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MLA 9th Edition Style Guide: Citations

This guide will assist you in formatting in-text citations and a Works Cited list in the current MLA style.

When to cite?

  • refer to another person’s work to establish your position on a topic
  • express your agreement with a theory or viewpoint of another person
  • express your disagreement with a theory or viewpoint of another person
  • citation leads the reader to the source used
  • the acknowledgment or credit appears in the body of your paper (in-text citation) and at the end of your paper (works cited list)

Every work cited in your paper needs to be included in your Works Cited list

Citing and Citations

Citing is a must whenever you use any format of information or ideas (text, images, media, etc.) from sources e.g. books, journal articles, videos, data, etc. when you cite you provide the reader with all the sources you used and consulted in your work.

Citations include all the necessary elements in order for readers of your work to trace and access your references.

Where do I place the citations?

Citations occur in two (2) places of your paper.

  • As in-text citations in the body of your paper. Whenever you quote directly from an outside source or paraphrase.
  • As a complete or full citation at the end of your paper in your Works Cited list