MLA Style: In-Text Citations (8th Ed., 2016)

OWLPurdue

25 Jan 201903:27

Summary

TLDRThis video from Eliza Gellis in collaboration with Purdue OWL explains how to use MLA style in-text citations. It covers when to use citations, either when quoting directly or paraphrasing, and the correct format for different types of sources, including works with one author, multiple authors, or no author. It also discusses citing corporate authors and online sources, and how to include citations directly in the sentence using signal phrases. The video emphasizes ensuring that in-text citations match the first element in the corresponding Works Cited entry.

Takeaways

📚 MLA in-text citations are used to reference others' work within your writing by placing source information in parentheses.
📝 In-text citations are necessary when you directly quote someone or when you paraphrase their work.
👤 For author-page style citations, include the author's last name and the page number. If there is no page number, just the author's name will suffice.
🏢 For corporate authors, list the organization name and the page number, if applicable.
👥 For two authors, list both last names in the order they appear in the source.
👥 For three or more authors, use the first author's last name followed by 'et al.'
📖 When citing multiple works by the same author, use a shortened version of the title in the citation to specify the correct work.
🖇️ If there is no author, use a shortened version of the title in your citation.
🌐 For online sources without page numbers, simply include the author's name or the title of the source.
💡 Signaling in-text citation is when you integrate part or all of the citation into the sentence for a more fluid reading experience.

Q & A

What is an in-text citation in MLA style?
-An in-text citation in MLA style is a parenthetical reference placed at the end of a sentence to indicate that you are using information from another source.
When should you use an in-text citation?
-You should use an in-text citation when you directly quote someone or when you reference or paraphrase their work.
How do you cite a source using the author-page style?
-Use the author's last name followed by the page number. If there is no page number, just use the author's name.
How do you cite a source with a corporate author?
-Use the name of the organization followed by the page number if there is one.
How do you cite a source with two authors?
-List both last names in the order they appear in the source.
How do you cite a source with three or more authors?
-List the first author's last name and replace the other authors' last names with 'et al.'
What should you do if you are using more than one work by the same author?
-Use a shortened version of the title in your citation to specify which work you are citing.
How do you cite a source with no author?
-Use a shortened version of the title of the work.
How do you cite an online source without a page number?
-Just use the author's name or the title, as online sources often do not have page numbers.
What is a signaling in-text citation?
-A signaling in-text citation is when you incorporate all or part of the citation into the sentence itself, often including the author's name directly in the sentence.

Outlines

00:00

🎥 Introduction to MLA In-text Citations

This paragraph introduces the concept of MLA in-text citations, explaining that they are parenthetical citations used in academic writing to reference other works. The information is placed at the end of a sentence in parentheses. The vidcast is brought by Eliza Gellis in cooperation with the Purdue Online Writing Lab.

❓ When to Use In-text Citations

The paragraph details when in-text citations are needed: 1) when directly quoting someone else's words and 2) when paraphrasing or summarizing another author's work. Two examples are provided: one for quoting Wordsworth and one for paraphrasing his ideas.

✍️ How to Cite Using Author-page Style

This section explains how to format in-text citations using the author-page style. If there is a page number, the author’s last name is followed by the number; if there isn't one, only the name is needed. Examples include citing Wordsworth and reports from organizations like the EPA.

👥 Citing Multiple Authors

The paragraph covers how to cite works with multiple authors. For two authors, list both last names (e.g., Best and Marcus). For three or more authors, list the first author's last name followed by 'et al.' The paragraph provides examples of both cases.

📚 Citing Multiple Works by the Same Author

When using more than one work by the same author, a shortened version of the title must be included in the citation to distinguish the sources. The paragraph demonstrates this using 'Visual Studies' as a short title for one of Alken's works.

📄 How to Cite Sources Without an Author

This section explains how to cite a source that does not have a listed author. In these cases, a shortened version of the title should be used. The example provided uses 'Impact of Global Warming' as a shortened title for an article without an author.

🌐 Citing Online Sources

For online sources without page numbers, only the author’s name or the title is necessary for the citation. An example is given using the Purdue OWL webpage, which doesn’t have numbered pages, so only the authors are cited.

