INTRODUCTION TO CITATIONS
In order for writers to produce new and interesting ideas, they must research and build
upon ideas that have already been conceived. Citing these ideas in a bibliography, reference
page, or work cited, gives credit to the original author(s) of the research. Not only does citing
information indicate who contributed to an idea or argument, but it also allows readers to follow
how an author came to a particular conclusion in their writing. To assign credit for this
information, we use citations.
Why cite?
During the writing process, whether you are writing an essay or any other kind of writing
assignment, many of your ideas will be based on work already done by others. Exploring
different information and research regarding a topic, as well as analyzing it in terms your
audience will find informative, is essential in understanding a subject matter; this research will
strengthen your argument and support for your ideas.
In addition to supporting your argument, another essential reason to cite your work is to
avoid plagiarism, which is using the work or ideas of another person and representing them as
your own. This is a serious offense; students who are found to be plagiarizing often receive a
failing grade on their assignment and can possibly be suspended or expelled from the school they
are attending. Teachers are well trained to distinguish plagiarism and even use certain computer
programs to detect plagiarized work. However, not all forms of plagiarism are always
intentional; work that is incorrectly or inadequately cited can also be considered plagiarism.
Paraphrasing vs. Direct Quotations
1
Citing quotes or information in an essay can be difficult. There are many different ways
to cite outside sources in your writing; however, it is important to keep in mind that when
integrating this research in a text, the writer should indicate how it is relevant to the rest of their
material without plagiarizing. Paraphrasing refers to when a writer restates a piece of
information using his or her own words. However, this still requires a citation. Listed below are
various methods of integrating outside information in writing using MLA format:
1. Paraphrasing with a Signal Phrase
Using signal phrases allows a writer to integrate outside information smoothly
and explain its relevance to the reader. This phrase will include the author’s name, as
well as an action verb introducing your text. It is important to keep in mind that
though a writer may paraphrase information or rewrite it using his or her own words,
the research still belongs to its original author. Therefore, using signal phrases when
paraphrasing will help in avoiding plagiarism. The following are examples of signal
phrases used with paraphrasing:
•
•
•
Brite notes Steve’s hesitation as he approaches the glowing vending machine
at night.
Tolkien illustrates the fearsome character Morgoth as the root from whom all
evil emerges.
According to WebMD.com, many develop the disease every year.
Note: When paraphrasing a text from a book or any source with an applicable page
number using a signal phrase, you must still include the page number in a
parenthetical citation at the end of the citation.
•
In Orlando, Woolf describes a mysterious female figure, cackling maniacally,
which suggested eccentricity (69).
2. Paraphrasing with a Parenthetical Citation
Like signal phrases, parenthetical citations give credit to the original author of a
text; however, they do not require an introductory phrase. Depending on what kind of
work you are citing, whether it is a book, article, or other source, it will contain the
author’s last name and page number if applicable. The following are examples of
paraphrasing using parenthetical citations:
•
The study indicated that several toxic materials, including cadmium and
manganese, were detected in 33 different brands’ lipstick, all currently
available to American consumers (Pearson).
•
Spur-of-the-moment, strong emotions are the main characteristic of
romantic poetry (Wordsworth 263)
2
3. Direct Quote with a Signal Phrase
Using a direct quote preceded or followed by a signal phrase will integrate
direct information from a text. Keep in mind that when using information worded
verbatim from its original source, it must be shown as a direct quote by surrounding it
with quotation marks. The following are examples of direct quotes introduced by a
signal phrase:
•
Robert Kiener notes, “Many observers agree that distrust of the media often
depends on one's political leanings.”
•
“Today the number of homeless kids is at a historic high,” comments Carmela
DeCandia, the director of the National Center on Family Homelessness.
4. Direct Quote with a Parenthetical Citation
While signal phrases help integrate direct quotes smoothly, parenthetical
citations are useful when a writer prefers to directly present research before or
following a related statement. The following is an example of a direct quote with a
parenthetical citation:
•
“Students who change schools often because they lack stable housing are
less likely to graduate, have lower attendance rates and are twice as likely
to repeat a grade” (Clemmitt).
For more information on In-text Citations, please refer to
the MLA Format handout, or consult a Writing Center tutor.
Correct
James Udall points out that “Because global warming is projected to be greatest at
high latitudes, polar regions would” probably be the most affected by it. He also
observes that “declines in the extent of sea ice […] could cause a plankton crash
that would “ destroy “a huge biomass of fish and seabirds” (424).
In this example, the student encloses all of the author’s original words in quotation
marks. By doing so, he/she lets us know that it was James Udall, not the student, who wrote
them.
