthology or Edited Book
Two or More Selections from the Same Anthology or Edited Book
Journal Article (Print)
Journal Article (Online)
Newspaper Articles (Print)
Newspaper Articles (Online)
Database Article with One Author
Database Article with Two Authors
Database Article with More Than Three Authors
Database Previously Published Scholarly Article (Blooms, MasterPlots, Literary Reference Center)
Online Government Publication
Website with an Author’s/Contributor’s Name
Website with No Author’s/Contributor’s Name
Web Page with Author
Web Page with No Author’s/Contributor’s Name
Art – From a Book
Art – From a Web Page
Picture/Photo Online -- General
Motion Picture -- DVD
Motion Picture -- Streaming
Video -- Online (YouTube, etc.)
An Interview You Conducted
Lecture Notes, PowerPoints, or Handouts from Class
In-Text Citations
Works Cited Page
Popular vs. Scholarly Sources
Direct Quotes, Paraphrasing, Summarizing

Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarizing

You already know that you need to use various kinds of resources when you are researching. Now things can get a little more complicated when trying to use those resources in your assignments.

We find that most students accidently plagiarize because they don’t know how to correctly quote, paraphrase, and/or summarize information they are trying to incorporate into their papers. Or how and when to cite things.

So, what's the difference?

(Venn_quote, n.d.)

Direct Quotes

Quotes are the exact words that the author has used, word for word. When quoting, you must use quotation marks and include an in-text citation .

According to the MLA Handbook, quotes should be "used selectively" and should "be as brief as possible" (75).

Rather, most professors prefer you to paraphrase or summarize information from your source because it demonstrates that you really understand what you're writing about.

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing means putting the information you could have quoted into your own words, but keeping the intention of the original source. Paraphrases do not have quotation marks because you are using your own words, yet still must include an in-text citation at the end of the part you are paraphrasing.

Summarizing

When you summarize information, it's really a shorter version of the original source where you relate the overall meaning from the source. Like when paraphrasing, when you summarize you must still include an in-text citation at the end of the part you are summarizing.

Works Cited

The Modern Language Association of America. MLA Handbook , 8th edition. The Modern Language Association of America, 2016.

"Venn_quote." Dallas Learning Cloud , n.d., dlc.dcccd.edu/embed.php?key=dcccd+1dcccd234+englishcomp1rlc-units/quoting-paraphrasing-and-summarizing. Accessed 9 Sep 2019.

Additional Resources

When to Summarize, Paraphrase, and Quote (George Mason University's Writing Center)
Paraphrasing and Quoting 101 (IRSC Libraries)
Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing (Purdue University's Online Writing Lab)
Quoting and Paraphrasing (University of Wisconsin's Writing Center)
<< Previous: Popular vs. Scholarly Sources
Last Updated: Jul 15, 2024 12:20 PM
URL: https://warren.libguides.com/MLA9

Warren County Community College Haytaian & Maier Library 475 Route 57 West Washington, New Jersey 07882 Text: 908-652-4445 [email protected]

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How to cite in MLA format

MLA is one of the most common citation styles used by students and academics. This quick guide explains how to cite sources according to the 9th edition (the most recent) of the MLA Handbook . You can also use Scribbr’s free citation generator to automatically generate references and in-text citations.

An MLA citation has two components:

In-text citation : Every time you quote or paraphrase a source, you cite the author and the page number in parentheses.
Works Cited : At the end of your paper, you give a full reference for every source you cited, alphabetized by the author’s last name.

MLA Works Cited list

The list of Works Cited (also known as the bibliography or reference page) gives full details of every source you cited in your text. Each entry is built from nine core elements:

Following this format, you can create a citation for any type of source—for example, a book , journal article , website , or movie . You only include information that’s relevant to the type of source you’re citing.

Missing information in MLA citations

Regardless of the source type, the most important elements of any MLA citation are the author , the source title , and the publication date. If any of these are missing from the source, the Works Cited entry will look slightly different.

What’s missing?	What to do	Works Cited example
No author	Start with the source title instead. Alphabetize by the first word (ignoring ).	“Australia fires: ‘Catastrophic’ alerts in South Australia and Victoria.” , 20 Nov. 2019, www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50483410.
No title	Give a brief description of the source. Use sentence case and no italics or quotation marks.	Mackintosh, Charles Rennie. Chair of stained oak. 1897–1900, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
No date	Leave out the publication date. Add the date you accessed the source at the end of the citation.	“Who are Scribbr Editors?” , www.scribbr.com/about-us/editors/. Accessed 10 June 2019.

