The primary question, which comes to mind of a highs school student who faces the need to include the words of other authors in his or her essay, is how to cite in MLA. Without this knowledge, you risk failing the assignment. This article from professional writers explains how to cite in MLA format on the examples of different types of sources.
Citing sources Introduction. One of the most important aspects of academic writing is making use of the ideas of other people. This is important as you need to show that you have understood the materials that you have studied and that you can use their ideas and findings in your own way. In fact, this is an essential skill for every student.
Use secondary sources sparingly, for instance, when the original work is out of print, unavailable through usual sources, or not available in English. Give the secondary source in the reference list; in text, name the original work and give a citation for the secondary source. For example, if Allport's work is cited in Nicholson and you did not.
Citation examples. This page lists the details you will need to include when writing citations for various types of source material, with examples of formatted citations in a version of Harvard style (unless otherwise stated). Brief refers to the way that a work would be cited either in the body of the text or in footnotes when using Harvard style.
How to Cite Source or Reference How to Cite Sources or References. In writing an essay or a paper in general, how do you cite? Citing a source can be done in two ways: (1) through in-text citation, or (2) through a works cited list, references page, or a bibliography. The citation style will vary depending on the prescribed referencing method.
Bibliography (Works Cited) This outline format for an extended essay is a great example to follow when writing a research essay, and sustaining a proper research essay format - especially if it is based on the MLA guidelines. It is vital to remember that the student must keep track of their resources to apply them to each step outlined above.
A full citation fully identifies a reliable source and, where applicable, the place in that source (such as a page number) where the information in question can be found. For example: Rawls, John. A Theory of Justice.Harvard University Press, 1971, p. 1. This type of citation is usually given as a footnote, and is the most commonly used citation method in Wikipedia articles.
In MLA style, all the sources you cite throughout the text of your paper are listed together in full in the Works Cited section, which comes after the main text of your paper. When citing an essay, you include information in two places: in the body of your paper and in the Works Cited that comes after it.
The Modern Language Association refers to these guidelines as “The Core Elements” on page 20 of the Handbook If your teacher has asked you to cite your sources in this format, these elements will form the foundation for each MLA website citation included in your MLA Works Cited list, as well as the entries for sources in any other format.
Remember that the cited material should illustrate rather than substitute for your point. Make sure your paper is more than a collection of ideas from your sources; it should provide an original interpretation of that material. For help with creating this commentary while also avoiding personal opinion, see our Commentary vs. Opinion resource.