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Hey there! Ready to master the art of writing research papers? Today, we will learn how to find great sources and cite them perfectly using MLA format.
When you write a research paper, you first need to find reliable sources. Good sources include academic databases, books, and trusted news sites rather than random blogs. Choosing strong sources makes your arguments believable and helps you learn more about your topic.
To avoid plagiarism, you must cite your sources. This means giving credit to the original author whenever you use their ideas, whether you quote them directly or paraphrase them in your own words. MLA format uses simple parenthetical citations inside your paragraphs.
Every source you cite inside your paper must match an entry on your Works Cited page at the very end. The Works Cited page lists the full publication details so your readers can easily locate the exact same sources you used.
Imagine you are writing a research paper on space exploration. You want to use a quote from page 45 of a book written by Dr. Mae Jemison in 2021. Walk through how to write an in-text citation and the corresponding Works Cited entry.
- First, evaluate your source to ensure it is academic and relevant. A book written by an astronaut like Dr. Mae Jemison is a highly credible primary source.
- Next, write your sentence in your paper. You can either quote her directly or paraphrase her words.
- Add the in-text citation right after the quote or paraphrase. In MLA format, this goes inside parentheses and includes the author's last name and the page number: (Jemison 45). Note that there is no comma between the name and the page number.
- Finally, create the full citation for your Works Cited list at the end of your paper. The basic format is: Author Last, First. Title of Book. Publisher, Year. For this source, it would look like: Jemison, Mae. Exploring the Cosmos. Star Press, 2021.
