BY MRS. BAKER, MEDIA SPECIALIST Citing Textual Evidence Using MLA Format

What is MLA? MLA refers to the Modern Language Association. Several different formats exist for citing research within a paper, such as MLA and APA. The MLA citation method is most commonly used in English classes.

Citing a Book For printed sources (books, magazines etc.) with a single named author, the in-text citation would appear as follows: This is my example sentence (last name page number). “Cole ignored his father” (Mikaelsen 40). Note: there is a single space between the name and page number

General Guidelines: MLA In-text Citations If the author’s name is introduced in the sentence before the quotation, then it does not need to be included in the parenthesis. Example of author’s name in lead-in: Ben Mikaelsen’s character Cole Matthews illustrates his selfishness and lack of empathy when he thinks to himself that Peter would never have gotten hurt if he “had kept his mouth shut” (40). Example of author’s name included in the parentheses: Cole Matthews illustrates his selfishness and lack of empathy when he thinks to himself that Peter would never have gotten hurt if he “had kept his mouth shut” (Mikaelsen 40).

Quote within a Quote Examples: Cole emphasizes to the Circle, “ ‘ I am telling the truth when I say I saw a Spirit Bear’ ” (Mikaelsen 130). Edwin and Garvey challenge Cole to explain how his two days of banishment changed him, and Cole explains, “ ‘ I realized that I was dying and I had never really even lived. Nobody trusted me. I had never loved anybody, and nobody had every really loved me’ ” (Mikaelsen 132).

Altering Quotes to Meet Grammatical Rules Use brackets to alter a quote so that it meets standard grammatical rules and your needs. Example: Cole realizes the errors of his past and that “[a]ll his life he had squandered his choices, wallowing in revenge and self-pity, keeping himself down” (Mikaelsen 84).

Quotations as Textual Evidence Quotations should be used when..  1. the exact wording is important.  2. the quoted material helps make or support the point of the paragraph. Example: Cole realizes that he wants to live: “To be alive was to have choice. The power to choose was real power, not the fake power of making others afraid” (Mikaelsen 83).

Paraphrasing Textual Evidence Paraphrasing should be used when...  1. The exact wording is not necessary to make your point.  2. You can more thoroughly explain the quote by using your own words. Example: After Cole is mauled by the bear and is lying in complete agony, he realizes his powerlessness to change his predicament and is overcome by loneliness (Mikaelsen 73).

Works Cited A Works Cited features the works (books, websites, newspapers etc.) you have cited (taken information from) in your paper. Example of a book by one author: Mikaelsen, Ben. Touching Spirit Bear. New York: Harper Trophy, 2001.