📑 Match In-text Citations with Works Cited

This paragraph advises that the in-text citation should always correspond to the first piece of information listed in the Works Cited section for that source. If there is any confusion about how to cite, this alignment will guide the correct format.

📝 Using Signaling Phrases in In-text Citations

This section discusses how to incorporate citations into the sentence itself using signaling phrases. This method includes the author’s name within the sentence and is considered a more elegant way to introduce a quote. An example is provided to illustrate this style.

👋 Conclusion and Additional Resources

The paragraph concludes the video, thanking viewers for watching and reminding them to check out additional resources available on the Purdue OWL website. It also notes that the video covers MLA's eighth edition and provides information on how to find more details about it.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡In-text citation

An in-text citation refers to the practice of crediting sources directly within the body of a text. In the video, this concept is central, as it involves including the source’s details in parentheses at the end of a sentence when quoting or paraphrasing someone else's work. This is a core practice in MLA style.

💡Parenthetical citation

A parenthetical citation is a specific type of in-text citation where the source information is placed in parentheses, typically at the end of a sentence. The video highlights how this citation style is used to give credit to the original source without interrupting the flow of the text. For example, the author's last name and page number are placed in parentheses.

💡Direct quote

A direct quote involves using the exact words from a source in your writing. In the video, it is mentioned that you must use in-text citations when quoting someone directly. This is done by including the author’s last name and page number in parentheses after the quote.

💡Paraphrase

Paraphrasing is when you restate someone else's ideas in your own words. The video explains that an in-text citation is also required when you paraphrase, ensuring that the source of the original idea is credited even though the wording has changed.

💡Author-page style

Author-page style is a method of in-text citation in MLA where the author's last name is followed by the page number from which the information is taken. This style is emphasized in the video as the standard method of citation in MLA format when referencing specific pages.

💡Corporate author

A corporate author refers to an organization or institution that is listed as the author of a work. The video explains that when citing a source authored by a corporation, you use the name of the organization followed by the page number, if applicable, to properly credit the source.

💡Et al.

'Et al.' is short for 'and others' and is used in MLA in-text citations when a source has three or more authors. The video explains that after listing the first author's last name, 'et al.' is used to indicate the other contributors, streamlining citations for works with multiple authors.

💡Signal phrase

A signal phrase is a phrase that introduces a quote or paraphrase by mentioning the author within the sentence itself. The video highlights that using a signal phrase can be an elegant way to integrate citations into writing, avoiding the need for a parenthetical citation at the end.

💡Shortened title

A shortened title is used in MLA in-text citations when referring to multiple works by the same author or when citing a source without an author. The video shows that when the full title is too long, a concise version is included in the citation to help the reader identify the source.

💡MLA Eighth Edition

MLA Eighth Edition refers to the version of the Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines that were discussed in the video. These guidelines dictate the standards for writing, formatting, and citing sources in academic writing, which is the basis for the rules on in-text citations.

Highlights

An in-text citation involves placing source information in parentheses at the end of the sentence.

In-text citations are used in two situations: when directly quoting or paraphrasing another's work.

MLA uses the author-page style for in-text citations, showing the author's last name followed by the page number.

If no page number is available, just use the author's name in the citation.

For corporate authors, use the organization's name followed by the page number, if available.

When citing two authors, list both last names in the order they appear in the source.

For sources with three or more authors, list only the first author's last name followed by 'et al.'

When citing multiple works by the same author, use a shortened title in the citation to distinguish the work.

If the source has no author, use a shortened version of the title in the in-text citation.

For online sources without page numbers, just the author's name or the title of the work is needed.

In-text citations should match the first element listed for the source in the Works Cited page.

Signaling in-text citations incorporate part of the citation, such as the author's name, into the sentence itself.

Signaling citations are often the most elegant way to incorporate a quote into your writing.

The Purdue OWL webpage citation format is demonstrated using the contributors' names instead of page numbers.

This video uses MLA 8th edition guidelines; more information is available on Purdue OWL’s MLA page.