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MLA in-text citations

MLA in-text citations are brief references that direct your reader to the full source entry. You include them every time you quote , block quote , paraphrase or summarize a source.

The in-text citation must match the first word of the Works Cited entry—usually the author’s last name . It also includes a page number or range to help the reader locate the relevant passage.

Author	What to do	Citation example
1 author	Give the author’s last name.	(Wallace 11–12)
2 authors	Give both author’s last names.	(Wallace and Armstrong 11–12)
3+ authors	Name the first author followed by “et al.”	(Wallace et al. 11–12)
Corporate author	If a source was created by an organization other than the publisher, use the organization name as author.	(U.S. Global Change Research Program 22)
No author	If the author is the same as the publisher, or if no author is credited, use the source title instead. Format the title the same as in the full Works Cited reference, and shorten if it is more than four words.	(“Australia Fires”)
Multiple sources by the same author	Include the title (or a shortened version) after the author’s name in each source citation.	(Morrison, , 73) (Morrison, , 45)

If you already named the author in your sentence, include only the page number in parentheses:

Sources with no page numbers

If the source has no page numbers, you either use an alternative locator, or leave the page number out of the citation:

Source type	What to do	Citation example
Audiovisual source (e.g. a or )	Give the time range of the relevant section.	(Arnold 03:15–03:21).
Source with numbered sections (e.g. an )	Give a paragraph, section, or chapter number.	(Smith, par. 38) (Rowling, ch. 6)
Source with no numbered sections (e.g. a )	Leave out the page number.	(Barker)

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MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): Quoting vs. Paraphrasing

Source Types
Evaluating Sources
Quoting vs. Paraphrasing
Advertisements
Audio Materials
Books, eBooks & Course Packs
Creative Commons Licensed Works
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
Games & Objects
Government Documents
Images, Infographics, Maps, Charts, & Tables
Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers (Oral Communication)
Journal Articles
Magazine Articles
Newspaper Articles
Personal Communications (including emails and interviews)
Religious Works
Social Media
Websites (including documents/PDFs posted on websites)
When Information Is Missing
Works Quoted in Another Source
Works Cited & Paper Format
Plagiarism & Academic Integrity
End of Paper Checklist

Quoting vs Paraphrasing

Quoting vs paraphrasing: what's the difference.

There are two ways to integrate sources into your assignment: quoting directly or paraphrasing.

Quoting is copying a selection from someone else's work, phrasing it exactly as it was originally written. When quoting place quotation marks (" ") around the selected passage to show where the quote begins and where it ends. Make sure to include an in-text citation.

Paraphrasing is used to show that you understand what the author wrote. You must reword the passage, expressing the ideas in your own words, and not just change a few words here and there. Make sure to also include an in-text citation.

"The Basics of MLA In-text Citations." Video, 4:13. Posted by Scribbr, 2021. Accessed April 24, 2021. YouTube. YouTube, 2021.https://youtu.be/ypWxhhpGeyM

Long quotations
Modifying quotations

Quoting - Example:

There are two basic formats that can be used when quoting a source:

Parenthetical Style:

Narrative Style:

Note: If there are no page numbers, as in a website, cite the author name only.

What is a Long or Block Quotation?

A long or block quotation is a quotation which is 4 lines or more.

Rules for Long Quotations

There are 4 rules that apply to long quotations that are different from regular quotations:

The line before your long quotation, when you're introducing the quote, usually ends with a colon.
The long quotation is indented half an inch from the rest of the text, so it looks like a block of text.
There are no quotation marks around the quotation.
The period at the end of the quotation comes before your in-text citation as opposed to after , as it does with regular quotations.

Example of a Long Quotation

At the end of Lord of the Flies the boys are struck with the realization of their behaviour:

Modifying Quotations

Sometimes you may want to make some modifications to the quote to fit your writing. Here are some MLA rules when changing quotes:

Changing Quotations

Omitting parts of a quotation

If you would like to exclude some words from a quotation, replace the words you are not including with an ellipsis - ...

