Citation Guide (including AMA)

Overview of MLA Style

MLA 

Every time you quote or paraphrase someone else’s work, you must tell us:

  • who wrote the work
  • what is it called
  • and where can we find a copy.

You give us this information in two places:

  1. In the paragraph where you are quoting or paraphrasing. This is called an In-Text Citation because you will put brief information about the work in the text of your paper. Check out our guidelines and examples in the left-hand column.
  2. In the Works Cited page at the end of the paper. This is where you put all of the information we need to find a copy of the works you used in your paper. Check out our guidelines and examples in the left-hand column.

Left arrowCheck out our guidelines and examples in the left-hand column.

We also recommend these resources:

MLA In-Text Citations

MLA In-Text Citations Overview

In-text citations are brief references that direct readers to the works-cited-list entries for the sources you consulted and, where relevant, to the location in the source being cited.

When you quote or paraphrase from a source (book, article, or webpage) in your paper, you need to insert an in-text citation. This typically consists of author's last name and page numbers (if there are any) or "the title of article or web resource" and page numbers (if there are any). 

The author's name can appear in a sentence (referred to as citation in prose) or in parentheses at the end of a sentence (referred to as parenthetical citation). The page number always appears in parentheses at the end of the sentence.

According to librarian Julie Chapman, "it is important for everyone, not just librarians, to critically evaluate information" (4).

According to a local librarian, "it is important for everyone, not just librarians, to critically evaluate information" (Chapman 4).

What if there's more than one author, or no author?

Works Cited Page

This is a separate page at the end of your paper. Each citation in the text must be listed on the Works Cited page; each listing on the Works Cited page must appear in the text.

From the MLA Handbook, Chapter 1.6: Placement of the List of Works Cited

  • Center the heading, Works Cited, an inch from the top of the page
  • Double-space between the heading and the first entry.
  • List the citations alphabetically by author. If no author is listed, start with the title of the article, book or web resource
  • All text is double-spaced, just like the rest of the paper.
  • Indent the second and subsequent lines of citations by 0.5 inch to create a hanging indent.
    • To do this, highlight the citation and type CTRL-T

    OR

    • Go to the Paragraph ribbon in Word. Click the arrow in the bottom right hand corner. This opens a box: under “special”, click on “hanging”.  

    Paragraph ribbon   Hanging Indent

Sample Works Cited Page

Works Cited

Barlow, David H., and Katherine Ann Kennedy. "New Approaches to Diagnosis and Treatment in Anxiety and Related Emotional Disorders: A

Focus on Temperament." Canadian Psychology, vol. 57, no. 1, 2016, pp. 8-20. ProQuest, dx.doi.org/10.1037/cap0000039.

“Basics about Diabetes.” Diabetes Home. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31 Mar. 2015, www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/diabetes.html.

Bradley, Heather. Design Funny: A Graphic Designer's Guide to Humor. 1st ed., HOW Books, 2015.

Curthoys, Ann. “The Magic of History: Harry Potter and Historical Consciousness.” Agora, vol. 49, no. 4, 2014, pp. 23-31. EbscoHost,

ezproxy.nwtc.edu:2048/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=102630773&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Grazer, Brian, and Charles Fishman. A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life. Simon & Schuster, 2015.

Hallett, Vicky. "Prancercise, a Celebration of Self-Expression." The Washington Post, 18 Sept. 2013. EbscoHost, ezproxy.nwtc.edu:2048/login?

url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgov&AN=edsgcl.343280158&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Kang-Brown, Jason, et al. "Zero-Tolerance Policies Do Not Make Schools Safer." School Safety, edited by Noah Berlatsky, Greenhaven Press,

2016, pp. 50-52.

Klausen, Jytte. The Cartoons That Shook the World. e-book, Yale University Press, 2009.