LibGuides: MLA Citation: Welcome

MLA resources at KPU

MLA Quick Guide KPU

Complete citation examples list from MLA (login required)

MLA Handbook, 9th edition This link opens in a new window
Online version of the full MLA Handbook. Includes a video course on MLA style.
Off campus access restricted to current KPU students and employees.

MLA VIDEO COURSES

MLA 101 (student number/pw required)

Quoting and Paraphrasing in MLA (student number/pw required)

MLA Style Citations Pressbook

MLA Guide to Digital Literacy

MLA Guide to Undergraduate Research in Literature

Why do we cite?

to distinguish previous from new thought
to give credit to the person whose ideas you used
to respect intellectual property
to help a reader locate the source(s) you used
to show that you have investigated your topic well
to avoid plagiarism
to uphold the values of academic integrity

Citing in MLA

MLA style is often used to document sources for papers in the Humanities (English, Arts, Literature, Philosophy, etc.). Cite all sources that you quote, paraphrase or summarize:

in the body of your paper with brief in-text citations
in a Works Cited list at the end with the full information of the sources

For detailed information on MLA refer to the MLA Handbook, 9th edition, call number LB 2369 M57 2021, available at all campuses or online (you will need to log in with your student number and password). Also check the MLA Style Center tab above.

If you have a specific MLA citing question, you may also try ask MLA!

MLA Essay Template

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources that you researched. It consists of two things:

citation of each source (book, article, etc.)
the annotation, which is a brief descriptive and/or critical, analytical, and evaluative paragraph of the source

We suggest to format your annotated bibliography the following way, but please check with your instructors about their preference:

Annotated Bibliography Template

(Examples on the template taken with thanks from Vancouver Island University Library)

MLA Works Cited Core Elements

Entries in the MLA Works Cited are based on nine core elements. The elements appear in the order and with the punctuation marks shown in the image to the left.

If an element cannot be found or does not apply to the source being cited, omit that element from the entry.

Image credit: What’s New in the Eighth Edition. Modern Language Association, 2016, www.mla.org/MLA-Style/What-s-New-in-the-Eighth-Edition.

Practice worksheets (from the KPU library):

MLA Quiz from KPU:

Identify Citations

The MLA Style Center contains helpful information on the following:

How the template of core elements is used
MLA Practice Templates
MLA blog

It also recorded a MLA webinar that you can watch and listen to here (you will need to register): https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7359893723309358849

Plagiarism

When writing a research paper, you must cite the ideas, information, arguments, phrases or any other intellectual or creative output by another person that you borrow. Not to do so is referred to as plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense that has severe academic consequences (see KPU's Policy ST2, Student Academic Integrity Policy) and the related Procedures for Dealing with Academic Integrity Violations.

Common examples of plagiarism:

Copying sentences, paragraphs, data or visuals without citing their source
Quoting material without proper use of quotation marks (even if otherwise cited appropriately)
Paraphrasing or summarizing information from a source without acknowledgement;
Paying someone for writing the assignment
Listing a source in the bibliography/reference list that was not cited in the assignment

Find out more about Plagiarism