Adding words to a quote

If you are adding words that are not part of the original quote, enclose the additional words in square brackets - [XYZ]

Paraphrasing

Correct vs. incorrect paraphrasing
Long paraphrases

Paraphrasing - Examples:

When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows:

If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation, instead include the page number if there is one:

Correct vs. Incorrect Paraphrasing

Original Source

Homeless individuals commonly come from families who are riddled with problems and marital disharmony, and are alienated from their parents. They have often been physically and even sexually abused, have relocated frequently, and many of them may be asked to leave home or are actually thrown out, or alternatively are placed in group homes or in foster care. They often have no one to care for them and no one knows them intimately.

Source from:

Rokach, Ami. "The Causes of Loneliness in Homeless Youth." The Journal of Psychology, 139, 2005, pp. 469-480. Academic Search Premier.

Example: Incorrect Paraphrasing

Example: Correct Paraphrasing

Long Paraphrases

If you paraphrase a source more than once in a single paragraph and no other sources are mentioned in between, provide an in-text citation for the source at the end of each paraphrase. In the examples, the second in-text citation only includes the page number since it is clear that the same source is still being paraphrased.

If your paraphrase continues to another paragraph and/or you include paraphrases from other sources within the same paragraph, repeat the in-text citations for each.

In-text Citation Tips

Repeated use of sources
Sources with same author and publication year
Citing more than one source

If you are using information from a single source more than once in succession (i.e., no other sources referred to in between), you can use a simplified in-text citation.

Note: If using this simplified in-text citation creates ambiguity regarding the source being referred to, use the full in-text citation format.

When you are citing two different sources that share the same author, for the Works Cited List list the first title only, and for any subsequent titles by the same author list three dashes (---) in place of the author name.

For in-text citations, include a shortened version of the source title following the author name.

If you would like to cite more than one source within the same in-text citation, simply record the in-text citations as normal and separate them with a semi-colon (;).

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Next: How Do I Cite? >>
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MLA Formatting Quotations

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When you directly quote the works of others in your paper, you will format quotations differently depending on their length. Below are some basic guidelines for incorporating quotations into your paper. Please note that all pages in MLA should be double-spaced .

Short quotations

To indicate short quotations (four typed lines or fewer of prose or three lines of verse) in your text, enclose the quotation within double quotation marks. Provide the author and specific page number (in the case of verse, provide line numbers) in the in-text citation, and include a complete reference on the Works Cited page. Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after the parenthetical citation.

Question marks and exclamation points should appear within the quotation marks if they are a part of the quoted passage, but after the parenthetical citation if they are a part of your text.

For example, when quoting short passages of prose, use the following examples:

When using short (fewer than three lines of verse) quotations from poetry, mark breaks in verse with a slash, ( / ), at the end of each line of verse (a space should precede and follow the slash). If a stanza break occurs during the quotation, use a double slash ( // ).

Long quotations

For quotations that are more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse, place quotations in a free-standing block of text and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, with the entire quote indented 1/2 inch from the left margin while maintaining double-spacing. Your parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark . When quoting verse, maintain original line breaks. (You should maintain double-spacing throughout your essay.)

For example, when citing more than four lines of prose, use the following examples :

Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration: They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room, and I had no more sense, so, I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and there he found it on quitting his chamber. Inquiries were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house. (Bronte 78)

When citing long sections of poetry (four lines of verse or more), keep formatting as close to the original as possible.

In his poem "My Papa's Waltz," Theodore Roethke explores his childhood with his father:

The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. We Romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother's countenance Could not unfrown itself. (qtd. in Shrodes, Finestone, Shugrue 202)

When citing two or more paragraphs, use block quotation format, even if the passage from the paragraphs is less than four lines. If you cite more than one paragraph, the first line of the second paragraph should be indented an extra 1/4 inch to denote a new paragraph:

In "American Origins of the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Movement," David Russell argues,

Writing has been an issue in American secondary and higher education since papers and examinations came into wide use in the 1870s, eventually driving out formal recitation and oral examination. . . .

