Skip to Main Content

MLA Citation

Citing in MLA

When is MLA Style used? 

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

 

Resources

Quick Guides you can print:

Video courses:

 

Book cover of MLA handbook Book cover of MLA Style Pressbook Book cover of MLA Guide to Digital Literacy, 2nd Ed. Book cover for MLA Guide to Undergraduate Research in Literature, 2nd Ed.
Print copies of the manual are available at all campuses, call number LB 2369 M57 2021. The manual is also available online (login required)

New to MLA? Check out our MLA Style Citations Pressbook.

 It is an introduction to MLA in-text and works cited entries with visuals and practice exercises.

 The MLA Guide to Digital Literacy is available online (login required).  The MLA Guide to Undergraduate Research in Literature is available online (login required).

Why do we need to cite?

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 can have severe academic consequences (see KPU's Policy ST2, Student Academic Integrity Policy) and the related Procedures for Dealing with Academic Integrity Breaches.

 

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
  • Listing a source in the bibliography/reference list that was not cited in the assignment
  • Using ChatGPT or another AI to do the assignment (if not permitted to use AI)
  • Having someone else write the assignment

 

Other reasons why we need to 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 uphold the values of academic integrity

Find out more about Academic Integrity.