9th Edition8th Edition MLA citations follow specific conventions that distinguish them from other styles. In-text citations are
also sometimes known as “parenthetical citations” because they are enclosed in parentheses. Most often, the author’s last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in parentheses at the end of the sentence. At the end of the day Wilbur made “in excess of half a million dollars” (Marx 43). If you use the name of the author to set up your quote or paraphrase, mention the full author’s name the first time in the sentence;
thereafter use only the last name. Then put the page number without p. or pp. in the parentheses at the end of the sentence. According to Marx, Wilbur made “in excess of half a million dollars” (43). Page numbers should appear as they do in the source. If the source is only one page, do not add a page number in the citation. Examples of how numbers could appear in citations include 422, xxvi, and D32. If other location types are used within a citation, they are
listed often using abbreviations. The table below shows some location options with the appropriate abbreviations. When using any of these location types, add a comma within the citation after the author’s name. Only use the location type if they are included in the source. For example, do not use line or paragraph numbers if they are not included in the source referenced. NOTE: If you reference the work as a whole, page numbers are not required within the citation. If an ebook is used, use page numbers that are consistent across devices. Chapter numbers are also acceptable. However, do not use location numbers as they can vary in different devices.MLA Citations in the Body of Your Paper
LocationAppropriate Abbreviation chapter(s)
ch. or chs.
line
Do no abbreviate. Write out line or lines.
paragraph(s)
par. or pars.
scene
sc.
section(s)
sec. or secs.
If you need to cite more than one source in your in-text citation, you should use a semicolon to separate the sources.
(Jones 101; Williams 23).
It’s important to remember, in MLA style, each citation in your text must have a complete bibliographic entry in your Works Cited page, so, if readers want to go to the original source, they can!
The examples above are just a few of the most common examples of in-text citations in MLA style. The following pages provide more detailed information about in-text citing in MLA.
MLA citations follow specific conventions that distinguish them from other styles. In-text citations are also sometimes known as “parenthetical citations” because they are enclosed in parentheses. The author’s last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in parentheses at the end of the sentence.
At the end of the day Wilbur made “in excess of half a million dollars” (Marx 43).
If you use the name of the author to set up your quote or paraphrase, you mention the author’s name in the sentence and then put the page number only in the parentheses at the end of the sentence.
According to Marx, Wilbur made “in excess of half a million dollars” (43).
If you need to cite more than one source in your in-text citation, you should use a semicolon to separate the sources.
(Jones 101; Williams 23).
It’s important to remember, in MLA style, each citation in your text must have a complete bibliographic entry in your Works Cited page, so, if readers want to go to the original source, they can!
The examples above are just a few of the most common examples of in-text citations in MLA style. The following pages provide more detailed information about in-text citing in MLA.
In-text citations are brief, unobtrusive references that direct readers to the works-cited-list entries for the sources you consulted and, where relevant, to the location in the source being cited.
An in-text citation begins with the shortest piece of information that directs your reader to the entry in the works-cited list. Thus, it begins with what ever comes first in the entry: the author’s name or the title (or description) of the work. The citation can appear in your prose or in parentheses.
Citation in prose
Naomi Baron broke new ground on the subject.
Parenthetical citation
At least one researcher has broken new ground on the subject (Baron).
Work cited
Baron, Naomi S. “Redefining Reading: The Impact of Digital Communication Media.” PMLA, vol. 128, no. 1, Jan. 2013, pp. 193–200.
When relevant, an in-text citation also has a second component: if a specific part of a work is quoted or paraphrased and the work includes a page number, line number, time stamp, or other way to point readers to the place in the work where the information can be found, that location marker must be included in parentheses.
Parenthetical citation
According to Naomi Baron, reading is “just half of literacy. The other half is writing” (194).
The author or title can also appear alongside the page number or other location marker in parentheses.
Parenthetical citation
Reading is “just half of literacy. The other half is writing” (Baron 194).
All in-text references should be concise. Avoid, for instance, providing the author’s name or title of a work in both your prose and parentheses.
Citation (incorrect)
According to Naomi Baron, reading is “just half of literacy. The other half is writing” (Baron 194).
Citation (correct)
According to Naomi Baron, reading is “just half of literacy. The other half is writing” (194).
For more on what to include in an in-text citation and how to style it, see sections 6.3–6.30 of the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook).