MLA and APA Citation Formatting

If you use information that is not common knowledge – summaries, facts, quotations, or ideas – you must give credit to your source and document where the information can be found. Citation formatting enables you to do this AKA: citing sources, documenting information

Purposes of Citation Formatting Documents your sources of information Gives credit to others for their ideas Distinguishes YOUR ideas from those of others Prevents plagiarism

Types of Citation Formatting Humanities – MLA Social Sciences – APA History – Chicago Sciences - CSE

Types of Citation Formatting Humanities – MLA Social Sciences – APA History – Chicago Sciences - CSE

MLA or APA Citation Formatting There are TWO parts: In-text citations Give credit to your sources within the text Listing of sources of information at the end Tells the reader exactly where to find the information

MLA

MLA In-Text Citations Format #1 Signal phrase introduces the information AND Page or other reference appears after the information Format #2 Parenthetical reference only

MLA In-Text Citations Kwon points out that the Fourth Amendment does not give employees any protections from employers’ “unreasonable searches and seizures” (6). Companies can monitor employees’ keystrokes without legal penalty, but they may have to combat low morale as a result (Lane 129) (Hacker 120)

Works Cited Listing of citations contained in your paper Alphabetical by author The formats vary depending on whether your source of information is a book, a journal article, a Web site, etc.

Example from Diana Hacker

APA

APA In-Text Citations Author’s last name Year of publication Page number (for quotations)

APA In-Text Citation Examples According to Smith (1999), the best apple pie is made at home. The best apple pie is made at home (Smith, 1999). Smith (1999) suggests that “undoubtedly, apple pie looks and tastes best when it’s lovingly made in one’s home” (p. 4).

References Listing of citations contained in your paper Alphabetical by author The formats vary depending on whether your source of information is a book, a journal article, a Web site, etc.

Example from Diana Hacker

Reminders… If you mention someone else’s ideas in your paper you must indicate that with a citation Be sure to use quotation marks around the phrases of others Any in-text citation you use should correspond to a detailed listing in your Works Cited or References

Bibliography A listing of ALL of the sources of information that you’re reading (or read) for your paper. Often this is requested by instructors before a paper is due to see what kinds of resources you’ve found for a project

Helpful Resources ESC Library Diana Hacker Pocket Manual Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)