MLA Style Guide: In-Text Citations

In-text citations are used to cite information used from a resource within the body of the research paper.  These references point the reader to the resources in the works cited page.   

MLA 9th edition uses a shortened form of citation that consists of the author's last name and the page number that information was found on; these components are placed within parentheses.  Punctuation marks such as commas, periods, question marks, and semi-colons are usually placed after the in-text citations.  

There are two types of in-text citations: parenthetical and citation in prose (formerly narrative).  The typical parenthetical in-text citation begins with the shortest piece of information that directs readers to the works cited list.  It always begins with whatever comes first in the works cited entry. 

In a citation in prose (or narrative), the author of the source is listed in the body of the paper and the page number of the source is listed in parentheses at the end. 

Examples of in-text citations, both parenthetical and citation in prose, can be found below.  Find more information regarding in-text citations in chapter 6 of the MLA Handbook.

Direct quote vs' Paraphrasing

A direct quote is a quote that is copied directly from the resource.  It should be copied word for word and put in quotation marks.  Most direct quotes can be put in the general text of the paper; if the quote is more than four (4) lines long, then it needs to be set off separately as a block quote. 

However, if you are omitting a word, phrase, or sentence from a passage, an ellipsis (three spaced periods) should be in place of the word, phrase, or sentence.  If you are quoting a word or phrase, no ellipsis is needed.   Be sure that the quote does not mislead the reader from the original source's sentence structure. 

When information is taken from a source and summarized (i.e. not copied directly as they are written), it is called paraphrasing.  The paraphrased information is not placed within quotation marks but still have the in-text citations, whether parenthetical or narrative, after the information.  

One author 

When a work has one author, list the author's last name and then the page number where the information is listed. For citation in prose, give the full name of the author at  first mention and the surname thereafter. 

(Shuttleworth 149).

Jason Shuttleworth states that "the connection between the rhetoric of unveiling the truth and an overt political movement of insurrection is painfully evident" (149).

 

Two authors 

If an entry in the works cited list has a work with two authors, include both names in the in-text citations.  Use the word "and" between the two names.  Mention both authors' full names at the first mention of the authors and then the page number in parentheses.  Thereafter, only use the authors' surnames. 

(Tidwell and Ragar 58)

Tidwell and Ragar explain that "Hughes certainly was incapable of supporting them financially" (58).
 

Three or more authors 

If a work has three or more authors, the in-text citation will include the first author's name followed by "et al" which will match the entry in the works cited list.   If you use the authors in your prose, you may either (1) list all authors' names or (2) list the first author followed by "and others" or "and colleagues".  

(Grabher et al. 185)

John Grabher and others suggests that teachers' efforts at organizing the canon of Emily Dickinson's work for classroom instruction are revealing (185).
 

Multiple works by the same author 

If more than one work from the same author is listed in the works cited list, use a shortened form of the title to include in the in-text citation after the author's last name.  Use a comma between the author and title of work. 

(Austen, Mansfiled 58) 

 

There is also the option of using the author's name in the prose and putting the title in the citation.

Austen writes "direct quote from piece of work here inside quotation marks" (Mansfiled 29). 

 

Also, the author's name and the title of the work can go into the prose while the page number is in parentheses at the end of the sentence. 

Austen writes in her novel Mansfield that "direct quote from work goes here inside quotation marks" (30). 

 

Authors with the same last name 

When borrowing from works by two different authors with the same last name, indicate the difference by adding the initial of the author in the parenthetical citation.  Use the first name of each author in prose at each mention in order to reduce ambiguity.  

John Hobson and Samuel Hobson mention that the presidents were "calmly advocating for rights of immigrants while in court" (88). 

(J. Hobson 88).

 

Organization as the author (Corporate author)  - ask amber

When a work has an organization or corporation listed as an author, use the corporation or organization in the in-text citation; abbreviate commonly abbreviated terms such as department (dept.).  

(Tennessee Dept. of Health 28)

 

Work with no author

If there is no author for the work being used, the works cited citation will begin with the title of that work.  For the in-text citation, use a shortened phrase or title (often the first word of the title).  Place the word in either italics or quotation marks to match the works cited.  

            Information taken from the article Analytics of English Majors would be: 

("Analytics of English Majors" 99)

If the title of the work is mentioned in the prose, then only put the page numbers in parentheses.