Plagiarism
3
Since global warming is thought to be the greatest at upper latitudes, polar areas
would probably be the most affected by environmental harm. Decreases in the
level of oceanic ice might cause a large plankton crash that would collapse a huge
mass of fish and oceanic birds (424).
In this example, all the student does is copy the author’s sentence structure and replace
most of the words with synonyms.
For more information on Plagiarism, please refer to the
Plagiarism handout, or consult a Writing Center tutor.
What do I need to cite?
In your writing, you must fully cite:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Direct quotes, including entire selections and fragments
Books and other literature
Lectures, speeches, and interviews
Articles or study research
Statistics or collected data
Specialized terminology or words specific to research, data, or theories
Reference to an author’s thought or argument
Visual data, including graphs and diagrams
Historical or scientific facts
Sources that do not require citing are:
•
•
Common knowledge or easily verifiable facts, which include “There are 365 days
in a year,” “California has a warm climate,” and “oceans contain salt”
Idioms, expressions, and other well-known sayings, such as “a fresh pair of eyes,”
“a stitch in time saves nine,” and “a brush with death”
MLA Citations
When using in-text citations, also known as parenthetical citations, MLA format uses the
author-page number style. This includes the last name of the author followed by the page number
the information was found on. The punctuation of the original sentence will appear after the
citation. If you include a selection or paraphrased portion from an author’s work, the
parenthetical citation should follow it, and the Work Cited page should include a complete
citation of the work.
Correct
4
“Feminist and labour historians are as yet still documenting the radical
transformation of women’s position in the economy which took place in Britain
during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries” (Stubbs 3).
In this example, the student uses quotation marks around the author’s exact words and
cites it using their last name and the page number. The punctuation is found clearly at the end of
the citation.
Incorrect
The middle-class woman, with no economic function to perform in the home and
debarred by a patriarchal ideology […] became a dependent in a more direct way
than ever before. (Patricia Stubbs 1979)
In this example, the student cites the work using the author’s full name and includes the
year of publication, which is not required in MLA format. Additionally, no page number is
specified, and the punctuation is found before the citation.
Block Quotes
If quotes exceed four lines of prose or three lines of verse in an essay using MLA
formatting, the block-quoting format will be used. The text will begin on a separate line as a
block quote indented one inch from the left margin, which can be produced by pressing tab twice
on the keyboard. Quotation marks will not be used, and the ending punctuation will be placed
before the parenthetical citation. If citing more than one paragraph, only indent the first line of
the second paragraph one-quarter inch. Use the following format for block quotes in MLA:
Lestat vividly describes Claudia’s apparent frustration through his recounting:
I could see she could not accept this, but I hadn’t expected the convulsive turning
away, the violence with which she tore at her own hair for an instant and then
stopped as if the gesture was useless, stupid. It filled me with apprehension. She
was looking at the sky (Rice 112).
MLA Works Cited
There are many different ways to arrange citations in a Works Cited page depending on
what kind of text you are referencing. The following examples will help you create a Works
Cited reference in MLA format:
5
Book:
Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. New York: Riverhead Books, 2007. Print.
Last Name, First Name.
Article
from
Website:
Title.
Place of Publication: Publisher,
Pub. Date. Medium.
Pew Research Center. “Few Will Miss Campaign News.” Pew Research Center.
Author (Person or Organization).
“Title of Web Article.”
Title of Web Page.
12 Nov 2008. Web. 17 Nov 2008.
Date of Web Pub.
Medium. Date You Viewed.
Note: When a citation exceeds one line, indent the following lines one half inch. This is
called a hanging indent.
For more information on creating an MLA Works Cited
page, please refer to the MLA Format handout.
APA Citations
When using in-text citations, APA format uses the author-date style, which includes the
last name of the author followed by the year of the work’s publication. The punctuation of the
original sentence will appear after the citation. When directly quoting a work, the author’s last
name, year of publication, and page number should be noted. Use the following format:
Correct
“For decades, arts education advocates have been amassing evidence aimed at
convincing education policymakers and school superintendents that the arts
should be a basic part of the curriculum for every child” (Baker, 2012, pg. 1).
In this example, the student uses quotation marks around the author’s exact words and
cites it using their last name, year, and the page number. The punctuation is found clearly at the
end of the citation.
Correct
Baker (2012) stated, “For decades, arts education advocates have been amassing
evidence aimed at convincing education policymakers and school superintendents
that the arts should be a basic part of the curriculum for every child” (p. 1).
Introducing the author’s name and date in a signal phrase with the page number included
in the parenthetical citation is correct, as well. When introducing a direct quote with a signal
phrase, APA format requires the writer to use the past tense. (Baker noted, Green indicated,
etc.)
