A Detailed Manual On How To Cite Sources In A World Literature MLA Format Research Paper


Introduction

The main purpose of an MLA formatted research paper is to determine or cite other author’s data or ideas that are used within the term paper or essay. Aside from this, it also aims to indicate the sources or authors of these in the works cited that is listed at the research paper’s end section. It is worthy of note that the MLA writing style is merely one of the prevalent approaches of documentation these days.

Here is a detailed manual on how to cite in research paper MLA format:

Keep in mind that within research papers, essays and any other written assigned tasks in all scholarly works, it is imperative for the writer to consider identifying all ideas, quotations, images and paraphrases from other’s work (document, cite and reference).

More than that, the write should name the author and always be reminded that the reason why it matters to surround and source quoted sentences with quotation marks or setting it in a block format is that submitting and copying such document, ideas, thoughts, images and quotations as your own is deemed as a very serious academic violation.

When it comes to the name of the authors that aren’t used in text, take note that put only the surname within the parenthetical citation with the page number. Always be careful not to use “pp.” or “p.” to cite page number/s and never include the title of the text.

Needless to say, many of us have a number of questions on how to cite in research paper MLA format like in the case when there is more than one author. Please be guided that in case like this, you could either include all names in the parenthetical citation as per how these are listed in the source. Alternatively, you may list the first author that is followed by et.al.

It is recommendable to come up with a clear distinction between your own words and that of the other person’s words in order for the target readers to know exactly where direct quotation/s, paraphrased passages or borrowed ideas actually start and end.

Conclusion

All through the body of your research paper note that when referring to outside sources of data; it is fundamental that you indicate sources from which you obtained the information. Indeed, the easiest method to do so it to provide the last name of the author parenthetically as well as the publication year.

Meanwhile, when citing data from another’s publication, it matters to indicate the pertinent sources of the work in a terse and clear approach using your own words. Further, you must provide a reference to the work after providing the data.