From its birth in the late nineteenth century, progressive education has wrestled with the conflict within industrial society between pressure to increase specialization of knowledge and of professional work (upholding disciplinary standards) and pressure to integrate more fully an ever-widening number of citizens into intellectually meaningful activity within mass society (promoting social equity). . . . (3)

Adding or omitting words in quotations

If you add a word or words in a quotation, you should put brackets around the words to indicate that they are not part of the original text:

If you omit a word or words from a quotation, you should indicate the deleted word or words by using ellipses, which are three periods ( . . . ) preceded and followed by a space. For example:

Please note that brackets are not needed around ellipses unless they would add clarity.

When omitting words from poetry quotations, use a standard three-period ellipses; however, when omitting one or more full lines of poetry, space several periods to about the length of a complete line in the poem:

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Paraphrasing in MLA

Paraphrasing can be a useful tool to help you avoid relying too heavily on quotes. You should avoid using too many quotes in your writing.

That being said, you still need to cite your sources properly when paraphrasing. You are borrowing other people’s ideas, so it’s important to give credit where it’s due.

If your instructor wants you to use MLA-style citations, it’s important to know how this works in regard to paraphrasing.

What is MLA style?

MLA stands for “Modern Language Association.” This association was founded in 1983, and it’s the leading professional academic organization in the United States. The MLA style is frequently used by schools, instructors, and academic organizations. While many students use the MLA style when writing, it’s especially popular in humanities courses.

What is paraphrasing?

When you paraphrase a passage, you are putting it in your own words. In most cases, the result is that this passage becomes clearer and easier to understand. Paraphrases can be shorter, longer, or the same length as the original passage. Paraphrasing is useful because it shows that you actually understand the key ideas behind the passage.

Paraphrasing & citing in MLA style

Once you understand the system for citing your sources in MLA style, paraphrasing is easy. You can use this process to cite your sources when paraphrasing, summarizing, or using direct quotes.

1. Create a works cited page

Both a works cited page and a bibliography list sources that were used in the making of your paper. The main difference is that a works cited page only includes sources that were referenced in your work (via an in-text citation). On the other hand, a bibliography includes all sources consulted, even if they were not directly referenced in your work. Both are placed at the end of your research paper or essay and follow the same MLA guidelines. It is important to create a works cited page because your in-text citations will help your reader to identify the source you are referencing from that list.

To create a works cited page based on the MLA format, you need to follow a number of guidelines.

This is the basic structure for a book reference in MLA format:

Author Last, Author First, Middle Initial. Title of Work . Publisher, Year.

Here’s an example:

Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis . Modern Library, 1915.

For more help creating citations, visit the Citation Machine MLA citation generator .

2. In-text citations

When writing according to the MLA style citation guide, you will use in-text citations. The goal of in-text citations is to direct your reader to the appropriate citation in your works cited list. At the end of your paraphrase, you’ll write the last name of the author and the page number you’re referencing.

This is the basic structure for an in-text citation in MLA format:

(Author Last Name Page number).

For example:

Captain Montgomery forced Pendrick off his ship, claiming that Pendrick was in league with “beasts and cannibals” (Wells 26).

The period is always placed after the parentheses.

If there’s more than one author, you simply use both of their last names, followed by the page number.

(Smith and Jones 77).

If there are three or more authors, you simply use the first author’s last name and then write “et al.”

(Smith et al. 77).

If there is no page number, just use the author’s last name. You’ll likely need to do this if you’re citing a web page or another source where page numbers are not included.

If you’re repeatedly citing the same source, you can simply refer to the page number after the first time. Note that you can only do this if you’re not citing other sources in between and this shouldn’t be used if it will cause confusion.

Captain Montgomery forced Pendrick off his ship, claiming that Pendrick was in league with “beasts and cannibals” (Wells 26). After being stranded on a small dinghy, Pendrick begs God to end his suffering (30).

You can also use only the page number if you have included the author’s name within the test itself. This is called a narrative citation.

Basic structure:

Text that mentions the author’s last name (page number).

Wells writes that Captain Montgomery forced Pendrick off his ship, claiming that Pendrick was in league with “beasts and cannibals” (26).

Key takeaways

When paraphrasing, you need to put the writing in your own words.
Citing your sources is important when paraphrasing.
The MLA style is used for academic writing, especially in the humanities.
The first step is to create a works cited page.
Next, you use in-text citations after your paraphrases to direct your reader to the source listed in your works cited page.
You generally use the last name of the author and the page number in parentheses after your paraphrases.