Incorrect
6
The middle-class woman, with no economic function to perform in the home and
debarred by a patriarchal ideology […] became a dependent in a more direct way
than ever before. (Stubbs)
In this example, the student cites the work omitting the year of publication. Additionally,
no page number is specified, there are no quotation marks, and the punctuation is found before
the citation.
Note: While all direct quotes in APA format require the author’s name, year of
publication, and page number, only the author’s name and publication year is required for
paraphrased information.
Block Quotes
If a quoted text exceeds 40 words in an APA formatted essay, the block-quoting format
will be used. The text will begin on a separate line as a block quote indented one half inch from
the left margin. Quotation marks will be removed, and punctuation will be placed before the
parenthetical citation. If citing more than one paragraph, only indent the first line of the second
paragraph one half inch. Use the following format for block quotes in APA:
Lestat vividly describes Claudia’s apparent frustration through his recounting:
I could see she could not accept this, but I hadn’t expected the convulsive turning
away, the violence with which she tore at her own hair for an instant and then stopped
as if the gesture was useless, stupid. It filled me with apprehension. She was looking
at the sky. (p. 112)
APA Works Cited
There are many different ways to arrange citations in a Works Cited page depending on
what kind of text you are referencing. The following examples will help you create a Works
Cited reference in APA format:
Book:
One Author
Journals:
Dictionary/
Encyclopedia
Arnheim, R (1971). Art and the visual perception. Berkley, CA: University of California Press.
Last Name, First Initial
Book Title
Place of Publication
Publisher
Passons, W. (1967). Predictive validities of the ACT, SAT, and high school grades for first semester GPA
Last Name, First Initial
Article Title
and freshman courses. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 27 (3), 1143-1144.
Journal Title
7
Volume # Issue # Page #s
Chicago Citations
When citing information in a text, Chicago Format uses subscript numbers ( ₂ ) at the end of each
sentence it applies to. These numbers can then be referenced at the bottom of the corresponding
page using a footnote or at the end of the entire text, which is known as an endnote. The
subscript numbers should be placed directly after any ending punctuation of the corresponding
sentence. If a hyphen is used, the subscript number will be placed before it. This citation will be
referenced later in the essay’s reference page, which is similar to a Works Cited page in MLA
or APA format because it gives bibliographical information. Using footnotes and endnotes are
helpful to avoid plagiarism or improper citations.
Note Reference
García Márquez, Cholera, 33.
This reference can be used both as a footnote or an endnote.
Bibliographical Reference
García Márquez, Gabriel. Love in the Time of Cholera. Translated by Edith Grossman.
London: Cape, 1988.
Block Quotes
If a quotation exceeds five or more lines, the block-quoting format will be used. The
quote itself will be single spaced with one line space before and after the block. The text will
begin on a separate line as a block quote indented one half inch from the left margin. Quotation
marks will be removed, and punctuation will be placed before the parenthetical citation. Use the
following format for Chicago-formatted block quotes:
Rose eloquently sums up his argument in the following quotation:
In a society of control, a politics of conduct is designed into the fabric of existence itself, into
the organization of space, time, visibility, circuits of communication. And these enwrap each
individual life decision and action—about labour purchases, debts, credits, lifestyle, sexual
contracts and the like—in a web of incitements, rewards, current sanctions and foreboding of
8
future sanctions which serve to enjoin citizens to maintain particular types of control over
their conduct. These assemblages which entail the securitization of identity are not unified,
but dispersed, not hierarchical but rhizomatic, not totalized but connected in a web or relays
and relations. (246)
Chicago Bibliography
(This format is rarely used outside of journalism)
Like a Works Cited page in MLA, the bibliography used in Chicago format is listed
alphabetically by the author’s last name. All main points will be separated by periods. In some
Chicago style bibliographies, additional sources that weren’t used in the text may be listed for
the reader to reference more information. The following example will help you create a
bibliographical reference in Chicago format:
Book:
1. Hurst, Jack. Nathan Bedford Forrest: A Biography. New York: Knopf,
(One Author) Last Name, First Name.
Title.
Place of Publication: Publisher,
1993.
Year.
Note: If there are multiple authors assigned to a bibliographical reference, separate them
with the conjunction and rather than the ampersand (&).
Example:
2. Ede, Lisa and Andrea A. Lunsford. “Collaboration and Concepts of Authorship.”
Last Name, First Name and First Name.
Last Name
“Title.”
PMLA 116, no. 2 (March 2001): 354-69. http://www.jstor.org/stable/463522.
Publisher Page Number (Month Year of Publication)
This handout is based on the following sources:
Lunsford, Andrea. The Everday Writer. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. 2001. Print.
Straus, Jane. The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation. 2006. 17 July 2006. Web.
All of the above texts are available at The Writing Center.
Please visit our website at http://www.lavc.edu/writingcenter for additional resources and services.
Last Revised: 2/2/15
9