Basic MLA Citation Style
MLA Documentation Style, or simply MLA style, is used in the humanities when researchers need to give credit to any source — a book, web page, article, CD-ROM, lecture — outside of their own experience. The information here is meant only as a quick guide. You should consult the most current MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers or your current English Composition handbook (any of them) for the most complete and accurate information on citations. Only by citing sources correct can you avoid plagiarism.
Use MLA documentation style when
- attributing a passage within your essay to someone else — “parenthetical citation”
- listing works used in your essay — “works cited”
Parenthetical citations appear within the body of your essay when you use — or cite — someone else’s ideas from another source. Use a parenthetical citation when
- paraphrasing — using your own words to explain another’s ideas
- quoting — using another’s exact words
MLA Help Links
The following links are designed to help you avoid plagiarism and cite sources correctly when writing in the humanities.
Courses
LitMUSE contains course information for the various class sections I teach, from world literature to composition and new media. [Go to Courses]
Course Policies
An explanation of mandatory classroom policies for my courses, both in-class and online. [Go to Policies]