Published October 29, 2020.

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Critical Writing Fall 2024: Library guide for Dr. Fayyaz Vellani's Class: Examples of Paraphrase

Getting started
News and Opinion Sites
Academic Sources
Grey Literature
Substantive News Sources
What to Do When You Are Stuck
Understanding a citation
Examples of Quotation
Examples of Paraphrase
Chicago Manual of Style: Citing Images
Researching the Op-Ed
Researching Prospective Employers
Resume Resources
Cover Letter Resources

Paraphrases—rewordings of text—need to be cited. Paraphrasing without providing a citation is plagiarism. Even paraphrases with citations can be instances of plagiarism if they are so similar to the original that the paraphraser claims credit for the original author's language.

A paraphrase that avoids plagiarism:

cites the source of the material being paraphrased.
differs enough from the original that it doesn't require quotation marks.

Paraphrase Examples

Wines drunk at Greek tables did not always come from Greece itself. The wine snobbery of the time extolled the merits of wines from the slopes of Mount Lebanon, from Palestine, Egypt and Magna Graecia-Greater Greece, i.e., southern Italy. The ten litres a day drunk by the famous wrestler Milo of Croton was a wine famous in Calabria, where Milo lived: this wine, Ciro, is still made.

from Maguelone Toussaint-Samat's A History of Food (Cambridge: Blackwell, 1992. 263).

Wines drunk by Greeks were not always made in Greece itself. The wine snobs of that period celebrated wines from Mount Lebanon, Palestine, and Egypt. The famous wrestler Milo of Croton, who consumed ten liters of wine a day, drank wine made in Calabria outside of Greece; this wine, Ciro, is still made.

This paraphrase plagiarizes in two ways:

1. By having no citation, the paraphrase misleads readers into believing that the ideas, facts and sense of the passage are a result of the author's own research and knowledge.

2. The language of the paraphrase is too similar to the original. Even if the author had provided a citation, some instructors would consider this plagiarism.

Not Plagiarism:

Although Greeks were picky about their wine, they enjoyed wine from outside Greece. Upstanding Greeks enjoyed wine from many of Greece's local trading partners—including Palestine, Egypt and southern Italy. One story tells of the famous wrestler Milo of Croton, who consumed ten liters of foreign wine daily (Toussaint-Samat 263).

This paraphrase cites the original and rephrases its words to create an original construction.

Paraphrase that Uses Too Much of the Original Language

Up, up, up, groping through clouds for what seemed like an eternity....No amount of practice could have prepared them for what they encountered. B-24s, glittering like mica, were popping up out of the clouds all over the sky.

from Thomas Childers. Wings of morning: the story of the last American bomber shot down over Germany in World War II , Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley (1990), 83.

Up, up, up he went, until he got above the clouds. No amount of practice could have prepared the pilot and crew for what they encountered-B-24s, glittering like mica, were popping up out of the clouds over here, over there, everywhere.

This comes from The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s over Germany by Stephen E. Ambrose. Ambrose cites but does not quote Childers' original work despite using its imagery and language. Ambrose should have either used Childers' passage as a direct quotation or modified his own passage so that it consisted of his own language.

Not Plagiarism

Despite their training, the pilot and crew's experience was surreal and surprising, seeing for the first time "B-24s, glittering like mica, ... popping up out of the clouds all over the sky" (Ambrose 83).

<< Previous: Examples of Quotation
Next: Using Images in Your Writing >>
Last Updated: Sep 11, 2024 12:46 PM
URL: https://guides.library.upenn.edu/Critical_Writing_Dr_Vellani

