The Modern Language Association (MLA) is renowned for its development of the MLA style, a referencing method widely used by students and scholars in the humanities. The MLA style serves as a guide for writers to properly cite and reference their sources in academic papers, ensuring that information is accurately attributed. Comprising of two components, this referencing system includes a concise in-text citation within the body of the text, as well as a comprehensive list of works cited at the end.
In-text citations are an essential aspect of MLA referencing. They provide readers with immediate information about the source being referenced and allow them to locate it easily in the works cited list. Typically placed within parentheses after a quote or paraphrase, these citations include the author’s last name and page number—no additional punctuation is required. In instances where no author’s name is available, simply use a shortened version of the title enclosed in quotation marks.