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MLA Citation & Formatting: Citing Sources

Useful information to help you create a well-formatted document in MLA 9th edition style

Citation Definition

Citation is quoting or otherwise referring to an author or their work to illustrate a point or to support an argument in your own essay or research paper. When you use someone else's work in your paper, you must acknowledge the contribution of that author with an in-text citation and a bibliographic citation. An in-text citation is a short reference to that part of the work you have used within the body of your paper, and a bibliographic citation is a full citation included in a list at the end of your paper, formatted according to the style you are using - usually APA or MLA style.

Citation Guidelines

In-Text Citation

  • An in-text citation is a brief reference to an author’s work within the body of your paper, pointing your reader to the corresponding entry in the reference list. MLA Style uses author-page format. APA style uses author-date format.
  • Alternatively footnotes and endnotes are notes placed at the bottom of a page or at the end of a chapter or a project with complete citation information. Chicago Notes and Bibliography (NB) style requires these instead of in-text citations.

Bibliography

  • A list of full citations for all resources used, arranged alphabetically by authors’ last names appears at the end of the research paper
  • MLA style refers to this as the Works Cited page
  • APA Style  and Chicago Author-Date style refer to this as the References page
  • Chicago NB style refers to this as the Bibliography

Cite it:

  • when you quote or paraphrase someone else's words, ideas, analysis, or opinions
  • when you use data collected or created by someone else
  • when you use someone else's images or illustrations

Don't cite it:

  • when information is common knowledge, something your reader already knows
  • when you use data you collected yourself, like an informal student poll or survey
  • when you use your own images or illustrations

When in doubt, cite it!

Quotation Guidelines

Quotation is using someone's exact words when the exact wording is important to retain meaning.

  • when you’re reproducing an exact definition
  • when you can’t say the same thing more memorably or more succinctly
  • when you want to respond to the author’s direct wording to strengthen your argument

Formatting Quotations

  • short quotations (40 or fewer words) should be enclosed in quotation marks and followed by an in-text citation
  • long quotations (more than 40 words) should be placed in block format, with the entire quote indented 1/2 inch, without quotation marks, and followed by an in-text citation
  • quotes should always be attributed to the original author with an in-text citation

Paraphrasing Guidelines

Paraphrasing is restating someone's ideas in your own words in order to maintain your own voice in the narrative.

  • a paraphrase is usually shorter than the original passage because it involves condensing an idea
  • a paraphrase is preferable to a quotation because it is presented in the context of your argument and in your own writing style
  • paraphrases should always be attributed to the original author with an in-text citation

Why Should You Paraphrase?

  • to summarize, synthesize ideas, or focus on an important point
  • to adapt the information to the context of your paper
  • to retain your own writing style

Resources for Citation

Noodle Tools at SVCC

Noodle Tools is a research management platform that helps you:

  • organize your information
  • evaluate your sources
  • create accurate citations
  • take notes, create outlines, get ready to write

How to Get Started

  1. access SVCC's customized login page
  2. register to create an account
    • on-campus students will go directly to account creation
    • off-campus students will need our username and password
    • contact library@svcc.edu or writing.center@svcc.edu for the username and password

Style Guides

Quoting & Paraphrasing

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