COMMENTS

Paraphrasing in MLA
To paraphrase well, read the original a few times, consider the context, jot down the key ideas, compose your paraphrase, compare your paraphrase to the original, and add an in-text citation. The MLA advises using in-text citations in order to give proper credit to a paraphrase's original source.
MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics
In-text citations: Author-page style. MLA format follows the author-page method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the page number (s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in the text, and a complete reference should appear on your Works Cited page. The author's name may appear either in the ...
Paraphrasing
6 Steps to Effective Paraphrasing. Reread the original passage until you understand its full meaning. Set the original aside, and write your paraphrase on a note card. Jot down a few words below your paraphrase to remind you later how you envision using this material. At the top of the note card, write a key word or phrase to indicate the ...
MLA In-text Citations
Revised on March 5, 2024. An MLA in-text citation provides the author's last name and a page number in parentheses. If a source has two authors, name both. If a source has more than two authors, name only the first author, followed by " et al. ". If the part you're citing spans multiple pages, include the full page range.
LibGuides: MLA Citation Guide (9th Edition): In-Text Citation
When you write information or ideas from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion, like this: This is a paraphrase (Smith 8). This is a paraphrase ("Trouble" 22). Note: The period goes outside the brackets, at the end of your in-text citation. Example:
MLA: In-Text Citations
In MLA, in-text citations are inserted in the body of your research paper to briefly document the source of your information. Brief in-text citations point the reader to the full citation on the works cited list at the end of the paper. Create in-text citations for the following: Direct quotes; Paraphrasing
LibGuides: MLA Citation Guide: In-Text Citations
According to the MLA Handbook, the citation should interrupt the text of your essay as little as possible (227). There are two ways to do this: Signal phrase (" Citation in prose " in the MLA Handbook): Introducing the name of the author or the work's title in the text of your sentence. Parenthetical citation: Paraphrasing an idea or using a ...
MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): In-Text Citation
To cite more than one source when you are paraphrasing, separate the in-text citations with a semi-colon. Format: (Author's Last Name Page Number; Author's Last Name Page Number). Examples: (Smith 42; Bennett 71). (It Takes Two; Brock 43). Note: In MLA style, the sources within the in-text citation do not need to be in alphabetical order.
Library Guides: MLA Quick Citation Guide: In-text Citation
Include an in-text citation when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source. For every in-text citation in your paper, there must be a corresponding entry in your reference list. MLA in-text citation style uses the author's last name and the page number from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken, for example: (Smith ...
MLA Citation Guide (9th Edition): In-Text Citation
In-Text Citation. In MLA, in-text citations are inserted in the body of your research paper to briefly document the source of your information. Brief in-text citations point the reader to more complete information in the Works Cited list at the end of the paper. ... This is a paraphrase ("Trouble" 22). Note: The period goes outside the brackets ...
MLA In-Text Citations
An in-text citation is a reference to a source that is found within the text of a paper (Handbook 227). This tells a reader that an idea, quote, or paraphrase originated from a source. MLA in-text citations usually include the last name of the author and the location of cited information. This guide focuses on how to create MLA in-text ...
MLA In-Text Citations
When and where to use MLA citations. Citations should accompany any quotations you use as well as any paraphrased material. Including a citation whenever you copy, paraphrase, or summarize another researcher's work is imperative to avoid accidental plagiarism. In-text MLA citations, also known as parenthetical citations, should come immediately after the quoted material and before any ...
MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): In-Text Citation
In MLA, in-text citations are inserted in the body of your research paper to briefly document the source of your information. Brief in-text citations point the reader to more complete information in the works cited list at the end of the paper. ... Paraphrasing from One Page. Include a full in-text citation with the author name and page number ...
In-Text Citations and Paraphrasing
Examples of In-Text Citations. The following examples display in-text citations. Although all three examples are different they are still correct because they include the author's last name, quotation or paraphrase, and the page number. Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (263).
MLA In-Text Citations
MLA In-Text Citations. MLA style uses in-text citations to give credit to authors when paraphrasing or quoting their ideas. In-text citations include two parts, the lead-in (or signal) phrase and the parenthetical citation. The lead-in phrase is an important element of the in-text citation to include when integrating sources into your own writing.
MLA Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing
Here is a quick overview of the difference between quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing: QUOTING. What it is: Using the exact words of your source; must be placed within quotation marks. When to use it: Specific terminology, powerful phrases. Example: McMillan Cottom explains that "Reading around a subject is about going beyond the object of ...
Paraphrasing
Include a full in-text citation with the author name and page number (if there is one). For example: Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby's studies (Hunt 65). Paraphrasing from Multiple Pages. If the paraphrased information/idea is from several pages, include them.
The Basics of In-Text Citation
Example: Paraphrase with APA Style in-text citation The evolutionary process consists of a series of incremental changes over a long period of time (Darwin, 1859, p. 510). However, to avoid over-citation, bear in mind that some information is considered common knowledge and doesn't need to be cited.
MLA 9 Citation Style: Direct Quotes, Paraphrasing, Summarizing
Paraphrasing . Paraphrasing means putting the information you could have quoted into your own words, but keeping the intention of the original source. Paraphrases do not have quotation marks because you are using your own words, yet still must include an in-text citation at the end of the part you are paraphrasing. Summarizing
Free MLA Citation Generator
MLA in-text citations. MLA in-text citations are brief references that direct your reader to the full source entry. You include them every time you quote, block quote, paraphrase or summarize a source. The in-text citation must match the first word of the Works Cited entry—usually the author's last name.
MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): Quoting vs. Paraphrasing
Make sure to include an in-text citation. Paraphrasing is used to show that you understand what the author wrote. You must reword the passage, expressing the ideas in your own words, and not just change a few words here and there. Make sure to also include an in-text citation. "The Basics of MLA In-text Citations." Video, 4:13. Posted by ...
MLA Formatting Quotations
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (8th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.
Everything about Paraphrasing in MLA|Citation Machine
Once you understand the system for citing your sources in MLA style, paraphrasing is easy. You can use this process to cite your sources when paraphrasing, summarizing, or using direct quotes. 1. Create a works cited page. Both a works cited page and a bibliography list sources that were used in the making of your paper.
Examples of Paraphrase
Paraphrases—rewordings of text—need to be cited. Paraphrasing without providing a citation is plagiarism. Even paraphrases with citations can be instances of plagiarism if they are so similar to the original that the paraphraser claims credit for the original author's language. A paraphrase that avoids plagiarism:

