MLA 9th Edition Guide: In-Text Citation

It is essential to acknowledge the work of others when using another person's words or ideas. MLA mandates the inclusion of parenthetical in-text citations within the body of the paper followed by a corresponding Works Cited page located after the paper's text. The Work Cited list is an alphabetical listing of works cited in the paper and includes the author's name, publication date, title, and source. This should be sufficient information for the reader to find the source. 

In general, an in-text citation consists of the shortest piece of information needed to direct readers to the additional information about the source needed to access the publication. This information will be either the author's last name or the title of the work. Whichever comes first in the publication's Work Cited entry. 

Citation in Prose or Parenthetical Citation

MLA allows authors two ways to cite works within the text. The first way is called Citation in Prose. This allows the author to include the name of the author of the work being cited within the prose.  

Citation in Prose

Jace Janus has written about the significance of the growth of Jaguars in North Texas since the early 2000's. 

The second way is called Parenthetical Citation. This allows the author to write about the work being cited without needing to refer to the author within the prose. 

Parenthetical Citation

The significance of the growth of Jaguars in the North Texas area has been tracked since the early 2000's (Janus).

Additional Component of In-Text Citations

If a specific portion of the publication is being used then the page number, line number, time stamp, or other indicators must be included that indicates where the user can read or view the information being cited.

The appropriate number must be used when direct quoting, paraphrasing, or commenting on a specific part of the cited work. 

Examples:

As Black explains, “When the novel invites us to extend sympathies beyond the category of human, it recognizes this category as exclusionary and troubling in itself” (803). [Citation in Prose]

This infantilization of refugees is also highly problematic as it does not convey a realistic image of them. Although these “charity campaigns and calls for compassion” that infantilize refugees bring to attention the struggles that refugees have to go through and call for action to help these refugees in need, “they nonetheless ultimately fail to humanize migrants and refugees” (Chouliaraki and Stolic 1162). [Parenthetical Citation]

Examples from Sietse Hagen (University of Groningen) “The Significance of Fiction in the Debate on Dehumanizing Media Portrayals of Refugees”

Incorrect In-Text Citation

Scott Hough's work suggests that reading targeted texts can be therapeutic to people who have experienced traumatic episodes (Hough, 32).

Since the author's name is already mentioned in the text there is no need to also mention the author's name inside the parentheses. The correct in-text citation should be (32).

A recent study suggests that the adoption of electric vehicles will be proportionate to the publics' perceived availability of charging stations (Pedro L. Flores, 74).

There is no need to include the first name or the initial inside the parenthesis. Instead only include the information needed to find the publication on the Work Cited page. The correct in-text citation should be (Flores, 74).

Using a Publication's Title when no Author is Available 

If the publication does not include an author's name then use the publication's title instead. 

In Prose             In Parenthetical  citation          In-Works Cited list

Invisible Child      Invisible                                       Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City

Citing Co-Authors

If a publication has two authors:

 Citation in prose:               Jerome Yuuta and  Gregorio Nestor...(4)

 In Parenthetical  citation:  (Yuuta and Nestor, 4)

If a publication has three or more authors. 

 Citation in prose:               Roberta Walsh and colleagues...(278);  Roberta Walsh and others...(278)

 In Parenthetical  citation:  (Walsh, et al. 278)

For more information see MLA Handbook Ninth Edition - Chapter 6 Citing Sources in the Text pages 227-233.