how to cite an essay in mla

how to cite an essay in mla

To cite an essay in MLA format within your 1000-word essay, you need to follow specific guidelines. Here’s how to properly cite an essay:

In-Text Citation:

In the body of your essay, include an in-text citation whenever you directly quote or paraphrase from the essay you are referencing. The basic format for in-text citations includes the author’s last name and the page number (if applicable) in parentheses. For example:

• For a direct quote: (Smith 45).
• For paraphrased or summarized information: (Smith).

If the essay you are referencing has more than one author, use the last names of all the authors or the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” (Latin for “and others”). For example: (Smith, Johnson, and Davis 25) or (Smith et al. 25).

Works Cited Entry:

At the end of your essay, include a Works Cited page that lists all the sources you referenced. The format for citing an essay from a book or anthology in your Works Cited page is as follows:

Author(s). “Title of the Essay.” Title of the Book or Anthology, edited by Editor(s) (if applicable), Publisher, Year, Page Range.

Here’s an example of how to format a Works Cited entry for an essay from a book:

If the essay is from a journal or an online source, the format will be slightly different. Here’s an example:

Remember to italicize the titles of books, journals, or websites in your Works Cited page.

Ensure that your in-text citations match the corresponding entry in your Works Cited page, and format your citations accurately according to MLA guidelines. This way, you give proper credit to the original author and avoid plagiarism.