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MLA Documentation: Print SourcesJennifer Jefferson '00 and Sharon WilliamsView PDF Format  Why is Citing Sources Important?When you write persuasive essays and papers, using others' ideas to back up your own conclusions greatly strengthens your argument's validity. It is important, however, not to let these outside sources construct your argument for you; you should use them only to support your claims. To avoid plagiarism, which is a serious violation of the Hamilton College Honor Code and of academic integrity in general, you must give credit for all ideas--not just words--that are not your own. Failure to do so, whether intentional or not, can result in serious disciplinary action. That is why you need to have a firm grasp of how to document sources both within the paper and through corresponding entries in a works cited page.Aren't There Different Accepted Forms for Citations?The citation forms we give here follow the MLA (Modern Language Association) guidelines for courses in language and literature; these guidelines include parenthetical citations with a works cited page. Social sciences and natural sciences favor different forms for in-text citations and for works cited pages.1 For papers that use many sources (such as history papers), professors often prefer footnotes. When you are unsure of what form to use, consult your professor.Where Do I Put Citations?When documenting ideas, paraphrases, and quotations, use the parenthetical citation forms listed in this handout. These are appropriate for prose citations; poetry and drama have slightly different forms.2 Include the citation after your end quotation mark but before the end punctuation of the sentence. Remember, the citation occurs before the final period. For quotations longer than four lines (block quotations), indent and single space the text; do not use quotation marks. The citation for block quotations follows the end punctuation.What Information Do I Include in Citations?1 According to the Hamilton College Style Sheet, "The social sciences [in general] prefer the author's name, the date, and the page number (e.g., Smith 1987: 273)," whereas "The natural sciences prefer the author's name and the date, but not the page number (e.g., Smith, 1987)" (28).2For poetry, cite the line number(s): (5-10). For drama (in most cases), cite act, scene, and line(s): (1.2.5-10) (Gibaldi 74-75, 198). When you use the MLA format, it is important to remember that your goal is to give your readers enough information so that they can return to your source. When you provide this information, try to avoid repetition. If, for example, you introduce your author in the same sentence in which your quoted material appears, you have already provided information as to the source of your material, and you need to place only page numbers within your end parentheses. Also, if within a section of a paper you repeatedly cite the same author and text, you do not need to include the author's name within all the citations; after the first citation simply record the page number. If your source has no author, the accepted rule is to give your readers the first information that appears in the works cited entry, such as the name of the editor or translator. How Do I Set Up the Works Cited Page?As a general rule, list the works cited on a separate, numbered page at the end of your paper. Indent by five spaces all but the first lines of your entries.Below is a listing taken from Joseph Trimmer's A Guide to MLA Documentation of most of the types of print sources you are likely to encounter. Check with the MLA handbook or the "Useful Links" on the Writing Center homepage for additional information. BOOKS
ARTICLES
For information on citing on-line sources, go to:
Works Cited3Gibaldi, Joseph, ed. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 1999. Hamilton College Reference Librarians. "Citing Electronic Information." Series of four handouts.Harnack, Andrew, and Eugene Kleppinger. Online! A Reference Guide to Using Internet Sources. New York: St. Martin's, 1997. Lia, Xia. Electronic Styles: A Handbook for Citing Electronic Information. 2nd ed. Medford: Information Today, 1996. Modern Language Association. "MLA Style." July 9, 1998. http://www.mla.org/set_stl.htm. May 14, 1999. O'Neill, John H., and Margaret Thickstun, eds. Hamilton College Style Sheet. Trustees of Hamilton College, 1998. Trimmer, Joseph F. A Guide To MLA Documentation. Boston: Houghton, 1989. |
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