Citing References in Your Essays
From a poem:
with quote and line reference:
Word repetitions in line 3, “treading, treading” and line 7, “beating, beating”
replicate the pounding pain in your head during a migraine.
with quote only:
When she says, “my mind was going numb”, I recall all the times I lost feeling in
my neck and shoulders (line 8).
with line reference only:
The onomatopoetic use in the last line of the poem reiterates both the sharp
stabbing pains of a migraine and the dull, muffled isolation from all activity
around you.
with reference only:
The opening imagery which sets the tone for the whole poem is a funeral with
mourners (line 1).
From a play:
with quote and line reference:
In Act 2, Scene 2, Line 21, Othello calls Desdemona “a subtle whore.” OR
In Act 2, Scene 2, Othello calls Desdemona “a subtle whore” (Shakespeare line 21).
when in an essay quoting only from play: (line 21).
with quote only:
Cassio’s parting words after getting drunk, “Good night, honest Iago” portray
everyone’s misconception of the villain (Shakespeare 2.3.335).
when in an essay quoting only from play: (2.3.335).
with line reference only:
Iago stabbed Roderigo in Act 5, Scene 1, so as not to be betrayed by him (Shakespeare).
when in an essay quoting only from the play, (Shakespeare)is not necessary
with reference only:
He stabbed himself with his own weapon (Shakespeare 5.2.338-356).
when in an essay quoting only from play: (5.2.338-356).
From a novel:
with quote and page reference:
We see additional dramatic irony on page 97 when Oedipus says, “I, at least, shall
stand clear of disaster” and we know that he is the disaster, he has caused the
disaster, and he will encounter only more disaster (Knox).
with quote only:
Like many epic poems Oedipus the King is fraught with numerous epithets such
as “daughter of Zeus, divine Athena” (Knox 30).
with page reference only:
Unlike Desdemona who defends herself, we see on page 25 that Jocasta is not
brave enough to reveal her suspicions to Oedipus (Knox).
with reference only:
For lack of a narrator, Sophocles uses the chorus and the messenger to relate to
the audience the scene of Jocasta’s death and Oedipus’ reaction (Knox 60-62).