Chapter 36. MLA Style for Documenting Sources

Introduction to Chapter 36

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Instructor's Notes

Tutorials are available at the end of this chapter.To download handouts of the Learning by Doing activities, Take Action charts, and checklists that appear in this unit, and to access lecture slides, teaching tips, and Instructor's Manual materials, go to the "Instructor Resources" folder at the end of this unit.

MLA Style for Documenting Sources

The MLA Handbook, Eighth Edition (MLA, 2016), supplies guidance on crediting sources.

MLA style is often used in the humanities, including composition, literature, and foreign languages. Although other disciplines follow other style guides, MLA style can help you get used to scholarly practice. MLA style uses a two-part system to credit sources.

For a brief overview of MLA style, see section E in the Quick Research Guide and Quick Format Guide. For advice about using APA style, see Ch. 37.

To review how to find details about sources, see the Source Navigators unit in Ch. 33.

Briefly cite or identify the source in your text, usually by noting the author’s last name in your discussion or in parentheses right after you supply the information from the source. In most cases, complete the in-text citation with the page number in the source.
Then use the author’s name to begin a full description of the source in your concluding alphabetical list, called “Works Cited.” For each entry there, look up the sample for that type of source. Follow its pattern for details, format, punctuation, and spacing. Check all similar entries for consistency, too.

Credit your source every time you quote, paraphrase, or sum up someone else’s ideas. The only general exception is “common knowledge,” uncontested information that readers in a field know and accept. Examples might include dates, facts about events, and popular expressions such as proverbs. Identify your source any time your readers would—or might—wonder about it, especially if you are unsure what they consider controversial.

Use the Take Action chart below to figure out how to improve the MLA style in your draft.

Take Action Citing and Listing Sources

Ask each question listed in the left-hand column to determine whether your draft might need work on that issue. If so, follow the ASK—LOCATE SPECIFICS—TAKE ACTION sequence to revise.

1 ASK	2 LOCATE SPECIFICS	3 TAKE ACTION
Do any of my text citations differ from my Works Cited or References entries—or vice versa?	Circle any material from a source that is not identified. Add a check mark ✓ by each text citation that matches a Works Cited or References entry. Add a check mark ✓ by each Works Cited or References entry that matches a text citation. Circle any source not checked in both places.	Correct each of your circled items by adding what’s missing. Drop from your Works Cited or References any source not cited in your draft. (Or add it to your draft if it belongs there.) Confirm that authors’ names are spelled the same in both places so that the citation and list entry match.
Have I inconsistently or incorrectly presented any of the authors in my list of works cited?	Read only the author part of each entry. Circle any spot where you need to check the arrangement of first and last names. Circle any spot where you need to check spelling or punctuation. Mark any entries out of alphabetical order. Circle any repeated problems.	Look up and correct all circled items. Correct spelling or punctuation errors, such as a missing comma after the first name of the first of several authors. Conclude each author section with a period. Rearrange entries alphabetically as needed. If you find patterns—repetition of an error—check all entries only for that problem and correct it.
Have I inconsistently or incorrectly presented any source titles in my list of works cited?	Read only the title part of each entry, checking the format of each article, journal, book, Web site, or other title. Circle any entry that you need to correct or look up by type, especially complications (such as an anthology) or tricky details (such as a newspaper section). Circle any repeated problems.	Look up and correct all circled items. Use quotation marks for an article or a posting title; use italics for a book, journal, or Web site title. Correct the capitalization, spelling, or punctuation. End each title with a period before the final quotation mark or after italics. If you find patterns—repetition of an error—check all entries only for that problem and correct it.