NEW MLA

To cite a short quotation in-text:

1. Write out the quotation in the body of your text with double quotation marks at the beginning and end.
2. Include a parenthetical after the ending quotation mark.
3. Place closing punctuation (usually a period) after the parenthetical.

Examples

Author not introduced in a preceding statement: 
In addressing questions of purpose, "Spock often advised one to 'Live long and prosper' with customary salute" (Nimoy 209).

Author introduced in the preceding statement:
Shakespeare concludes, "To utter the smart that I suffer within; / But such it is I not how to begin" (28-29).

Note on Poetry: When citing less than three lines of poetry/verse, include the quote as described above and indicate each line break with a / at the end of the line of verse.

See pg. 1 of the MLA Handbook for more information

Quoting. Use it when you absolutely need it.  

Paraphrasing.  You rewrite what you read in your own words. 

Summarizing. This is a condensed version of what you read.  You write in your own words. 

REMEMBER: PARAPHRASING IS BETTER THAN QUOTING

Where should you place parentheticals?

• Direct quotes - parenthetical immediately after ending quotation mark
• Paraphrasing - parenthetical in a natural break in the text following the paraphrase (often at the end of the sentence)

Format:  (Autor Last name page number-s)

If you refer to the author in-text preceding the citation, you only need to include Page Numbers in the parenthesis.

Selected Examples

One Author: (Blake 253-254)

Two Authors: (Blake and Williams 200)

Three or More Authors: (Blake et al. 369)

Corporate Author: (Microsoft 293)

No Author: Use the title of the source. If the title is longer than a noun phrase, shorten the title. See pg. 237 of the MLA 9th ed Handbook for examples.

Source with Paragraph Numbers instead of Page Numbers: (Rivers, par. 4)

Note: When using paragraph numbers, include a comma after the author's last name.

Source with No Page or Paragraph Numbers: (Knope)

Multiple Citations: (Blake 253; Microsoft 293)

The Bible: (New King James Bible, Heb.1.5-10)

Use Block Quote format when you are quoting:

• More than 4 lines of prose.
• More than 3 lines of verse.

Guidelines for formatting block quotes:

• Place the quote in a free-standing block of text with no quotation marks.
• Maintain double spacing.
• Start the quote on a new line and indent the entire block 1/2 inch from the left margin.
• Use a colon in your text leading up to the block quote, unless other or no punctuation is needed.
• Include parenthetical citations outside of the punctuation on the final line.
• If you are citing multiple paragraphs, indent the first line of each new paragraph an extra quarter-inch.   

Example

Sonia's discomfort is readily apparent:

She sat down beside Raskolnikov, giving him a hurried bow and casting a quick, curious glance at him.  Most of the time, though, she seemed to avoid looking at him or speaking to him.  She looked preoccupied, though she kept gazing steadily at Mrs Marmeladov, trying to please her.  Neither she nor Mrs. Marmeladov was in mourning, for they did not possess any black dresses; Sonia was wearing a dark brown dress, and Mrs. Marmeladov a dark striped cotton one, the only dress she had. (Dostoyevsky 398)