ABE 69: HS 21+ Civics: Citing in MLA style

MLA Style Handouts 

Here are some handouts (in both .docx and .pdf formats) featuring examples of citations for sources you might find through TCC's Library and the Web. This first handout is for the full works cited page. 

Works Cited

In-Text Citations

Citing Social Media

What is MLA? 

MLA style refers to the rules created by the Modern Language Association for formatting papers, as well as for how to do in-text citations and end-of-paper citations (Works Cited). MLA style is used primarily by authors in the humanities, especially literature.

How to Create In-Text MLA citations 

The following short video (3:35 mins) provides detailed instructions on citing in text in MLA style. One term you will hear in the video is "signal phrase." Here is a brief definition if you are unfamiliar with this term:

A signal phrase:

• Is used when citing a source within the body of your text.
• It introduces a source and "signals" to your reader that the material to follow comes from someone other than yourself.

For example: 

James Fenimore Cooper states that "he who has travelled far and seen much is apt to fancy that he has lived long" (1).

• In the example above, "James Fenimore Cooper states" is the  signal phrase (note the page number in parentheses, where the quoted material came from in the source.

Purdue OWL Guides: MLA 9th Ed.