Citing Your Work using MLA

Reminders from the Assignment You must show how your example of visual rhetoric persuades/argues – you must show the effect on the viewer. According to Rosenwasser and Stephen, “[t]o analyze the rhetoric of something is to determine how that something persuades and positions its readers or viewers or listeners. Rhetorical analysis is an essential skill because it reveals how particular pieces of communication seek to enlist our support and shape our behavior” (69).

General Rules for In-Text Citations 1. If you name the author in the signal phrase preceding the quote, you do not need to re- name the author in the citation. According to Maria Hartmann, “The use of cellular phones in class is unnecessary” (123).

In-Text Citations - Rule #2 2. If you do not name the author in the signal phrase, state the author’s name in the citation with the page number. “The rule was put into place by administrators and teachers are required to enforce this rule in class” (Smith 142).

Rule #3 3. If you are quoting 4 or more lines you should indent 10 spaces from the left margin. Leave the right margin where it is and continue with double spacing. See example…

In-Text Example 3 – A Long Quote Smith and Jones of Education Weekly agree that cell phones should not be used in class: Cell phones are not a necessity. Students use them to send text messages. Phones can aid in cheating and cause disruptions in class. All cell phones should be turned off in class. (25)

Rule #4 4. If the author is unknown, use the complete title of the work in the signal phrase. Then, use only the page number in the citation. “Teaching Tolerance” stated recently that “many students are becoming hostile in the classroom when their cell phones are taken away from them” (34).

Rule #5 5. If the author is unknown and you don’t use the complete title in the signal phrase, then state an abbreviated title in the citation along with the page number. “Students are now being asked to stay off of their cell phones while in the hallways during the passing of classes” (“Tolerance” 25).

Rule #6 What if you do not know the page number? Many websites do not provide page numbers. In this case, only use the author’s name in the citation.

Note: There are many variations on the basic rules. For example, you may have two or more titles by the same author or authors with the same last name. Please use your writing guide to see examples of these specific instances.

Works Cited Page Basic Book Format: Tan, Amy. The Bonesetter’s Daughter. New York: Putnam, Work in an anthology: Desai, Anita. “Scholar and Gypsy.” The Oxford Book of Travel Stories. Ed. Patricia Craig. Oxford UP,

Dictionary Entry: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 4 th ed Article in a Magazine: Kaplan, Robert D. “History Moving North.” Atlantic Monthly Feb. 1997: 21+.

Article in a Journal: Ryan, Katy. “Revolutionary Suicide in Toni Morrison’s Fiction.” African American Review 34 (2000): Author. Title of Article. Title of Journal Volume (date): pages.

Article in a Newspaper: Murphy, Sean P. “Decisions on Status of Tribes Draw Fire.” Boston Globe 27 Mar. 2001: A2. Author. Title of article. Name of Newspaper date: page number including section letter.