MLA In-text Citations
Albert S. Cook Library
Research & Instruction
In MLA style, when you refer to the words and ideas of others within your own research, you must give credit by
using an in-text citation (also known as “imbedded” or “parenthetical” citation) within the text of your paper. Below
are some examples of in-text citations based on the rules found in the 7th edition MLA Handbook for Writers of
Research Papers (RESERVE LB2369.G53 2009). Remember that all sources mentioned within in-text citations in your
paper must have a corresponding full bibliographic citation in your Works Cited list.
Basic In-text Citation Guidelines
Whenever you include the thoughts or words of others within your research, you must document this
information. MLA requires the use of an in-text citation whether you put the words of others in your own
words (paraphrase) or state them exactly as found in the original source (direct quote). The in-text
citation should occur within the sentence where the cited material has been used.
In-text citations generally contain the author’s last name (surname) and page location of cited material
placed within parentheses at the end of a sentence.
For a full in-text citation, start with the surname of the author (or editor, translator, compiler, etc.). When
referring to a particular part of a work, follow the surname by a space and a page number or numbers.
Example: This psychological phenomenon has been previously demonstrated (Smith 178-85).
If you introduce the cited material with a signal phrase (including the author’s last name within the
sentence), omit the surname from the parentheses.
Example: Smith demonstrates this psychological phenomenon (22-24).
Punctuating Citations
Normally, standard sentence punctuation is placed after the parenthetical citation.
Examples: Can we allow ourselves to trust Frank’s Dramatic Theory of Cause and Effect (73-74)?
There are ways to document this “overwhelming need for self-study” (Jones 18).
However, if you are using a direct quote with specific punctuation associated with it, include that
punctuation mark within the quotation marks followed by the parenthetical citation and end the sentence
with proper punctuation.
Example: In response, Mary replies, “what, no more fighting?” (Blackwell 43).
For rules concerning block quotes (more than four lines of quoted material) see pp. 94-95 of the MLA
Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.
Citing Works by Two or Three Authors
List all surnames, separating two authors with “and.” If listing three authors, separate the first two names
with commas.
Examples: Griff and Blum offer a fresh reading of this novel (242).
This novel drew critical attention recently (James, Blum, and Smith 22).
Citing Works by Four or More Authors
Either list the first author's last name followed by et al. (with a period) or give all the authors' last names in
the order in which they appear in the publication.
Examples: (Blaine et al. 75) or (Fisher, Metcalf, Bronson, and Johnson 65)
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Citing Works by Authors Who Have Same Last Name
List the first initial of each author as well as the surname. If this does not differentiate them, include the
whole first name.
Examples: (F. James 43) or (Frank James 43)
Citing Two or More Works by the Same Author
After the surname, include the title or an abbreviated version of the title. Separate the surname and
title with a comma.
Example: (Smith, Cartoon Heroines 80)
Citing More than One Work at Once
Separate the references by semicolons.
Example: (Brown 40; Smith 50; Green 22-23)
Citing Works by a Corporation
Cite a corporate body in a parentheses just as you would an individual author’s surname. If the
corporation's name is long, include it as a signal phrase rather than in parentheses. When possible,
shorten terms commonly abbreviated, for example: “National” = “Natl.” or “Association” = “Assn.”
Citing a Selection within an Anthology
List the name of the author of the selection (not the editor of the anthology) in the signal phrase or the
parentheses.
Citing a Work with Volume Numbers
If you are citing a specific page within a multi-volume work, list the volume number, then separate it
from the page number with a colon.
Example: (Wright 5: 33)
Citing Works without Page Numbers
If a document does not include page numbers (as is the case with many web documents), do not list any.
Page numbers in a printout from a web site should not be used unless the printout is a PDF. If there are
no page numbers, paragraph numbers, or obvious subdivisions, cite the author’s name in a signal phrase
in the text rather than in a parenthetical.
If there paragraph numbers used in the document instead of page numbers, use “par.” or “pars.”
followed by the relevant number(s). If the author's surname is included in the parentheses, put a
comma after it.
Example: (Smith, par.16)
If the work has any type of subdivision other than paragraph, use the name of that subdivision.
Example: ...the image of Cinderella (Brown, screens 2-3).
Citing an Indirect Source (source quoted in another source)
Cite the name of the primary source as a signal phrase and within the parentheses, include the words
“qtd. in” before the secondary source information:
Example: Green imagines a “new type of oligarchy” (qtd. in Smith 232).
Prepared by Sara Nixon
Revised by Lisa Woznicki: 8/5/2014
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