MLA Citation Guide (9th Edition): In-Text Citation

Works Quoted in Another Source

On This Page

Citations - MLA: In-Text Citations - Quotations & Paraphrasing

On This Page

Paraphrasing

Unknown Author

Citing a Source that you Found in Another Source (Secondary Source)

In-Text Citation For One, Two, or More Authors/Editors

In-Text Citation For More Than One Source

MLA Citation Guide

In-Text Citations

Signal Phrase

Examples of a Signal Phrase

Examples of a Parenthetical Citation

Author Named in Your Paper

Two Authors Named in Your Paper

Three or More Authors Named in Your Paper

One or Two Authors Not Named in Your Paper

Three or More Authors Not Named in Your Paper

Source with No Page Numbers

Alternatives to "Says"

Quoting Sources

Bad Example

Better Example

Paraphrasing and Summarizing Sources

Plagiarism Example

Correctly Paraphrased Example

MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): In-Text Citation

In-Text Citation

Repeated Use of Sources

In-Text Citation Formatting and Examples

Two Authors

Three or More Authors

Unknown Author

Multiple Sources

Works Quoted in Another Source

Penn State University Libraries

Using In-text Citation

Citing Web Pages In Text

General Guidelines

Works by Multiple Authors

MLA Citation Guide (9th Edition): In-Text Citation

About In-Text Citation

Signal Phrases

MLA In-Text Citations

Table of Contents

Fundamentals

In-text citation examples

Why are in-text citations important?

In-text citation vs. in-prose vs. parenthetical

Citation in prose

Here is an example

Parenthetical citation

Here is an MLA parenthetical citation example

Full reference

Here is the full reference for King’s quote

Citation overview

Parenthetical Citation Reference Chart

Sources with Two Authors

Here is an example of an MLA citation in prose for a book with two authors

Here is an example of an MLA parenthetical citation for a book with two authors

Sources With Three or More Authors

Here’s an example of an MLA parenthetical citation for multiple authors

Here is an acceptable MLA citation in prose example for sources with more than three authors

Sources Without an Author

Parenthetical Citations MLA Examples

The example below is from the movie, The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain .

Corporate Authors

Example of a shortened corporate author name in an MLA parenthetical citation

Here is how the same corporate author name would look in an MLA citation in prose

Edited Books and Anthologies

Here is an example of an MLA citation in prose for a book with an editor

Full reference at the end of the assignment

Sources Without Page Numbers and Online Sources

Here is an example of how to create an MLA parenthetical citation for a website

Here’s an example of an MLA citation in prose for a website

Here’s another MLA in-text citation example for a website

Citing the Same Source Multiple Times

Here is an example of how to cite the same source multiple times